There is nothing inherently unethical about the MLM business model

Jul 28, 2015
11:10:25am

kccougar

Which is different than a pyramid scheme. That being said, I would never participate in one, and there are many things about the way MLM products are marketed that I find distasteful.

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kccougar

Bio page: kccougar
Joined: May 29, 2001
Last login: Apr 25, 2024
Total posts: 88,373 (15,034 FO)

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Messages

Author

Time

POLL: Knowing that MLMs are unethical, would you rather BYU cut all ties

Yakov

7/28/15 11:07am

lol: "knowing that MLM's are unethical"

teancum

7/28/15 11:09am

There is nothing inherently unethical about the MLM business model

kccougar

7/28/15 11:10am

Completely disagree. MLMs are structured for an unfair exchange based

Yakov

7/28/15 11:14am

If people lie to get more "customers"

kccougar

7/28/15 11:17am

But there is a difference. MLMs are structured so that the company doesn't carry

Yakov

7/28/15 11:21am

You're wrong

Oldcougfan

7/28/15 11:47am

I love these kinds of compelling arguments. Happy to hear why you disagree but

Yakov

7/28/15 11:52am

You are wrong...

bstod

7/28/15 12:37pm

Good points and sounds like some progress. However, the problems with MLMs

Yakov

7/28/15 1:01pm

Actually, they are liable for claims made by distributors

MapCoug

7/28/15 1:25pm

Sounds like there has been some progress made regarding product claims

Yakov

7/28/15 1:30pm

doTERRA is hardly at risk when

Bgash

7/28/15 2:07pm

a DROP? That dude is a horrible businessman.

squidmark

7/28/15 2:18pm

Saw pictures of the Nuskin CEO's house in Alpine..absurd (including candy store)

LasVegasBlue

7/28/15 2:25pm

I'm pretty sure the CEO of NuSkin still lives in Sandy/Draper area.

91Coug

7/28/15 2:55pm

So we don't approve of how they make the money and how they spend it...

AzCoug1

7/28/15 3:11pm

I'm fine with people making tons of $ and spending it how they want

Yakov

7/28/15 3:40pm

I have been to the CEO of doTerra's home

doubled1981

7/28/15 7:40pm

How much do you think a publicly traded billion dollar company CEO should make?

Princess Jasmine

7/29/15 12:19am

So it sounds like your issue is the false claims... which exist to one degree

Pretorian

7/28/15 3:49pm

It’s not that, it’s the absurdity and tastelessness of their purchases

LasVegasBlue

7/30/15 5:05pm

You must be talking about dog people purchasing ridiculous sweaters,

Pretorian

8/4/15 7:42am

Yes there is. Mathematically you only make money if several others lose money.

yakkamole

7/28/15 11:45am

Much better response than mine. Succinct.

Yakov

7/28/15 12:02pm

This is true of business in general

buhler08

7/28/15 1:03pm

Huge gigantic differences:

Yakov

7/28/15 1:20pm

This is simply not true

buhler08

7/28/15 2:49pm

Its the exception not the rule

Yakov

7/28/15 2:53pm

They really don't.

Finngirl

7/28/15 2:55pm

Fine, at that point you are no longer referring to the MLM concept

yakkamole

7/28/15 3:28pm

Wrong again

buhler08

7/28/15 4:09pm

RE: Wrong again

Finngirl

7/28/15 4:20pm

Jamberry Nails - go

stoils

7/28/15 4:23pm

Jamberry is an interesting case, b/c back in the day, WOULD be one of the "good"

Finngirl

7/28/15 5:09pm

Take Shape For Life.

91Coug

7/28/15 4:37pm

RE: Take Shape For Life.

Finngirl

7/28/15 4:53pm

I used this program with fantastic results

HiLife

7/28/15 5:28pm

"That said, the products are very overpriced if you are just a consumer. "

Finngirl

7/28/15 5:36pm

"lose money" or "pay for product"

boscatar

7/28/15 1:29pm

"pay for a product" or "pay too much for a product"

AzCoug1

7/28/15 2:17pm

See response above... merely buying a product is different than the MLM concept

yakkamole

7/28/15 3:30pm

To clarify... the "others that lose money" are not the customers.

yakkamole

7/28/15 3:35pm

It IS a pyramid,

Finngirl

7/28/15 12:07pm

Anyone can buy doterra, Young Living, NuSkin, New Ways on line without

91Coug

7/28/15 1:53pm

Sure, you "can".... because, that's what makes it legally not a pyramid.

Finngirl

7/28/15 2:16pm

Must be something fundamental about them....because every one that I have seen

cougXor

7/28/15 1:55pm

Good example of push polling

HuskerFan2

7/28/15 11:11am

"knowing that MLMs are unethical"

CoopDizz

7/28/15 11:13am

While you are correct, I favor universally characterizing MLMs in this way

Yakov

7/28/15 11:16am

You mean a cancer to Utah LDS culture.

