"Multi-level Marketing" and "Health" Products

[TheZaLord]

Many of my co-workers in the school district, and many of my classmates are into some form of pyramid sche-*ahem* multi-level-marketing business.

What I have been most approached with- "Essential Oils", Juice Plus, Arbonne, HerbaLife, and Advocare.

Now, admittedly, I haven't researched ALL of these for their purported benefits, so I can't speak to how effective every particular product is...but, COME ON!

I think it is great people want to take charge of their health- but what's the deal with all this hooey?

How/why are so many otherwise smart and discerning people getting swept into this stuff?

I have done some research on it- mostly coming across why being a salesperson for MLMs isn't a profitable choice...but not much on how the products actually work. Aside from blogs, etc.

Has anyone come across some info I can share when the next "exciting opportunity" is presented?

If I'm totally off-base here, obviously feel free to tell me that, too.

*Edit- if this needs to be moved to social, I get it. I guess I forgot I had switched forums.

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[eteshoe]

 

[TheZaLord]

I have two friends that even recently spent HUNDREDS of dollars to go to a convention for one of these companies. Same friends who can't afford rent. Because "it's an investment".

 

[Eccesignum]

The latest one (at least around here) seems to be that "It Works!" nonsense with the "fat-shrinking" body wraps and water additives and whatnot.

 

[Dr. Death]

I'm just going to leave this here. Used in marketing by a local essential oils company

 

[freak7]

I'm just going to leave this here. Used in marketing by a local essential oils company

And I thought MCAT passage diagrams were hard to understand.

 

[Bermie]

I have two friends that even recently spent HUNDREDS of dollars to go to a convention for one of these companies. Same friends who can't afford rent. Because "it's an investment".

Gross. I have people close to me that do this kind of thing. They never fail to tell me how they are "independent" business owners, yet they literally rely on the MLM to do all the product research, design, production, packaging, marketing and even shipping. I really don't get how people get sucked into them. They just end up buying the product from themselves and guilt tripping family members to buy their $40 package of energy drinks. I could rant for days....

 

[Holmwood]

"Real jobs pay for you. You don't pay for real jobs."

 

[TheZaLord]

The latest one (at least around here) seems to be that "It Works!" nonsense with the "fat-shrinking" body wraps and water additives and whatnot.

That, and freaking Jamberry nails. I don't know how I look to be a consumer for jamberry nails...but I keep getting added into these groups and emails, and various B.S.

Gross. I have people close to me that do this kind of thing. They never fail to tell me how they are "independent" business owners, yet they literally rely on the MLM to do all the product research, design, production, packaging, marketing and even shipping. I really don't get how people get sucked into them. They just end up buying the product from themselves and guilt tripping family members to buy their $40 package of energy drinks. I could rant for days....

Or some kind of protein drink, or "first aid" kit of oils...like, who has that much money to spend on this kind of woo?

The thing is, they all say- oh but this is so good for people, and will help them lose weight, or gain muscle, or energy, or whatever...when there is no proof the products they are selling are able to do ANY of that (yet the burden of proof that they don't is on me). OR they do those things, but they're not any better than protein powder I can get at GNC or even Target.

Is it that they are more expensive products, which seems to make them "special", and therefore more "desirable" to people? Kind of like name brand labels vs. Walmart pants?

 

[LivMoore]

I hate the ones that are woo and claim to make you skinnier-healthier-cure whatever ails you etc. I got messaged about selling ItWorks recently. Big huge eye roll.
I don't care for the ones that sell make-up, press on nails, etc either but at least they aren't preying on sick people. But I don't buy from them because I'd rather just get some drugstore make-up.

 

[breezy16]

Run away from all supplement companies, I'm dead serious. 90% of claims cannot be substantiated / use studies with people who are seriously diseased / use studies using 500%+ more of an ingredient than put in a cap / marketing owns R&D our hands are tied / rarely test finished goods to prove they have the amount in their product theyre claiming / do not have safety or efficacy studies / i can go on all day but you get the point.

Please look up some of the people who bought from Young Living and all of those essential oil companies and get back to me. I personally know of "parties" these companies would hold and have people drinking lemon oil (mind you half of that stuff is in your corrosive household cleaners) and there was a few news articles in the past where the company told parents to put these oils in kids' ears for when they have ear infections.

