Responding to an MLM solicitation

[Anonymous]

All people are different. I am part of an MLM and don’t recruit my friends or family at all, and don’t ask them to buy things. My customers have come to me and my “down line” has come to me. Not do I buy inventory. But keep hating if it serves you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An old friend who I haven't talked to in a while just reached out asking if she could send me info about something. She has been posting constantly about her new MLM on social media so I am 100% sure that is what she wants to send. How do I nicely respond but say no? I don't want to be rude and am open to being friends but have absolutely no interest in this scheme.

I had this happen to me. I asked "About what?" she told me what and I said I was not interested. Not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

I lost a friend because of her joining her MLM. I started out buying from her, then I hated all the products and stopped. I even gave her back one of the products because I didn't like it and she didn't even refund me or thank me with a sbux card or anything. It ticked me off. I know this thread isn't to rant on MLMs, but any business practice that tells you to lean on your network for support and if you don't get that your network isn't worth your time is a vulture and I have no desire to sustain it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All people are different. I am part of an MLM and don’t recruit my friends or family at all, and don’t ask them to buy things. My customers have come to me and my “down line” has come to me. Not do I buy inventory. But keep hating if it serves you.

Which MLM?

[Anonymous]

I just ignore or say "no thank you."

There are a couple of things I've actually tried over the years-

Pampered Chef - I actually like some of their stuff (mixing bowls and stuff) but not the gimmicky stuff.

I also tried "plexus' 'pink drink'" as a HS friend was pushing it pretty hard. It made me beyond sick (and yes I know there is "detoxing" involved) and the trick to the diet seems to be drinking an ungodly amount of water. I asked for, and received, the promised refund w/in XXX number of days but the friend was not pleased.

Other than this, I just politely say no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All people are different. I am part of an MLM and don’t recruit my friends or family at all, and don’t ask them to buy things. My customers have come to me and my “down line” has come to me. Not do I buy inventory. But keep hating if it serves you.

Me too. Most people don't even know I am a consultant. I never post on my personal social media about it and never push. I do not have anyone under me (and really don't want to) but I do bring in a couple hundred bucks most months. Just a little extra -- nothing crazy.

[Anonymous]

It's interesting that the PPs claiming that their MLM isn't like all the others won't name the MLM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don’t you just support her and buy a product every now and then? Help other women out instead of bashing them?

No. MLMs are scams that prey on stupid women.
First rule of business: don’t force your friends to buy your products otherwise soon you won’t have friends...

[Anonymous]

Younique doesn’t require inventory or really any upfront investment. It’s $99 and in exchange you get a bag of makeup to keep.

[Anonymous]

I hate MLMs because every reliable investigation into them has shown that the vast majority of women who sell for them lose money. They are basically businesses designed to exploit women, and I can't get behind that. So I refuse to buy any MLM product.

But I'm terrible at confrontation. So when I am contacted ("hey girl!") I claim that I already buy that product from my best friend.

Flame away, but I don't ask to be pulled into these conversations. It's not my obligation to make a political statement because someone decides to exploit their social connection with me. As far as I'm concerned, ANY excuse not to buy the product is fair game. "I'm allergic " "I am saving money for orphans" "my husband hates the smell" "It is against my religion" Literally any answer is okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a bunch of haters on this site. I sell the beach body items and everyone ASKS me for them, I don’t have to solicit. I’m my own boss, make mid six figures and am happier than ever thanks to supportive and loyal friends and family

+10000

They are jealous

Agreed. DCUM is full of these women who moan and complain how exhausted they are with schlepping to work and not having time with their kids. So when they see women who are successful running their own businesses at home, making bank, AND getting quality time with their kids, they feel threatened and attack other women.

This doesn't make sense. If women were jealous, they would just sign up to sell for the MLM. There is no barrier to entry. And dc area women are among the most affluent and educated in the country, so they would have the means to invest in any MLM they want. Can you explain this apparent inconsistency in logic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Younique doesn’t require inventory or really any upfront investment. It’s $99 and in exchange you get a bag of makeup to keep.

How much did you make with Younique in 2018?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's interesting that the PPs claiming that their MLM isn't like all the others won't name the MLM.

Nobody asked me but I am a Thirty-one consultant. I am sure the are people who push it on their friends but I do not. Again, most people don't even know I sell it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not all MLMs are the same. Some don’t require any purchase of inventory and require very little, if any, upfront investment. If you don’t like MLMs, that’s fine, but the hatred, bitterness, and cynicism in this board over it is a reflection of the pervasive anxiety and lack of social connectedness that people always complain about. Instead of harboring such intense hatred and being so ridiculously judgmental, how about simply shrugging it off, deciding not to get involved, and moving on with your lives? The negative energy you all spend actively hating MLMs and their people says more about you than it does about the companies. I read these comments and shake my head. You’d be a lot happier if you unclenched and took a deep breath.

I have two email addresses. One I use when I think I'll get solicitations or junk emails, and one for friends/family/important things. My "friend" started emailing me on my friends/family email with MLM stuff. Then I got emails from some other random person she gave my email to. She also recently gave that email address to her daughter who is also inundating me with emails. I find that annoying because I don't want to label them spam in case they send an important email, but I don't want junk email in my regular account either. By the way, she has never asked if it was ok for her to send me MLM materials, she just started sending them. Why not be upfront and ask first, or in OP's case actually say what you want to send rather than "can I send you something?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All people are different. I am part of an MLM and don’t recruit my friends or family at all, and don’t ask them to buy things. My customers have come to me and my “down line” has come to me. Not do I buy inventory. But keep hating if it serves you.

Name your product.