Herbalife/Work from Home ripoff deceptive company business opportunity rip-off scam Los Angeles California *EDitor's Comment

Jason: You have to order a $40 decision package to find more information because "they work with so many people and can't spend the time with everyone individually.

I ordered it. I had a 90 day money-back guarantee so I was not concerned.

Jason: What they don't tell you is that this is only the beginning!!

True, but starting a business that is legitimate and successful is rarley free....I knew this going in and it didn't concern me.

Jason: After the $40 decision package they'll want you to buy a $300 package to get you started using the Herbalife products

True again...the products are everything they're said to be. I lost 15 lbs in the first 17 days and others have asked for them now. Other business material is included that is needed.

Jason: and then a $1000 (or $4000 if you choose to jump to a higher position) package

The $1000 and $4000 are optional, if faster movement is desired then go for it....if not, no problem.

Jason: then $400 worth of promotional materials,

Only needed business materials. Business costs money.

Jason: $50/month to subscribe to their internet site,

It's $25 per month for your own web site which is quite a reasonable and effective business tool.

Jason: $50/month to have their "promotional voicemail"

Sorry...$15 per month for a toll-free business number, or $50 for toll-free business and retailing numbers.

Jason: and on the list goes.

Not that I'm aware of.

Jason: You really don't know what exactly you're doing until you've signed an application to work for them (and placed your huge order).

Not for me. Every step I've taken has been calculated and informed. Nothing has been forced upon me and I've made conscious decisions to proceed. As my coach pointed out. It would do any good to talk someone into the business. If they want to work it they will....pretty simple.

Jason: They say you are getting paid to bring other people into the company as distributors, but in reality you are the company's CUSTOMER, not distributor.

Hardley...This is network marketing. I work to retail a fantastic, well-established product from a company that has operated for 22 years and is in 50 countries. Simultaneously I share the potential for success that exists.

Jason: You are trying to get other people to buy into the same lie that brought you in. Oh, and if you like you can sell a few herbal supplements so that it will look like an actual business. DO NOT buy into this lie.

Lie??? As I've said already, everything I've done I've done of my own accord. I asked many questions and discussed many issues at great length with numerous people. Nothing's ever been pushed upon me. Nor have I encountered anything that resembled a lie or misrepresentation.

I wonder if Jason is more angry that maybe he cannot afford to work in the business. Maybe he wants a free 'get rich quick scheme'. Where is it written that going into business is free or easy?

Unfortunately for Jason, there are numersous folks collecting healthy checks from this "rip off" as we speak. They work very hard to both retail the products and build their business....it's called capitalism.

I decided to spend what I thought was reasonable to start my own business. If it is to fail then I'll move on with no regrets. Why? Because I'll work hard and see where the chips fall.

Jason,

Thank you for bringing to light this pyramid-marketing scheme. Don't you hate shills? Attacking people is the true hallmark of a shill.

I'm happy that James is so comfortable with the network marketing of Herbal Life. That's a nice way of James saying that he loves working in a pyramid scheme. I'm not saying that Herbal Life is a fraud. It is just my opinion that pyramid-marketing schemes are unethical in that the main company relies on its shills to bring in family members. Some family members will pump a bunch of money into worthless product to help a relative. However, I think that's terrible.

I haven't read many good things about Herbal Life. I am not convinced its products are worth the cost nor am I convinced that they do what the Herbal Life people claim. I haven't seen any studies showing Herbal Life products to be effective.

I think any company that allows people to buy a job or positions to be unethical and over rated. Jason, I thank you for sharing your experience with this Multi Level Marketing company to the readers of the Rip-off Report. You may have saved some people from spending thousands of dollars they don't have. I think $1,000 to $4,000 should be spent on some college courses than going to Herbal Life. In addition to saving money for yourself, you've saved your family from the sense of obligation to purchase snake oil or placebos from you to help you.

Thanks!

Dear Chick(?),

At least have the "Ethical" decency to post your name.

CHICK: Thank you for bringing to light this pyramid-marketing scheme. Don't you hate shills? Attacking people is the true hallmark of a shill.

Loaded words indeed. "Attacking people"?? Can you write without inflaming inaccuracies?

CHICK: I'm happy that James is so comfortable with the network marketing of Herbal Life.

No you aren't...

CHICK: That's a nice way of James saying that he loves working in a pyramid scheme.

Of course it is...? All along that's been my goal...Attack people through a pyramid scheme. Where do you get this stuff?

CHICK: I'm not saying that Herbal Life is a fraud. It is just my opinion that pyramid-marketing schemes are unethical in that the main company relies on its shills to bring in family members.

Really?...hasn't happened to me. Can you articulate what the ethical compromise is in selling you family a product? I Doubt it.

CHICK: Some family members will pump a bunch of money into worthless product to help a relative. However, I think that's terrible.

Of course it would be terrible...that's ano brainer. Worthless product? Where have receieved your info? Don't you think that in the last 22 years that the 'fraud' would have been exposed?

CHICK: I haven't read many good things about Herbal Life.

Can I have some references to check please? We'll see about credibility.

CHICK: I am not convinced its products are worth the cost nor am I convinced that they do what the Herbal Life people claim.

And what evidence lead you to believe this? I lost 15 pounds in 17 days....what's your story? The funny thing is, I wasn't convinced that it was authentic until the results spoke loud and clear. I though it was a gimmick...it wasn't.

CHICK: I haven't seen any studies showing Herbal Life products to be effective.

How hard have you looked? I think I know the answer..."John said that Ralph said that a guy told him about this guy that..." Do personal testimonies carry any credibility with you? Or do you prefer to categorically call every one of them liars because you're predisposed to rejecting it anyway?

CHICK: I think any company that allows people to buy a job or positions to be unethical and over rated.

Why? Articulate.

CHICK: Jason, I thank you for sharing your experience with this Multi Level Marketing company to the readers of the Rip-off Report.

Experience? His inaccuracies harm his credibility. Let me ask you...what constitutes a rip-off? A rip-off is simply not provided or producing as promised. Now....where's the rip-off?

CHICK: You may have saved some people from spending thousands of dollars they don't have.

You shouldn't do that anyway....Of course, I've seen people shell out $250,000 in franchise fees before they've earned a dime. Is that legitimate? Careful how you answer. So...what's the difference?

CHICK: I think $1,000 to $4,000 should be spent on some college courses than going to Herbal Life.

Go for it. Study capitalism. Then hit the job market with your new skills. It's the American way.

CHICK: In addition to saving money for yourself, you've saved your family from the sense of obligation to purchase snake oil or placebos from you to help you.

Snake oil and placebos? LOL....back to school CHICK.

I have read all of these comments about Herbalife. I can tell you what has happened to me. First of all, we aren't paying for a "JOB", you are investing in your own business.

As with any home business or self employment you will be spending some type of money to promote it, whether it be via fliers,email marketing, signs, etc. The money you put out depends on the money you have to work with.

I personally didnt have a lot of money to work with as my family is on a TIGHT budget. The person I worked with understood this and I got into this business for 25.00. (the cost to sign as a distributor) The rest of the money involved in the sign up is for products to try. You wouldn't want to sell something you haven't tried would you?

I have not shelled out THOUSANDS of dollars. I personally think it depends on the group of people you are working with. The group I work with has generated leads and websites without paying MASSIVE DOLLARS.

I am very happy with my choice and I am only working part time and making what some people make working FULL TIME. I did not force anything on to any of my friends or family. Matter of factly, the only people taking the products are me, my husband and my 6 yr old son. Everyone else that buys from me is from and ad, flier, etc.

I am not saying this is for everyone, but like anything, what you put into it is usually what you will get out of it.

As for the products NOT working, that in itself I disagree with totally! My 6 year old son was on ritilan for ADD, I tried 2 of the products on him and got such AWESOME results that he is off the ritilan totally.

The doctor even commented on the power of the products and he is now a buyer. This is NOT for everyone, but there are several people who believe in these products, like doctors, lawyers, even GEORGE W BUSH. He got interested in them from a State Senator in New Mexico who is a distributor.

I am sorry that you have had such a bad go at it, but it is not considered a true "Ripoff". You should have investigated it a little more before diving in.

I am a distributor of Herbalife. Only by choice. I contacted someone living in Michigan about Herbalife. She sent me information and samples. I immediately liked the product. I bought one of the more expensive packages that included a multi-vitamin, a metabolism booster, a powdered shake mix, an herbal energizing tea, and chromium supplement. I had first heard of Thermojetics while working for a doctor. He suggested it to many of his patients and I never heard anything bad about them. I thought I would give this try. Don't get me wrong. The program is expensive (for the above tha lasted 2 months or so I paid around $170.00, but while I was on it I did see amazing results. I also felt much better. Now a lot of people claim to have lost 30-40 pounds or even more. Those people tend to be severely overweight. I was not. I wanted to loose 15-20 pounds. In two weeks a had already lost 9 pounds and more importantly 10" in total from various "trouble spots" on my body.

