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Forever Living?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Ok not sure if this is the right place to put this, but i want to hear some of your thoughts on this. Bit of background on this first.
Ok my girlfriend had to leave her job a few months ago as her boss was selling her Florist and none of the staff were being kept on. She now working for a complete twat (but thats another story). Her old boss phoned her at the weekend to arrange meeting up (to catch up and had something to tell her that could earn some money).
It turns out that her old boss is selling products from a company called "Forever Living" (an american company now trading over here too). She told me later that night about it. All the products have AloeVera in it, the Person buys a sample set (£50 by the sounds of it), then demos it to friends, family etc... get them to buy the products and they get a % of the sell.
They can also make money by recuiting people to sell it for them (heres where i thought it sounded like a pyramid thing (which on there website says they aren't - but then their site says alot with out saying alot if you know what i mean.

My question have anyone here heard of this company, and if its a legit thing or a rip off that i think it sounds like. I've tried googling it but only seems to get hits that take me to their websites.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    For some reason I seem to recall their being a forever living stand in the canteen at work one day over the summer, not that that really means much but I was working in a big multinational company so kind of hope that anything that was beig flogged in the canteen wasn't too much of a scam.

    You could always ring up the local trading standards office and see if they have had any complaints or know anything about it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It sounds a lot like pyramid selling.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yeah thats what i thought too budda, which is why i thought i'd post on here and see if anyone heard of them. She wants to go to a meeting on monday to see what its all about, think i might tag along to hear what they say too and ask a few questions.
    Hope your right scary as i think shes really got her mind set on this, the trading standards bit sounds like a good idea.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Tbh, it sounds like the AVON selling technique.

    You sell to as many people as you can, and got 25% of your profits that month. If you like, you can become a representative, and as well as selling your own stuff, you get a cut of all those accounts that you 'employ' under you. So the people under you get their 25% and I think you get a further 10% of the money earnt. The rest goes back to the AVON company.

    AVON sounds like a pyramid thing when stated like that (and when they demonstrate it by diagrams) but it isn't really. I would look into it more though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've heard of Forever Living. Don't like the stuff of theirs I've tried. Wouldn't buy it, not even off a mate. Who is your girl'f going to sell to? And once her mates have run out? Not worth it IMO...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    just phoned trading standards and they cant give me anything due to data protection act, but to contact Companies House if it was a Ltd company (which it is) i've done a quick search there and it seems legit from that so far, maybe it is like Avon. Not sure who she'll sell to tbh.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you're gonna do that, why not just buy a load of stuff wholesale and sell it on eBay instead? That way you get to keep almost all of your profits.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    its not me wanting to sell it. i'm just looking into it, to make sure shes not getting sucked into anything illegal or suspect
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know. I'm just saying from a business point of view, you're basically buying all the products and doing all the work, and giving up 75% (?) of your profits, for what? The use of the name? The advertising? A shiny catalogue? I don't have a clue, but that's just what it seems like to me.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ah ok i'm with you now. yeah i agree tbh, i'll go with her to this meeting on monday and see what they say.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It sounds a bit dodgy to me. I would try to find out any more about the company, do internet searchs etc to see what over people think. To me its sounds like a rip-off and I wouldn't want to get involoved.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd try and persuade her not to bother tbh, it does sound like a pyramid sheme and if she has to fork out £50 to get started she may as well just buy something wholesale for £50 and sell that instead, at least that way she can look at the market of buyers and pick something she knew would definately sell.
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    Have you had a look at what Google Groups say about them?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If something looks like a fish, and smells like a fish, it's probably a fish.

    Personally, i'd not get involved in something that required me to put down money before I see anything out of it.

    Any decent, legitimate business has no reason for you to have to buy products to become an agent for it. (Aside from a few very well known brands that are well-established and pretty much guarantee success)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It is dodgy, but it is legit.

    I wouldn't put money down for it unless you know you have a good sales market, but most of these sorts of enterprises require you to put money down for things. Companies like Avon and Betterware make you buy the catalogues (which is why their sellers are so anal about getting them back), and give you incentives if you recruit people to work for them through you.

    If you don't mind losing 15 hours of your life a week, and £50, then go for it. Personally I don't think you can make the returns unless you are very established and working for an established name, like Avon and Betterware.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    From what I can work out it works in exactly the same way as Avon, Betterware, Ann Summer party people and Blue Bella to name a few. The market thing will be the biggest problem, and a question worth asking at the meeting would be how much support you get from the company in finding customers.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know. I'm just saying from a business point of view, you're basically buying all the products and doing all the work, and giving up 75% (?) of your profits, for what? The use of the name? The advertising? A shiny catalogue? I don't have a clue, but that's just what it seems like to me.

