Tiberia Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 BIL wants us to listen to a presentation and join some sort of online shopping club. It sounds like MLM to me. Anyone heard of it? Is it legit or a scam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 It is MLM. I know some people who sell it and use it and seem to like it. I have never tried it as I just try to stay away from MLM in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleBears Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 It is MLM. A friend of mine had it and did not renew when the year ran out because they require you to order a certain amount every month or they send you an automatic shipment. It was way more stuff than she had use for, even while giving me some of it, and not really much of a savings. Some of their products were good while other were just okay. There is so much competition in terms of natural cleaning products on store shelves these days, that it is much easier to get a good deal at your local supermarket. I would pass on it, but then again, I've never been drawn to a sales pitch. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 It's an MLM. If you like their product and have the money, then fine. If you know how to "work it" and are talented at that, then fine. For us, it was a waste of time. For someone I know, they know how to make it work for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I sell it. It is definitely legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renmew Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 It is MLM. A friend of mine had it and did not renew when the year ran out because they require you to order a certain amount every month or they send you an automatic shipment. It was way more stuff than she had use for, even while giving me some of it, and not really much of a savings. Some of their products were good while other were just okay. There is so much competition in terms of natural cleaning products on store shelves these days, that it is much easier to get a good deal at your local supermarket. I would pass on it, but then again, I've never been drawn to a sales pitch. :001_smile: Yes, thus is a good description. I have not canceled yet, but am considering doing so. Most of the stuff is really good, some priced above grocery store and a few things pretty cheap. The quality is very high. My family uses the laundry soap, shampoos(tea tree oil), and diet foods. You do have to make a minimum order every month or they will send you a back up order, but you can decide exactly what is in your backup order, so you won't get useless stuff. If/when I do cancel, I will keep ordering through my mom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcatmom Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Yes, thus is a good description. I have not canceled yet, but am considering doing so. Most of the stuff is really good, some priced above grocery store and a few things pretty cheap. The quality is very high. My family uses the laundry soap, shampoos(tea tree oil), and diet foods. You do have to make a minimum order every month or they will send you a back up order, but you can decide exactly what is in your backup order, so you won't get useless stuff. If/when I do cancel, I will keep ordering through my mom. I was a customer and tried to expand "my business" for a few years. I actually was doing okay and was getting a small check. Wasn't enough to pay for my order. I didn't mind calling people and talking about it but you can get really good products locally now too. I did like the products though. In the end I don't remember what happened but my subscription was cancelled and I lost the business. I think I must have forgotten to order and didn't update payment in time or something. It was pretty frustrating but I was having a hard time maintaining my order every month to with the way my finances were at that time. I think it's pretty hard and takes a long time to build it up where you can get a good enough income from it to make it worth while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I've used it in the past. I really liked the products, but couldn't keep up with the minimum monthly ordering requirement. I LOVE their skin care line, laundry soap, and some of the cleaners. But, with just two people in the house, I didn't need that much from them each month. If there wasn't a monthly purchasing requirement, I'd buy from them again. And, just because it's a MLM doesn't mean you have to make it a business for yourself. I know a lot of people who use Melaleuca just as customers with no intentions of doing the business aspect of it. Just make sure you sign on with someone who gets that and doesn't but you about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) And, just because it's a MLM doesn't mean you have to make it a business for yourself. I know a lot of people who use Melaleuca just as customers with no intentions of doing the business aspect of it. Just make sure you sign on with someone who gets that and doesn't but you about it. Along a similar vein, I think there's a misconception out there that MLMs are illegal (that they're "pyramid schemes"). MLM and pyramid scheme are two different things. Another term for MLM can be "network marketing," or "direct sales." These are definitely legal and legitimate. It's when a person builds a network under them, and earn a percentage on