Forever Products and Aloe Vera - MLM/Pyramid?

Natural_Products

TomsMom wrote: »

OH's cousin in an agent for FLP. When she heard he had ulcerative colitis she contacted him and sent him an article as "evidence" of how FLP aloe vera juice had helped other people with UC and how it had been trialled with good results. He gave it a go but it didn't help him.

She told him that FLP aloe vera is from the first cold pressing of the leaves and H & B is inferior because after FLP have had the first pressing the leaves are then sold on to H & B

She also swore that it had helped her with whatever her ailment was. He gave it the benefit of the doubt as he trusted his cousin but I was wary from the start.

Hello,

I'm not sure of the difference of quality between the FLP and H & B, but I've had aloe plants at home for years. When the aloe plant is old enough (probably 1-2 years old) it starts having saplings. Those saplings grow themselves very quickly into "adult" plants. The aloe plant is not fussy, you can grow it pretty much in any conditions, and if you forget to even water it for 1 week, it won't mind. CONCLUSION: it's very easy and inexpensive to grow lots of aloe vera with no need to buy already pressed leaves. Out of my own common sense I don't think H & B would risk its name by doing such a thing.

I am actually buying regularly from H & B and I think their Dr. Organic creams are really good. I've just bought some aloe juice (extra strength) cause it's on sales (about £10 - 2 litres). I haven't tried the FLP equivalent, but I was to one of their presentations last night. Supposed I see some miraculous results from using their creams, I will keep buying, cause I get skin problems from most of the products from high street. No doubt their price includes the commission for the chain of representatives, but, still, if they are as good as advertised, it's still worth it.

Have a nice Sunday all!

prabupadha

I'm not sure of the difference of quality between the FLP and H & B, but I've had aloe plants at home for years. When the aloe plant is old enough (probably 1-2 years old) it starts having saplings. Those saplings grow themselves very quickly into "adult" plants. The aloe plant is not fussy, you can grow it pretty much in any conditions, and if you forget to even water it for 1 week, it won't mind. CONCLUSION: it's very easy and inexpensive to grow lots of aloe vera with no need to buy already pressed leaves. Out of my own common sense I don't think H & B would risk its name by doing such a thing.

I am actually buying regularly from H & B and I think their Dr. Organic creams are really good. I've just bought some aloe juice (extra strength) cause it's on sales (about £10 - 2 litres). I haven't tried the FLP equivalent, but I was to one of their presentations last night. Supposed I see some miraculous results from using their creams, I will keep buying, cause I get skin problems from most of the products from high street. No doubt their price includes the commission for the chain of representatives, but, still, if they are as good as advertised, it's still worth it.

Have a nice Sunday all! [/QUOTE]

Natural_Products wrote: »

Hello,They are showing some tincture(iodine) test (adding tincture in water in 2 glasses and after stirring it they adding flp juice in one glass and other brand aloe vera juice in second glass.After adding flp gel,tincture color gone and water restored to original color with some aloe pulp but not in the second glass even after mixing more quantity of other brand gel.)with this they are demonstrating their quality in flp gel. and they saying aloe barbadensis miller is the true aloe which has of great medicinal properties than other species of aloes(300 types).What to say?

prabupadha

hi ,They are showing some tincture(iodine) test (adding tincture in water in 2 glasses and after stirring it they adding flp juice in one glass and other brand aloe vera juice in second glass.After adding flp gel,tincture color gone and water restored to original color with some aloe pulp but not in the second glass even after mixing more quantity of other brand gel.)with this they are demonstrating their quality in flp gel. and they saying aloe barbadensis miller is the true aloe which has of great medicinal properties than other species of aloes(300 types).What to say?

ohnonotamway

I was an Amway distributor for 5 years and have had a lot of exposure to other MLM networks including FLP. They are all based on the same principles:
1. Find a product/s which people can relate to and buy (the 'hook')
2. Claim that this product is the best in the world.
3. Claim that if you become a member you can earn a limitless income through recruiting 'downline' to replicate what you do. (The maths: 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 = 16384 people. Now everyone you recruit can in theory do the same = 65536 people. So why after 30 years in business isn't everyone on the planet doing it?)
4. Browbeat your downline in to attending meetings and seminars where you and they are subjected to the most intense sales pitch imaginable :T:j
5. Badger your friends, relatives and work mates (and anyone else you meet) in to buying the products.
6. See everyone you know and meet as potential income streams. They no longer exist as people.
7. Become completely absorbed in the 'business'. Everything else must take second place to buildng your network.
8. Never listen to anyone who puts the 'business' down, no matter how much sense they make.
9. Keep on ploughing time, money and effort in to the business even when you're not making any money because 'quitters never win and winners never quit'.
10. Ignore that over 95% of distributors quit or become inactive within the first 2 years of starting because eventually everyone gets wise.