I became a distributor simply to get the Distributor rate on the products and the Herbatel program (a long distance plan that I have found no other carrier can beat.) I have never been pressured into anything. I knew how much the Distributorship was going to cost. Had Jason looked at his pamphlets and the information sent with the Distribution Packet he would have seen that all the expenses are laid out in it. They were Not mandatory. I have not spent a dime more than the original distribution package. That was a 1 1/2 years ago. Opps...forgot about the yearly renewal fee of $10.00. However, that is more than covered by the rebate checks i receive every month from Herbatel.

I still use the products and find it a great way to loose weight quickly. Of course, to keep it off you can't pig out and eat whatever you want when not taking the products. I never felt hungry or unsatisfied while taking Herbalife. I am 30 years old, 5'11 and 158 pounds. I do not exercise like I should. I maintain my weight by using Herbalife.

What you forgot to tell us is that you no longer have any friends because they are all customers now and your family runs away because every family gathering is now a sales event.

Well James it seems that you are one of the people just like the one who tried to sponser (or should I say "scam") me. I suppose you also read those cheesy business presentation scripts to people over the phone. Uh, if you need to have someone else type out a script for you to read then you don't have a clue what you're not talking about.

Not only does it show a lack of understanding, but it's cheesy! They also tell you on the script to be as vague as possible when answering questions. Oh, and Herbalife's "Elite training calls" are so phony! All they do is state a bunch of statistics that don't benefit anyone. How can you call that training?!

As I was checking Herbalife out I found some pretty eye opening articles. What about the lawsuit that cost Herbalife $850,000? As I brought these questions to my sponser he told me that I was spending too much time doing research and not enough time getting customers. Uh, I have a master's degree - I know how to do research.

Only ignorant people will buy into something before checking it out. My sponser prides himself in the fact that he failed out of college. With all the spelling and grammatical errors in his e-mails, I'm not surprised! James thinks that I'm angry because I can't afford to run a deceptive business.

I put myself through six years of college. I'm willing to spend money to get an honest business the same way I spent money to get an honest education. I wouldn't be surprised if James also couldn't make it through higher education so he found dishonest work instead. Cheap substitute!
Thank you, James, for being so up front with us about how you got fooled.

I would prefer to see remarks regarding what, if any, scientific value Herbalife products have. Testimonials provide no useful, objective scientific information. Which Herbalife products have undergone double-blind studies? What do respected, objective scientific journals have to say? Are such results repeatable in full view of questioning skeptics?

PLEASE: does anyone know anything about the related site http://www.2moremoney.com ? Is this site in any way related to Jason's original comment "You may see an ad on the internet saying that you can work from home ..."?

Thank you very much for your consideration in printing this reply.

If the above statement is true, WHY ISN'T EVERYONE AND THEIR NEIGHBOR USING AND SELLING THIS BONAFIDE MIRACLE PRODUCT????

Because they're once again blowing sunshine you know where!

I have never failed to leave an MLM stooge speechless when asked, "If this product is so friggin' wonderful, how come EVERYONE doesn't use it? Why aren't we all happily taking these supplements and loving our neighbors unconditionally?"

BECAUSE IT'S A CROCK!

Think about it!

All I have to say is... GO JASON! I can't believe this chaotic debate... Haha. Hebalife sucks! ;)

I have been a customer of herbalife products. The bottom line is that the products work and there are sudies that your doctor can request from the company and explain what they mean. The fact is that the company is in 50 different countries and has been looked at an evaluated by each countries experts and if there was a problem with the products they would not be in those countries.

Fact is that Network Marketing is a good marketing business model. Large fortune 500 companies use network marketing to get thier produts out there. One of them is Travelers Group or Citi Finacial. And even Havard University teaches Network Marketing.

Fact is that if you are an employee you are in a pyramid. ther is only one person at the top that makes all the money and many workers at the bottom that make in most cases minimum wage.

Fact is that every on knows that to live a healthy life you need good nutrition and exercise. But you still have unhealthy people that chose not to eat right and chose not to exercise.

Fact is a scam is paying money for a product or service that is nonexistant or does not do what it says it does.

Fact is if you call Herbalife and ask them if you will lose weight from taking thier products they will say that the products a just nutritional supplements and they will not tell you that they cure anything and there customers have gotten great health benifits from taking the products. They have numeruse testamonials of what the products have done for people.

Fact is if you want to start a business you need a business system inplace to be successfull at it. You can spend hunereds of thousands of dollars to create one. You can buy one in the form of a franchize or you can signup for one in Network Marketing or MLM.

Fact is any company nomater how great it is will have critics and complaints filed against them and even lawsuits. There are a lot of negative people in this world and any one that is sucsessfull at all full knows that they will at some point be confronted with very negative people that will call what they are doing a scam or a pyramid.

Fact is if you want things to change in your life you will have to change. Do your due dilagents and gather all the facts and make an informed decition.

All I know is:

I lost 20 pounds in 28 days - 9 1/2 inches in my midsection - Got rid of my high blood pressure medication - and I feel the best I have felt in my entire life... I will NEVER stop using these products..

What happen to the United States of American - the land of the Free... We all are making life difficult for everyone.. All this negativity about a company that is out to defeat obesity... Why don't you all complain about McDonald's, Wendy's, Burgar King, the list goes on... The are the Pyramid schemes that are killing us all..

All of the facts listed above are all so true you can't argue with facts... they are all available from Herbalife International - If you only ask...

Network Marketing is not for everyone, but it is endorsed by many very successfull people - Jim Rohn - Richard Kiyasaki - Les Brown - the list goes on...

Liek some one said above - To make a change - you have to change... Well I made my choice and I will never regret my decision...

I love Herbalife...

I have never been a distributor of herbalife products, though I did try them when my wife joined about 8 years ago. I was 108 kgs (I'm sorry, I can't convert it to pounds - maybe about 280??) at the time and lost 30kgs in about three months. But I was also exercising for the first time in ten years and eating healthy, low fat foods. What began to piss me off was how my wife started to use me as this great example of the wonders of Herbalife's weight loss program. I knew my weight loss wasn't from just taking these pills. About a year later I stopped using the products, exercising and eating healthy and began to put weight on again. I decided to try again, this time exercising and eating sensibly yet NOT using the herbalife products. Guess what I lost the weight again and I have now been at my ideal weight for about five years. I still occassionally put on a few pounds, but when I cut out the crap for a few weeks I go back to my regular weight. No need to spend all that money on produicts that do nothing. The other thing about Herbalife is that they are deceptive and misleading. I have heard Top Herbalife Distributors, I think they call themselves Mill Team or something, saying that a distributor should never, ever intially mention the name 'Herbalife' when making first contact with a potential customer or distributor. "Just tell them you're in the wellness industry"... or some other crap like that. They are also manipulative and superficial. They want you to make a list of all your friends and relatives, so that you can peddle the business to them first before starting on everyone else that you don't know. Every Herbalife distributor I have met - probably about one hundred of them - have that same fake smile and insincere attitude. And they bullshit to high heaven about the money they make. The couple that introduced my wife to Herbalife once pointed out their Mercedes Benz to me at a Herbalife function. I remember thinking "big deal it looks about 15 years old." They promoted the fact that they earn about $20k per month. And yet, 8 years later they are still driving the same old shitter. It must be worth abvout 100 bucks! 20K per month...Yeh sure!! I guess you might say I am opposed to Herbalife and I am, I have been burnt by MLM companies like it before and now, after about 8 years my wife has finally left Herbalife. During that time I would estimate that she has lost about $10,000 after all expenses and profits are put into the pot. And she thought she was going to be financially independent, residual income...royalties...blah blah blah.... You see, my experience with MLM is this. You can never retire. There is always someone who will leave, get disappointed, disinterested, become negative whatever... That means you have to replace them or your income - which is based on their sales production - will deteriorate. MLM companie like Herbalife say that you have the security of working for yourself and being your own boss, being able to work your own hours etc. That is just bullshit. You are at the mercy of the people on your downline. If they need help you have to be there. If they leave, you have to replace them. You are also controlled buy a very powerful and litigious company that seeks to maximise the returns to itself, with blatant disregard for its customers and distributors. 2 statements before I go: 1. If Herbalife is such a great comapny and so well respected and everything, why is it that they never just come out and say what they do? Instead of saying "Yes we are part of a multinational company that operates in fifty countries and markets cellular nutritional products to the wellness industry..." why don't they just say "The company is called Herbalife and we sell diet pills..."??? 2. If Herbalife is such a great company; where all your dreams and visions can be realised why does their founder and spiritual guru have to - as reported in various magazines and newspapers - allegedly take a heep of anti-depressants and alcohol and end up dead??? Just another scam that rips people off and makes money for others. STAY AWAY!!!

Herb A Life got my mother to loose all the weight that she wanted to loose. It took along time. But she did it with help from Herb a Life. And made money from it. When every one she knew seen how much weight she was loosing they bought some from her. It is a product that I would not take myself but in order to sell it you should look good yourself.

