Author Topic: No, I won't buy into your MLM  (Read 639113 times)

NorthernDreamer

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #700 on: January 18, 2018, 08:36:42 PM »
I'm curious what you guys think about the "essential" oils craze.  I heard the other day about one they're selling to pregnant ladies - costs like $1,200 per year to buy - even though it has no proven medical benefits whatsoever.  Of course, the marketing is all word-of-mouth based and social-based.  Call me a skeptic...

The essential oil craze is THE WORST. As a mom in her 30s, I popcorn-watch all the craziness on social media. People believe you can cure diseases with them. Reps often don’t know the safe use of certain oils and recommend ingesting them or using them on babies and children when it’s unsafe. I get that some smell nice and might make you happy because of it. But they are NOT medicines. They’re the modern day snake oils. / End rant /

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #701 on: January 18, 2018, 08:39:32 PM »
I'm curious what you guys think about the "essential" oils craze. 

Any advertising that tells me their product is "essential" and it's not about food, water, or environmentally-relevant clothing gets immediately shuffled off.

englishteacheralex

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #702 on: January 18, 2018, 10:57:37 PM »
My husband calls them "optional" oils. But the reason they're called essential oils is because they come from the essence of the plant.

InquisitiveMind

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #703 on: January 18, 2018, 11:59:12 PM »
Quote
But they are NOT medicines. They’re the modern day snake oils.
I am completely not an MLM person, but will stick up for essential oils as having their uses. I've had some very good experiences with using them, from ultra-fast recovery from injury to enhanced brain function. I agree that many MLM marketers make exaggerated claims.

I'm a fan of non-MLM brands, which are a better value and likely just as high in quality as the more expensive MLM brands.

Maenad

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #704 on: January 19, 2018, 08:17:42 AM »
I am completely not an MLM person, but will stick up for essential oils as having their uses. I've had some very good experiences with using them, from ultra-fast recovery from injury to enhanced brain function.

Cite, please. Preferably double-blind, controlled studies.

InquisitiveMind

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #705 on: January 19, 2018, 08:51:29 AM »
Quote
Cite, please. Preferably double-blind, controlled studies.

Sure, here you go:

These 134 results from PubMed are a mixed bag, with some including fish oil rather than essential oil, and some showing no benefit of EO vs. placebo, but there are also plenty of findings that support the use of EO for certain applications.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=essential+oils+double+blind+placebo

Just a few of the many examples:

Positive modulation of mood and cognitive performance following administration of acute doses of Salvia lavandulaefolia essential oil to healthy young volunteers
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15639154

Monoterpenoid extract of sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) with cholinesterase inhibiting properties improves cognitive performance and mood in healthy adults
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20937617

Lavender oil preparation Silexan is effective in generalized anxiety disorder--a randomized, double-blind comparison to placebo and paroxetine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24456909

Effect of an essential oil-containing dentifrice [toothpaste] on established plaque and gingivitis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23082576

Curcumin and Fennel Essential Oil Improve Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27308645

Antioxidant activity of linalool in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26831333

Efficacy of Silexan [lavender oil extract] in mixed anxiety-depression--A randomized, placebo-controlled trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26718792

Efficacy of orally administered Silexan [lavender oil extract] in patients with anxiety-related restlessness and disturbed sleep--A randomized, placebo-controlled trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26293583

Effects of Silexan [lavender oil extract] on the serotonin-1A receptor and microstructure of the human brain: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over study with molecular and structural neuroimaging
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25522403

An orally administered lavandula oil preparation (Silexan) for anxiety disorder and related conditions: an evidence based review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23808618

Efficacy of Peppermint oil in diarrhea predominant IBS - a double blind randomized placebo - controlled study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23416804

Premedication with peppermint oil capsules in colonoscopy: a double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23082707

Application of the essential oil from copaiba (Copaifera langsdori Desf.) for acne vulgaris: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22502624
« Last Edit: January 19, 2018, 09:00:01 AM by InquisitiveMind »

Beard N Bones

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #706 on: January 19, 2018, 09:51:55 AM »
I am completely not an MLM person, but will stick up for essential oils as having their uses. I've had some very good experiences with using them, from ultra-fast recovery from injury to enhanced brain function.

Cite, please. Preferably double-blind, controlled studies.

That line smacks of skepticism.  I understand and get it as I am very critical myself.  However, there is lots of information out there.  It's worth looking into.  (Stay away from any MLM companies and the "research" they come up with, double-blind or otherwise!)
Good luck in finding a sufficient body of knowledge on a specific EO that would come anywhere's close to the "research" done on big-pharma medication.  Not many EO companies will have the 2.6 Billion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_drug_development (a very loose estimate) to test their products like drug companies do.  And why would they put out R&D like that when they can't patent the product(s) they are testing?  No one can patent an orange, or rose, or cedarwood.  Doesn't make them less effective though. 

A few places to find good information...
https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/research
http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js2200e/

runbikerun

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #707 on: January 20, 2018, 02:35:21 AM »

An orally administered lavandula oil preparation (Silexan) for anxiety disorder and related conditions: an evidence based review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23808618


I decided to pull on a thread here and pick a random paper to see what the contents are like. I picked the above paper on lavender oil, to see what I'd find.

