MLM, the black sheeps

[redstone]

I've had enough.... enough arguements with MLM employees. To the extent I had to block someone on my MSN contacts.


Some tactics:

"You'll know when you get there"
"Very hard to explain"
"Come to my office if you want to know more, very hard for me to explain here"
"These are my 'business associates' "

Don't get brainwashed.
Says MLM/SLM/ direct selling offers you a chance to make big money and early retirement and more stability?

Cut the crap...

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

I've had enough.... enough arguements with MLM employees. To the extent I had to block someone on my MSN contacts.


Some tactics:

"You'll know when you get there"
"Very hard to explain"
"Come to my office if you want to know more, very hard for me to explain here"
"These are my 'business associates' "

Don't get brainwashed.
Says MLM/SLM/ direct selling offers you a chance to make big money and early retirement and more stability?

Cut the crap...

i met a guy like 5 years ago, super guai lan... then 2 years ago met him again, super nice... total change... y? cos he went to do MLM...

it does have its effects on the society... :bsmilie:

 

[redstone]

Not wanting to fire without doing research, I like to put it this way....
many MLMs / SLMs, etc are portraying a very bad image of themselves. As for the products, I have doubts. As for the tactics, so far they leave a bad impression on me.

If the products are so miraculous, why are they not carried by any retailer? :bsmilie:

 

[vince123123]

Their reasoning and argument (which in my view is flawed) is that selling direct saves cost and results in a lower selling price to the customer. They argue that middlemen are cut, advertising is not required, shopfront not required etc.

However, this argument is full of holes and can be easily shot down.

Not wanting to fire without doing research, I like to put it this way....
many MLMs / SLMs, etc are portraying a very bad image of themselves. As for the products, I have doubts. As for the tactics, so far they leave a bad impression on me.

If the products are so miraculous, why are they not carried by any retailer? :bsmilie:

 

[eikin]

some information i thought will be interesting to share regarding MLM, to quote from the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore:

http://www.pss.org.sg/main/component/option,com_magazine/func,show_article/id,81/Itemid,1/

In Singapore, MLM activities is synonymous to pyramid selling and are governed by the Multi-level Marketing and Pyramid Selling(Prohibition) Act. The Ministry of Trade and Industry administers the Act. Any products offered will also have to meet all prevailing laws of Singapore. Not all multi-level marketing techniques are undesirable, therefore the government enacted the Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Selling (Excluded Schemes and Arrangements) Order to exclude legitimate businesses from the Act, such as insurance companies, master franchises, and direct selling companies which fulfill certain criteria as elaborated below:


• the benefit received by any promoter or participant is as a result of the sale, lease, license or other distribution of a commodity and not as a result of the recruitment of additional participants;
• the promoter of the scheme shall not knowingly make false or misleading representation or omission relating to the scheme or the commodity;
• the promoter shall not make any representation on the benefits other than those allowed;
• there should be a clearly stated policy on refund or buy-back guarantee.

This Exclusion Order was implemented in June 2000 and amended in 2001.The Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) is the enforcement agency for MLM activities.

More information can be obtained from:
http://app.mti.gov.sg/default.asp?id=567 ; http://app.mti.gov.sg/data/pages/81/doc/frm_LEG_MLMOrder_Act.pdf

 

[redstorm]

Their reasoning and argument (which in my view is flawed) is that selling direct saves cost and results in a lower selling price to the customer. They argue that middlemen are cut, advertising is not required, shopfront not required etc.

However, this argument is full of holes and can be easily shot down.

Their argument is crappy. Direct selling, minus the middlemen, should make the product cheaper but instead it's more expensive than what you get outside. I attended a talk by such a company and found out that they sell a pair of lycra sock, supposedly with medical properties, for S$100 plus which is many many times more expensive than you buy it outside. Why? Because almost everyone down the line gets a commission from the sales of each item. This is all full of sh*ts.

 

[redstone]

Another statement I always here is:


MLM/SLM/ direct selling offers you a chance to make big money and early retirement and more stability.

I can think of many ways to shoot this down.

 

[psychobiologist]

they would keep forgetting that...


MLM or SLM or Network Marketing is to set up a network where by traditional distributorship is replaced by a network of people, ferrying products they need and want through this chain...

however.. most of them.. eventually do not... carry products that is what people need/want... and in the process most of them try too hard, which becomes similar to direct selling, trying to make people/convince them that they need this or that product which is :thumbsd:



i had always advocated to my friends that a journey of thousand miles starts with a step in the right direction, one wrong step in the wrong direction will land one in deep shiat.. but many jump into mlm thinking that it will eventually work out, but the fundamentals are entirely wrong

 

[nottipiglet]

The worst buys are usually those sold by a salesman. If they can pay a salesperson for personalised service, then the markup must be really high. Avoid these unless you have money to burn... or the product really needs to have personalised service for it to function.

