forever living do you make much money

slickric1234

dont want to start a debate on whether its a pyramid scheme or about how good the products are

my friend has started selling for them

outside of selling to her friends and people she knows it doesnt seem like much of a businesslong term

even if you make a few pounds per item you sell you need to shift shedloads of it everyday to make even minimum wage

if you can get repeat customers to the drink who are hooked for life (their version of a herbalife shake) then atleast you have repeat business
but selling the creams etc itll be a few products a year per customer not the constant repeat business where youd keep making money week after week


just wondering if anyone on here has sold for them and whether you make/made a decent amount at it ??

PlutoinCapricorn

This and many similar schemes have been discussed many times on MSE, and no one is in favour except the actual representatives e.g.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5062829

paddyrg

It's an MLM, they tend to work in a similar manner - the distributors margins are low, maybe 15%, but they are encouraged by glitzy literature to believe they can have a yacht, work 10 hour weeks, retire by 40, etc. To do this, though, they have to sign up new distributors, and then they get a cut of their business (maybe 10%) in exchange for mentoring them and settling the same dreams they were sold. And probably another level as well, maybe 5% cut off their sales. MLM is multi level marketing, you can see where the name comes from.

The problem is that 'be your own business, wave goodbye to your boss' isn't sustainable on 15% of a few crumby sales of overpriced products, however the MLM part requires a huge pool of saps to follow the dream. If your friend hasn't tried to recruit you yet, they will, it's how these schemes work. Once your social circle starts avoiding you because of your incessant trying to recruit them, you're alone, in the MLM's pseudo-spiritual world. Seriously, they frequently have rallies, inspirational speakers, dream reinforcers, etc. The kindest thing you can do for your friend is refuse the products, let them drop out of the scheme sooner rather than later, with some of their own money and dignity intact.

The shape of the 'sales network' is somewhat similar to the highly illegal shape of an Egyptian tomb, however just about legal as it has a product to sell as well as the recruit a friend revenue (which is where the money is, for the companies founders at least). MLM companies tend to be incredibly well set up to sell a low value product at high prices with big packages of dreams for the easily led. The fact that around 95% of recruits lose money (only to be told it's their fault for not investing more time/money/friends/going to more rallies, etc) tells you pretty much all you need to know about the somewhat dubious opportunities on offer.

PlutoinCapricorn

"The fact that around 95% of recruits lose money (only to be told it's their fault for not investing more time/money/friends/going to more rallies, etc)..."

Yes, they either say that you could not have been working hard enough OR "It just wasn't for you".

A few people recommend some products, but I am sure that they would be obtainable elsewhere at a cheaper price. The mark-up must be high if all the people on the 'uplines' are getting their cut.

slickric1234

she seems almost personally offended if people dont want to go to her product evenings and the saps who go are almost forced to buy something to keep her happy

apart from the money you make from the unfortunate souls you recruit to sell beneath you and a small amount of commission per sale .... or possibly if you had a friend with a shop who was prepared to put up a display and sell it for you

has noone on here had any success with it????

would herbalife be a better suggestion for her
tasted another friends and its way better than the aloe shake
or is herbalife another fad and just about legal version of a pyramid scheme???
they sponsored barcelona shirts for a bit so someone must be making cash
and the primary product is atleast one that gets people hooked for a long period

Horace

Herballife and Forever Living are over priced for what they are.

If she wants to sell products then she could try Jamie at Home which has a better return (btw I have nothing to do with Jamie at Home) or Avon. All are MLM type businesses but they at least have products that sell easily.

I once went to a Forever Living day - it was full of hype and when I did my sums it just didn't add up. Sure some people made money from it on the backs of those poor saps working for them but it just didn't add up. I was bombarded for months with requests to sign up.

Avon is ok but there you are working as a rep and there is the push for you to become a Sales Leader and recruit others. I did this for a short while but got fed up of doors being slammed in my face - I also didn't like the person who was the manager (his wife has over 2000 reps working for her) and I didn't see why I should slog my guts out just so that he could live in a million pound house.

Body by Vi was another thing that hit our shores - yes it worked, but they do not look after their reps (many of my London based friends took this on and discovered to their cost that it was not as it seemed).

Jamie at Home is a lot better and you do get a lot of support - sure some of the products are expensive but they are good quality.

BTW I do not work for any of these companies but know people who are.

PlutoinCapricorn

"she seems almost personally offended if people dont want to go to her product evenings and the saps who go are almost forced to buy something to keep her happy"

This says it all. Herballife has been discussed many times on here too, also Arbonne. The posts and conclusions are much the same.

paddyrg

With MLM's like this, you swap social currency for pitiful money, and are encouraged to do so. Your friend is in the process of isolating herself by alienating friends who will find more and more excuses not to go to yet another snot drink event. If she's a good friend you could try stopping her, but some MLM's use a lot of the same emotional techniques as cults. It can be hard.

Search online for 'Merchants of Deception' pdf by Eric someone. AmWay is the MLM which perry much set the template for all others. Eric documents his rise to 'Emerald' level, very high up in the organisation, and the lies, truths, losing friends, losing families savings, having to look flash to perpetuate the dream for others, despite being broke, etc. It's an eye opener, and the early chapters will seem very very familiar with your friend.

As for putting these into a shop - there's a reason they're not in shops, the margin is too slim to be viable and there isn't a realistic market. Think about it, if the distributor makes 15% then where is VAT in that equation? If they sold enough to require vat registration, they could be close to even money on every sale, but with same costs and fixed prices. It's not a true market. The glop isn't the product, the recruits are the product, they 'invest' their savings for deferred gratification, and it never arrives, even at fairly senior level.

As for FL, not that it's pseudo-spiritual, but rallies where you earn seagull badges to symbolise how 'free' you are whilst your 'business' is in debt and your friends avoid you... Frankly, buy yourself a seagull badge if your want one so badly, it's a lot cheaper and is less duplicitous.

Marshmallow82

Horace wrote: »

Avon is ok but there you are working as a rep and there is the push for you to become a Sales Leader and recruit others.
.

I do Avon and I enjoy it. I have never wanted to get into the MLM side of things and have never been pushed. I know people who have and some have lost money.

CKhalvashi

I looked into one of these schemes on behalf of a worried parent a few years ago and the numbers don't seem to stack up.

It always worries me when the first thing a company uses to market themselves is 'we are debt free company'

Yes, so is mine (bank debt anyway), but that doesn't include the £1.8m we currently owe to clients, nor does it include the money that has to be found each month to pay the bills, bearing in mind there isn't so much leeway if we're not paid.

robatwork

Selling to friends is only OK if you are happy to lose friends.

Depends how desperate you are but saying "don't call it a pyramid" won't help. Think of it like a tree. One healthy happy trunk and loads of roots spreading out underground, in the dark and looking for sustenance. Further away from the trunk, the smaller and less healthy.....