I signed up with this company about three or so years ago and I too thought it all sounded great. Only I was ignorant I bought into the hype of you NEED to be at supervisor level if you want to make any money. That cost 2500.00.

My sponsor originally was great and then NEVER had time for me I basically was to figure out the comp plan and everything else on my own. Went to some weekly meetings at the Johnson's house in Apache Junction, AZ and all I ever heard was the SAME stories (testamonials) and the funny thing I noticed was everyone was making the same amount every month noone's income ever increased.

People were claiming to be doing the business big time and never went anywhere after two years or more. I have seen people go bankrupt because their sponsors told them that in order to do this business and be a part of their group they had to buy this and that and put in big orders to help them (their sponsor) get to the next level.

When Mark Hughes died and Chris Pair took over the CEO position they changed their manufacturing company and THAT is when their products went down the drain. Anyone who was on their weight loss programs started gaining all of their weight back and more but still claiming weight loss results.

What a joke they are HUGE today. I learned my lesson and decided that this company was not for me as I have yet to see any integrity with any of my upline except for one person and she left Herbalife even though she was making 10,000.00 per month.

I went with her and we are doing GREAT! DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU NEED TO BUY INTO ANYTHING. IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE THEN IT PROBABLY ISN"T TRUE. If you have product that you absolutely cannot pawn off to anyone then either try to get rid of it on ebay or do as I did and just throw it away. I never lost one pound on their product and I am a physically fit person but wanted to lose ten pounds. I followed it to the tee and got no results.

Dear Jason(?),

(I have to say that the manner in which you respond to posts is interesting. Looks like you’ve had to give depositions in the past—interesting)

Jason: “At least have the "Ethical" decency to post your name.”

I can’t authenticate your decency because I don’t know if “Jason” is your real name. And it’s “Ms. Chick” to you—lighten up.

Jason: “CHICK: Thank you for bringing to light this pyramid-marketing scheme. Don't you hate shills? Attacking people is the true hallmark of a shill.

--Loaded words indeed. "Attacking people"?? Can you write without inflaming inaccuracies?”

I can write oodles on flaming inaccuracies—what topic would you like to select? Oh, I know—how about pyramid schemes like Herbalife?

Jason: “CHICK: I'm happy that James is so comfortable with the network marketing of Herbal Life.
--No you aren't...”

That’s true, I’m not happy that anyone could be so dense.

Jason: “CHICK: That's a nice way of James saying that he loves working in a pyramid scheme.
--Of course it is...? All along that's been my goal...Attack people through a pyramid scheme. Where do you get this stuff?”

I get the information from shill-posts like yours.

Jason: “CHICK: I'm not saying that Herbal Life is a fraud. It is just my opinion that pyramid-marketing schemes are unethical in that the main company relies on its shills to bring in family members.
--Really?...hasn't happened to me. Can you articulate what the ethical compromise is in selling you family a product? I Doubt it. “

Sure I can, Jason—it’s unethical for an enterprise to encourage its members to lure its “warm market” into a sales pyramid. Let’s visualize Target telling new employees that #1 they have to pay for a brochure about job openings, #2 they have to pay for all training, #3 that as part of their job responsibilities they had to bring their family members to Target to buy product and work.

Also, Herbalife sells products that we could find out causes poor health or even death—Phen Phen was supposed to be a sure thing and it was FDA approved. Herbalife slips under the radar of “herb” products.

Jason: “CHICK: Some family members will pump a bunch of money into worthless product to help a relative. However, I think that's terrible.
--Of course it would be terrible...that's ano brainer. Worthless product? Where have receieved your info? Don't you think that in the last 22 years that the 'fraud' would have been exposed?”

The “no-brainer” is your shilling, poor spelling and your weak attempt to “convince the readers that pyramids are wholesome family fun.

Jason: “CHICK: I haven't read many good things about Herbal Life.
--Can I have some references to check please? We'll see about credibility.”

Jason: “CHICK: I am not convinced its products are worth the cost nor am I convinced that they do what the Herbal Life people claim.
--And what evidence lead you to believe this? I lost 15 pounds in 17 days....what's your story? The funny thing is, I wasn't convinced that it was authentic until the results spoke loud and clear. I though it was a gimmick...it wasn't.”

We have no proof you lost that many pounds other than that you say so. I’m afraid you are unconvincing. Please explain all of the posted complaints about Herbalife on the Rip-Off Report and the web.

Jason: “CHICK: I haven't seen any studies showing Herbal Life products to be effective.
--How hard have you looked? I think I know the answer..."John said that Ralph said that a guy told him about this guy that..." Do personal testimonies carry any credibility with you? Or do you prefer to categorically call every one of them liars because you're predisposed to rejecting it anyway?”

No, personal testimonies carry no value for me. I like scientific papers and research provided by a non-interested third party. “Shills” typically give testimonials.

Jason: “CHICK: I think any company that allows people to buy a job or positions to be unethical and over rated.
--Why? Articulate.”

Do you even know what articulate means? Morons, vulnerable and uneducated people join pyramid schemes—you only prove my point. (I don’t count you as vulnerable)

Jason: “CHICK: Jason, I thank you for sharing your experience with this Multi Level Marketing company to the readers of the Rip-off Report.
--Experience? His inaccuracies harm his credibility. Let me ask you...what constitutes a rip-off? A rip-off is simply not provided or producing as promised. Now....where's the rip-off?”

Let me get this straight, you challenge me not wanting to accept “your” testimonials and yet you want “no one” to listen to the testimonials of those harmed? Your ignorance is showing. The rip-off occurred when he didn’t receive what he was promised and his money was taken.

Jason: “ CHICK: You may have saved some people from spending thousands of dollars they don't have.
--You shouldn't do that anyway....Of course, I've seen people shell out $250,000 in franchise fees before they've earned a dime. Is that legitimate? Careful how you answer. So...what's the difference?”

Jason, there are many scams in the franchise industry as well. I don’t have to be careful how I answer any question “you” ask. I am an expert in fraud.

Jason: “CHICK: I think $1,000 to $4,000 should be spent on some college courses than going to Herbal Life.
--Go for it. Study capitalism. Then hit the job market with your new skills. It's the American way.”

I’ll pass, I have my degree in Criminology and my specialty is economic crime. I make plenty of money and I can’t be suckered into a pyramid.

Jason: :CHICK: In addition to saving money for yourself, you've saved your family from the sense of obligation to purchase snake oil or placebos from you to help you.
--Snake oil and placebos? LOL....back to school CHICK.”

The only time I walk into a classroom now is to teach college courses. Your shilling is sad and unconvincing. I suspect you probably feel smart because you’ve convinced people to join something where you know they will lose money. Ripping people off makes you feel smarter than them.

If Herbalife were so wonderful there would be no complaints here or anywhere. You spend far too much time shilling to convince me that you’re an ace salesman. You’re frothing at the keyboard to convince the public that Pyramid schemes are wonderful. Why? Hucksters can’t afford an informed public.

The products work. Very few people, let alone millions worldwide, would want to or be able to consistently sell products that didn't work. There isn't that much lying in the world.

All companies have lawsuits. McDonalds having huge payouts to customers doesn't stop people from going to the driv-thru. None of the lawsuits are in relation to the products being effective.

Anyone can make a demon out of an angel. Just because some people might only sell to their family and friends doesn't make it wrong. Just because you may find it tacky doesn't make it wrong or immoral. If you had success with something as important as health, wouldn't you want to share it with those that you love?

Anyone would want their family and friends to prosper as they do. If you found a way to make money by helping people, wouldn't you share it with those that you cared about?

What makes selling Herbalife any different than Avon? Is Herbalife marked up? Is a Twinkie? Of course it is. Everything is marked up, and whoever had a hand in any product getting from the manufacturer to you got paid. What's so bad about getting paid ridiculous amounts of money to help your friends get paid and your customer to get healthy?

This arguement is silly. Herbalife doesn't say it gives you anything for free. Nothing is free. It doesn't say that you have to get your friends to sell it, too. You decide if you want to. Same goes for selling the product.

I am a herbalife distributor. I have tried many different products and they all do what they say. I have over 50 customers (all not family members) and not a single distributor works for me. I don't recruit people because I don't want to. Never have I've been pressured to do so. I do this to help people. We have a money back guarantee that no one uses.

Do you realize that EVERY company wants you and your family and your friends and anyone within a yelling distance to buy from them? This isn't a rip-off, it's a highly effective way of selling. Period.