Kerbouchard

7/28/15 11:21am

Mostly, but starting to see it outside of Utah as well unfortunately

Yakov

7/28/15 11:22am

Yes, it is spreading, so stop it Utah!

Kerbouchard

7/28/15 11:34am

While on my mission in southern Indiana, I had plenty of contact with MLMs

reddead

7/28/15 2:46pm

Knowing that this poll is based on a false premise, I will not vote.

Kerbouchard

7/28/15 11:16am

"MLMs" are no more unethical than the company who made the shoes you are wearing

timpjynx

7/28/15 11:21am

My shoe company isn't structured to make unfair exchanges.

Yakov

7/28/15 11:25am

Define unfair exchange. You have a willing/uneducated consumer and a supplier

AzCoug1

7/28/15 12:06pm

Finngirl just said it pretty well:

Yakov

7/28/15 12:12pm

That is an invalid link for me

AzCoug1

7/28/15 12:15pm

Ha, you have her ignored... text:

Yakov

7/28/15 12:21pm

Although I agree with you on many points of the underlying problems with MLMs

AzCoug1

7/28/15 12:34pm

You usually don't blame the victims

Yakov

7/28/15 12:42pm

Victims? Really?

AzCoug1

7/28/15 2:15pm

Buying a franchise is like buying an annuity. Joining MLMs is like burning cash.

Yakov

7/28/15 2:20pm

I don't think "Statistically" means what you think it means

AzCoug1

7/29/15 11:36am

You're comparing MLMs to lotteries to make MLMs seem ethical?

Bgash

7/28/15 2:12pm

How about the exchange of money with your Doctor or Pharmacy who have very

airwolf

7/28/15 3:42pm

I would have a problem with that if they did not explain the risks and the lack

Yakov

7/28/15 4:07pm

So I expect that everythime your DR prescribes you a med he has explained that

airwolf

7/28/15 4:20pm

the biz model is unethical... legit companies that moved away from the model did

Yakov

7/28/15 5:09pm

I have no prob acknowledging that the current health care system

Yakov

7/28/15 5:13pm

If I were you

Oldcougfan

7/28/15 11:45am

I realize the OP comes across as a bit dramatic. I still feel that the associati

Yakov

7/28/15 11:54am

Did you try a MLM business? How was your experience if you did?

Marl kalone

7/28/15 11:55am

I've been approached many times but have never been involved.

Yakov

7/28/15 12:01pm

RE: POLL: Knowing that MLMs are unethical, would you rather BYU cut all ties

cougfan03

7/28/15 12:45pm

Huge red flag when someone justifies something based on who else is involved.

Yakov

7/28/15 1:08pm

RE: Huge red flag when someone justifies something based on who else is

cougfan03

7/28/15 2:01pm

I actually know the very people you are speaking of. You're right, they are

Yakov

7/28/15 2:11pm

Because church leaders never do anything unseemly or unethical...

Bgash

7/28/15 2:15pm

I would rather BYU cut ties with them because of their unscientific nonsense

BeardedSpock

7/28/15 12:49pm

Well, it could be for both reasons

Yakov

7/28/15 1:09pm

What is Capitalism, and what about Law firms?

91Coug

7/28/15 1:45pm

There are unethical law firms, sure... but creating a law firm isn't unethical

Yakov

7/28/15 1:50pm

And yet BYU still takes the money from the firm Phen-Phen built.

91Coug

7/28/15 1:55pm

Do you unilaterally pass judgment with such broad brush strokes on all groups of

BoiseBlueCoug

7/28/15 1:48pm

Nothing against the people (most are victims)... I am against the MLM biz model

Yakov

7/28/15 1:52pm

I'd say Apex (now Vivint) was a bigger issue

MarylandFan

7/28/15 3:01pm

Vivint is a great company.

wapiti

7/28/15 3:54pm

But some people had bad experiences

buhler08

7/28/15 4:28pm

Try not to conflate the past with the present

MarylandFan

7/28/15 4:47pm

Vivint is more prominent at LES than apx ever was

wapiti

7/28/15 7:58pm

'Was' being the operative word, as opposed to 'Is'

MarylandFan

7/28/15 4:33pm

Losing focus here. It is not the overpriced product that makes them unethical.

yakkamole

7/28/15 3:36pm

I'm surprised no one else has made the slippery slope argument...

lilpenny

7/28/15 4:05pm

this is MY kinda poll! tell them what their opinion is before they even vote

nashty

7/28/15 4:13pm

If you know it is a MLM then how is it unethical. If you get approached and

Blue for Life

7/28/15 4:55pm

No thanks, looks like a pyramid scheme...

Phred84044

7/28/15 6:21pm

Did you say pyramid? I like the one in Vegas

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