There are three very big takeaways from the paper:

1. Lavender oil contains linalyl acetate, which is a genuinely useful compound.
2. What's being tested in the paper (and, as far as I can see, in all the other papers on lavender oil) is a commercially manufactured lavender oil preparation manufactured to exacting specifications and marketed under the brand name Silexan.
3. To quote the paper, "marketed oils from lavender thus differ greatly with regard to quality and manufacturing cost". In other words, buying a bottle of lavender oil is not what's being tested here at all.

From a brief reading of another paper on essential-oil toothpaste and a third one on peppermint oil, the common factor is that what they're testing is commercially manufactured products which include some form of essential oil as an ingredient. None that I've flipped through appear to have been testing the use of essential oils in and of themselves.

I'd also note that there's a geographical and product bias to the papers I've taken a closer look at: there are more from southeast Asia and India than I might have guessed, which may or may not be related to the fact that Asia is the fastest-growing market for essential oils, and almost everything on lavender oil is actually testing Silexan, which is a product manufactured by Schwabe Pharma in Germany, whose parent company has an estimated annual income of about two hundred million dollars. It wouldn't shock me to see the manufacturers of essential oil products taking a leaf out of the pharmaceutical industry's book and quietly and patiently funding the kind of research it wants to see. I'll have to figure out who has my copy of Bad Pharma and see if I can find anything that matches his descriptions - although testing against placebo rather than the best existing treatment is one that springs to mind.

Incidentally, that last one is from the Alternative Medicine Review, which can fuck all the way off.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #708 on: January 20, 2018, 09:18:17 AM »

That line smacks of skepticism. 

And?  A skeptic by definition has doubts and wants to see evidence. That's not a bad thing in any situation.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #709 on: January 20, 2018, 09:40:09 AM »

An orally administered lavandula oil preparation (Silexan) for anxiety disorder and related conditions: an evidence based review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23808618


I decided to pull on a thread here and pick a random paper to see what the contents are like. I picked the above paper on lavender oil, to see what I'd find.

There are three very big takeaways from the paper:

1. Lavender oil contains linalyl acetate, which is a genuinely useful compound.
2. What's being tested in the paper (and, as far as I can see, in all the other papers on lavender oil) is a commercially manufactured lavender oil preparation manufactured to exacting specifications and marketed under the brand name Silexan.
3. To quote the paper, "marketed oils from lavender thus differ greatly with regard to quality and manufacturing cost". In other words, buying a bottle of lavender oil is not what's being tested here at all.

From a brief reading of another paper on essential-oil toothpaste and a third one on peppermint oil, the common factor is that what they're testing is commercially manufactured products which include some form of essential oil as an ingredient. None that I've flipped through appear to have been testing the use of essential oils in and of themselves.

I'd also note that there's a geographical and product bias to the papers I've taken a closer look at: there are more from southeast Asia and India than I might have guessed, which may or may not be related to the fact that Asia is the fastest-growing market for essential oils, and almost everything on lavender oil is actually testing Silexan, which is a product manufactured by Schwabe Pharma in Germany, whose parent company has an estimated annual income of about two hundred million dollars. It wouldn't shock me to see the manufacturers of essential oil products taking a leaf out of the pharmaceutical industry's book and quietly and patiently funding the kind of research it wants to see. I'll have to figure out who has my copy of Bad Pharma and see if I can find anything that matches his descriptions - although testing against placebo rather than the best existing treatment is one that springs to mind.

Incidentally, that last one is from the Alternative Medicine Review, which can fuck all the way off.

The "Essential Oils" lavender is a topical treatment whereas this study is for an oral pill. Many of the commercially available lavender oils come in bottles that state DO NOT drink.  Apparently there are capsules as well that you can.  I did some poking around and couldn't find a clear ingredient list except for "100% therapeutic grade lavender oil." What the fuck does that mean? Several compounds are extracted from lavender plants and sold in various concentrations. 

The official documentation says keep away from prepubescent children while the websites say "treats acne" and doesn't mention any child-related warnings at all.  For that matter the alternative medicine websites claim it cures damn near everything to include cancer.  One review site says "only treat for cancer after consulting a qualified aromatherapy practitioner.

Those tests and what I can find on the commercial product makes me think they weren't testing the same item.  I'm reminded of a 5-Hour Energy commercial where the spokeswoman said "3000 doctors would recommend a low-calorie energy supplement" while not actually saying "doctors recommend 5-Hour Energy" or that the product even counts as a "low-calorie energy supplement."  If you're not paying attention you might miss that little plot twist.

ohsnap

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #710 on: January 21, 2018, 07:29:54 AM »
See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

+1000. 

I recently had a big medical problem including weeks of testing, then surgery, then more testing.  (It's mostly over now, but it was pretty physically and emotionally traumatic for about 3 months).  A friend of mine knew about it - she's not a close friend who I personally told, but she mentioned it when I ran into her at a social event, so I knew she'd heard it through the grapevine.  Right after that I got a lovely pink envelope in the mail from her - I thought, "How nice, she's sending me thoughts and prayers and encouragement."  When I opened the envelope, the first thing I saw was "You're invited!" so my mind then jumped to "oh, her oldest must be getting married and this is a bridal shower!"  Nope.  I think you all know where this is leading.  It was an invitation to a party to "introduce all my friends to XYZ product who haven't yet had a chance to try it."

