Family and MLM

[b4freedom]

My Aunt is a sucker for MLM companies. My aunt has joined every single one. She claims to make money, but I know she doesn’t. She seams to join a new one every 6 months. She suckers other family members into it and they all lose money as well. It’s annoying to have those family members visit because they just want to push overpriced junk onto you. Does anyone else think that these companies just sell you expensive pipe dreams?

[boefixepa]

Yep, I avoid them and tell family members I am not interested, but thanks.

[Ima saver]

I am really behind times, but what is MLM?

[poundwise]

MLM = multi-level marketing

[veronak]

Oh yes I totally agree, this companies prey on those who are looking for a wuick buck. I have a friend who signed up for Willow a work at home company and I have yet to hear her say she has mad any money but she has spent a ton trying to get started

[Ima saver]

Gosh those scams have been around forever! Ever heard of Glen Turner and "Dare to be great?"

[Broken Arrow]

MLMs upset me greatly.

Here I am, doing everything I can and spending every spare, conscious second I have to work on reducing my debts, fine tune my budgets, and trying to have something saved for the future, and what does some flippant jokers do?

Come up and insult me by trying to fool me into some stupid money-making scheme that makes no money except for him!

None shall stand in my way in my crusade against the evil known as debt!

[Broken Arrow]

Now that I have a bit more time to type....

I used to have a friend who was completely sold into this particular MLM. He went to seminars. He went to training. He enthusiastically tried to recruit me.

I was naturally skeptical, but out of fairness, I did go to one of the seminars. You know what that "seminar" consisted of? A highly affable recruiter who I admit was good at talking the talk. Also, we watched a video that resembled an early-morning infomercial, where the "president of the company" talked about how he made millions and you could too as he strolled through his Malibu-esque home, with his exotic cars parked conspicuously close to the swimming pool.

You should've been there. A crowd of at least 50 people, with a wide age range and ethnic background. However, they all shared one thing in common: They were all completely receptive to the sermon that they've been given. I was the only one complaining in the back, trying to talk my friend into leaving.

The moment I said anything contrary, one of the other recruiters asked us to step outside, closed the door behind her, and then did her heavy recruiting routine that consisted of, "You're going to miss out on a huge opportunity", and in a more subtle but obvious fashion, "You're an idiot." Eventually, I left, but my friend stayed.

Since then, he has bought dozens of items from their catalog to sell. Unfortunately, he was not able to sell his merchandise which, among other things, included special Eastern, ionized... virility water. No joke! So, he ended up using it all for himself.

He hasn't bought any more after that first batch because, by then, that particular "company" was declared to be an illegal scam in our fair city, and was subsequently banned from doing business here.

All told, my friend lost a few hundred dollars into the venture.

[PrincessPerky]

I have seen the old 'home party' (supposedly not MLM) companies sometimes have good products, which are hard to come by in the standard store..but hard is not impossible, just a royal PIA for anti shoppers like me

As for making money, the only way a tupperware, pampered chef, mary kay, cutco, or avon rep is going to make money is if they invest TONS of time and money. and if they have a few good chances lots of rich contacts. Oh plus the right 'selling' personality. For the rest of us...I'll pass.

Unfortunatly I found not all companies stay decent, I used to have discovery toys when I was a kid, I loved them, and my kids now play with mine, well the company went 'mainstream' meaning they dumbed down the toys, comprimised standards on quality, and after sending back half a dozen things my kids broke, I decided to quit (though I still buy the three origional wonderful toys for my friends when they have kids)

[Saluki96]

MLM's drive me nuts. My wife comes home one day telling me about a coworker who is going to come over and talk about this company thing they joined. Googled the name found lots of MLM stuff on them. So before they came I was prepared. Ran through the guilt trip stuff. "Don't you want to be able to have [insert wife's name here] stay home with the kids". (Wife was pregers with the first, went part time afterwards.) Once you hear the words "Financial Freedom", my ears shut down. They also shut down when I am watching the Simpsons and DW is trying to have a conversation with me, but I regress. So I go to the seminar, why I do not know. Interested actually. Interesting group of people. Anyway at about 10:30 or 11 pm I say, you know I got to run. They called later and I told them we weren't interested. This couple made less that we did, I know that. They had kids, we were having them. I tried to figure how much they spent on seminars, books, and other stuff. Plus the time, they are away from their kids for hours at the seminars. If they took that money, which they obviously can live without, and put that in a savings account or IRA or something, they would have been better off. The lady still works with the wife, she hasn't asked how it's going. Last she heard they had cut back on the seminars. Thankfully. The only people who made any money are the top people giving seminars and selling tapes/books. That's it.