I've read all your comments, it sounds a lot like real people vs. Herbalife cult members in a shouting match near the end. My experience with Herbalife (still ongoing) is this: My wife is a marketer for Herbalife products. Without my knowledge, she purchased the decision package ($49), then the product package ($400+) on credit card to become a distributor. Then she had to buy a bunch more product to become supervisor. Finally I found out. She claims to make over $2000 a month, but I've never seen one dollar of it paying back the credit balance - evidently she needs to invest it back into her "business". A business which has taken all of her time from me and our two preschool boys as she is on the phone all night trying to get others to take or sell this product. So whenever our kids are away, they always ask when Daddy's coming to pick them up, or when they are going to see Daddy. This wasn't a job I initially signed up for, but since they are my kids of course I look after them. My last, and most hard to accept comment, is regarding the product - yes, they work. They will strip fat from your body. Needed or not, excercise or not. My beautiful, curvaceous wife became a stick figure in 6 months. She wanted to drop maybe 35 lbs. But after the remarkable results she obtained, she still found some inches she wanted to loose on her stomach (ZERO exercise for her, mind you) so she kept taking them. She now has almost no breasts - D to an A cup :-( and still has that little paunch, as well as occasional chest pains sometimes and faintness and dizziness. I try to tell her that it is no longer attractive to me, that she is definitely not the woman that I wanted to marry, and yet she won't stop taking the weight loss "medicine" or start excercising, or stop spending our money. I cannot conciously recommend this company to anyone, due to the damage it has done to me and my family life already.

Interesting Reading here.. Most of the information is worth reading.. But some interesting facts are not included..

1. Branding of Herbalife name is coming - Have you heard of Disney, MTV, Nichalodian or have you seen all the Disney movies in Blockbuster and Wal-Mart, etc. Well of course you have.. And the man that is responsible for that is Michael O. Johnson - He's Herbalife's CEO effective May 2003 - Herbalife will be a common household name. Just like many of you - You don't watch MTV, never been to any Disney Theme Parks, never watched a Disney Movie and probably talk bad about them all.. But it's inevitable - Herbalife is going to be the leader in the Health and Wellness industry no matter what any of you say or do.

2. Do you know the name Louis Ignarro. Look it up on the web. You will find his name in any search engine. He’s the 1998 Nobel Laureate for Medicine or Physiology. He discovered NO (Nitric Oxide) - He's now developing products for Herbalife - NiteWorks is the first of many life saving products he will developed.

3. What about Dr. David Heber? Well again look him up in any search engine.. He is Director of UCLA Nutritional Center for Obesity...also Directs National Cancer Institute and Heads the Mark Hughes Cellular & Molecular Nutrition Lab @ UCLA (That's part of Herbalife by the way)

4. Another name and prominent Doctor and Researcher - Janise Thompson.. You asked for public scientific studies, well here they come. She's heading all this up.. and will have them all published in the New England journal of Medicine.

All you negative thinkers can keep on thinking the way you want, but James and I are going to help millions of people get healthy and Herbalife is going to pay us royalties for that..

So you all have a great day.

J:

I can sympathise with everything you say. My wife was also in Herbalife for about seven years. She has left, albeit to join another MLM; Melaleuca.

I often wonder how much money she has spent and how much time we have lost.

My relationship with my wife - like yours with your wife - is no longer the same.

While I would like my wife to be successful, if the cost is a singlemindedness that relegates family and "real" friends to mere distractions in her life, I do not think it is worth it.

Perhaps one day they'll wake up and realise that money isn't everything, and that life is too short to waste lining the pockets of others and pursuing a dream only the very few get to enjoy.

Good luck J,
I hope everything works out.

Cheers,

Jim,

Do you think we are so stupid that you can fool us by naming Herbalife sycophants with PhDs?

Your argument is flawed because NONE of the individuals - according to YOU - are independent.
Every one of them work for Herbalife.

There are plenty of intelligent, well educated people out there with doctorates who would put their name to products for money.

The reason Herbalife "hire" these people is that it is such a great promoting tool. Herbalife can promote it to their underlings and of course all these pumped up "Health & Wealth" freaks will gobble it all up.

Personally I don't give a shit who endorses a product. Jordan, Tiger, Britany Spears, Wacko Jacko: Who cares?

Ever read any Roland Barthes, Jim?

"Advertising is all myth..."

PS.How about listing the advice of independent experts who have no connection to Herbalife????

Cheers,

Why so much hate... have you tried our new product called "Relax Now"?

Just face it Network Marketing is here to stay. If it's not for you.. no problem.. Why do you have to try and steal other peoples dreams?

Things are going to change.. it just takes time.. when was the last time you were deceived by Herbalife.. not the Independent Distributors.. but Herbalife Int.?

Have a great day and chill my man.. chill!!

I don't hate you, Jim. You make me laugh.

I LAUGH when you stop responding to questions when they become too difficult.

I LAUGH when you - like a snake oil salesman - still manage a product endorsement when you are on the back foot. ("Have you tried our new product called 'Relax Now'?")

I LAUGH when you say that I am "stealing other people's dreams."
If someone decides to leave Herbalife (which is, I presume what you are inferring) because of something I write here, how concrete and achievable are their dreams in the first place? The truth is that the dream is conjured out of all the crud that gets aired during all your phoney meetings and propaganda. More like a nightmare than a dream.

I can't remember anyone ever saying "Gee, I wish I had stayed with Herbalife (or any other MLM)..." Most people are so relieved (from my experience) when they leave MLMs that they can get on and enjoy their life without all the bullshit and mind games.

I LAUGH when you ask when the last time I was "deceived by Herbalife...not the independent distributors... but Herbalife Int.?"
This is the point Jim, isn't it? You guys don't get it. The Independent Distributors ARE Herbalife. Where would the company be without them? Oh, I know there are pieces of paper that say everyone is independent etc etc... but really. How about a bit of corporate responsibilty?

I DO NOT LAUGH, however, when I read J from Toronto's comments.

What do you think Jim? Should J just "chill"?

Life is more than money, bullshit dreams and fake attitudes.

Cheers,

What question did I not answer? I don't think you are stupid.. I'm just stating the facts about the dream team..

Yes all of the above work with or are affiliated with Herbalife in some way or another.. Why? The peoples ask for it.. the people ask, Herbalife delivers.. Remember all the signs that you use to see? Look around - do you see them any more? NO because You all complained about it..

My point was why would some of the above individuals leave well established companies or positions for some MLM.. It could be the money.. who knows? We will the distributors.. and they will be gone before you know it..

In response to your statement - "Personally I don't give a sxxt who endorses a product. Jordan, Tiger, Brittany Spears, Wacko Jacko: Who cares?" First of all you shouldn't swear..it's not nice.. Anyway you tell me you've never done anything just because of endorsements.. come one.. You go to movies just because you have nothing else to do.. You drive the car you drive just because... You visit distance cities just because..

Oh just so you know.. I was in an MLM 12 years ago..(left because the now ex-wife complained so much) I missed it so much I started my search again and am now happy.. they are people out there that love network marketing and finding those special people that believe in themselves is what it's all about.. BTW about 45% of the new team members joining our organization where previous Herbalife Distributors..or in other MLM's.

About other people that promote MLM, ever here of Donald Trump or Robert T. Kiyosaki.. They both agree with the concept and are not involved with MLM's only because they chose another path.. that's their choice not mine.. besides I don't have millions of dollars to invest in RE,etc.

And, All I can say for J. from Toronto, Love your wife for who she is.. she's a Herbalife Distributor.. If you nag her, it will only hurt you.. She will quit, get depressed (because she's no longer doing what she loves), start eating more than ever and get FAT (Just because you said she was getting too thin) and will make your life miserable. But you will be happy.. come on, don't be so selfish.. Your comment about being a father really disturbs me "This wasn't a job I initially signed up for, but since they are my kids of course I look after them" I think the problem stems a little deeper than Herbalife..and I'm not going there..

I'm a single dad and my daughter lives with me. She is the reason I do what I do.. I devote 1 - 2 hours a day with her before I start working my business, she understands the long hours are only short term.. J. you really need to talk to your FAMILY and understand what your wife is doing.. How would you feel if she's doing all this for you and the kids, then she finds out you are on the internet complaining to everyone else (but her).. All her love for you and the effort she puts in the business just for you and the family.. And no one appreciates it.. what a shame.

Have a great day!

You said:
"Oh just so you know.. I was in an MLM 12 years ago..(left because the now ex-wife complained so much) I missed it so much I started my search again and am now happy.. they are people out there that love network marketing and finding those special people that believe in themselves is what it's all about.."

You started your "search" again??? Come on. I've got a few bucks that says you were "pitched" by someone. Am I right? Or did you just call all the MLMs in the phone book and interview them all?

Sounds like you were in Amway before Herbalife, huh? You're treading a path that has been followed so often my friend.

And the comment "... finding those special people that believe in themselves is what it is all about..." really makes me sick. This attitude is, I believe, what disgusts most MLM haters. People like you, Jim, have such a righteous, supercilious attitude. You think anyone who doesn't like MLMs, and Herbalife in particular, are stupid. Only the "special" people will see the great Herbalife dream.
It is evident in your attitude, one can see it even in black and white text on a computer monitor.

Herbalife is just a job, man, nothing more, nothing less. I've said it before; plenty of truck drivers have ended up running billion dollar transport companies. Window cleaners have made it to the top of the business world. A toilet roll salesmen started the biggest fast food chain in the world. People need to believe in THEMSELVES, not in the dreams of self selving others.