I've known this woman for 11 years.  It grieves me that this is what passes for friendship these days.

Astatine

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #711 on: January 24, 2018, 12:47:54 AM »
See, the exchange you just explained between you and your husband's CW's wife is a tragedy of our age, in my opinion, @Pioneerw2b.

What in the world is happening to people? When did it become appropriate to co-opt friendship into a business opportunity? Even worse, a horrible, exploitative one that doesn't even work (let's just call it what it is: a SCAM).

Here's a perfectly good budding friendship between two women that could grow into something that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. You enjoy each other's company, and maybe slowly but surely develop into a relationship where you're helping each other out, having each other over for get-togethers, exchanging recipes...one of you has some kind of crisis, the other one is there for you...you know, all the lovely, selfless things that FRIENDSHIPS used to be for.

And this woman totally isolates herself from any of that good stuff by making a budding friendship all about yet another MLM scam. It's bad for society. Now you're going to (rightfully) avoid her and never get to know her, and the husbands are going to feel a little awkward about it at work. It's a crying shame and I hate those companies for ruining the building block of community: friendship.

+1000. 

I recently had a big medical problem including weeks of testing, then surgery, then more testing.  (It's mostly over now, but it was pretty physically and emotionally traumatic for about 3 months).  A friend of mine knew about it - she's not a close friend who I personally told, but she mentioned it when I ran into her at a social event, so I knew she'd heard it through the grapevine.  Right after that I got a lovely pink envelope in the mail from her - I thought, "How nice, she's sending me thoughts and prayers and encouragement."  When I opened the envelope, the first thing I saw was "You're invited!" so my mind then jumped to "oh, her oldest must be getting married and this is a bridal shower!"  Nope.  I think you all know where this is leading.  It was an invitation to a party to "introduce all my friends to XYZ product who haven't yet had a chance to try it."

I've known this woman for 11 years.  It grieves me that this is what passes for friendship these days.

oh ye gads that is horrible :/ I'm so sorry. A few people I know are into MLMs and have signed up as consultants but none of them pushed their MLM on me when I was going through medical tests and treatment.

KMMK

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #712 on: January 24, 2018, 02:18:44 PM »
I think I'm having coffee with someone who does the utility MLMs. I think I'll take it as an opportunity to practice my own sales pitch and to get inside their head more. Eventually I will have the club for ex-MLM people. I just try not to be too publicly against them as a couple are my clients.

LifeHappens

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #713 on: January 24, 2018, 02:21:32 PM »
I think I'm having coffee with someone who does the utility MLMs. I think I'll take it as an opportunity to practice my own sales pitch and to get inside their head more. Eventually I will have the club for ex-MLM people. I just try not to be too publicly against them as a couple are my clients.
Is that like rehab for MLM victims? I'm not being sarcastic. I think it's a needed service.

KMMK

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #714 on: January 24, 2018, 04:11:23 PM »
I think I'm having coffee with someone who does the utility MLMs. I think I'll take it as an opportunity to practice my own sales pitch and to get inside their head more. Eventually I will have the club for ex-MLM people. I just try not to be too publicly against them as a couple are my clients.
Is that like rehab for MLM victims? I'm not being sarcastic. I think it's a needed service.

Yes, that's exactly what it is. People I've talked to think it's a good idea. I'm not sure how to go about it, and it's low on the priority list right now, but eventually I'll do more with the idea.

KodeBlue

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #715 on: January 24, 2018, 08:40:15 PM »
I think I'm having coffee with someone who does the utility MLMs. I think I'll take it as an opportunity to practice my own sales pitch and to get inside their head more. Eventually I will have the club for ex-MLM people. I just try not to be too publicly against them as a couple are my clients.
Is that like rehab for MLM victims? I'm not being sarcastic. I think it's a needed service.

Yes, that's exactly what it is. People I've talked to think it's a good idea. I'm not sure how to go about it, and it's low on the priority list right now, but eventually I'll do more with the idea.
Some org's that help people detox from cults help people who have been brain washed by MLMs.

11ducks

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #716 on: January 24, 2018, 11:20:58 PM »
The idea that things that smell good improve your mood (and that your improved mood can have positive effects on your cognitive performance or mental illness) is not at all shocking to me. With what we know about the placebo effect, I also would not be surprised to learn that merely improving your mood also improves your medical prognosis. I'm curious what kinds of controls are used in these studies to examine that.
TL;DR: pro things smelling pretty, anti paying a lot for things that smell pretty with a misleading label

From what I understand, in double blind studies you aren't aware whether you are getting the treatment or the placebo, so they account for that. The placebo given to the control group should've  been indistinguishable from the intervention (ie both groups get something similarly smelly), which controls for the 'ooh it's a pretty smell, I feel good ' placebo effect?

