Job Fairs and the MLM

"Buy 1 for yourself and get the chance to sell your friends and family 5 and get your downline started!" We examine the multi-level marketing industry, where only the people who come up with the ideas make any money, and everybody else is left unhappy, broke, and tired of reading scripts and selling overpriced vitamins and similarly worthless products. Includes Global Prosperity, Pinnacle Quest International, IRS Codebusters, Stratia, and other new Global Prosperity scams.

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webhick
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Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by webhick »

I've read about MLMs hosting "job fairs" in which they try to recruit you and wandering around trying to get recruits, but it didn't dawn on me that they might actually try to set up a table at a job fair. We've got a big one going on at the end of the month up at the race track and in looking at the list of registered companies, I couldn't help but notice Amway Global, Arbonne International, AVON, Mandura4Wellness (will post a thread on them later), Mary Kay, Melaleuca, PartyLite, Pre-Paid Legal, Pampered Chef, TRUchocolate/Youngevity, and Tupperware were listed in Building 3. As a matter of fact, a little over 1/3 of Building 2 is comprised of mlm-y "companies."

So, I guess it's really not about selling product when you're only there to increase your downline.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by Imalawman »

webhick wrote:I've read about MLMs hosting "job fairs" in which they try to recruit you and wandering around trying to get recruits, but it didn't dawn on me that they might actually try to set up a table at a job fair. We've got a big one going on at the end of the month up at the race track and in looking at the list of registered companies, I couldn't help but notice Amway Global, Arbonne International, AVON, Mandura4Wellness (will post a thread on them later), Mary Kay, Melaleuca, PartyLite, Pre-Paid Legal, Pampered Chef, TRUchocolate/Youngevity, and Tupperware were listed in Building 3. As a matter of fact, a little over 1/3 of Building 2 is comprised of mlm-y "companies."

So, I guess it's really not about selling product when you're only there to increase your downline.
Interesting....of those I think that Avon, Pampered Chef and Tupperware are the only ones that are really about the product moreso than selling product to new recruits. There's nothing wrong with sales, I just have a problem when the bulk of the sales are to recruits who are going out to recruit new recruits..etc....

I've heard of them going to job fairs to pick up people, but not so directly, interesting. Maybe with time bad times, people are a little more desperate.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by wserra »

Imalawman wrote:Interesting....of those I think that Avon, Pampered Chef and Tupperware are the only ones that are really about the product moreso than selling product to new recruits.
Even as to those three - certainly among the poster kids for the "industry", the ones those desperate for legitimacy always cite - I would be very interested in seeing the percentage of sales to non-distributors.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by Imalawman »

wserra wrote:
Imalawman wrote:Interesting....of those I think that Avon, Pampered Chef and Tupperware are the only ones that are really about the product moreso than selling product to new recruits.
Even as to those three - certainly among the poster kids for the "industry", the ones those desperate for legitimacy always cite - I would be very interested in seeing the percentage of sales to non-distributors.
Well, Tupperware maybe bad. I don't really know about it. But too my knowledge PC and Avon don't require an inventory, do they? PC I know sells a ton through PC parties (my wife attends a lot) and Avon usually just passes around a catalog. I guess I'm just going from personal observation.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by Evil Squirrel Overlord »

I think you can do okay with Avon if you don't care about the downline. Last women I knew who did it didn't need to hold inventory.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by webhick »

Imalawman wrote:Interesting....of those I think that Avon, Pampered Chef and Tupperware are the only ones that are really about the product moreso than selling product to new recruits. There's nothing wrong with sales, I just have a problem when the bulk of the sales are to recruits who are going out to recruit new recruits..etc....
I agree that those particular companies are legitimate and was surprised to see those on the list, but I feel very strongly that MLMs should not be allowed anywhere near a job fair. They're not there hocking product, and they certainly aren't offering anyone a job. They're there to increase their downline with people who will have to invest part of the savings they're now living off.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by webhick »

Evil Squirrel Overlord wrote:I think you can do okay with Avon if you don't care about the downline. Last women I knew who did it didn't need to hold inventory.
I know a few Avon reps. You don't need to hold inventory, but you're encouraged to purchase lots of samples.

I have to be intentionally vague here. They really don't make that much. We do the taxes for one Avon rep and got a gander at a more successful rep's Schedule C for last year. It's sad. So much work, so little payoff. We'll be doing the taxes for the more successful one this year and I honestly can't wait to crunch the numbers. I'm going to be really interested in seeing whether I can find out product profit vs. downline profit.

