MLM's and Pyramid Schemes.

Is anybody else just as tired of them? Since it's 2018, and we have had access to the internet that holds tons of information at our fingertips at any given time, I really thought those things would have died out by now. But they haven't. I had two cousins of mine start selling "Senegence" also known as Lipsense. It's the lipsticks that do not come off. Then they start messaging me with sales pitch after pitch. I was getting at least two messages everyday. Now I hate confrontation and being mean. So I was in an awkward position. They somehow think because we own a business, that I would want to buy $60 worth of lipstick, which is only ONE color. After doing some research I realize I am allergic to an ingredient in some of the products. So I let them both know, and one cousin was understandable and backed down. The other one still messaged me nonstop. But that is not even the worst of it.

The cousin decides to start posting guilt trips on social media. Saying how this could be her big break in life and she is upset that the family wont support her by buying these expensive and crappy products, that she is disappointed in everyone, ect. That I am not okay with considering she cannot even afford the products herself! She had to have the woman she was working under send her a free sample pack. She still has not bought anything herself, but expects everyone else to spend their hard earned money on it. So I decided to send her some links that explain why the companies do not work, and how she will never make any money or any kind of living from it, and how its a scam. She did say thank you and was polite, but basically blew it off. She has yet to sell even one product and shes been doing this for 6 months.

I just now see her make a post stating she is going to start selling for ANOTHER MLM company, but that she is going to keep selling the Lipsense as well. Im not trying to sound like an ass here but I do not get this logic at all. You can't manage to sell anything from the first company you signed up for, but you are going to invest money into another company. She has even talked about when she gets her taxes back she will be signing up with a bunch of them. So instead of investing her money into an actual company and business, she is going to keep losing her money into these things. Its sad to see and I feel the people that recruit her definitely know she cant do it and cant afford it, but they get paid by signing her up so they sell her a dream.

a reply to: Jess_Undefined

Well, you've provided your advice and some evidence to her.

Sadly, this is just a "live and learn" situation at this point. Hopefully it happens sooner rather than later.

ETA: I've known a lot of people that have been involved in these situations, they really all do learn eventually and move onto something that is actually financially beneficial.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Funny enough she just admitted that Lipsense was a mistake, but that she made "300 dollars last week from it." Which is hard to believe but she could be telling the truth. If so, go on with it. But its not steady money. Lets say I did help out by buying $60 worth of the Lipstick Kit. That is going to last me years. So I wont be buying expect once every 2 years. So its not sustainable. Someone did write on her post and say "Please dont waste anymore in this. If you do, please dont expect everyone to waste their money on your mistakes." So she deleted it. Yikes.

MLMs pray on people looking to make a quick buck.

The other things that annoy me are people who sell these "systems" which allegedly will make you filthy rich. You see these charlatans all over youtube. They have the ads that pop up where they walk through their house (some craptastic McMansion in CA typically) and a garage full of Lamborghinis and Ferrari talking about how they were broke just a few years ago...

For the life of me, I can't even figure out what exactly these people do beyond take suckers money... Tai Lopez and the like...

Then you get the "real estate guru's" like Carlton Sheets, etc.

a reply to: Edumakated

You're right! The ones actually making money in them arent even selling a lot. They make the money by recruiting others and having a bunch of people under them. Because they get a cut of what the under people sell. I also tried telling her that and she just said "Oh no the girl that recruited me doesn't make anything from me." Of course the girl isn't going to tell you that!

My niece started selling Monat on the side when her dad was in the hospital and she wasn't able to work (caring for him in his last four months took the entire family, full time). She did pretty well with it, and I actually use only Monat shampoo and conditioners now- they really are fantastic.

But! The shady part is that you have to sign up for "auto ship." I notice that all these schemes do that now, and I suspect it's how they make their money. Because: you can change your autoship date (where they automatically charge your card for your order and ship it to you on a certain date), but only a certain number of days before it's to ship, and theoretically you can keep pushing your order down the road until you need it again. But their platform for accessing your account and changing the dates is near impossible to work, plus the fact that you can only push your order back in a specific time window...I've got a year's worth of shampoo and conditioner because of their shady and #+y system. I am certain I am not the only one.

Now she's fired up about a skin care company. If it's like the hair care company, the products are fantastic but I'll bet my last dollar you have to do the damn autoship crap.

Forgot to mention, the Monat thing is a pyramid deal. You get folks in your downline, etc. it's hard to believe this is still happening.

If I werre good at embedding videos, I would embed the multi-level marketing episode that "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" did several years ago because it was brilliant.

a reply to: KansasGirl

originally posted by: Autorico
a reply to: KansasGirl

Yesss!! Thank you!!!

The entire episode is fantastic. 😂

a reply to: Jess_Undefined


Jessssssss!!!! It's like old times!

I have quite a few friends who sell these kinds of things and it drives me nuts. I'm a single mom. I don't have any money to buy into any of that crap! They will beg me to sign up just once for this or that. It's like do they not understand me when I say NO? Do I have to be nasty about it? When those Lula whatever leggings were popular I had about a dozen friends selling them. I didn't buy any. One I don't wear leggings as pants and two the prices were ridiculous! I get leggings at Walmart for $5! Lol I wear them around the house or to bed and that's it.

It's the same with Mary Kay and Avon. They promise all this money and cars yet it really is all
About who you know and how much money you're willing to put into it to make any money. I had one friend go into $5000 debt with those lula whatever leggings. Just silly.

a reply to: Jess_Undefined

I got suckered in to sell It Works a few years ago.
1. I am a better buyer than seller.
2. A seller pays more than they make.
3. They all fake it til they make it (pro tip: you'll never make it unless you get lucky and get in a new one the day it starts so no one else is under you) so those "I've made $xxxxx this week" is bs. Those "I have all my orders ready to go!" posts are bs. Fake it til you make it.
4. Over priced bs.
5. Gotta annoy your friends and fam
6. If they say no, they may say yes later - keep bugging.... I mean keep talking to them. Theyll say yes at some point.
Yeah, saying" yes" to shut you up.
7. If anyone tries to talk negative about your business×, they're a negferret mood-hoover who is jealous and doesn't want you to succeed.

*it's not "your business". Ever. You pay in to harass others and you work for the owners. If you work at McDonald's, it's not "your business". It's Ray Krok and family business only.

Anyway:

I HAAAAAAAATED it. The pressure to sell sell sell and inbox inbox inbox and OMG ALL THE EMOJIS ALL THE TIIIIIME was and is NOT who I am. I felt a fraud, a liar, a cheat.

After a while with no sales (even after sending out free samples out of my pocket and still no one buying), I began posting my opinions of products on my page. Lol that horrified my upline cuz I was honest. IE: this lotion is thick but the scent lasts 5 minutes. I hate it. I want a scent that lasts. For the cost you'd think it'd last longer. "

I gave up and meh.
" you just didn't try hard enough "- upline

" no, I just like being an honest human and a friend, not a fake 'friend just to get your money for my overpriced crap."

It works didn't work.