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #717 on: January 25, 2018, 11:56:35 AM »
Cryptocurrency has now dipped its toes into MLM/Ponzi territory.

http://www.ibtimes.com/bitconnect-lawsuit-bitcoin-trading-platfrom-sued-six-victims-2645317

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhL2OWXZ26s Warning: Don't have your speakers turned up too loud for this.  His speech seems like it was lifted almost word for word from some of the MLM trade shows John Oliver was lampooning a year ago.

Apparently their business model was:

-Send in purchased Bitcoin tokens or cash
-Convert them to Bitconnect tokens
-Bitconnect tokens are traded on an exchange
-Receive regular interest payments on the Bitcoin or cash you sent in
-Reinvest or bank your interest payments (but in Bitconnect tokens that must be traded back out)
-Your principle is locked in for year.
-You also receive compensation by bringing in other investors.

It turned out the overwhelming majority of Bitconnect tokens were owned by Bitconnect itself so your ROI is just Bitconnect self-churning its own product using new members to pump it up and paying you back in that near-worthless product.


They received several cease and desist notices this week and have shut down. They're being investigated by several states, the SEC, and are now facing class action lawsuits.  I'm sure they're just the beginning and nobody will learn their lesson.


DirtDiva

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #718 on: January 25, 2018, 05:36:53 PM »

oh ye gads that is horrible :/ I'm so sorry. A few people I know are into MLMs and have signed up as consultants but none of them pushed their MLM on me when I was going through medical tests and treatment.

An old friend who sells some kind of shake contacted me when I was being treated for vaginal cancer to ask if I had tried raw vegetables.

1.  I already have cancer.  I think it's a bit late for that.
2.  I was having a bad day, and I will admit my answer was not up to my usual level of courtesy.  I asked if I needed to puree the vegetables before putting them in my vagina.

(translation:  fuck off)


SweetRedWine

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #719 on: January 25, 2018, 07:45:04 PM »

oh ye gads that is horrible :/ I'm so sorry. A few people I know are into MLMs and have signed up as consultants but none of them pushed their MLM on me when I was going through medical tests and treatment.

An old friend who sells some kind of shake contacted me when I was being treated for vaginal cancer to ask if I had tried raw vegetables.

1.  I already have cancer.  I think it's a bit late for that.
2.  I was having a bad day, and I will admit my answer was not up to my usual level of courtesy.  I asked if I needed to puree the vegetables before putting them in my vagina.

(translation:  fuck off)


Best answer ever.

Zikoris

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #720 on: January 26, 2018, 09:42:25 AM »
God damn, I need more pushy MLM people in my life. For lulz.

ohsnap

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #721 on: January 27, 2018, 07:36:34 AM »

oh ye gads that is horrible :/ I'm so sorry. A few people I know are into MLMs and have signed up as consultants but none of them pushed their MLM on me when I was going through medical tests and treatment.

An old friend who sells some kind of shake contacted me when I was being treated for vaginal cancer to ask if I had tried raw vegetables.

1.  I already have cancer.  I think it's a bit late for that.
2.  I was having a bad day, and I will admit my answer was not up to my usual level of courtesy.  I asked if I needed to puree the vegetables before putting them in my vagina.

(translation:  fuck off)

Good for you.  I used to have a friend whose husband was in some kind of health MLM (don't remember if it was shakes or supplements or what).  When I had breast cancer, she helpfully passed along the advice from her husband to "eat walnuts."  Seriously.  At the time, I imagined that they were trying to offer me some free "helpful" advice that didn't directly benefit them, so that I'd turn to him for his costly MLM product later.  This story about your "old friend" seems to follow the same pattern; I wonder if this is taught in MLM training?  "When you find out someone has cancer, don't approach directly about MLM.  Instead, offer sympathy and raw veg and walnuts to nurture the relationship; then go in later with the pitch."

Miss Piggy

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #722 on: January 28, 2018, 03:47:28 PM »
2.  I was having a bad day, and I will admit my answer was not up to my usual level of courtesy.  I asked if I needed to puree the vegetables before putting them in my vagina.

(translation:  fuck off)

That is classic! Great response.

At a similar time in my life, I was "offered" a similar product. But since it was my sister doing the offering, I was a bit nicer about it. Wish I didn't have to be.

LifeHappens

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #723 on: January 29, 2018, 09:57:40 AM »
I think I'm having coffee with someone who does the utility MLMs. I think I'll take it as an opportunity to practice my own sales pitch and to get inside their head more. Eventually I will have the club for ex-MLM people. I just try not to be too publicly against them as a couple are my clients.
Is that like rehab for MLM victims? I'm not being sarcastic. I think it's a needed service.

Yes, that's exactly what it is. People I've talked to think it's a good idea. I'm not sure how to go about it, and it's low on the priority list right now, but eventually I'll do more with the idea.
I think it's a great idea. Perhaps you can help people develop their entrepreneurial skills to the point they feel confident starting their own businesses or side gigs rather than relying on ready-made solutions.

DirtDiva

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #724 on: January 29, 2018, 10:14:17 PM »

oh ye gads that is horrible :/ I'm so sorry. A few people I know are into MLMs and have signed up as consultants but none of them pushed their MLM on me when I was going through medical tests and treatment.