Wait, I can probably give more than that. Based off the smaller rep's 2007 and 2008 numbers, this person made between 25-30% gross profit on the products. That, of course, does not include the cost of demonstration products, brochures, samples, shipping and handling, campaign fees, or order processing fees that are paid to Avon. When you factor that in, the profit was closer to 8-10% of the sales price. Basically, for every $10 this person sold, s/he only made about $1.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by GoldandSilverEagles »

webhick wrote:I've read about MLMs hosting "job fairs" in which they try to recruit you and wandering around trying to get recruits, but it didn't dawn on me that they might actually try to set up a table at a job fair. We've got a big one going on at the end of the month up at the race track and in looking at the list of registered companies, I couldn't help but notice Amway Global
I would be very curious to see how this "job fair" is being advertised. I'd like to see if it is in fact advertising "jobs" per se. If so, and if some Amway Global IBO's are using this format, Amway Global would not approve of this procedure.

Amway Global has very strict, concise, and specific policies in regards to advertising ones business at public events.
So, I guess it's really not about selling product when you're only there to increase your downline.

Sweetie, the purpose of developing a downline IS to increase one's sales volume in this type of industry.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by webhick »

GoldandSilverEagles wrote:
webhick wrote:I've read about MLMs hosting "job fairs" in which they try to recruit you and wandering around trying to get recruits, but it didn't dawn on me that they might actually try to set up a table at a job fair. We've got a big one going on at the end of the month up at the race track and in looking at the list of registered companies, I couldn't help but notice Amway Global
I would be very curious to see how this "job fair" is being advertised. I'd like to see if it is in fact advertising "jobs" per se. If so, and if some Amway Global IBO's are using this format, Amway Global would not approve of this procedure.
http://www.wmur.com/money/20039283/detail.html
So, I guess it's really not about selling product when you're only there to increase your downline.

Sweetie, the purpose of developing a downline IS to increase one's sales volume in this type of industry.
Yeah. Exactly my point. They're there to increase their sales volume by doing things other than actually selling product.
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by Leftcoaster »

From 2nd hand experience (Mrs Lefty is involved)

Tupperware seems to be the soft sell MLM. There isn't an auto-ship per se but they are are forever adding new products/colours etc, and you are encouraged to have those items so they may be displayed at the parties.

If you can recruit someone to sell as well (downline) then so much the better for you. There are a number of local Tupperware people that do nothing else and seem to be doing alright, but I strongly suspect that it's on the strength of their downline (keeping their displays up to date, etc) more than their own direct sales.

I'm pretty sure my wife isn't doing anything more than breaking even on this (at least for tax purposes) but at least our food isn't going bad - not that is could in a house with 4 boys... :lol:
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by Imalawman »

webhick wrote:
GoldandSilverEagles wrote:
Sweetie, the purpose of developing a downline IS to increase one's sales volume in this type of industry.
Yeah. Exactly my point. They're there to increase their sales volume by doing things other than actually selling product.
And don't be patronizing and call her sweetie. Or is being condescending the only defense mechanism you have?
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by GoldandSilverEagles »

Imalawman wrote:
webhick wrote:
GoldandSilverEagles wrote:
Sweetie, the purpose of developing a downline IS to increase one's sales volume in this type of industry.
Yeah. Exactly my point. They're there to increase their sales volume by doing things other than actually selling product.
And don't be patronizing and call her sweetie. Or is being condescending the only defense mechanism you have?
Listen sweetie, as usual I see your sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. :roll:

You are in no position to tell me, or demand a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g from me.

Mind Your Own Business Buckwheat. :!:

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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by Demosthenes »

GoldandSilverEagles wrote: Listen sweetie, as usual I see your sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. :roll:

You are in no position to tell me, or demand a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g from me.

Mind Your Own Business Buckwheat. :!:

SSDD.
And so the troll goes back to "moderated" status...
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Re: Job Fairs and the MLM

Post by wserra »

stevemcdonald19 wrote:Hey,
Thanks for this post.
No problem. Editing to remove commercials is no problem either.
Is it really work that you can increase you Downline without selling.What if I use to increase my Downline with MLM software?
It is really work even more better increase you English when you is to post to English forum. It is work that you to look less like spammer.
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