This statement I could not understand at all:

"My point was why would some of the above individuals leave well established companies or positions for some MLM.. It could be the money.. who knows? We will the distributors.. and they will be gone before you know it.."

Huh??????????

The following I understood; it was just an erroneous statement.
"Anyway you tell me you've never done anything just because of endorsements.. come one.. You go to movies just because you have nothing else to do.. You drive the car you drive just because... You visit distance cities just because.. "

Yes, I go to the movies. I go and see movies I think may interest me. I DO NOT go to a movie that Tom Cruise appears in simply because of what he says about it. I may go because I like a particular actor/actress' previous work, or the Director, or because of the subject matter. I may even go because I have read a review by a bona fide movie critic whose opinion I respect.

The point is one should never make decisions based solely on the opinion of someone who has a vested interest in your decision. By nature you, Jim, have a financial interest in your prospective downlines joining Herbalife. By nature the seller of any business/movie/automobile has a vested interest when promoting their product. Intelligent people will never rely solely on the information that these people offer. When I purchased a new car for my wife about two weeks ago - seriously - I read reports from several different independent motoring groups and respected motoring journalists and I made my mind up based on this information. I didn't just rely on the glossy colour brochures.

Another of your comments: "BTW about 45% of the new team members joining our organization where [I presume you mean were!] previous Herbalife Distributors..or in other MLM's."

I thought all the ex-Herbalife distributors were joining Melaleuca????

Finally, you say: "About other people that promote MLM, ever here (sic) of Donald Trump or Robert T. Kiyosaki.. They both agree with the concept and are not involved with MLM's only because they chose another path.. that's their choice not mine.. besides I don't have millions of dollars to invest in RE,etc."

I've never heard of Donald Trump advocating MLMs, but I'll take your word for it. Not that it means much. I was hoping you may have dug up a respected and objective academic who can back up Herbalife. It seems not.

As for Kiyosaki, I know a little about him, and, from what I understand, his advice is founded upon average people becoming wealthy by doing the things that most people do not. ie. Not spending all your cash on a home - like his "Poor Dad" did etc etc. You don't need "millions of dollars" Jim. Perhaps you should actually read something about the people you are quoting.

Of course, Robert Kiyosaki is not an objective observer of Herbalife and other MLMs either, is he? I'm almost sure he has been paid to speak at Herbalife functions.

Secondly, Kiyosaki is an intelligent man. He knows on which side his bread is buttered. Why would he offend the millions of people that spend money buying his books? After all, most of his sales are to MLMers.

Thirdly, I often wonder about guys like Kiyosaki, Jim Rohn, Anthony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins et al. If they are so good at their particular vocation why spend all that time preaching? Why aren't they out making money? Perhaps it is because they make a hell of a lot more money selling books, tapes, CDs and videos to drones like you. And you all gobble it all up. Add another $50 tape to the collection; Another pathetic, hyped up discourse reinventing and then regurgitating the same old rhetoric.

PS

I thought your comments to J from Toronto summed up your character. But I placated myself by my belief in Karma.

Cheers,

I have a dream and no one will take it from me!!

I believe in Herbalife and the fact is Herbalife saved my life.. and YOU can't change that no matter how much negativity you have..

Have a great day..

PS: My Executive Master of Science in Management of Technology from Georgia Institute of Technology DuPree College of Management is in Technology not English.. Where would we all be without spell check!!

PSS: Have you tried "NiteWorks" yet - I've increased my cardio exercise to 60 minutes.. and my Blood Presure yesterday was 112/76.. not bad after a 1 hour run especially since I had taken Blood Pressure Medication for 8 years prior to Herbalife.

I won't be replying to you any more, Jim.
You cannot conduct a reasoned argument, refuse to answer questions and continually peddle your pathetic products.

I've read through this thread and discovered that any sane objective person who reads it will immediately understand your character. You have an amazing ability to express your true self with words and phrases.

Your arrogant, slimy nature shines through.

What a great advertisement you are for your business.

Cheers,

PS
Rent out the movie "Suckers". Are any of those characters based on you?

To the readers;

At no time was I trying to argue or convince anyone to try any thing.. I just ask simple questions and stated the facts. That obviously made some of the readers uncomfortable.

The Truth is I Love Herbalife and it has changed my life forever..

It's totally up to you what you think.. I'm not trying to influence anyone here.

As far as my personality and character... well, you be the judge.. I don't recall ever putting anyone down in this thread or at anytime. I didn't make fun of or put anyone down for making a decision in their life, or degrade another just because of spelling, etc.

So it's your future.. it's your health.. only you can make a change..

Have a great day and God Bless..

As a person who has worked in Commercial Real Estate Industry for years I find that the Herbalife business is Legitimate. Distributors along with running their own business get to offer other people an opportunity to work at home and get (commissions) checks from Herbalife for all the energy, effort, and work they did in the past.

The Herbalife business sounds exactly like what goes on in the CRE industry on a regular basis. Say you own a commercial building. You also have your own Leasing office as part of your company and in that office you have a person who runs the Leasing business for you. That person advertises for other RE brokers to find people to put in all of your offices located in your building(s). The broker who brings the client that signs a lease gets a big commission check from the guy who owns the building…but wait there’s more! The company Leasing office also gets a commission! If that person leases the office space again when the lease is up both brokers get commissions. This commission check repeats again and again and again as long as the customer (tenant) keeps using the spaces every time they renew their lease. You as the owner’s broker are doing two things (1) selling and (2) making a commission off of other people’s work.

Herbalife is a real business and they have been helping people with health and nutrition products since 1998 and last time I checked they were in 58 countries. Have helped over 40 million people reach and maintain their weight loss or health & wellness goal. Herbalife offer anyone the opportunity extra money from the comfort of their own home, around their current job or as a full time career.

I do not think distributors are being deceptive, they are using a screening process to make sure the people interested in the business are not looking for a "get rich quick scheme" because it is a real business and the distributor only wants to work with those who are serious about owning their own business (even if it is a part time one).

I looked into Herbalife (touted as The Elite Group) and formulated the following.

1.) As in any business you have to be part of the trend. In this case the baby boomers for Herbalife.

2.) If #1 is true, you have to have a marketing position to allow for quick market saturation and in the case of an MLM a vast inventory of people to leverage to sell and become associates (down line, residual money machines).

3.) If you look at the demagraphics of this MLM the peak was from 1998-2001. Now the market is saturated to the point that to be able to make the money you want and are told you can make you would have to have 30% of the existing population as down lines.

4.) As this is not possible the company has reverted to misleading people and using promo's from people that did get in at the right time.
This is why they do not tell you up front that this is Herbalife as everyone knows the market is saturated with these over priced products.

5.) If this MLM is such a great deal then why are there more Herbalife products for sale at 1/2 price on Ebay than anywhere else?

6.) Its really not the product, even though they are over priced and in some cases reported as harmful, it is the tactics that this MLM uses to make you think you can achieve in a arena that is already saturated.

7.) You can't make the $500-$10,00 a month from selling the product, it can only be made from recruiting downlines and a saturated market does not support this thesis.

Jim said he was stating the "facts". He like some other people who talk about Herbalife are not stating facts. 90% of what they talk about are opinions or negative ones someone else told him, and the other 10% is fact(usually the basic info about the company like its a business in wellness industry, been around since 1980, helps people lose weight and offers a business opportunity).

Herbalife has made lots of people healthy, and the distributors are making a good living or extra income (whichever they choose) while helping people with their health needs. Many people who have been in the business for only 2 or 5 years are already at the top 20% of incomes in Herbalife. You don't have have joined the business back at the begining to make a good living as a distributor. Many people are only doing the retail business and making good money at it. The great thing about using the products is that you get a personal counselor who helps you over the phone with your health, weight loss, fitness, & skin care, needs. If you go into a store they dont call you and say "hey how are you doing using the product, can we help you with any questions?" No. you dont get that in a store. If one did not need to have a person to consult with after you purchased the products and while you used the products they wouldnt use distributors the products would be on the shelf, but since the distributor cares about the customer getting results (and by the way Herbalife offers a 35% discount on purchases forever through distributors) then there is a relationship built with the customer that lasts past the time the person reaches their goals.

I got great results on the product. I couldnt lose weight in the military for 4.5 years and after I got out I found out about Herbalife and tried the products. I lost 12 lbs in 9 days went on to lose 17 lbs and went from a size 10 to a size 2 in 20 days on the program. My family saw it happen and they were amazed. interesting thing is it has stayed off for 6 years and i didnt use the product after i lost the weight, my husband and i frequently go out to eat and have meal gatherings with our friends at their homes. My husband recently lost 42 lbs in 2 months and 67lbs and 24 inches in 3 months.

The thing is that the products work and that is why people use them. Since all the other products and diet programs on the market dont work, people dont know if Herbalife will work until they meet a distributor and try it themselves, and when they do they get excited because they finally found something that works.

I do the business part time for extra money and I made $400.00 profit in only 4 days. I am a new distributor and happy with my business.