An old friend who sells some kind of shake contacted me when I was being treated for vaginal cancer to ask if I had tried raw vegetables.

1.  I already have cancer.  I think it's a bit late for that.
2.  I was having a bad day, and I will admit my answer was not up to my usual level of courtesy.  I asked if I needed to puree the vegetables before putting them in my vagina.

(translation:  fuck off)

Good for you.  I used to have a friend whose husband was in some kind of health MLM (don't remember if it was shakes or supplements or what).  When I had breast cancer, she helpfully passed along the advice from her husband to "eat walnuts."  Seriously.  At the time, I imagined that they were trying to offer me some free "helpful" advice that didn't directly benefit them, so that I'd turn to him for his costly MLM product later.  This story about your "old friend" seems to follow the same pattern; I wonder if this is taught in MLM training?  "When you find out someone has cancer, don't approach directly about MLM.  Instead, offer sympathy and raw veg and walnuts to nurture the relationship; then go in later with the pitch."

LOL...yes, the overpriced slim fast  shake was later proffered as an alternative healing option.  #oblivious

chaskavitch

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #725 on: January 30, 2018, 06:29:38 AM »
/sigh

Yet another Facebook friend and mother of small children has started selling Usborne books.  That makes 3 now, in addition to the ones selling various nail wraps or gel nail kits, and my cousin who messaged me at the beginning of the year asking if I was interested in "all natural products" for around the house. 

...I told her that I was joining an Uber Frugal January challenge, lol, and my goal was to buy less and add fewer things to my house, lol.  A cop out, but so true!

mm1970

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #726 on: January 30, 2018, 10:51:51 AM »
/sigh

Yet another Facebook friend and mother of small children has started selling Usborne books.  That makes 3 now, in addition to the ones selling various nail wraps or gel nail kits, and my cousin who messaged me at the beginning of the year asking if I was interested in "all natural products" for around the house. 

...I told her that I was joining an Uber Frugal January challenge, lol, and my goal was to buy less and add fewer things to my house, lol.  A cop out, but so true!
My cousin got into those.  She tried to sell me on them because my 2nd kid was a bit older than her first kid.

Key word: second kid.  I still have a billion books from the first one (gifted, bought used, etc).

Just Joe

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #727 on: January 30, 2018, 02:25:15 PM »
So bookstores or libraries aren't an option? An MLM can sell the product better?

I'm a red panda

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #728 on: January 30, 2018, 02:47:43 PM »
So bookstores or libraries aren't an option? An MLM can sell the product better?

Why won't you help women be their own boss? What do you have against entrepreneurs and business owners. You should support Moms trying to be there for their kids.



(Even more fun- Usborne is sold in bookstores too.)

Beard N Bones

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #729 on: January 30, 2018, 03:47:21 PM »
So bookstores or libraries aren't an option? An MLM can sell the product better?

Why won't you help women be their own boss? What do you have against entrepreneurs and business owners. You should support Moms trying to be there for their kids.



(Even more fun- Usborne is sold in bookstores too.)

I can't tell if you are trolling iowajes.  (I hope you are.)
The salespersons in MLMs are not bosses.  They are not entrepreneurial.  Nor are they business owners.  And I can say with certainty that they are NOT making money for their family/kids.

Travis

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #730 on: January 30, 2018, 05:50:40 PM »
So bookstores or libraries aren't an option? An MLM can sell the product better?

Why won't you help women be their own boss? What do you have against entrepreneurs and business owners. You should support Moms trying to be there for their kids.



(Even more fun- Usborne is sold in bookstores too.)

I can't tell if you are trolling iowajes.  (I hope you are.)
The salespersons in MLMs are not bosses.  They are not entrepreneurial.  Nor are they business owners.  And I can say with certainty that they are NOT making money for their family/kids.

Iowajes was just listing every excuse thrown about for not supporting a MLM member.  This is a long thread, but trust me, we've gone into plenty of detail on every one of your points.

hops

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #731 on: January 30, 2018, 06:46:12 PM »

oh ye gads that is horrible :/ I'm so sorry. A few people I know are into MLMs and have signed up as consultants but none of them pushed their MLM on me when I was going through medical tests and treatment.

An old friend who sells some kind of shake contacted me when I was being treated for vaginal cancer to ask if I had tried raw vegetables.

1.  I already have cancer.  I think it's a bit late for that.
2.  I was having a bad day, and I will admit my answer was not up to my usual level of courtesy.  I asked if I needed to puree the vegetables before putting them in my vagina.

(translation:  fuck off)

I'm sorry you were subjected to that idiocy, but glad for your response. A few months ago I had a similarly crude exchange with a MLM-peddling relative about why her supplements and smoothies wouldn't be helpful in halting an epic IBD flare. It had to be explained to her in rather graphic terms why eating extra vegetables wasn't going to curtail my rapid 40 lb. weight loss, malabsorption, and repeated trips to the hospital for dehydration and hypokalemia.