All of the modern day companies make sure they are running legally but there is a VERY thin line between MLM and pyramid selling. Many investigations have been made into MLM companies and the money made by the top distributors. One shows that a survey of 200 'directs' in Amway USA were on average only earning $900 per month BEFORE expenses. For the time they put in that's less then the minimum wage. Please people - don't believe the hype!

ohnonotamway

Sorry I forgot one: Ignore that the products are grossly overpriced and that you're not offering your customers good value for money. Concentrate on the (alleged) millions you're going to make by selling them in your network.

ohnonotamway

During one of the Amway rallies at the NEC, I spoke to an emerald directback stage (I won't mention his name) and he said that only 1 in 1000 peoplewill make it to the top level in the business. So out of the 50,000+ people atthe weekend seminar only 50 were going to reach the income everyone dreamed of.I asked why and he said 'because if each of those 50,000 got 50,000 in theirnetwork, it would have saturated years ago. It's sad but for this to work forthose at the top we must see most people fail at this business'. He also said'most of the product sales come from people using them themselves to boosttheir personal volume'. At the time I was so blinded by the hype I didn't even see this information as important.

ohnonotamway

stevie78 wrote: »

I have to ask myself the question that Forever are part of the Direct Selling Association and also have Investors in People Champion status - there are many blue chip companies that don't even have Investors in people at all. Now if they were 'pyramid selling' which is illegal! then would they really have these acceditations.

I have looked into this business and it certainly is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a business, and like any business it is going to take some hard work, I must admit after looking around at other business start ups that £200 investment compared to many franchises etc is very reasonable and at least you get a box full of products so I actually get something back for my investment

The question is why do you need to spend £200 to be a distributor? Why can't you pay a small admin fee of say £15 and then go out an get your orders. The company makes millions each year just from start up packs. I agree that £200 is a small amount of money to start a business but it doesn't stop there. You will end up spending a lot more money and working 30+ hours per week for not much pay. All MLM companies are guilty of 'selling the dream' of unlimited income in 2 to 5 years. The sad truth is that only 1 in 1000 ever make it to manager level and beyond. Just keep signing them up!!!

jeglet

Notwithstanding the way Forever sell (a friend of ours is a distributor/agent), the actual product is ruddy marvelous. The gel works wonders on skin issues, including athlete's foot - better and actually cheaper, because a little goes a long way, than any other treatment I have previously used. And my wife is drinking the horrible tasting stuff for her psoriasis and has noticed a dramatic difference before versus after, having also tried pills from Healthspan. Placebo effect? No idea, but it works for us. By the way, isn't the Forever set up just like Tupperware used to operate?

ohnonotamway

If the products work for you then that's fine but I'm amazed that they are cheaper AND more effective than anything else you've tried. 100% pure, stabilized Aloe Barbadensis gel has the same properties regardless of what bottle it comes in. I recently bought a 500ml bottle of Aloe juice from Hooland & Barrett for £3.99. Thats £14 per litre less than the FLP drink. They both claim to possess the same essential ingredients so why by the FLP? Because your friend is selling it and you didn't want to say no. With respect, did your friend approach you to help with your ailments or are you just another stepping stone on the way to that dream lifetyle he/she has been promised? I'm sorry to say that from my 5 years experience with MLM businesses, it's probably the latter.

Health

Bagpu5s wrote: »

This without doubt however you dress it up is a pyramid scheme. Yes there is a product that helps disguise or draw your attention away but ultimately multi level marketing is just a spin on words in this case.
I recently went to a meeting that a group of so called friends were running, a fantastic talk with big numbers to be earned. All sounded to amazing to be true. This was followed by at the end a request for me to give £200 to sign up for a few products and become part of the company. My major problem throughout the whole experience was seeing how I was going to generate the sales to produce the numbers they were talking about. Websites have been done and my mum only has so many friends!!!
My friend assured me I didn't have to worry about the sales part as I would be a manager recruiting other managers or sales people at £200. Part of this money going to me, part of the money going to my friend that signed me up and the rest to the company at the top of the pyramid. Throughout the meeting the aloe vera product is talked about and hyped up but only at the end is it clear there is no actual real interest in the selling of it. It's easy to forget this as you're excited about the possibilities but stay focused on the truth and it's all about signing up more so called managers. A PYRAMID SCHEME!
You have to ask your self are you happy selling a £200 sign up to friends and family that may never make that money back.
Ultimately the people at the bottom will lose out and £200 is a lot of money to many. Without doubt the people I met at the meeting will do very well but then they'd be happy to sell £200 sign ups to their 90 year old grandmothers. I saw them bamboozle student friends with the promise for £200 they would make huge sums. These students who are already in a major amount of debt handed over the money in the hope of adding some much needed revenue. Who are these students going to sell to? Other poor students!
It just doesn't sit right with me at all. In the end if your happy to sell your soul for money and not worry about how the next friend or family member will make it back, then this is the get rich scheme for you.

Well i must say there are a few factors here:
1 There is a 100% money back guarantee if you are not entirely satisfied with the products.How can anyone con you when they are happy to give you your money back and let the products speak for themselves.
2 There will always people who would prefer cheap poor quality products- it just suits there budjet.
3As Forever Living products produces up to 85% of the worlds Aloe Vera this gives them a unique position in making the highest content and purest form giving much more quality and value.
4 Extensive research has been done and the level of minerals/vitamins found in Aloe Vera is all out there to see.
5 If you want a Woolworth shop product you will pay for that quality
if you want Chanel you will also pay for that quality not all people can afford it bu the ones that can rave about the results (albeit after 5/6 weeks of taking them)
6 How on earth in this climate with fiscal controls via banks can you otherwise establish a business without capital outlay (the £199.75 is for the product which you can get your money back if not totally satisfied not capital outlay), no risk, increase our health and well being, produce a "passive" income for life, have fun and be social. It just amazes me how cynical the public can be at times.
7 How can a business survive 34 years by conning people when they are quite happy to give you your money back with a turnover of in excess $2.5 billion
Wake up and smell the coffee!! Try before you criticize !!