Are people finally realizing that MLMs are a scam?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I don't hear as much about MLMs these days. 5-10 years ago it seemed like they were much more common/spoken about -- both by the people participating in them and the detractors making fun of the "boss babes." But now I rarely hear about them from either "side." Have MLMs died down? People finally realize they're stupid?

I doubt it OP. I wish but I suspect that your circle went through the whole mlm bit, crashed and burned and now you don’t hear much about it. It’s the same with me.

But there’s always a new crop of folks out there, gullible and ready to join a new mlm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I don't hear as much about MLMs these days. 5-10 years ago it seemed like they were much more common/spoken about -- both by the people participating in them and the detractors making fun of the "boss babes." But now I rarely hear about them from either "side." Have MLMs died down? People finally realize they're stupid?

The answer is a change or evolution in social media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think many people are finally realizing how cult-like + brainwashed MLMs are and have therefore began avoiding them altogether.

Names that have been around for awhile such as Tupperware, Avon & Mary Kay are even going down.

Plus I feel after the whole Chris/Shanaan Watts situation with Thrive, people are staying away altogether.

I've never come across a Tupperware seller, I'd make a big purchase but once or twice tops

[Anonymous]

I feel like the pandemic did some of them in. They couldn’t throw parties where they could pressure their friends in person. The few people I knew were hawking MLMs before the pandemic have remained silent for a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know any educated people who got sucked into these? Most are just high school drop outs or uneducated stay a home moms. It's kind of sad really. Especially those sex toy ones. Just sad.

I know a highly educated woman who sells Plexus who has a professional full time job. It really surprises me and I try to stay under her radar so I don't get targeted.

[Anonymous]

My lawyer cousin sold RF when she was a SAHM for a few years. She otherwise seems intelligent. It seemed very beneath her. She is back to practicing law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Except for the Netflix documentaries I never heard about any of these anyway. One of the perks of not being on social media.

I’m not on social media and still have been invited to many pampered chef, Rodan + fields and Silpada parties. (Not recently). I find it hard to believe you’ve never heard of any of them.

Really?? I have never. One time at a cousin’s wedding a bridesmaid was bragging about her lipstick selling and how many people she had “working for her” but that is as close as I’ve ever come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My lawyer cousin sold RF when she was a SAHM for a few years. She otherwise seems intelligent. It seemed very beneath her. She is back to practicing law.

I’m a lawyer with a colleague who got sucked into a MLM, had tremendous success her first year selling, and openly shared her 3 year plan to go all into MLM and quit her lawyer day job. Everyone was baffled by this.

Fast forward: MLM money tapered off and she got out after a few years. She never mentions it anymore. Still a lawyer in DC.

I know several other women who seemingly jumped from one MLM to the next. This was nearly 10 years ago. The trend is over.

[Anonymous]

I think they’ve gotten more subtle with the rise of social influencers. I’m thinking of a particular beauty influencer who occasionally slips in how she drinks this syrup once a day and she lost 28 pounds, comment “syrup” for the link.

All the “comment whatever” captions that link to a site are some sort of affiliate payout for them.

Seint (the makeup palette brand) calls it “network marketing” rather than acknowledging it’s an MLM. Still tell their artists to go and contract artists of their own to get their bonuses and invites to the party in Cancun though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I don't hear as much about MLMs these days. 5-10 years ago it seemed like they were much more common/spoken about -- both by the people participating in them and the detractors making fun of the "boss babes." But now I rarely hear about them from either "side." Have MLMs died down? People finally realize they're stupid?

I doubt it OP. I wish but I suspect that your circle went through the whole mlm bit, crashed and burned and now you don’t hear much about it. It’s the same with me.

But there’s always a new crop of folks out there, gullible and ready to join a new mlm.

Agree that it’s cyclical and also runs through social groups. I had a bunch of friends doing various ones about 5 years ago and now none are. I can only think of one person I know still doing an MLM – scentsy – and it’s pretty sad.

[Anonymous]

I've been thinking the same thing (that they are dying down) lately. I thought it also just might be that I'm getting older/in a different place in life. I feel like a lot of people I knew did this when our kids were young, probably to try and earn an income while staying home with them, but now our kids are high school/college age so they can get "real jobs."

Another poster mentioned that the MLM people were mostly uneducated SAHMs but that wasn't my experience at all. The people I knew doing MLMs were all college educated, many with post grad degrees too.

[Anonymous]

Most of the MLM women I knew were educated but had become SAH moms and were filling time or buying into the "boss babe" support your family type of thing. Almost all likely got burned because they never moved up the pyramid. Based on my various social media feeds I only have one acquaintance still actively in an MLM. I also have a family member who maintains her Beautycounter account but doesn't actively solicit others. I contact her every few months because they have one particular product I like, but basically I just put in her name when I order so she gets a tiny percentage of the sale. \

All the other essential oil and kitchen product and makeup and fitness MLMs seem to have died out in my extended network.

[Anonymous]

SAHM in VA suburbs since 2002. Been invited to:

Stella & Dot*
Mary Kay
Silpada
Southern Living at Home*
Pampered Chef
Tupperware
Discovery Toys
Scentsy
Thirty-One
Lula Roe*

*defunct

Ones I’ve forgotten the names of:
Children’s books and toys
The dry powder dip mixes
Cheaper jewelry (early 2000s)
Sex toys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think many people are finally realizing how cult-like + brainwashed MLMs are and have therefore began avoiding them altogether.

Names that have been around for awhile such as Tupperware, Avon & Mary Kay are even going down.

Plus I feel after the whole Chris/Shanaan Watts situation with Thrive, people are staying away altogether.

What is the Chris/ Shanaan Watts situation with a thrive? A neighbor sells it and I have had to avoid her if I don’t want to get pestered or lectured to about how great thrive is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAHM in VA suburbs since 2002. Been invited to:

Stella & Dot*
Mary Kay
Silpada
Southern Living at Home*
Pampered Chef
Tupperware
Discovery Toys
Scentsy
Thirty-One
Lula Roe*

*defunct

Ones I’ve forgotten the names of:
Children’s books and toys
The dry powder dip mixes
Cheaper jewelry (early 2000s)
Sex toys

Someone else mentioned Silpada, didn't they close in 2016? I see their website is still up, but did they switch from MLM, to just a regular online jewelry store?
Also, I thought Lu La Roe was still functioning, just way smaller/less popular?
I remember Usborne Children's books, and barefoot books...
"Tastefully Simple" might be the dip mix powder.