This same relative is constantly posting stuff on Facebook about how she's never been healthier than since she started using the products she sells. These posts end with appeals to message her if you're interested in beginning your journey into health. Meanwhile, her family knows that she's frequently sick, often for long stretches at a time, because "wellness" gurus have convinced her that illness is essentially a choice you make. So in her mind, she's healthy as long as she believes she is. It leads to fun adventures like a simple case of strep throat spiraling out of control because she distrusts her PCP when he tries to prescribe antibiotics.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2018, 08:03:36 PM by hops »

faithless

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #732 on: January 31, 2018, 02:39:40 AM »
I am certain that was sarcasm.
Maybe we need a button to show when we're being sarcastic?

jinga nation

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #733 on: January 31, 2018, 07:05:05 AM »
I am certain that was sarcasm.
Maybe we need a button to show when we're being sarcastic?
No button required. You can end your post with /s.

I'm a red panda

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #734 on: January 31, 2018, 07:46:25 AM »
I didn't think a sarcasm note was needed for this thread, where those topics have been rehashed so many times.  I don't think I could have gotten more obvious.

Just Joe

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #735 on: January 31, 2018, 08:55:39 AM »
Gotta love being part of an MLM that competes with its own product in brick and mortar stores too. Similar to the Subway franchise stories. Too many stores in a small area so they end up competing with each other. Parent company makes much of its money selling franchises so they want to open more stores.

So will we ever see the collapse of retail b/c there are simply too many places to buy the same things including online?

Rural

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #736 on: January 31, 2018, 06:25:25 PM »
I didn't think a sarcasm note was needed for this thread, where those topics have been rehashed so many times.  I don't think I could have gotten more obvious.


You couldn't have.

guccigrace

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #737 on: February 01, 2018, 11:57:25 PM »
Has anyone else been asked out for coffee by a friend and think hey it would be good to catch up only for them to open their ipad/laptop and show you a video on why you should join Dreamtrips/World Ventures and then try to convince you it's not MLM? Happened to me twice. So annoying. I really thought they wanted to catch up. Sigh.

kaypinkHH

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #738 on: February 02, 2018, 07:11:02 AM »
Jumping in here without reading the thread fully (the shame)...

My entire FB feed right now is people pimping out their MLMs. Some people are really good at selling/promoting their product. (I don't mind when people share their own good results with a product, and invite people to come check out their business page). Some people are awful. One girl I know is doing some diet/shake MLM..unsure of the product name because she spends most of her time saying things "People get annoyed with me and say this is expensive, but it really isn't that expensive, it is worth it for your health!" WHAT IS "THIS"?? HOW DO I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PROMOTING??? I had one lady that I used to work with do a group message of ALL of her contacts, no lead in, no product info just "I'm having a fb party for X, let me know if you want in!" I tried to google X and couldn't find anything...pretty sure she misspelled her own product name!

My other MLM story is for a brief moment in time I was a Mary Kay Consultant. I had just finished my engineering degree, was having trouble finding work and was bored out of my tree. I got sucked into a party, then ordered enough product that they convinced me it was a better "deal" to become a consultant. I was a sucker for people telling me I would do a good job at it...and got totally roped in. (Important to note, I'm not a very "girly" person. I barely wear make-up, I'm an engineer who has spent a good chuck of my career wearing coveralls and respirators and steel toe boots.)  I spent (as a unemployed new grad) $800 on the starter kit and a basic stock pile and was told I would sell out SO QUICKLY. I started going to the weekly regional meetings, and learned how to be a proper consultant. Very quickly I realized this was not for me, but kept going because I was enthralled with seeing this cult like organization take advantage of women.

Some highlights:
-We got points at each meeting depending on how much we were representing the brand. Criteria included: Wearing a dress or skirt (pants are a STILL a NO-NO in MK world), having hair/nails/makeup perfect. Having a clean car. (I failed then, I would 100% fail now.) I get that this is an image/makeup company, but the level of "being a lady" was insane. We were taught how to sit properly, and shake hands "like a lady"...it was finishing school disguised as career advice.
-Senior consultants get % of stock purchases of their jrs (woo pyramid scheme). They really give two flying fs about your own sales, and push buying more stock. They "reward" people who have big purchases with quarterly prizes, like diamond rings. I overheard one woman say she was so excited to get her ring that quarter, but now had to figure out what to do with the $4000 worth of stock, and the debt on her credit card.
- The level of effort for a jr consultant is insane. You spend HOURS making your own promotional material, finding clients, setting up parties etc. An amazing party would maybe make $300. If you dollar cost average it you are looking at minimum wage MAX. But hey "I'm my own boss!!" ..blech.
- The rhetoric is that Mary Kay was built by a woman who was sick and tired of gender biases in the 1960s. She wanted a company to empower women. The meetings are all about girl power, and PINK power, and being a lady..and taking charge of your own life. When I was a consultant in 2011, the board of directors and executive team were mostly men. No one brought that up at the weekly meetings!  (It has changed now, a little more diverse, but the president, CEO and 4/5 of the key executives are still men).