The people that are negative about the Herbalife business opportunity (with whatever distributor group name each downline uses as their business team) are the people that they have the screening process to weed out like "Renee" was saying. Those people are not interested in owning their own business from home once they realize its about "get-rich-now", because they want to make tons of money right away, and Herbalife is not going to provide it so they get upset and start bad mouthing it. If they read the business opportinuty information it says "earn up to" and "depending on your own efforts". Anyone can do this business. All they need to do is decide how much money they want to use to advertize, and what they can do on a daily basis to bring people to their business. You dont have to spend thousands on packages that the distributors offer. They are great packages but many people dont start out with that kind of money, and so they just get the distributor kit (under $100) talk to friends and family and do fliers and advertize in newspapers. When they get customers and treat them well, the customers refer people back to them once they are getting results themselves. They dont have to have fancy websites they can use herbalife.com and a herbalife bus. opp. site available to them. There are lots of ways to do business in Herbalife at any level you can afford. The question is do they really want a business and if so, what are they going to do to make their business a success.

Herbalife is the industry leader. They are always coming out with products. Sadly, other companies try to duplicate/rip off the Herbalife product and it results in a lesser quality product at a low price and they are only doing it just to make a buck. Distributors care about their customers and treat them as if they were an important guests visiting in their home.

If people want to have a business in the Health & Wellness Industry then Herbalife is the business for them.

Hi there, I've been with herbalife for about 6 months now, Made it to supervisor, I have no downline at all, But I have about 30 customers. And make more than "500-1000" a month. Most of you people are just too lazy to work the system. My customers are happy, and returning.

My ex friends sold me on the weight loss program.
I gained fourteen pounds in two weeks.........

The definition of a pyramid scheme is when you are asked to join a company, team or rganization for a price, and to encourage others to do the same. In this type of SCAM there is no product or service offered. This is illegal in many countries including parts of North America.

MLM or Multi Level Marketing is a legitimate marketing system used by many companies including some phone companies like, “friends and family packages”, where they encourage you to get your friends and family to sign on with them for long distance service and you get a rebate. Hmmmm sounds familiar, Global Online Systems and Herbalife are legitimate business opportunities, it’s the human factor that is not always so ethical.

SO ask questions get informed and make an educated decision as to weather you have what it takes to be your own boss. Motivation, Discipline, Autonomy and Courage are the keys to Success in any venture.

The Fraud Chick should make sure she has the entire facts straight before she points her finger at James who is running a legitimate business.

I worked for them for two years and witnessed many lawsuits from the inside and outside. I was also instrumental in having to assist the top brass for their case in Wash DC FDA ... the people then; Hughes, Thompson and more were very dishonest... only by being on the inside did I come to realize the harm they did to so many people. I collected hundreds of testimonies pro and con worldwide for and against Hughes. Having experienced the internal turmoil, the unethical business practices, the bogus bought doctors, the incredible marketing machine which was well organized and well paid, the bs writings in their magazine journal to entice others, and so much more, that I had to leave the Company to save my sanity and my ethics, but not without seeing many lives torn apart financially and emotionally by Hughes and his buddies who ran the company with little business knowledge, friends of his who started with him who were top notch in their con-artist skills.

For sentimental and historical reasons I saved reports and chemical analysis of his products which were bogus then and bogus now - if you want to lose weight almost any product out there can help you provided you can stay with a program, EXERCISE like crazy and STOP EATING ALL THE WRONG FOODS... many safe alternative dieting drinks and foods are available at any store not necessarily health foods and not as costly as their products. I had all their products but because I worked for them got them cheaper but they were no different or better than so many others out there by many companies. Marketing is the name of the game...

Herbalife works because they have incredible motivators, they pay top money for presentations, packaging, marketing and so forth - the inside unfortunately is rotten to the core, but then again, live and learn, be careful with your money. You won't get rich here - only if you find unfortunate, desperate, needy people who believe the hype and throw good money away at distributors who want to sell you INVENTORY...that is where the money is - YOU SELL INVENTORIES OF PRODUCTS and then the business materials.

You could do better on your own marketing some small item well made on EBAY or on a website and develop a different attitude towards money and your own capabilities. They sell dreams and theirs came true. Develop YOUR OWN DREAM and make it come true. Don't depend on others to sell you a magic formula because it does not exist. CAVEAT EMPTOR!

I hope those who got taken learned a lesson and move on... watch out for any group, person who is too hyped up to sell you a dream.. Dreams are important and you should have them but research, research, research, and try their patience and ask a lot of questions... you'll see the real business people from the unethical ones. Charlatans abound and unfortunately this is one very successful Charlatan Business.

Good Luck...JS

Listen!

Ok i came across this website while i was working on my computer.

I am a Herbalife Indepenant Distributor from spain (one of the 59 countries operate in)

Everbody who has posted a crititizm about Herbalife really need´s to GETA LIFE

I have been with the company for 3 weeks.

I bought the International Business pack for 115 euros which is a bout 85 US $ ok

I have now made 428 Euros in them 3 week and that is by retailing to 5 customers i have spent 35 euros on advertising for these 3 week´s so in total i have made 278 euros.

Not bad eh i have no just signed up my first downline distributor and he has just found his first cusomer who bought some products so again i have made money on that.
I am very Excited for my Future with Herbalife.

and i dont care what anybody has to say about the company or the products because as long as i know the products work i am happy.

I dont need to loose weight and am a very fit person However i had severe acne and hated going out in public, since i found herbalife Its cleared up my acne so much i can actually look in the mirror at myself now.

So Thankyou Herbalife for making me a happier Person and even if this doesnt work for me. at least i can say i had a go.

Life is full or chances and i took the right one with the BEST.

Have a great day all.

I stumbled upon this site and could not believe the comments.

But never the less there are some angry people in the world that do not understand Network Marketing vs pyramid schemes, and I am not one of them.

Yes call me a convert and a Herbalife Distributor and proud of it too. Herbalife is for everyone, the Business Opportunity may not be however.

The products are tried and proven and I dont have to argue that with anyone, I would be wasting my time when I could spend it better helping someone to loose weight and feel great.

The Business - Lots of gripping about the cost. When was the last time you tried to set up a Business like a GNC store, a Sporting goods store etc? What was the initial investment? How many people in this world could afford to do that? Well think about it, How many? They wouldn't have the collateral to guaranteee a bank loan for starters plus alot of other costs.

Herbalife has given the world this opportunity through an established LEGAL practice of Network Marketing WORLDWIDE. We aren't force by anyone to sign up. They are given the information, they make a decision.

If you want good returns you work hard like any business. You lazy and just want to get rich quick, then this is not the line of business for you. But don't blame Herbalife for your short comings.

Many people are doing great in Network Marketing puting food on the table and making a beter life for there families and for other families as well.

How many people have you helped today, in anyway? How have you made this world a better place. Did you have enough money last year to give 500, 1000, 10000, well Herbalife can help people do just that and so they can make a difference in some starving childs life. If your working your nine to five and earning a decent salary and can give $5000 to charity then great but dont knock the man/woman who is trying to do just that by having his own business to better his/her financial position and inturn the position of those he give to.

All the very best to those in Herbalife and to those in Network Marketing. And to those not in a Business Opportunity and are still in the rat race of the 9-5 job then that is your choice and we respect it and wish you all the very best in your life.

HAVE A GREAT DAY

Just so you all know, you dont have to go along with the "Team" that "Sponsors" you.

I did at first and figured out that I was wasting my time. I could not afford to purchase leads at 300.00 a pop. I could not afford web-site hosting at $39.95 a month. I do not pay for such expenses.

I am a distributor for Herbalife, I work to make my own money and own my own life. I created my own web-site and have a "outsider" host it for $60.00 a year. I only pay for advertising I want to get from "outsiders" and I dont buy the $300.00 leads.

These "Teams" are not really about just Herbalife, they have other agendas and businesses in place and are creating their so called "riches" by getting you to buy their advertising, their leads, their websites in a passive-agressive fashion and therefore the blame for these expenses should lay on their shoulders, not on Herbalife.

If you really read through the International Business Pack, you will see that Herbalife does not sell you a web-site, leads or other erroneous items. It sells you a liscense to do business in the countries where it is legal to sell Herbalife. It sells advertising materials, if you want them pre-done (if not you can download free advertising fliers and print them yourself). It states that you can create your own web-site, you can do your own advertising and you dont have to sign people up unless you want to.

If you sign up to be a distributor and can not afford the web-site or the leads, dont pay for them.

FYI-I dont want to "recruit" anyone, I enjoy being a distributor and NOT having to train someone in my so-called "down-line". I only have one person under me and that was because SHE wanted to know how to get a discount on her orders and order what she wanted when she wanted without having to call me all the time.

Only when you have used the products, under the supervision of someone who knows the products, and cares about your health, you can have a relevant opinion.

