Plime/1Relig... no, wait. Pyramid Schemes: What's your stance? : ATOM 0.3Relig... no, wait. Pyramid Schemes: What's your stance? : ATOM 0.3www.plime.complime@plime.com2008, www.plime.com.2008-10-07T20:35:37+01:00<![CDATA[davbob @ 3/24/2008 7:40:32 PM]]>2250382008-03-24T19:40:32+01:002008-03-24T19:40:32+01:00<![CDATA[forexrangetrader @ 3/24/2008 5:08:26 AM]]>224619Trouble was that the product was too expensive in the first place for the average person to buy and you only made the real money w...]]>2008-03-24T05:08:26+01:002008-03-24T05:08:26+01:00Trouble was that the product was too expensive in the first place for the average person to buy and you only made the real money when you recruited additional 'supervisors'.
Needless to say, I never recouped my money...those in the tree above me certainly made some, but not me :(]]><![CDATA[2manyusernames @ 3/18/2008 12:53:45 AM]]>221286 You sell way overpriced crap, often times but not always crap that does not do what it claims...]]>2008-03-18T00:53:45+01:002008-03-18T00:53:45+01:00 You sell way overpriced crap, often times but not always crap that does not do what it claims to do.
It has to be overpriced to support all the massive overhead of an entire network on top of corporate overhead.
Of course if that is all you do, you won't make much. No, if you really want to rake it the big bucks you have to find suckers who will sell the junk as part of network. You con them into thinking they will make tons of money.
They in turn find out that the only way to make money is find other suckers who can sell the crap. Then those naive suckers have to find other idiots who will sell the crap. and so on and so on.
It is as mentioned exploitive. You only are willing to spend far more than the stuff is worth because it is your friend, family member, business associate, etc.
MLM is a scam. Period.]]><![CDATA[blurmore @ 3/18/2008 12:43:45 AM]]>2212842008-03-18T00:43:45+01:002008-03-18T00:43:45+01:00
MLM/personal sales boils down to this for me. People exploit their relationships with the friends to make money...plain and simple. No matter how NICE you are, or how low pressure you are, or how you don't push anything...you are still using a relationship to suck money from your friends. I probably wouldn't be upset if my wife went to a Treasured Treasures or whatever sex toy party and came back with some overpiced s**t I could get at the local sex shop, because atleast that way she would feel obligated to have sex with me. (sic) Bottom line...have friends, love friends, don't sell s**t to friends, buy s**t at the store.]]><![CDATA[donteatpoop @ 3/17/2008 8:39:52 PM]]>221163«lljames:It is not immoral.
LLJames*Cough, cough* The dust on this thread is killing my sinuses.Way to bump up an antient thread...]]>2008-03-17T20:39:52+01:002008-03-17T20:39:52+01:00«lljames:It is not immoral.
LLJames*Cough, cough* The dust on this thread is killing my sinuses.Way to bump up an antient thread.
Welcome to plime, LLJames. You realise of course that you are having a heated debate in a discussion that ended 10 moths ago, right?
I guess at least you're making coherent and intelligent comments...]]><![CDATA[lljames @ 3/17/2008 8:35:11 PM]]>221158 Women don't bat an eye when paying 200 dollars at an Estee Lauder counter for their months supply of skin care and Mary Kay offers top of the line for way less.
I don't ...]]>2008-03-17T20:35:11+01:002008-03-17T20:35:11+01:00 Women don't bat an eye when paying 200 dollars at an Estee Lauder counter for their months supply of skin care and Mary Kay offers top of the line for way less.
I don't sell Mary Kay, but if it were not for Network Marketing, I wouldn't be financially stable during these times of recession where everyone is hurting right now.
My neighbors, family and friends all respect me as I respect them. I've never sold them what they don't want or need nor have I become someone other than my considerate self toward others just because I do home meetings.
My customers are loyal because I educated them on a product that is in demand. They can think for themselves and are not swindled.
Where I live people are cynical and aren't gullable. They buy because they want to and I make money or help others (about 2% in my downline) build their businesses because when they succeed, I succeed.
Its an important point to make that the behavior of a company drives the behavior out in the field. Some behaviors are not good, and I would not work with that company.
I'm with a product driven company with a compensation plan that is more than fare for the part timer, so I don't focus on recruiting people with desperation like those who give MLM a bad name, do.
I also want to clear up the term called MLM - Multi Level Marketing. MLM can be used for scams which is money that has no exchange of goods or services. It is the fastest way for people at the top to make all the money and disband their elligal scheme before the authorities get wind of it.
Multi Level Marketing that uses the vehicle called Network Marketing are not scams or immoral. It is a highly regulated way of doing business and the compensation plan to get paid, does NOT necessarily mean all of the people at the top make all of the money. I have someone below me right now, who is working harder and making more money that me.
Please, educate yourself on Network Marketing, because there is information for and against it and I'm able to discern fact from fiction, which many people who are new to this information have no idea how wonderful some of these companies are and being taken is either a stepping stone to find quality or to learn the difference between bad and good companies.