I also had a really hard time selling products to people who really couldn't afford the products. I did two parties in my time, one for other new grads like myself who had student debt and NO MONEY...how am I suppose to promote a $35 lipstick!  Next party was in a rural area with a bunch of high school students and their moms. Not to judge, but for sure these families should not have been buying expensive makeup and skin care. Between gas money and travel costs to get to that party, I think my "net" was $3.25. So not worth it!!

Luckily I moved away from the city I hand been doing this in and used the move as an excuse to break free! I'm laughing now if I had stuck with it for a little while longer, and ran into a meeting after a day of site work, sweaty, hair in a messy ponytail, wearing work coveralls...I would have been kicked out.

I 100% gifted away or used the starter kit products myself. So really over the past 7 years I've spent $800 on makeup and skin care...could have been a worse loss :P.

TL;DR, was a MLM consultant. Don't do it..its a trap.






Maenad

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #739 on: February 02, 2018, 07:25:22 AM »
Meanwhile, her family knows that she's frequently sick, often for long stretches at a time, because "wellness" gurus have convinced her that illness is essentially a choice you make. So in her mind, she's healthy as long as she believes she is. It leads to fun adventures like a simple case of strep throat spiraling out of control because she distrusts her PCP when he tries to prescribe antibiotics.

My cousin had a similar mindset. By the time she went into the emergency room, her mysterious long-lived pain was revealed as cancer that had already metastasized.

After her diagnosis, she spent months ignoring her oncologist, eating "magic" fruit of some kind and using crystals to "cure" herself. Needless to say, she ended up begging her oncologist to perform surgery and start the chemo and radiation. By that point it was too late, her body was too weak to survive surgery, and she had to go into hospice care. She was 54 when she died.

"Alternative medicine" and the MLMs that push it really do kill people.

<s> But you know, doctors are just in it for the money. </s>

merula

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #740 on: February 02, 2018, 09:07:35 AM »
Meanwhile, her family knows that she's frequently sick, often for long stretches at a time, because "wellness" gurus have convinced her that illness is essentially a choice you make. So in her mind, she's healthy as long as she believes she is. It leads to fun adventures like a simple case of strep throat spiraling out of control because she distrusts her PCP when he tries to prescribe antibiotics.

My cousin had a similar mindset. By the time she went into the emergency room, her mysterious long-lived pain was revealed as cancer that had already metastasized.

After her diagnosis, she spent months ignoring her oncologist, eating "magic" fruit of some kind and using crystals to "cure" herself. Needless to say, she ended up begging her oncologist to perform surgery and start the chemo and radiation. By that point it was too late, her body was too weak to survive surgery, and she had to go into hospice care. She was 54 when she died.

"Alternative medicine" and the MLMs that push it really do kill people.

<s> But you know, doctors are just in it for the money. </s>

I had a friend do this. She had breast cancer, went through chemo and it was awful (as chemo always is), but she came out with the cancer in remission. It was that way for years. A few years later when the cancer came back she passed on chemo because it was so bad and was convinced that anti-oxidants and clean eating and crystals would do better with fewer side effects. She was 50 when she died.

Granted, I will acknowledge that chemo and radiation are hell and it can make sense to skip them if it's a pallative or short-term gain scenario. (Trade quantity of life for quality.) But that requires that the patient is honest with themselves.

mm1970

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #741 on: February 02, 2018, 04:44:37 PM »
Quote
- The rhetoric is that Mary Kay was built by a woman who was sick and tired of gender biases in the 1960s. She wanted a company to empower women. The meetings are all about girl power, and PINK power, and being a lady..and taking charge of your own life. When I was a consultant in 2011, the board of directors and executive team were mostly men. No one brought that up at the weekly meetings!  (It has changed now, a little more diverse, but the president, CEO and 4/5 of the key executives are still men).

I also had a really hard time selling products to people who really couldn't afford the products. I did two parties in my time, one for other new grads like myself who had student debt and NO MONEY...how am I suppose to promote a $35 lipstick!  Next party was in a rural area with a bunch of high school students and their moms. Not to judge, but for sure these families should not have been buying expensive makeup and skin care. Between gas money and travel costs to get to that party, I think my "net" was $3.25. So not worth it!!

Luckily I moved away from the city I hand been doing this in and used the move as an excuse to break free! I'm laughing now if I had stuck with it for a little while longer, and ran into a meeting after a day of site work, sweaty, hair in a messy ponytail, wearing work coveralls...I would have been kicked out.

Girl POWER!  Looking pretty!!

As I sit at my desk in engineering land, hair in a ponytail.  Graying, of course, wrinkles and pimples.  No makeup (being 47 is GRAND).  Jeans, sneakers and t shirt and a hoodie.

Khaetra

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #742 on: February 03, 2018, 04:44:03 AM »
Girl POWER!  Looking pretty!!

As I sit at my desk in engineering land, hair in a ponytail.  Graying, of course, wrinkles and pimples.  No makeup (being 47 is GRAND).  Jeans, sneakers and t shirt and a hoodie.

Love it!  I've been approached by well-meaning MLM'ers for offers of 'makeovers', because of course I 'NEED' makeup to 'look and feel my best'.  Meh, I 'look and feel' my best without war-paint, tyvm!