    No risk. As far as I know, they act like salesmen most of the time and the order is passed up, and then they get a cut of the profits. My friend asked me to do something similar for him but I couldn't be bothered, it is legal though. He's making a lot of money selling mobile phones and t-shirts... and he owns none of them at any time. Just registered website addresses, got the html code, put it on there, and if anyone buys the order goes automatically to the main company and he gets some cash.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds to me like a sorta pyramid scheme. Which aren't all dodgy, like numerous people have said there are established, well known companies that operate in a similar way.

    These usually rely heavily on getting other people involved so you can take % of their profits. Without that you'd be making a pitiful amount...sounds like your gfs old boss was trying to recruit her so he could get a cut.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, it is a legit company, my mum sells the products, we've been buying them for years.
    Personally, I think the products are brilliant, the aloe vera jelly is better than any gel you can get in the shops. My mum only started being a distributor a few months ago but she's getting on fine with it, she only became a distributor because we use so much of the products (mum, dad and animals are on the products).
    If you want more info I'd be happy to pass on my mum's thoughts about the company for you and your girlfriend, also any useful info I can glean from the company stuff we have lying around. To be honest though, my mum wouldn't be selling the stuff unless we used so much of it. It is pretty much pyramid selling and unless you're comfortable with that and want to make a go of it in order to make a living out of it then I'd look for another way to earn a crust. My mum just does it to cover the costs of what we use as a household and perhaps a bit of extra income for herself (very minor though).
    So, let me know if you want any info and an honest opinion.
    Take care,
    Lucy
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi all, Ive been reading this, as exactly like Youngbull my Mrs wants to look into this.....and I agree if a fish stinks....its a fish....

    Im hoping that Youngbull can let me know if your Mrs went ahead with this, OR if infact anyone else has gone along and done this, AND what they think. Im kinda happy to outlay something for her (not alot, just a litte) becuase she has the drive and motivation to push it...!! BUT like youngbull...the first thing I said after watching not even 5 minutes of the dvd with my missus was "its a pyramid"......
    can anyone enlighten me.....especially youngbull, if your still around....
    FLP...anyone got any guidance or advice.
    thanks
    Smudge
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    5mudge wrote: »
    Hi all, Ive been reading this, as exactly like Youngbull my Mrs wants to look into this.....and I agree if a fish stinks....its a fish....

    Im hoping that Youngbull can let me know if your Mrs went ahead with this, OR if infact anyone else has gone along and done this, AND what they think. Im kinda happy to outlay something for her (not alot, just a litte) becuase she has the drive and motivation to push it...!! BUT like youngbull...the first thing I said after watching not even 5 minutes of the dvd with my missus was "its a pyramid"......
    can anyone enlighten me.....especially youngbull, if your still around....
    FLP...anyone got any guidance or advice.
    thanks
    Smudge



    OH MY GOD. This topic is 3 years out of date.......
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Beware Pyramid Companies disguised as MLMs

    Forever Living is a Multi-level Marketing group. There is a thin line between an MLM and pyramiding. The former is legal whereas the latter is illegal. This is because one has a product and the other does not. However, when profit anchors on recruitment rather than selling the products, it leans more towards pyramiding rather than networking. In a genuine MLM earnings from recruitment should be smaller, indeed non-existent, as opposed to the sale of products.

    To become a distributor in a legitimate marketing network, one must not pay huge sums of money in exchange for over-priced products or need to purchase these products so as to earn the right to recruit other persons. Ask yourself, "Are Forever Living products over-priced in my opinion?" If the answer is, yes, you think they are, then there is a good chance others will think so too. Watch the demonstration and video and ask yourself, "Does it sound like they rely heavily on recruiting to earn as opposed to selling the products?" If the video shown to entice new recruits seems to focus primarily on the recruiting aspect of the business at the beginning of the video and only gives information about the actual product towards the end, then there is a good chance you are dealing with a pyramid company disguised as an MLM.

    If selling a product is a mere side-show to the real profit-making anchored on recruitment; the marketing network is doomed to collapse at a certain level due to market saturation. Lets say that in order to earn your commission, you must recruit at least 2 but ideally 5 other people. Therefore, at a depth of 9 levels this means nearly 2 million people will have been recruited on my team. Considering the limited number of people who can afford and are willing to buy and use a particular product, saturation of the market is inevitable and fast. It suggests that only those on top of the chain will be happy and making money, whilst those below are destined to lose money.

    What you need to look out for when being invited to join an MLM are words like: "What are your dreams in life", "Big incomes for only part-time working". Pictures and suggestions that you can buy a new, bigger house, expensive cars and achieve financial and personal freedom.

    In a legitimate MLM, the intention is to sell products. You recruit only to help you sell the said products and not because you earn a certain amount from his/her registration. Selling products takes hard work and long hours, you will not get rich quick.

    There are no get-rich-quick schemes. There is only one way to become a financial success. Do your homework, take only calculated risks and work hard.

    However, if you prefer to believe the hype, then go for it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ancient thread ...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ancient thread ...

    Yeah best to check the date on a thread before you post. I'll close this one now.
This discussion has been closed.