I avoid all MLM products. They are overpriced for obvious reasons... Some are ok quality, but you can usually find similar/better quality products for a fraction of the price on the shelves. If you buy these similar products on the net, they are sometimes even cheaper, if shipping is cheap enough.

 

[Ichibawa]

I find that many other industries are also adopting MLM's way of conducting their daily routines. Eg. Insurance agents, Tele-marketing, Real estate agents to name a few.

I hope i don't offend anyone.

 

[zaren]

never fell for the MLM blurb. thank goodness.

 

[redstone]

"You can make $20 000 in a month" in sales.

I can say:

"You can make $15 000 000 overnight" buying Toto / 4D

:bsmilie:

 

[eikin]

The worst buys are usually those sold by a salesman. If they can pay a salesperson for personalised service, then the markup must be really high. Avoid these unless you have money to burn... or the product really needs to have personalised service for it to function.

I avoid all MLM products. They are overpriced for obvious reasons... Some are ok quality, but you can usually find similar/better quality products for a fraction of the price on the shelves. If you buy these similar products on the net, they are sometimes even cheaper, if shipping is cheap enough.

actually you made a good point here. the costs ''saved'' from retailing in the ''traditional market'' is hidden in the costs of employing ''salesmen.'' actually i believe the ''traditional market'' would impose less costs since the system is well developed, efficient and monitored. and by subscribing to the ''traditional market'' more people benefit from the flow of the money, instead of the selected few who leech on the army of salesmen, leaving many earning little and only a few earning alot.

 

[raincool2005]

MLM ? it is a rejection business.

The " love & care culture " concept is very popular; a network filled with team members of love, care and concern... feels like a family or a modern church cell group... Sales is not the preferred word... Network is the objective.. but there is no much diff actually. Finanical Freedom, The Good Life, Early Retirement... are the common goals.

only a few good ones will benefit.. the rest below are newbies going nowhere unless they really recruit more people to be under them...

... there is always a role model up there to look at... and the products are believed to be flawless always.

And... at the end of the day, u still have to grow your network to more people and make sure they also grow their networks too... the total points must not drop.. and be kept there to qualify some senior rank.

.. so u started to call your long lost frens from primary school days onwards..... relatives.. and even cold calls... giving out pamplets in MRT stations.

Very similar to insurance.

:think:

 

[vince123123]

Those who tell you that they make "so and so" figure a month, do what I always do.

Ask them to prove it by showing their income tax statement for that year.

Each time I do that, you can see them being very wishy washy.

"You can make $20 000 in a month" in sales.

I can say:

"You can make $15 000 000 overnight" buying Toto

:bsmilie:

 

[redstone]

Like lately a MLM salesman told an elderly man to rub spirulina powder into his wound to heal it. In the end, infection and had to be amputated. Heartless, shows how desperate some salesmen are to sell, banking on the desparation of people suffering.

 

[FooFighter]

Like lately a MLM salesman told an elderly man to rub spirulina powder into his wound to heal it. In the end, infection and had to be amputated. Heartless, shows how desperate some salesmen are to sell, banking on the desparation of people suffering.

wah lau. thats f-up, this kinda people should go to jail. :angry:

 

[Pokka]

1 technique is also the top ppl park their flashy cars outside their office to entice ppl to come in.

 

[redstone]

I have a tactic, I shoot them back with the same logic they give me....

eg

"if MLM is a failure, how come so many people are inside? Do u want to work under someone for rest of your life?"

I'll say

"if working is such a failure, why are so many people working?"

:sweatsm::sweat:

 

[raincool2005]

I have a tactic, I shoot them back with the same logic they give me....

eg

"if MLM is a failure, how come so many people are inside? Do u want to work under someone for rest of your life?"

I'll say

"if working is such a failure, why are so many people working?"

:sweatsm::sweat:

MLM pple are also working... they worked to serve those above... in every product sold, for every new member recuited, as much as 50% of the profits goes into the pockets of upper ranks.

There are people who went into credit card debts and overdrafts just to buy products to maintain monthly points quota ! imagine that lack of wisdom these folks have..

of cos.. the ones that has a huge army of followers below are feeding on the incomes made by these small fishes... and to keep these small fishes in the network.. they had to constantly to remind them the good life they wanted to seek from this business network..things like vision.. principles.. finanicial freedom... free time.. good health.. just keep on ecnouraging them.. kept patting on their shoulders.. they will preach their life stories of success.. give very motivational speeches... and even organise house parties to welcome new people... photos and stories of millionaires published in training centres being referred to so often as if they are your own father and mother.

everything look so nice, sound so nice... they often smile ! shake your hands... and in everyone hearts, there is a secret agenda " i want to be rich at the expense of others... my downlines.. and i must get more of them "