Remember the authors who write about certain subjects are either for or against them. However, sometimes an author against a particular subject doesn't mean he/she has correct information. These kinds of authors against something, are someone who has A. Failed at it or B. Heard it from someone else who has not succeeded at it and parroting the information.
People are averaging about 3 jobs a year, 40 year olds panic because of lay offs for younger and cheaper, and if you believe in job stability, you might as well believe in the Easter Bunny.
Your wife wanted to grow a home based business and because you have misconceptions of Network Marketing, you are talking her out of it. Maybe if you let her try it, she can see for herself if this is right for her or not. I am aware the Mary Kay and Avon have a high turnover rate.
However, please take a second look at Network Marketing in general and give your wife room to experience it or she may harbor resentment that there were regrets if she didn't at least try it for herself.
If you are both great at communicating with each other and she is backing off because she agrees with you, then she should be fine.
My husband gave me a hard time in the beginning and it was a little painful for me, because I didn't know how to start without his blessings.
I had to work with my upline for support and the team work helped me so I wasn't all alone. Once my husband saw the checks coming in, he changed his tune, but he is still a little threatened by my independent nature because he is a bit old fashioned, even when it comes to my film work which is unrelated.
I love my husband and we've been together for 17 years and Network Marketing is work around the marbles (I choose my own hours) and my children are getting plenty of attention from me.
Network Marketing is a misunderstood industry, but to people in the know, it is a highly regulated industry and people are limiting hemselves if they do not step up to the plate and learn how making an extra 300 or 1700 a month residually through Network Marketing can make all the difference.
Please do your due diligence.
Again, I am someone who has succeeded at it responding to you. I have a family, I am moral, I am ethical, and I am with a fantastic company that I'm proud to stand behind that is moral and ethical.
I recommend non fluff books about it, like The New Professionals or the presentation Brilliant Compensation with no hype, just statistics to understand how this industry works and why it works.
This will help people discern hype from the real thing and not get taken from those who have run over relationships just to sell an idea of getting rich.
I work about 10 hours a week minimum doing this and 40 hours a week at the most when I do training and traveling.
LLJames
PS. I am aware that I am the 10% who has succeeded at it and I am not rich. I am financially stable! Also, the success stories are increasing because of the laws regulating it and making the industry fare, and I will not be the minority some day. After all, Network Marketing is one of the major ways for corporations to distribute goods and services to the end consumer without spending on advertising costs.]]><![CDATA[suebe @ 5/8/2007 11:56:16 PM]]>53940«makri
Another point for the reputability - one might think that scamming a scammer isn't exactly a bad thing.Nicely put!]]>2007-05-08T23:56:16+01:002007-05-08T23:56:16+01:00«makri
Another point for the reputability - one might think that scamming a scammer isn't exactly a bad thing.Nicely put!]]><![CDATA[makri @ 5/8/2007 10:28:19 PM]]>53892«bonsai1776 : Just and FYI This is against the agreement these people signed when the started. So reputable? I think not. They are only trying to s...]]>2007-05-08T22:28:19+01:002007-05-08T22:28:19+01:00«bonsai1776 : Just and FYI This is against the agreement these people signed when the started. So reputable? I think not. They are only trying to sell out their inventory without a company buyback (which MK does at 90%) But with that they take away the possibility of ever signing up again.Reputable as in good feedback on eBay. That means that what you order is what you get. I'm not entirely sure how these people get their stock - some have been doing that for long so it's not just some random disgruntled previous consultants who are trying to get rid of their stock. When talking my wife out of the party idea, I checked that you can get pretty much any product for cheaper, shipping included, that a consultant here buys it in.
As for those getting rid of their stock - first of all, MK buyback is a limited time deal, and not all products qualify. I don't see anything morally questionable for a former rep to sell their stock on eBay once they're done with the company. The company itself has no rights to limit how the product is dealt with afterwards.
Also, leaving MK in theory means you can't get back, but in practise no one has ever reported to be rejected if they wanted back. They need people joining more than they care about company recommendations.
Another point for the reputability - one might think that scamming a scammer isn't exactly a bad thing.]]><![CDATA[bonsai1776 @ 5/8/2007 9:08:15 PM]]>53849«makriYou can buy all MK products from eBay too, at half price, from reputable, reliable sellers.Just and FYI This is against the agreeme...]]>2007-05-08T21:08:15+01:002007-05-08T21:08:15+01:00«makriYou can buy all MK products from eBay too, at half price, from reputable, reliable sellers.Just and FYI This is against the agreement these people signed when the started. So reputable? I think not. They are only trying to sell out their inventory without a company buyback (which MK does at 90%) But with that they take away the possibility of ever signing up again.]]><![CDATA[dorkfire @ 5/8/2007 6:44:58 PM]]>537802007-05-08T18:44:58+01:002007-05-08T18:44:58+01:00While most of my experience with it has been buying for my sister, I still have tremendus faith in what feeds my sisters family.]]><![CDATA[makri @ 5/8/2007 2:20:52 PM]]>536862007-05-08T14:20:52+01:002007-05-08T14:20:52+01:00 At any given year, somewhere between 90 and 99% of active distributors in any given MLM company didn't make any profit. Some of those people are, as Ankabout pointed out, not trying hard enough. They bought into the deceptive recruiting hype and thought they could become millionars overnight doing nothing.
