Multi-Level Marketing

PolkaHero · #1 07-27-2009, 09:51 PM

Anyone here involved with a multi-level marketing company? I've been approached lately by several people from different companies (Amway, Monavie, Xango, etc.) to enroll in their programs and don't know what to think. Some of these are people I know who although aren't "getting rich" off of these programs, are making decent supplemental income. I did a forum search and got nothing but negative comments about these being pyramid schemes (which are illegal); however these are all reputable companies that have been around for some time. Let me know what your experiences have been and what you think of this "passive income" activity!

MJ5150 · #2 07-27-2009, 09:52 PM

As soon as your friends find out, they start avoiding you like the plague.

I don't much care for working my friends over to buy something from me or give me names of people they know every time I see them.

-Mike

bongomania · #3 07-27-2009, 09:58 PM

Yep. I'll even say that one of my ex friends joining an MLM and becoming "that person" was the last straw in our friendship.

hbarcat · #4 07-27-2009, 10:01 PM

Don't do it. The first thing you have to sell is your soul.

Tim Cole · #5 07-27-2009, 10:05 PM

The difference between "MLM" and pyramid scam....is an MLM program uses some type of product to skirt past the illegality of pyramids.

There's no people on earth I avoid more.

hbarcat · #6 07-27-2009, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolkaHero

. . . what you think of this "passive income" activity!

When someone makes money by producing goods or performing services they are necessarily contributing something useful to the economy. Likewise when someone invests capital in other businesses as an investment those businesses benefit as well and so does the overall economy.

When someone makes money off of the movement of other people's commerce by taking a portion of the profit of that commerce without contributing anything in the way of goods or services or capital, then they are, by definition, parasites on the economy. They only make money when other people lose money.

You have to ask yourself it these job opportunities fall in the "parasite" category. And if they do, are you comfortable doing these jobs?

PolkaHero · #7 07-27-2009, 10:54 PM

I pretty much expected this type of response. Does anyone have anything positive to say? This is a free enterprise country, isn't it?

Auzzie-Phoenix · #8 07-27-2009, 11:09 PM

Ok... here's the deal with amway...

Products: don't seem to be that bad, standard stuff... like hypoallergenic dish detergent, stuff like that...

The lowdown: You won't get rich, nor will you even remotely make a decent supplemental income. I sat through an amway rep's deal at the request of a former friend back in 1999... It seemed bad then, I know it's bad now.

Also, when attending pc repair courses, there was a kid in my class who had been selling amway for some time, and sold a decent amount of it. How much did he make in 1 year doing so? Roughly $15.

MLM isn't the way to go, you always lose unless you have a ton of people under you. No matter how much you sell, and how hard you work, unless you have people underneath you, you won't even make back your investment.

Honestly, you'd make better returns selling products out of your home. There is a candle company called candlelight that a friend worked for. She made a decent supplemental income but had to stop doing it due to time constraints from her normal job, and planning for her wedding.

There are also several distributorship programs you can set yourself up with for health foods, soft drinks, etc... Yes, they involve investment into product, but are more reputable and can provide better returns than an MLM.

The economy is pretty bad right now, so I understand your interest in supplemental income, but the mlm route doesn't pay even during a good economy. As with everything, do some research and then make the best decision you can come to. Good luck with finding a source of supplemental income, hope you find one that works for you.

Tim Cole · #9 07-27-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolkaHero

I pretty much expected this type of response. Does anyone have anything positive to say? This is a free enterprise country, isn't it?

Well do you want the truth, or do you want everyone tell you what you want to hear?

SnoMan · #10 07-28-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolkaHero

I pretty much expected this type of response. Does anyone have anything positive to say? This is a free enterprise country, isn't it?

By all means, invest as much of your time and money as you can. Whomever you report to will surely be happy to be your new best friend as long as he's making money off you.

Also, I've got this great '69 Fender to sell you. You could potentially sound just as good as your idols by playing this bass. Sure, the neck is broken and the body is half destroyed...but we wouldn't want to bother you with pertinant information now, would we?

