# MLM as small business **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 12, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674 "2016-11-12T19:10:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/21 "2016-11-15T07:51:45Z")
A former coworker asked me to lunch out of the blue a few months ago. Shocked and delighted to hear from her, I went. Turned out she was trying to get me to join her financial-based MLM but I first _had_ to read a book by the man who influenced Trump to _write_ \* The Art Of The Deal\* (his name escapes me right now). Never picked up the book and told my former coworker so. She was crushed “because you’re smart and intelligent like me and I thought you’d be interested.” Um, yes I’m both but no, not in something like that. I was shocked that she, a former bank VP, would fall for something like that. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/22 "2016-11-15T13:11:35Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Dunno. I think it could be argued that there’s at least a little moral virtue in supporting small businesses which provide a direct, friendly, traditional service. Of course, these businesses exist to make a profit for the people running them, but being rooted inside the community can breed commitment to value and service, as well as service offerings with a more tailored fir to the local needs. > … I generally support local spending for the very real multiplier effect. You’re making the assumption that small and local = good service / value and big and distant = bad service/ value. Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes it’s not. My experience contains enough examples both ways to pretty well demolish any obvious tendency either way. Craptacular indifferent local retail with limited selection and relatively high prices is practically a cliché for a reason. > [@Mangetout](#): > > … > MLM is set apart from this in that it actually _is_ Giganto-Corp thinly veneered to present it as ‘small business’ - it exists solely to suck up cash and move it to the top. Agreed. As I said in my next couple paragraphs. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/23 "2016-11-15T15:16:59Z")
My Amway story, previously posted on the Dope: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8564873&postcount=29](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8564873&postcount=29) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/24 "2016-11-15T18:02:34Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I generally support local spending for the very real multiplier effect. > > You’re making the assumption that small and local = good service / value and big and distant = bad service/ value. Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes it’s not. No, not assuming that, but actually, with small and local, it’s often easier to make the individual judgement about whether service is good. ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/25 "2016-11-15T18:14:02Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > You can only sell inventory you have - you can’t take an order from a customer then order from the warehouse. You literally cannot request an item in a size + pattern because there is no such thing. They make 2000 of each style (Dress A, leggings B, shirt C, etc) in whatever pattern of fabric and send them out randomly to sellers and that’s it. No more of that style in that pattern, ever. I have a friend who sells LuLaRoe. I absolutely love their dresses (and no, I am not overweight). The patterns for some of the dresses she has for sale are hideous, and I was wondering why she would order those. Now I know she didn’t have a choice. Very interesting…I think I may have to find a few more local LuLaRoe consultants so I have more choices. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/26 "2016-11-15T19:14:17Z")
> [@Wednesday\_Evening](#): > > I have a friend who sells LuLaRoe. I absolutely love their dresses (and no, I am not overweight). The patterns for some of the dresses she has for sale are hideous, and I was wondering why she would order those. Now I know she didn’t have a choice. Very interesting…I think I may have to find a few more local LuLaRoe consultants so I have more choices. I know several people who are selling it. They also have a small line of men’s and boy’s clothing, mostly t-shirts. Some people love it, but for me, they’re not styles that I would wear. Lots of people who sell Pampered Chef, Jamberry, Avon, etc. do it mostly for the vendor discount, and the money they happen to make is just gravy. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/27 "2016-11-15T19:36:04Z")
> [@Wednesday\_Evening](#): > > I have a friend who sells LuLaRoe. I absolutely love their dresses (and no, I am not overweight). The patterns for some of the dresses she has for sale are hideous, and I was wondering why she would order those. Now I know she didn’t have a choice. Very interesting…I think I may have to find a few more local LuLaRoe consultants so I have more choices. Yeah their dresses are flattering for real, except that Carly dress which I think is new. It’s devoid of shape, like the shirts. Most people I know who are really in to buying LLR follow as many shops as they can - precisely for that reason! (If you want to follow my friend’s mega shop send me a PM) ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/28 "2016-11-15T20:27:00Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > My Amway story, previously posted on the Dope: > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8564873&postcount=29](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8564873&postcount=29) Thanks for re-sharing that, it was great! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/29 "2016-11-15T21:59:20Z")
> [@astro](#): > > [Intrigued I looked up the website.](http://www.lularoe.com/collection-1) It appears to be not all that hideous fashions for heavier, but not morbidly obese, women. Both my daughter and ex are heavier women and it’s tough to dress well with clothes that are forgiving of 20-40 extra lbs. I can see why they are so draconian with their agent sellers. If they have that demographic in hand they can mint money. The first person I knew of who sold Lularoe is slim, and wore their non-maternity clothes during her recent pregnancy. They would shrink back to “regular” size when washed, which she really liked. ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/30 "2016-11-15T22:05:59Z")
> [@Wednesday\_Evening](#): > > I have a friend who sells LuLaRoe. I absolutely love their dresses (and no, I am not overweight). The patterns for some of the dresses she has for sale are hideous, and I was wondering why she would order those. Now I know she didn’t have a choice. Very interesting…I think I may have to find a few more local LuLaRoe consultants so I have more choices. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Yeah their dresses are flattering for real, except that Carly dress which I think is new. It’s devoid of shape, like the shirts. > > Most people I know who are really in to buying LLR follow as many shops as they can - precisely for that reason! (If you want to follow my friend’s mega shop send me a PM) The Carly does not appeal to me at all! I like the Nicole and the Amelia (pockets!!!). Thanks for the offer for your friend’s shop info but I’ve found that I really need to try on the dresses first, both for pattern and sizing. So unless your friend is located on California’s Central Coast… ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674/31 "2016-11-15T22:07:25Z")
I remember an old “Far Side” cartoon (that I unfortunately can’t find online) featuring amoebas at an Amway convention, and the head honcho says, “You just keep dividing, and dividing, and dividing…” 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlm-as-small-business/771674.md?page=1)