But there's also people who work their butts off, quit their day jobs, get all the training the companies provide, work 7 days a week 12+ hours a day and still end up losing money or break even if they're lucky. The companies aren't designed to reward hard work, the companies are designed to pull in people, get their money, then spit them out and prey for new victims.
Mary Kay (sorry for picking them as an example) had 715k "beauty consultants" in 2005. In 2006 they had a bit over 700k. The company states that they get 40k new ones a month. That's 480,000 new consultants a year, yet the total number stays pretty much the same.
There's usually pressure to "front load" the new recruits - make their initial startup purchase as big as they can afford (preferably bigger). If most leave within first year, you'd better get as much as possible out of them while they're still in.
You can buy all MK products from eBay too, at half price, from reputable, reliable sellers.]]><![CDATA[makri @ 5/8/2007 1:31:23 PM]]>53675«bonsai1776 :However, my wife sells Mary Kay and it does function quite different from all the others (which is the only reason I let her sign up fo...]]>2007-05-08T13:31:23+01:002007-05-08T13:31:23+01:00«bonsai1776 :However, my wife sells Mary Kay and it does function quite different from all the others (which is the only reason I let her sign up for it at all.)You might be lucky and end up with non-agressive upline. But just in case at some point you're interested in the flipside of the coin, there's a support group for those whose loved ones are involved in Mary Kay (and those who are trying to get out themselves).]]><![CDATA[AutumnLotus @ 5/8/2007 11:53:51 AM]]>53653«ReBoot : Some people work very hard at it, and make some money.
I'd rather start my own business and make lots and lots of money.2007-05-08T11:53:51+01:002007-05-08T11:53:51+01:00«ReBoot : Some people work very hard at it, and make some money.
I'd rather start my own business and make lots and lots of money.Agreed. Rather put all that effort into your own business than this sort of scheme.]]><![CDATA[ReBoot @ 5/8/2007 11:47:28 AM]]>53650 I'd rather start my own business and make lots and lots of money.]]>2007-05-08T11:47:28+01:002007-05-08T11:47:28+01:00 I'd rather start my own business and make lots and lots of money.]]><![CDATA[unzercharlie @ 5/8/2007 11:37:33 AM]]>536462007-05-08T11:37:33+01:002007-05-08T11:37:33+01:00<![CDATA[Ankabout @ 5/8/2007 11:31:44 AM]]>53644 Yeah some people fall for it and spend a lot of money on stuff and end up using most ...]]>2007-05-08T11:31:44+01:002007-05-08T11:31:44+01:00 Yeah some people fall for it and spend a lot of money on stuff and end up using most of the products themselves because they can't sell it, but that's their own fault. If you plan on making money with it, you have to work for it. If you're really good at it, you can make a lot of money and probably faster than working a regular desk job, but not everyone can get away with that. That's just my 9 cents.]]><![CDATA[suebe @ 5/8/2007 9:12:47 AM]]>535962007-05-08T09:12:47+01:002007-05-08T09:12:47+01:00 When I was in high school I joined "Holiday Magic" Cosmetics with a friend. You paid about $35 for your sales kit (samples and a purse), and got 2 hours of training.
I sold some to friends, but mostly used the discount to buy skin care products for myself. I probably spent more than I made, but the novelty wore off after a couple of months. Luckily, the only investment made was the original $35 (which was a lot of money in high school), and I got to keep the purse.]]><![CDATA[bonsai1776 @ 5/8/2007 8:58:54 AM]]>535922007-05-08T08:58:54+01:002007-05-08T08:58:54+01:00<![CDATA[AutumnLotus @ 5/8/2007 8:54:59 AM]]>535912007-05-08T08:54:59+01:002007-05-08T08:54:59+01:00
Relig... no, wait. Pyramid Schemes: What's your stance?
<![CDATA[makri @ 5/8/2007 5:01:42 AM]]>987 Not too long ago I tried to talk my wife out of hosting a Mar...]]>2007-05-08T05:01:42+01:002007-05-08T05:01:42+01:00 Not too long ago I tried to talk my wife out of hosting a Mary Kay party. Not sure if the issue is dropped, at least for now it is. I know the host doesn't necessarily get screwed over in those things (apart from peer pressure to buy overpriced stuff), but it's a principle not to participate in a scam.
Mary Kay, Amway, Avon, GNLD etc etc.. most people have bumped into these kind of companies at some point. While they're legal in most countries, to say the least they're business practises are immoral.
So what's your stance on Multilevel Marketing (MLM) companies? Any personal experiences?]]>