the sales. Think of it as a store -- and you're the owner. People buy from your store and you make some money. These can work well. The best network marketing program I was ever involved in was selling long distance phone service to others. I mean, people were paying for this already anyway (it was a few years ago, before cell phones took over this market), so why not get the service through me (someone they knew or respected) when I could save them money for doing so? Then, I earned a percentage of their phone bill each month. I haven't sold for that company for, oh, seven years and I'm still earning money every month (not a lot, but still!). Edited January 12, 2012 by milovaný Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I joined briefly to help out my neighbor. Some of the items were pretty neat but I didn't need it enough to continue. There is nothing weird about Melaleuca. I don't know that tee tree oil is the cure all remedy but like I pointed out, some of the stuff is neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 BIL wants us to listen to a presentation and join some sort of online shopping club. It sounds like MLM to me. Anyone heard of it? Is it legit or a scam? it's as legit as amway. Dh had a client sell it, so I ended up trying the vitamins. I don't think I even finished them all, and will never try them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Actually, Melaleuca reps don't "sell" the products; they give you a presentation about the company and you sign up to buy the products yourself. You don't actually buy anything from the rep; you order it directly from the company via their website (or their catalog). So, it's not like buying from a Mary Kay lady. Once you're a member, you don't have to actually see the person who signed up ever again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 My mother used it for a while -- there were several of us so the minimum monthly order worked fine. If you're interested, I can ask her about specific products. She's not using it now because she only has one child left at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2BaMom Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 ... they require you to order a certain amount every month or they send you an automatic shipment. It was way more stuff than she had use for, even while giving me some of it, and not really much of a savings. Some of their products were good while other were just okay. :iagree:This is exactly what I found when I was a monthly customer. The other thing about it is that my sister, who researched several (more than 5) MLMs to run as a home business, really believed that Melaleuca's payment/MLM set-up was "one that was very hard to make any real money at", and so she choose to do another MLM. I don't know if that is true or not, but I did have one friend who worked it like a nearly full-time job (at least 25 focused hours every week) for 2+ years - working it as a business every day and every week, on the phone, doing meetings, going to networking events, conferences, talking, selling, talking, working, etc etc etc, and at the end of those two years, she was only earning $500 per month. Yes, it was $500/month, but on an hourly basis, she could have made more - much more - working at McDonald's. While some of this is skill - some people sell better than others - I can tell you that this friend is articulate, attractive, and organized, so I certainly believe she should have experienced more success than she did. I don't think there's anything bad about the company; I just think so many people are tired of / turned off of MLMs that it is a harder road to sell than it used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/resolve.asp That and the fact that we seem to be allergic to Tea tree oil puts Melaleuca off my radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/resolve.asp That and the fact that we seem to be allergic to Tea tree oil puts Melaleuca off my radar. I don't really get the relevance of the snopes link. It seems that an idiotic sales representative wrote an idiotic story that ended up getting forwarded everywhere -- but what does that have to do with the company as a whole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I've used it in the past. I really liked the products, but couldn't keep up with the minimum monthly ordering requirement. I LOVE their skin care line, laundry soap, and some of the cleaners. But, with just two people in the house, I didn't need that much from them each month. If there wasn't a monthly purchasing requirement, I'd buy from them again. And, just because it's a MLM doesn't mean you have to make it a business for yourself. I know a lot of people who use Melaleuca just as customers with no intentions of doing the business aspect of it. Just make sure you sign on with someone who gets that and doesn't but you about it. :iagree:This is me too.. Almost word for word! