Anyone do Arbonne?

MissD

I'm just resurrecting this old thread as I have 2 stories on Arbonne.

About 2 months ago I was at a music event, a young woman was there, part of a Meet Up Group. She didn't sell us anything but we asked what she did/used (as women do) and she mentioned Arbonne and I then met up with her.

I did one evening with her in a local restaurant/wine bar/cafe and she was quite honest, candid, nice etc. I did ask to meet her I think they call them *mentor* and about a week later we met up in a pub after work.

The first thing that happened was I noticed this *mentor* was going on about a ring she'd bought for XXXX GBP and it was an Arbonne reward. She also had the white Mercedes. But both women seemed nice (ex dancers/stage people) and were making a living out of Arbonne.

Then (and this worried me) there was a group of women about our age (30s) next to us at a table, immediately the *mentor* approached them and actually mentioned their skin and even dropped the Arbonne line to them. She didn't sell them products but was very *false friendly*.

Finally I agreed to meet the original Arbonne woman in Waterloo in a bar, to return the samples they give to you to try out and to say no to the scheme (I was still undecided) - when I got there they weren't in the bar area but in a back room. Lots of men/women were in this room being *signed up* - it was almost like a cult and I was given minimal attention (presumably as I wasn't signing up on the day, there and then).

I was given a few facts/figures/people in Arbonne strong *non pyramid* blurb but it really wasn't very convincing. I was more being encouraged to sign up new recruits, not sell products which I found strange. They also wanted you to have the Arbonne lifestyle. everything else (high end luxe, supermarket etc) was out and not good for you.

Another friend of mine, HER friend who is a beauty therapist out of London gets back pain wanted to try Arbonne to sell/business wanted to have an afternoon pamper party with their products (which I was actually quite keen on) but due to lack of interest didn't hold it.

I'm just mentioning this here and now as I feel it's got more popular as a way to earn extra cash. But though the women I met who sold it were lovely I very much after 2 meetings got the false *selling voice/character*.

beware!

Shuttler

Hi,
Sorry if i sound ignorant but even if it is pyrmid selling, which I personally don't think it is as there is a product to sell. What is wrong with it. Retailers buy at a much lower price, around 66% less and sell on to the general public. Everyone has got to make money somewhere. Just because you buy with a 35% discount does not mean that it is dishonest selling to friends and family for a bit more. There is work involved in organising workshops and parties and this is the cut you take. I have been using the products for years and I think they are amazing. I am happy to pay my consutannt for them rather than pay for a shopkeepers rent, wages, marketing etc. I know I am getting a good product at a good price. Yes the big boys are benefitting but that is the same the whole world over whatever you buy. It's direct sales. The company, from what I can see, obviously believe in direct personal marketing and networking rather than social media and internet marketing. I think all you skeptics need to move on and get with the 21st century. Its a way of selling that's all. It cannot be a pyramid scheme if you have a good product to sell. I may even look into it myself!!

LushesFaith

This forum is proving so useful. I recently went to a presentation. Reading this and also having been through the Motives sales pitch I can see a trend. All these MLM companies are essentially the same. They want you to stop buying your current products and buy their products exclusively. By doing so you earn commission and because you are using their stuff you can sell it onto friends and family etc.

My friend took it that as I love makeup Arbonne would suit me but.... I am not brand loyal I like to follow some trends when I can and I like budget brands with some higher end brands thrown in.

I will be declining this.
I do want my own business but I don't want to have an MLM franchise that wants me to be a consumer too.

MarianaN

This forum is very useful. I've been in 3 MLMs so far. Didn't manage to build my network. I was in Forever Living products about 10 years ago. Never thought they will go so far. In a pyramid is always about the people on the top I guess, but on the other hand, if you work for someone in a normal job, how much you get and how how much your boss gets?
I didn't like this idea of MLM, so looking for a brand to sell, I came across an Icelandic beauty brand, 100% natural, no one was selling this brand in UK, managed to get the distribution rights, yes happy, but I have to do all the work by myself and sometimes I envy the MLM system because they work in a team and have bigger results than me being on my own.

epcltd

I know one person that did Arbonne and it didn't last long. I know two people who do Forever Living and are very successul at it, both in terms of product sales and recruiting. Is it the parent company thats the issue not the priniples of the business?

faz33

My wife started doing arbonne over 2 years ago now and still does it to this day.
She runs her own business in hair dressing and works full time hrs, she does arbonne after her doors shut at the salon.
2 weeks ago myself and my wife separated because of the obsession of the arbonne ways.
She is in high debt that I never found out til 2 weeks ago, because she is always out trying to recruite new people away from the family home, causing valuable family time to be none existent.
She has changed into this women i don't know,I went to a conference one day with her just to spend time with her and she had to pay £10 each to watch.
There was 8 white mercs outside, and the people who owned them, sorry leased them was inside telling there fantastic story of how people like my wife helped them get it.
If anyone has someone they love thinking of doing arbonne. Plz stop them.
My family was torn apart by them.

Weybridge

I really can't understand why people get involved in such schemes. The products are over priced, the international sales conference in Vegas you have to pay for which at 160 quid each and 18k attendees makes Arbonne a shed load. The white Mercedes is a white elephant, you actually have to sign up to Mercedes retail on a lease yourself and then they give you vouchers to pay for the lease. If you drop below a certain level you then have that payment taken away. What about when you have the car back, well you have to pay for any sustained damage during the lease. It also means you will have a 40k quid lease cost /credit score against your name. Only 18 people in the UK are making good money, by their own stats 90 percent of consultants don't make anything. Ultimately all Arbonne wants are good customers, and they call them consultants. Question who do you know who would spend 10 quid on a stick of deodorant? Yes that's an example of how much this stuff costs. Once into the scheme it becomes a bit like gambling ....by that sell more, next goal etc...people I know that do it almost lie to themselves and have cupboards full of product to maintain their discounts. There are 50k consumers of are Arbonne in the UK, most are probably consultants. You have to pay for everything, samples, promotional pens, hats, bags the lot. It is almost impossible to make money in a mature market like the UK.