A friend asked me to come to an info meeting next week - I've gotten involved with things she's sold before and I'm not wanting to "join" something just to buy a product. I'm not asking for opinions on the product, just would like to know how they work. I don't have to commit to buying $50 of stuff per month or anything like that, do I? Just would like to know before I make a decision to go or not.
:wink:

When I was a new teacher, there was a lady that came after school sometimes and took orders. I remember her because she was so funny, but the thing she always said if you said you didn't need anything was, "It's what you need in life that makes you happy, it's what you want!" I don't know how selling it works, but there was never any pressure to buy. I don't think it's set up like a club with minimum requirements, but it may have changed.

I'm pretty sure its a pyramid scheme, very similar to Amway. It will be high pressure to join the ranks, then you try to get people to buy stuff, but you make your money by getting others to join..not my cup of tea.

Then again I could be totally wrong!

Tell her to forget it. (In a nice way of course) These pyramid sales promotions are for the top cats. There products are hard to sell and the ones making the money are on top of the food chain.

Can you just buy the products without joining anything then? I have no interest in selling. I like natural products though and might be open to trying something - just don't want to get a rope tied around me. I don't want to offend anyone who might sell it - but I joined another company (not to sell, just to buy) that she had worked for and wound up having to spend $50 a month and to get out of it was a real pain. I just had no idea how Shaklee worked, if you could just put in an order whenever you wanted or if there was some commitment.

Run, run, run away fast! That's my experience with Shaklee! Wound up buying stuff I didn't need and then wound up allergic to all of it!

If you just want to buy, buy from someone-your friend-who is already a member. Personally, I don't like any of the selling types of parties. This sounds like a recruitment meeting, not a party--I wouldn't go. Its easy to say no I can't attend and leave it at that.

Natural isn't always a good thing. Pesticides can be made out of flowers, very lethal/poisonous/harmful to the environment when processed/condensed in large quantities... You need to know your chemistry :wink:

Yes! Run! Not only are the products very irritating to some but it is a high pressure pyramid-type system. You are better off trying to make your own natural products. There are a lot of sites on the internet for naturally homemade products.

The only "pay to join and buy" company I've ever done that with is CostCo and I love them. Nothing else in the home "party" line.

If I actually have to sign something and promise to buy buy buy every darn month, I'd run the other way fast!!

Unless things have changed in the last 35 years, it is a product you order from the dealer-friend just like you do Avon or Tupperware-- no commitment. (My uncle and aunt used to sell it.)

Both of my aunts are still Shaklee dealers, and my grandmother and dad use a lot of Shaklee products, so I can say with quite a bit of certainty that A) while it is pretty much the same setup as Tupperware, Avon, Pampered Chef, etc., if you find a good dealer, there is no pressure to become one yourself, and B) I haven't personally tried their other things, but their cleaning products are fan-fricking-tastic. My dad uses a tablespoon of their dishwashing powder per load in his dishwasher, and Basic-H is pretty much 409 on a sugar high - you get it, pour it into a spray bottle (just a little bit), dilute the heck out of it, and clean just about anything you need to.

Yip - pyramid ---you buy into it to make the head honcho rich. I'ts just like Sloan Quinn says....I'd run like heck. But then, I run from any of the "marketing schemes" out there.

An "info" meeting sounds like a recruitment to me.

Ok, thanks. I'm fighting a cold right now so that will be an easy excuse. Maybe I could just try one of the products and see. I hate those kind of "parties" anyway.

As for natural - 95% of what I use is vinegar as it is. But I do like to add a surfactant. If anyone is interested, I've really liked Sal's Suds. ;) But we could use a different powder for the diswasher....

Thanks for all your input!

This has always been my experience!

When I was a kid it was Shaklee this and that...If it were me I wouldn't join. I believe unless it's changed from the early 80s that it's still based on getting others under u to really make money but if you're not signing up to sell others and only want to purchase product then do it.

This is what I found:

http://mlmbrothers.com/mlm-business/...e-review-scam/

What I find with this so called "scams" is that they just need to bring you into their meetings. They show you a picture of success, which is unattainable by the regular Joe. People at the bottom of the totem pole can not make money because those that make money really do it by selling their motivational books, CDs and recorded material to those in the bottom, by selling you memberships and fees to attend the meetings (Just like Amway and Herbalife, they even have deals with the hotels where this meetings are usually held when they have conventions). The actual sales of products will only give you profit if you sell tons of it.

They show you and promise you this pretty picture, but neglect to tell you about about the 97% before you, that tried and failed.

My friend Beverly was just convinced that she could become rich by doing Herbalife. She invested $3,000 which she will never see back, because she doesn't have the energy to do it, or doesn't know enough people to spend enough money on the products. They get people hooked because many of us are in need of money, unemployed, have unemployed children and want to help them, or just don't make enough to cover all the expenses. Is not illegal, just not realistic.

My advice is to stay away. They just want your money and don't really care if you make it once you write the big check. Usually the initial expense is little, around $150.00 and they continue after you with their promises until you give in.

Please be careful. Sorry I go on and on but I just saw my friend spend her savings and there is nothing anyone can do, because she did it willingly.

I had a friend who was getting into NuSkin. She asked me to watch a video about it and tell her what I thought. I told her but she didn't want to hear it. I told her I didn't think there were that many people who would pay $15 for a bottle of shampoo, etc (this was 20 years ago). I remember the sales pitch was all about , think how many people you are in contact with on a daily basis, you could sell to all of them, you could get all of them in your "downline", selling for you.... yeah right.