Don't try to get rich, try to help people. I have recently been confronted with 2 people who had bad results with Herbalife. The person from whom they bought the products was chasing the euro's. i can not handle more than 10 new costumers a month. It would be mathematicaly imposible. I would not have any time left to enjoy life.

So to all Herbalivers who read this, remember, you buy at at least 25% rebate. Only use half of that 25% to invest, the rest to enjoy. Being your own boss means making the money before you spend it. Read forrums like these to stay sharp. Don't get blinded by the cash, work hard, and if it is to come it will come.

I do not represent Holland i represent my self. Happy to be able to contibute, and keep the discusion healthy.

Don't argue. Argueing is mudslinging. Discussing is bringing relevant facts and thoughts to check if your opinion is grounded or not.

Read the content of your IBP every three months. Each time you will descover new things.

I have read with amazement this debate that has raged for over two years. My wife and I have been in the business for six months, are making more money than we expected, and have found that the products really do help people. And we service our customers to make sure that they are getting the benefits. And they are ALL getting the benefits.

It is a great business, as long as you are prepared to listen, learn, and follow the system. All my friends are still my friends, and most of my family are on the products.

I would recommend it to anyone, provided that you are prepared to be your own boss...sometimes that is the most difficult thing of all, because the only one you can blame for failure is yourself, when you are the boss. So, maybe this debate has been about who is prepared to take personal responsibility for their path in life.

Hi, I am a herbalife distributor and am really disturbed by all the rip off report comments. Herbalife is just like any other business. Let's take AVON for example. We do the exact same thing as they do. We go out and sell our products and promote our business. As far as the work from home part, technically you are working from home. If you decide to step up and become a supervisor of the business, that is when the high amount of money is made. You sign people under you to become distributors, and help you and theirselves make money. Just like any typical job. You 'hire' people under you to be successful. I'm not going to touch subjects with the product because different things work for different people, but from experience the product DOES work, for ME and PEOPLE I KNOW. Most people who write these "RIP-OFF" reports havent even tried this business opportunity.
They tried other businesses that failed for them, read about this one and assumed it is all the same. But I'm sure you all the saying about "ASSUMING". I am making very good money with this business and will continue as long as there is obesity and unhealthy, or unhappy people in this world. Some things never go out of style, and that's what you should base a business on, something that people can use forever.....people are ALWAYS looking for a way to lose weight. Please don't bad talk anything you havent tried. If you have tried it and don't like it or think it's for you, then FINE AND DANDY, but let me give you an example of why this makes no sense to bad talk a business that you think doesn't work for you: You work at a fast food restaraunt and don't like it. Are you gonna write a rip off report because you didnt like the job or you didn't make as much money as you wanted? As far as the 800 numbers. We ask you to listen to those so we can filter between the serious and non-serious people. We don't wanna waste our time or yours if you are not interested and motivated about making money. I talk with my supervisor ALL the time on the phone. She helps me out tremendously. If I ever decide to bring someone in under me, I will help them just the same.

I am an Herbalife Distributor and have been for 2 years. First let me say it's a business and not a get rich quick scheme. As with any business you need to put forth the effort to make it work and you do need to invest in your business in order to get it going. It's a shame that some sponsor's took your money and were never heard from again. I have to say that my sponsor is not like that and neither is her sponsor. Both my first and second level upline are always there to help me and answer any questions I may have. In the beginning it was not unheard of for the three of us to be on the phone well after midnight answering questions, explaining the marketing plan, working on my 90 day plan, etc. I had a very limited budget to work with but they always had low cost ideas to help me advertise. I was never pushed into buying into supervisor or forced to buy anything I couldn't afford or didn't want - no one can force you to do anything.

Again, it's a shame that your sponsors let you down. It is their reponsibility to teach and train. Instead a few bad apples spoiled the bunch.

You know one thing you have to understand, The ones that are already branching out and selling orders to other people to sell and maybe not go in the hole to bad, are good at one thing and that is handling rebuttals. Now that doesn't make them good or bad, But it does kind of cause a slight oder to float around I always just move up wind from them and let them go on their marry way. But the one problem I have is the person who lost 20 pounds and got completely off blood pressure meds. My wife the nurse now for about 28 years said after I read that statement to her. That they probably didn't have much of a blood pressure problem huh?

As a Doctor, I decided to study the Herbalife products myself. I have reached one fact. Only hard work and determination will cause you to lose weight or feel better about yourself. The items sold by Herbalife have some good factors for healthy people and some toxic results for people with heart or dieabetic problems.

1) Hearts with stints: should not mix plavix, Lipator, or Cozar with any of the metobolics or man made steoridal compounds with hidden names such as myocadlsiane HCI or Ginseng or Ginko Biloba, Found in some products.

2). Before starting any diet regime, talk to your DOCTOR, tell him which products you intend to use and what dosage. This comes from a six year study by the FDA on the diet craze. All articals can be found on WebMD.

Herbalife, like any other "Health and wellness" company like GNC will give you a book of testimonials to read, check with your Doctor!
Did you know that the mixture of Ginko Biloba and green herbal tea can be deadly? over 33 people have died from this mixture (FDA study B33945A-729C). also if you are on most of the high blood pressure medications taking some/most herbs can cause liver and kidney failure. Something to think about.

Why are there so many people posting here to defend this company? I'll explain to you why. This company is a rip-off and they KNOW that a bad mark is being put on the company that they work for, so they search for sites like this one and try to convince anyone that is on the fence about buying into this B.S. to go ahead and try. I would like to see some REAL PROFITS of you guys with so much love and support for this company. How much profit do you make. I could care less that your making $2,000 a month part time if your spending $1,900 a month. This company is a scam. I have unfortunatly tried it and it is a rip off. Anyone on here looking to start a legit company selling suppliments listen here......YOU DONT NEED THIS COMPANY TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS SELLING SUPLIMENTS.....YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN.....AND GUESS WHAT.....YOUR START UP COSTS WILL BE LESS AND YOU CAN MAKE AN ACTUAL PROFIT AND FEEL GOOD THAT YOUR NOT RIPPING ANYONE OFF OR GETTING BENT OVER YOURSELF!!!!!!!

This company is not a rip off!!!!
Dump asssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FIRST of all learn to spell. It's spelled DUMB not DUMP. Who's the dumb ass now.
SECOND of all why are there so many of you guys out there searching the internet for forums like this that are complaining of your company? I'll answere that for you. BECAUSE YOUR COMPANY IS A RIP-OFF AND YOU NEED TO TRY AND DEFEND YOUR FAKE DREAMS THAT YOU SELL TO PEOPLE....AND THAT'S ALL THAT YOU REALLY DO SELL. FAKE ASS DREAMS THAT ONE DAY THEY WILL BE RICH.

Now if all you guys are living in huge houses on the beach like you show on your websites and making soooooooo much money then why are you wasting your prescious time on this website? It's obvious that you guys are a rip-off.
THIRD of all....why are you getting so mad and calling names if you are not guilty of taking advantage of other people who are desperatly in need of money and taking every last bit that they have left?

HERBALIFE
I am not a MLM customer nor am I a MLM distributor. However I did respond to an ad and have been contacted by a "supervisor" hoping to place me in the program.

I am 57 years old and ready to retire from this business but do not plan to "hang up my saddle" yet. I found what she said very interesting and exciting but now after reading this forum I have my doubts.

Either we have a bunch of winners vs losers or we have people who are in the program and should not be vs ones who have been in the program and made a mistake. At my age I can not afford a mistake like this.

My e-mail is [DELETED] I would request "down to earth comments from individuals concerning why I should or should not go with this company. Please only the facts without the slang. If you need my telephone number request by e-mail direct

Don, I am 59 years of age and my wife and I joined Herbalife after I experienced the great energy lift that I got from using the product. My wife lost 18 kilograms in 2 months. She joined as a supervisor last November and by January we were earning $5,000 per month. We now have over 50 people in the business, including family and friends (my friends are still my friends), and I believe it is the best business that I have seen in ten years!

If you need some advice, I am sure ROR would give you my email address. The debate that has been raging on this site for 2 years has been fascinating, and I believe that those who are bitter about their experiences should look at themselves first. We are all responsible for our own lives, but some people have difficulty being accountable.

Sure, Herbalife is hard work...what business isn't? I have found the group dynamics within our business have been fantastic, and this is the business that is setting us up for my retirement. I have been self-employed for over 20 years, and this is the best business I have ever had.

I was unfortunate enough to not see this consumer website before naively turning over $40 for a "decision package" and then $299.00 for the "International Business Package". I must admit the people who recruited me were very slick talkers and had me believing that I could make thousands of dollars selling Herbalife part-time.

I worked this so-called business with every ounce of energy I had and after 6 months of hearing the same promise over and over again decided to cut my losses and move on with my life. I threw away too much of my time and money on this crap and I didn't realize what a farce the company really was until I was invited to a recruiting seminar at a local hotel and saw for myself what the true purpose of Herbalife is all about. I was asked to lie to alot of people that day. The people I saw that day all thought they were being asked to come in for a REAL one on one interview with a REAL marketing company when in fact it was just a reason to get them in the door to listen to a canned sales pitch for the "WORK AT HOME" program.

