Is MLM still a thing?

[StevieBee]

Multi-Level Marketing; Sign up, then sign up two others and they do the same and in no time at all your'e earning £10k a month in commissions. Or not.

All the rage in the 80s and 90s.

Caught up with an old business buddy recently and we discussed how we both got suckered into this back in the 80s. He got into some Golf discount thing and I joined Entertainment Express - a discounted CD/VHS/LP type thing. Neither of us saw a single penny in commission.

I recall going to some big MLM conference in London and thought the exponents of the various opportunities were more evangelists than business people.

Did anyone else venture down this path - did anyone actually make any money from it?

I think Avon is technically MLM but the concept seems not to be a thing much these days.

[malks222]

they’re definitely still on the go, big ones i can I think off the top of my head most recently:
- herbal life (meal replacement/ supplement type stuff)
- arbonne (cosmetics, if you were a top performer heys buy you a white mercedes!)

but they have definitely dropped off, mainly replaced with influencer/ affiliate links. basically with social media you don’t need to go all in on one product, you can shill/ advertise tons of different brands with your own affiliate links and earn commission that way.

[untakenname]

The internet likely has scuppered lots of these schemes as you can get any product with a simple search, can't remember the last time I had a cosmetics catalogue through the door.

The people who used to go into MLM's and push them hard are the same sort of people now who make their money online by selling 'courses' on how to be financially successful, healthy, masculine etc...

[_Rodders_]

I'm surprised Herbalife and Arbonne are still going concerns.

I guess there must be enough people making money out of them to keep up the interest.

[OIC]

Just pyramid schemes.

I was once approached to join a soap / shampoo / perfume type racket.

So long ago that the initial hook was made via a cassette tape ramble which I played in the car for a laugh on a long trip.

I didn't proceed.

Or crash the car due to laughing so much.

Bloke who tried to recruit me wasn't stupid though.

I suspect that his wife was the one who got them both balls deep into it (so to speak).

At the higher levels it becomes quite addictive and stressful.

[vikingaero]

Herbalife/horriblelife is still going.

My sister was heavily involved in MLM a few decades ago for NSA (National Safety Associates Air Purifiers and Water Filters). The selling of the product was for the grunts or minions. Your aim was to build up a team of grunts/minions so that you scalped commission from their sales - sometimes similar to franchising - money for past effort.

She built up a decent team and was pretty successful. In reality though, sales made by grunts and minions were to sympathetic family members rather than to strangers. "Nan, the water is killing you. You have to buy a NSA Water Filter to protect your health. It's only £800" "Of course dear, here's £800".

I still see white cars with Mary Kay stickers on them, and the senior Mary Kay consultants drive Mercs. In fact looking at the Mary Kay website, you have to sign up with a local consultant before you can order from them:

Personal Service, Your Way. Find Your Independent Beauty Consultant
Online or in person, you'll need a Beauty Consultant to purchase our Mary Kay products, so you always have someone to help when and if you need it. All products are backed by the Mary Kay® Satisfaction Guarantee.

[GlenMH]

My parents managed to swerve an Amway recruitment effort locally - I am so pleased that they were as sceptical as I was.

I still meet people from Herbalife/Arbonne on the networking circuit but their numbers are dwindling.