Friday, February 09, 2007
Network Marketing - Scheme or Scam
Okay - so as you all know from a posting a while back my friends are involved in a Network marketing program for a line of cosmetics, vitamins, weightlost and skin care company. (kind of like Mary-Kay but better -- or so they claim) They have been at it for 6 months. I have been watching from the side lines as they go to meetings, discuss marketing strategies, have "parties" etc. I've been watching as the greatest skeptic, trying to figure out the catch.
As I understand it, this is how it works. You sign up to sell the stuff. You get a percentage of everything you sell. Then you sign up people under you to sell the stuff and you get a percentage of everything they make, they sign up people who then sign up more people and so on and so on. The more people you sign up, and the more volume of your "team" ie: people under you sell, the greater your percentage rate is and the more money you make.
When you sign up - you get all the products at wholesale rates, so one could sign up, if they are just interested in getting the products for themselves and not selling them - which i think is primarily why people end up signing up in the first place.
Now here is the thing. I hate the idea of selling anything, even more of trying to sell my friends on things but as I've watched over the months I see my friends actually making money off of this. The original girl apparently now makes 3k a month. My friend who is about 2 tiers down from her said she made $500 last month.
Again, was still not convinced, until I ran out of my Vichy face wash and was like, what the hell, I'll buy some of this stuff from my friend and check it out. I actually like it! I got the face wash, scrub, toner and skin cream. Which came with a wrinkle syrum and eye cream which I totally forget to use but as OOTG told me in Vegas that we are at an age where we need to start thinking about this stuff.
So here is the thing. Now I'm thinking of signing up but I worry my good judgement is clouding being around these people. (it feels a little cultish the way they talk!)
I need the sanity of my blog sisters to tell me what the catch is. Is there a catch? Can it hurt to try it for a few months and see? It's not like I have anything better to do with my time (It's fashion week so there are no jobs until the end of March)
These are the products. https://www.arbonne.com/shop_online/shopOnline.asp
You can also check out the company so you can point out what the loop holes are and why everyone isn't doing this. Or you can tell me it's great and that I should sign up and you will sign up under me ; ) Madame Shenanigan ¶ 1:18 PM
As I understand it, this is how it works. You sign up to sell the stuff. You get a percentage of everything you sell. Then you sign up people under you to sell the stuff and you get a percentage of everything they make, they sign up people who then sign up more people and so on and so on. The more people you sign up, and the more volume of your "team" ie: people under you sell, the greater your percentage rate is and the more money you make.
When you sign up - you get all the products at wholesale rates, so one could sign up, if they are just interested in getting the products for themselves and not selling them - which i think is primarily why people end up signing up in the first place.
Now here is the thing. I hate the idea of selling anything, even more of trying to sell my friends on things but as I've watched over the months I see my friends actually making money off of this. The original girl apparently now makes 3k a month. My friend who is about 2 tiers down from her said she made $500 last month.
Again, was still not convinced, until I ran out of my Vichy face wash and was like, what the hell, I'll buy some of this stuff from my friend and check it out. I actually like it! I got the face wash, scrub, toner and skin cream. Which came with a wrinkle syrum and eye cream which I totally forget to use but as OOTG told me in Vegas that we are at an age where we need to start thinking about this stuff.
So here is the thing. Now I'm thinking of signing up but I worry my good judgement is clouding being around these people. (it feels a little cultish the way they talk!)
I need the sanity of my blog sisters to tell me what the catch is. Is there a catch? Can it hurt to try it for a few months and see? It's not like I have anything better to do with my time (It's fashion week so there are no jobs until the end of March)
These are the products. https://www.arbonne.com/shop_online/shopOnline.asp
You can also check out the company so you can point out what the loop holes are and why everyone isn't doing this. Or you can tell me it's great and that I should sign up and you will sign up under me ; ) Madame Shenanigan ¶ 1:18 PM
Comments:
<< Home
okay, so since none of you have commented on my dilemma in a timely fashion I found another blog to go to for advice
http://www.joelcomm.com/to_arbonne_or_not_to_arbonne.html
yah, it didn't help much either.