The result? Kid went deaf. It ate away his inner ear.

 

[TheZaLord]

I hate the ones that are woo and claim to make you skinnier-healthier-cure whatever ails you etc. I got messaged about selling ItWorks recently. Big huge eye roll.
I don't care for the ones that sell make-up, press on nails, etc either but at least they aren't preying on sick people. But I don't buy from them because I'd rather just get some drugstore make-up.

I don't care about those either beyond being just a bit annoyed. Well, and the fact that I have friends being taken for a ride. But the times I've said something ended...poorly and people have to make their own mistakes, I guess. But I still hate seeing friends taken advantage of and swindled.

Run away from all supplement companies, I'm dead serious. 90% of claims cannot be substantiated / use studies with people who are seriously diseased / use studies using 500%+ more of an ingredient than put in a cap / marketing owns R&D our hands are tied / rarely test finished goods to prove they have the amount in their product theyre claiming / do not have safety or efficacy studies / i can go on all day but you get the point.

Please look up some of the people who bought from Young Living and all of those essential oil companies and get back to me. I personally know of "parties" these companies would hold and have people drinking lemon oil (mind you half of that stuff is in your corrosive household cleaners) and there was a few news articles in the past where the company told parents to put these oils in kids' ears for when they have ear infections.

The result? Kid went deaf. It ate away his inner ear.

THAT'S the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Do you have links for that? When I have looked things up, most of what I find are blogs saying what they like and don't like- vs. actual research or reports on ill effects. I realize I could just not be digging deep enough, though.
I don't know that it would make a difference to the friends that use it- but at least when they approach me about buying it, I can say why I won't be, and why it can be dangerous.

 

[Espressso]

Just before I saw this thread, I was messaged (literally 5 minutes ago) on FB by an old HS friend who is trying to convince me to be a "male supplement tester" for her products that she "endorses and uses". The company is called "It Works". Various supplements that are "all natural" and "a real wonder".

-_________________-


I asked her if there was any literature on it she can send my way.


She responded with,


"Like, books?"


Ugh.

 

[LivMoore]

I don't care about those either beyond being just a but annoyed. Well, and the fact that I have friends being taken for a ride. But the times I've said something ended...poorly and people have to make their own mistakes, I guess. But I still hate seeing friends taken advantage of and swindled.

Yeah I just keep my mouth closed. I don't want to sell it so I just say no thanks and I refuse to try it - even if it's a free sample. I had mentioned to a friend one day that I was really tired-she said I need "Spark" - some energy drink from Advocare. Bleh.

They will also post about these 30 day challenges that are supposed to make them loose weight but after a week or two they stop posting about them...

 

[breezy16]

I don't care about those either beyond being just a bit annoyed. Well, and the fact that I have friends being taken for a ride. But the times I've said something ended...poorly and people have to make their own mistakes, I guess. But I still hate seeing friends taken advantage of and swindled.



THAT'S the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Do you have links for that? When I have looked things up, most of what I find are blogs saying what they like and don't like- vs. actual research or reports on ill effects. I realize I could just not be digging deep enough, though.
I don't know that it would make a difference to the friends that use it- but at least when they approach me about buying it, I can say why I won't be, and why it can be dangerous.

Any reputable company will disclose its in-house studies or clinicals. Whether or not those have been so severely modified is up to you to figure out. If it doesn't have an actual publication I will bet you everything I own they mod'ed the data in some way. (N=20, sub-divided into groups say "obese" and "healthy ***<30BMI") We do substantiation folders and they are not audited by the FDA unless they come to check up. (Hint: they never do unless you're brought to court for something) Only the big names get caught up in problems, the little guys will scurry around and try and fix crap. MLMs are not big compared to companies like GNC's ON performance/Muscle Pharm/BPI .. MLMs are the rats to worry about. Think nootropics. All a ploy to feed on the weak. (ALCAR recently had a huge meta study disproving any cognitive benefits, btw. So there goes the biggest ingredient on the market other than Indian/Chinese herbs)

All of my info comes from working 3 years in the industry and has had actual research shut down because they didn't want to pay for it.