Hula Hoop

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #743 on: February 03, 2018, 05:11:39 AM »
Meanwhile, her family knows that she's frequently sick, often for long stretches at a time, because "wellness" gurus have convinced her that illness is essentially a choice you make. So in her mind, she's healthy as long as she believes she is. It leads to fun adventures like a simple case of strep throat spiraling out of control because she distrusts her PCP when he tries to prescribe antibiotics.

My cousin had a similar mindset. By the time she went into the emergency room, her mysterious long-lived pain was revealed as cancer that had already metastasized.

After her diagnosis, she spent months ignoring her oncologist, eating "magic" fruit of some kind and using crystals to "cure" herself. Needless to say, she ended up begging her oncologist to perform surgery and start the chemo and radiation. By that point it was too late, her body was too weak to survive surgery, and she had to go into hospice care. She was 54 when she died.

"Alternative medicine" and the MLMs that push it really do kill people.

<s> But you know, doctors are just in it for the money. </s>

I'm so sorry for your loss.  That story is just so sad. 

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #744 on: February 03, 2018, 09:35:24 AM »
Girl POWER!  Looking pretty!!

As I sit at my desk in engineering land, hair in a ponytail.  Graying, of course, wrinkles and pimples.  No makeup (being 47 is GRAND).  Jeans, sneakers and t shirt and a hoodie.

Love it!  I've been approached by well-meaning MLM'ers for offers of 'makeovers', because of course I 'NEED' makeup to 'look and feel my best'.  Meh, I 'look and feel' my best without war-paint, tyvm!

I hated that face grease even when I was younger. The chemistry of my skin is a bit different and makeup tends to flake or melt off almost immediately when it isn't causing cystic acne. I found that when I went completely without makeup as a teen my complexion improved. So I tossed the face grease and never looked back. The thought that I was saving a ton of money never crossed my mind at the time-- I didn't notice the double-X chromosome tax until someone pointed it out to me-- but in retrospect I suppose I saved a bundle.

Maenad

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #745 on: February 03, 2018, 02:17:16 PM »
I'm so sorry for your loss.  That story is just so sad.

Thanks. It's been a decade, so the family has had time to heal or paper over the feelings of guilt, depending on who it is. I've just maintained a virulent intolerance toward alternative "medicine", though I try to not froth at the mouth excessively.

ohsnap

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #746 on: February 05, 2018, 08:12:41 AM »
...
This same relative is constantly posting stuff on Facebook about how she's never been healthier than since she started using the products she sells. These posts end with appeals to message her if you're interested in beginning your journey into health. Meanwhile, her family knows that she's frequently sick, often for long stretches at a time, because "wellness" gurus have convinced her that illness is essentially a choice you make. So in her mind, she's healthy as long as she believes she is. ...
Ugh, I have a friend like this.  She calls herself a "wellness advocate" for her MLM and has been doing it for years.  Yet, her husband is still one of the unhealthiest people I know.  Obese, no exercise, etc, and I think it's only gotten worse since she started her business.  If her own family isn't influenced by her "wellness" efforts, what can it possibly do for someone else?

FireHiker

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #747 on: February 05, 2018, 10:14:46 AM »
Girl POWER!  Looking pretty!!

As I sit at my desk in engineering land, hair in a ponytail.  Graying, of course, wrinkles and pimples.  No makeup (being 47 is GRAND).  Jeans, sneakers and t shirt and a hoodie.

Female engineers unite! Jeans, sneakers, t-shirt, natural-going-gray hair, no makeup here. Although, I am wearing earrings today...fancy. If I wear makeup or nicer clothes to work it makes the male engineers nervous and concerned that I'm interviewing. I discovered that last year when I dressed nicely to attend a funeral midday. :(

I have a friend who I really like who just got sucked into an MLM, Arbonne? I think it's one of those diet/"wellness" ones. Sigh. It has been awhile since I've come across one IRL. I hope it's short lived.

MidwestnRich

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #748 on: February 05, 2018, 10:25:57 AM »
Every time I have an old friend who I haven't seen in years who wants to come over to "catch up" it's been a MLM. EVERY TIME.

Life Leadership was the worst. "You don't want to be rich and successful??" NO.

The only time I would sell something to a personal friend is if I had a no-nonsense business like Ron Swanson's Very Good Building and Construction.

e34bb098

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Re: No, I won't buy into your MLM
« Reply #749 on: February 05, 2018, 12:34:37 PM »
I have a friend who I really like who just got sucked into an MLM, Arbonne? I think it's one of those diet/"wellness" ones. Sigh. It has been awhile since I've come across one IRL. I hope it's short lived.

DW is an Arbonne distributor, but doesn't actually use it for anything other than getting a discount on stuff for our household.  I like the basic products (moisturizer, aftershave, etc.); she likes them more.  They are kind of spendy, depending on your definition of spendy, but people are particular about health and beauty products, so ....

There is definitely stuff in their catalogue that is nutty woo-woo and really overpriced.  And if you are unlucky enough to really drink the Kool-Aid, then you'll get the typical high-pressure MLM tactics.  So far she's avoided all that.  Knock on wood.