It's like 8million comments long and the arguments agains are equally as compelling as the arguments for!
http://www.joelcomm.com/to_arbonne_or_not_to_arbonne.html
yah, it didn't help much either.
It's like 8million comments long and the arguments agains are equally as compelling as the arguments for!
I'm going to keep having this conversation with myself. After much consideration (like a full 4 hours), I have decided NOT to get involved with this.
I came to the conclusion that in order to succeed you would need to devote much of your time, and as OOTG pointed out, its not really my area of expertise. I think I have many more things to devote my time to. (Like opening the box of my new Wii!
However, if you know anyone who might be interested let me know or I can fwd them my friends email to talk to them about it.
I think it's a good opportunity for the right person. Someone who has some extra time, and needs some extra money. hmmm. maybe someone who is now working part time, knows about nutrition, etc...
I came to the conclusion that in order to succeed you would need to devote much of your time, and as OOTG pointed out, its not really my area of expertise. I think I have many more things to devote my time to. (Like opening the box of my new Wii!
However, if you know anyone who might be interested let me know or I can fwd them my friends email to talk to them about it.
I think it's a good opportunity for the right person. Someone who has some extra time, and needs some extra money. hmmm. maybe someone who is now working part time, knows about nutrition, etc...
# posted by 
: 4:09 PM
: 4:09 PM
woah is me. it's been three days and nobody has commented on my post....
sigh...
nobody loves me.
nobody is willing to make fun of me.
Here I am trying to make a life altering decision and there is no one out there to guide me.
Forget it. This Blog is dead to me. DO YOU HERE ME?!!!!
Dead to me
(unless I get a full apology from each and everyone of you)
And I don't accept any apologies unless they include cookies!
sigh...
nobody loves me.
nobody is willing to make fun of me.
Here I am trying to make a life altering decision and there is no one out there to guide me.
Forget it. This Blog is dead to me. DO YOU HERE ME?!!!!
Dead to me
(unless I get a full apology from each and everyone of you)
And I don't accept any apologies unless they include cookies!
The products actually seem quite lovely. If you can get in and get out without penalty and if you are sure, you can't lose money, I say why not!
ha ha!!
Forget me! I am already a Beauticontrol consultant (my mum wanted the products cheap, so I had to enroll... long story!). The problem is, you really have to work to sell the stuff and make money. I have other things I prefer doing.... with a full time job and other interests, it's not realistic for me to be booknig home spas to try to sell the stuff every week or month. I'm not that enterprising.
it also ends up being super expensive. Though I get a 30-55% discount... it adds up. It's tempting to buy for "cheap"- for myself or for gifts, and it has resulted in too much spending on products.
Anyone need a good hand scrub?
Forget me! I am already a Beauticontrol consultant (my mum wanted the products cheap, so I had to enroll... long story!). The problem is, you really have to work to sell the stuff and make money. I have other things I prefer doing.... with a full time job and other interests, it's not realistic for me to be booknig home spas to try to sell the stuff every week or month. I'm not that enterprising.
it also ends up being super expensive. Though I get a 30-55% discount... it adds up. It's tempting to buy for "cheap"- for myself or for gifts, and it has resulted in too much spending on products.
Anyone need a good hand scrub?
Hey listen, some of us started new and quite stressful jobs in which you CANNOT blog.
I'm sorry (= heartfelt apology).
Yeah, I've been asked about this and asked to join stuff like this and I just dont have the time, eneergy or will power to sell sell sell.
You have to ask yourself : is it worth it? If you want the exrtra money each month, you'll do it, if not not.
Personally, I know my answer.
Post a Comment
I'm sorry (= heartfelt apology).
Yeah, I've been asked about this and asked to join stuff like this and I just dont have the time, eneergy or will power to sell sell sell.
You have to ask yourself : is it worth it? If you want the exrtra money each month, you'll do it, if not not.
Personally, I know my answer.
# posted by : 4:32 PM
: 4:32 PM<< Home