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Along a similar vein, I think there's a misconception out there that MLMs are illegal (that they're "pyramid schemes"). MLM and pyramid scheme are two different things. Another term for MLM can be "network marketing," or "direct sales." These are definitely legal and legitimate. It's when a person builds a network under them, and earn a percentage on the sales. Think of it as a store -- and you're the owner. People buy from your store and you make some money. These can work well. MLM and Network Marketing, yes. MLM is not direct sales though. You are trying to sign other people up to buy their own and you can get a commission through that. Direct Sales is when you are selling directly to a customer that is not a "member". Yes, you may still get a commission if they sign up as a consultant, but that is a side feature. In an MLM, it is the main goal. This is what makes Melaleuca and Amway different from Avon, Mary Kay, Party Lite, Thirty-One, etc. Another thing to keep in mind is that tea tree oil is a phyto-estrogen (as is soy). You don't want it in EVERYTHING! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I used Melaleuca products until recently. I really like their products, especially the laundry soap, but the monthly commitment just got to be too much for us. If you take a lot of vitamins or diet foods and get them through Melaleuca you should have no trouble making the monthly minimum, but otherwise it can be hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 My cousin's wife has been a reb for 13 years. She makes much more than my cousin who is a vet, and wins all sorts of awards and vacations. But she has that driven personality. She would do well at anything. I wish I could talk her into marketing my products which are actually local and handmade. I have many more friends who have sigh Ed up, and spent more money than they ever earned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 It is an MLM. Because it is someone you will see frequently, you need to put a definitive stop to it up front, or he will be wheedling you forever (that's his job now.) We just use a firm statement that we won't join because of ____ (for us, it's because we don't support MLMs as a rule) and he is wasting his time. He will have probably been taught a come-back for whatever excuse you give, but just repeat it every time he asks and ignore his line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 As "legit" as other MLMs. I would stay FAR AWAY. I don't care how much someone tells you they love the products -- there' nothing you can't replace from other sources without the same endless hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 (edited) Are you actually looking to get in and sell it? Or just buy the product? I wouldn't sell it, but only because I'm not into that at all. But, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, the cleaning products. I use them exclusively in my home, and also in the church that I clean weekly. There used to be an odor in the bathrooms at church that just wouldn't go away. I took over cleaning duties and took along my Melaleuca, and the smell vanished, never to return. I love the dishwasher soap, dish soap, laundry products, and pretty much all the cleaning products. Oh, and the after-sun gel is amazing after a sunburn. Not a fan of the actual sunscreen though, it doesn't seem to work at all for me. I also really like their Melagel for cuts and burns, and the tea-tree oil became a lifesaver for my DS this past summer during mosquito season, as it seems to cut the itch almost instantly. I haven't used any of the vitamins or health food procucts, so I can't attest to those, but I really like using Meleleuca cleaning products. I do have to meet a minimum order amount each month, so I have a nice stockpile of product. As it turns out, that is a great thing, because DH got laid off early this year, so I was able to put my Melaleuca account on hold (for up to 6 months) and I'm using that stockpile and haven't needed to buy cleaning products at all. I wanted to add that it's completely hassle free to shop there. I haven't spoken to the rep since I signed up almost two years ago. You can sign up for monthly e-mail shopping reminders if you want, and you do have a "back-up pack" that they will automatically ship you if you forget to do your shopping. However, you can make that whatever you want, and I filled mine with the products I use, so I don't automatically get shipped something I won't be using. Edited January 12, 2012 by Sproutmaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 n/m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberia Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 Thanks everyone! I'm glad it's not a scam, but we're not interested in MLM and we probably wouldn't be able to keep up with the minimum order. We told BIL we'd look into it, which we still will, but we'll probably tell him we're not interested. He's a good guy, so it should be no problem with him. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 MLM and Network Marketing, yes. MLM is not direct sales though. You are trying to sign other people up to buy their own and you can get a commission through that. Direct Sales is when you are selling directly to a customer that is not a "member". Yes, you may still get a commission if they sign up as a consultant, but that is a side feature. In an MLM, it is the main goal. This is what makes Melaleuca and Amway different from Avon, Mary Kay, Party Lite, Thirty-One, etc. Another thing to keep in mind is that tea tree oil is a phyto-estrogen (as is soy). You don't want it in EVERYTHING! Got it! My thoughts are along the lines that MLM doesn't necessarily equal "bad." Pyramid scheme, yes, MLM, not necessarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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