SnoMan · #11 07-28-2009, 06:43 AM

Actually, you know what. Forget my last response.

If you don't want to hear about our experiences, which you asked about, man up and just do it. Pick whatever MLM peaks your fancy...it doesn't really matter. Hop aboard. Just start a thread and tell us how awesome your experiences are.

You game?

Phalex · #12 07-28-2009, 06:56 AM

There's a couple of guys around here that seem to make good money with MLM schemes. Their names are Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel. Everyone else I know of who's involved buys a lot of over priced crap that keeps these 2 guys in the black.

Jim Nazium · #13 07-28-2009, 07:11 AM

I'll spare you the story of my old roommate who got involved with MLM; you will hear lots of similar stories I'm sure. Suffice it to say that it did not turn out well.

However, let me point out a fact about social networks that many MLM participants don't seem to understand. You have, say, ten friends. Each of them has ten friends, so you are one friend away from 100 people, right? Wrong. Most of your friends' friends are the same people, who are all friends with each other. If all of your friends join your company, you will all be trying to sell to each other. There won't be anyone left to join or to buy the products.

IMHO there are other ways to make money on the side with much better odds. YMMV.

jojobean39 · #14 07-28-2009, 07:54 AM

I know a guy who makes lots of money doing this. He is a diamond something or other Amway seller. Makes over six figures doing it. However, he has been doing it for years. And, for the one guy I know who does this successfully, I know tons that do it without any success. MLMs are not good. They are a way to make your friends and family avoid you like herpes.

Bruce Lindfield · #15 07-28-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolkaHero

I pretty much expected this type of response. Does anyone have anything positive to say? This is a free enterprise country, isn't it?

I don't believe there is anything positive to say - at best, you are working on flawed logic, fleecing your friends, annoying anybody you meet...etc etc. At worst, some schemes are illegal and those involved, stand to be prosecuted...

PolkaHero · #16 07-28-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

There's a couple of guys around here that seem to make good money with MLM schemes. Their names are Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel. Everyone else I know of who's involved buys a lot of over priced crap that keeps these 2 guys in the black.

These are the two guys that formed Amway 50 years ago.

I just talked to my cousin who got involved with Quixtar a few years ago before they merged with Amway (now Amway Global) and he told me basically the same thing (way overpriced products that requires you either sell a ton at retail or enroll as many people as possible). I'm going to stay away from this company but maybe look at others. I know someone who markets a program mostly online by targeting email leads and does pretty well; that way I don't enstrange my family or friends by trying to get them to sign up. Thanks for the responses.

TrooperFarva · #17 07-28-2009, 08:56 AM

Just get a real job.

MJ5150 · #18 07-28-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Cole

Well do you want the truth, or do you want everyone tell you what you want to hear?

Seriously. People here are just telling it like it is. Which is what you asked us to do.

-Mike

mrufino1 · #19 07-28-2009, 09:06 AM

Best thing to do to make money is provide a service people want or work for someone who has a real job offer. For example, if you deliver pizzas, you are providing a link between a restaurant that is making food and people who don't want to leave their house to buy food. You are performing a service that helps both sides win. Another example, you walk dogs at $10 for a half hour walk, walking 5 dogs at one time. (I am not a dog lover but I've seen it done). do that 2x/day, $100 day, 1 hour of work, Good, honest service to people who need it.

The point is, there is a lot of honest work out there. Anything you hear about on AM radio (pay off debt without working extra, pay less on your credit cards, lose weight without diet or exercise, etc) or through a multilevel is BS. It is impossible to make money without working for it. Even if you live off of investment income, you still had to work at one time to build those investments. Trust fund babies need not apply to this (but usually you don't want to be around them).

PolkaHero · #20 07-28-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrooperFarva

Just get a real job.

Easier said than done in the state I reside (highest unemployment rate in the country!). I got laid off 2 months ago and have been looking hard ever since. I'm just looking to get something started before my unemployment runs out in a year or so.