t h e m a y f i l e s is foremost a family blog, chronicling everyday life. Life including natural, healthy eating (with recipes thrown in at random), home educating (with ideas popping up sporadically), an attempt to homestead on .2 acres (with very meager yields), raising 3 of 4 children with a rare genetic disorder, and lots of highly personal family triumphs and failures. You may also find an eclectic array of musings on politics, exercise, sewing, emergency preparedness, backyard chickens, and religion. This blog isn't a campaign to glorify anyone or anything. Just simply a record.

9.29.2008

MLM's Not my Cup of Tea

Here is an explanation of my problem with Multi-Level Marketing companies in general. Exceptions exist. I have yet to find one.
  • Selling to your friends-This is my number one issue. My relationship feels violated when a friend try's to make money off of me. I understand there are some good products out there, but it seems if I say yes once...it is a free for all to swamp me with every candle, lip stick, measuring cup, stamp, video phone, or t-shirt filling my friend's basements. I didn't buy a shades shirt until they were available at Costco.
  • Autoship-Too much product. This just feeds on a consumption obsessed society.
  • Get rich quick-Most often it isn't about the product. It is about how easy it is to reach the Diamond Level. The only people I know who have made any significant amount of money participating in a "direct marketing" company are the few people at the very top.
If you are my friend and are involved in multi-level marketing. Get out. I don't presume to tell anyone how to live their life. Feel free to throw all the house parties you want. Please, please don't invite me though. I will say no. I don't look down on anyone who does this, I just don't understand it. Please explain to me your reasons and help me understand.

Also I would love to hear if someone has actually made more money than they spent.

3 comments:

Amy said...

I read an interesting statistic once.... By only the fifth or seventh level down (can't remember), you will have exceeded the population of the earth! I don't know if that's true, but I like to tell people that to convince them how truly impossible it is to make money.

Lynette said...

When "friends" approach me about MLMs, I always say: "I'd rather have a million friends than a million dollars." MLMs are NOT my cup 'o tea, either.

Alyssa, Stephen, and McKinley said...

You crack me up! I hope you didn't feel in anyway that I was pushing my "pole" on you. I love what a do, and for the great discount it gives me. But in no way would I want to be one of those pushy ladies that calls all the time. Are we still friend even though I am one of "these" ladies... kind of. ;)