I was disgusted with myself for being there and I know a lot of good honest people were disgusted too. Why would a " honest company" have to disguise its name as "Global Marketing Management"? I'll tell you why, because if these good people knew it was for Herbalife, they wouldn't have came in the first place. I know that some of the Herbalife defenders will say that I didn't try hard enough or I wasn't passionate enough but I disagree.

I put my heart and soul into this venture and got nothing out of it except for a smaller savings account and a lot of embarrassment. I knew better than to continue to throw away my hard earned money and exited early before I pissed away my life savings but others have not been so fortunate.

BEWARE: If you are considering this opportunity, turn the other way and run as fast as you can. It is definitely the biggest mistake of my life and one that I will be sure to warn others about in the future. Not only to the Herbalife faithful lie about what they do, they lie about Mark Hughes ( who died of a drug/alcohol binge, not natural causes), they lie about how they made their money (most of the successful people all know each other thus they are able to help each other earn the money and the common distributor will not have that luxury), and they lie about how perfect their lives are (John & Susan Peterson are not the happy couple they appear to be, they are divorced and Susan is seeing another Herbalifer named Ty)

How do I know this? Let's just say that I had a big mouthed sponsor! Oh by the way I support the SR22 bill that could potentially put to a halt the easy street lifestyle of Herbalifes wealthy... I hope it passes so no more innocent people can be taken advantage of.

Anna, if you invested your money before going to a seminar, then you haven't done the right thing by yourself. That is where you see the public face of all MLM companies and you make a decision partly based on that.

If you seriously worked hard for six months, you would have made some money at least and would have earned your modest investment back. If you had broken promises, they would only have been made by your sponsor - so blame your sponsor, not the whole organisation, if you want to blame anyone.

I have said it before and I will say it again...this is the best business I have seen, we are making money distributing products that are seriously making people feel better. If you care about people, the business can't fail. My family and friends all attest to the value of the products.

All of my downline are SERIOUS about building a business, and we teach them how to do it. Those who aren't serious and don't have the discipline, don't succeed. Isn't that the American way? It's the way we do it in Australia. And it works.

Why?
cos I was a distributor for them.
I came across a leaflet about working from home and i rang the tel no enquiring about it.
I was told by the person on the phone that to find out more about it, i should go to the seminer in the hotel which was 2hrs drive away.

She would't answer any of my questions. I paid 69 euros to go there and after being there for 7hrs,(no dinner, just their own milkshake and still i was starving all day)
listening to them about how before they were just an ordinary working/overweight people having an ordinary house/car/lifestyles and when they joined herbalife, how it change their life, big house/car/holidays blah blah blah.

So, i said to myself if they can do it, so can i.
I paid 116 euros for the ibp pack and use the products as i needed to lose weight. I actually gain weight and was very consitipated and thought i wasn't using the product correctly so i bought an another pack with extra products which cost me 136 euros and it was a same story
I got flyers printed in my local printer shop which costs me 50 euros and made a couple of posters
I went to different shops in all different towns and in some shops, they only leave the posters/flyers on the notice board for 2 weeks so i went back again and again
I only got few phone calls and when i mention the product or the price, they didn't want to know
I rang my supervisor a few times for help or if i had any question about it, she use to say i should go to the local seminers as the people there would help me or i should try harder.
Again i made more posters/flyers, went to different shops etc and this i did 3 times (and i did really worked hard). Did i get any more customers? like hell i did and everytime i rang my supervisor for help i was getting the same response
I decided what a fool i was, wasting time and money
So, to anyone that thinking of joining herbalife beware, this what it costs me

69 euros to go to the seminer (and if i did go to the seminer all the time as she tells me i should, that what it would have cost me each time i go)
116 euros for the ist pack
136 euros for the 2nd pack (when i didn't lose weight the 1st time)
50x4=200 euros for the flyers
About 200 euros for costs of petrol of driving to different towns/shops and here it is very dear to buy petrol(97 cent per litre)
My telephone bill went up as i was on the phone/internet all the time
I gained a stone, had headaches, was constipated, stressful, moody to live with and this i did for 9 months.
I only got 2 customers and got no help from my supervisor (who was always cranky)

I only gave it up last month as it wasn't worth my wealth and my health

By the way when i first joined herbalife, my supervisor told me how they were making great money after 2 yrs, the husband left his full time etc
and now, they are still driving the same car (8yrs old) and they both have gone working full time again, nothing has change with them

I wonder why?

The problems was,
the products was too dear
they don't actually work

Hey Cath, thanks so much posting your experience with Herbalife, you have the most telling information in it of all the reports.

Quoting your last paragraph:
"By the way when i first joined herbalife, my supervisor told me how they were making great money after 2 yrs, the husband left his full time etc and now, they are still driving the same car (8yrs old) and they both have gone working full time again, nothing has change with them
I wonder why?"

(rolling on the floor laughing) Now THAT'S some testimony! They were doing so good hubby quit his fulltime job and now, where are they but right back where they started, and probably several thousands of dollars in debt as well for all the "product" the undoubtedly purchased with such optimism.

Sincerely, I AM sorry for the unpleasant experience you've been through. I am definitely going to keep away from Herbalife supplements, I don't need to feel crappy, I'd just like to feel better! Thanks again for posting, though, I really do appreciate your insight in the murky world of work at home programs.

Hi, I am from Greece. So pardon my not-so-good English. I found this site by accident

Anyway since it took me almost 2 hours to read all the posts, I want to write my personal opinion as well to help othes. So here it goes:

1) I was an athelte (100m) for many years so I knew about supplements and stuff.
I found Herbalife by accident 3.5 years ago. I took the business pack ($100 bucks in Greece).
and used the products. I had amazing results since I couldnt GAIN weight for 14 years, and
I ve tried ANYTHING from Joe Weider, to any protein and supplement you can imagine.
NO RESULTS. With Herbalife? 8.5 kilos of muscle in 2 months. So I loved the products.
Plus my mother who had stomach pains for 20 years used the aloe drink regurarly and she is now ok.

So the first contact with the products was very impressive.

2) I have the privilege to have major companies as customers in my profession.
I earn six figures with very little effort, working from my home office. I also employ other people to work for me from their homes. So the "work-at-home" wasnt something new to me.
I am not the guy who started Herbalife for something extra. But I decided to give it a go as a 2nd business. I became a Herbalife supervisor, without much thought, cause I knew that any kind of business if done right, could be profitable. To my mind $4000 bucks to start any kind of business is a ridiculusly low investment.

3) In my first month I got 2.850 euros (thats some $3500) just from selling half of my SV order.
I've actually done that in 3 days.
By the next month I had no more products to sell. I kept some for my self too.
So I got my investment back plus a $3.000 profit. Not bad at all considering that it all went to just 4 friends of mine.
One lost 11 kilos (20 pounds) the first moth, and the other 10 pounds, plus she bought all the
dermajetics products and she got me some female clients for skin products. So I was happy.
One day (the 2nd month) I told a friend of mine he had to loose weight, and I told him about the products.

He said he'd like to give them a try. He loved the protein drink so much he didnt want any guidance, the best client ever. So I told him "hey get an IBP so that you can have your program at 42% discount". I didnt want to get any huge profits from my friends, just wanted them to have some good success stories for my story-book. So instead of paying me, he got an SV order, cause he wanted to loose 100 pounds so he used all the products just for him.
I got a little commission plus my friend got his program at half the price.
No is that a rip-off ? Of course not. A perfect sale, everybody is happy, plus some income.

4) 2 months later I was a "world team member" cause some friends and clients liked the business and decided to work. I didnt helped them much, but I told them that they shouldnt follow the model of others (older distrubutors), cause I believe that if you dont have a strong backround in business no model will make you rich, even the best MLM. plus I dont like MLM structure cause its mathematically doomed to fail at some point. So I made them a business plan, and told them to stick on the products not on the Herbalife marketing plan. They didnt follow it immediately so they lost some people from their downline.

When they did follow my plan, they became world team members as I did in the first place.

5) Six months later everyone wanted to follow my plan, so I gathered 5 of my top distributors and we decided to go more "proffessional".
In a 4 month period we went from our home-offices to a small shared office room, then to a whole office appartment, and then to a 4 story-office block.
We've invested more than $150.000 in high-tech equipment, doctors offices, computers, projectors, advertising, internet, customer support. Everyone talked about us.
I have just 5 downlines but the total organization is around 150 people. I've been coaching them all.

Why we succeded while others failed? Cause we are good distributors? No. We were professionals
before, and we still are in both herbalife and our own businesses.
We merged the Herbalife products with our business plan and did what the local market needed.

The success came cause we knew that you cant use an American model to just any country and market.

So why many people talk bad about Herbalife, and keep bitching that they lost money?
Let me tell you why. First of all, you cant take a housewife or a truck driver and make them Bill Gates in 3 months. If they could be succesful they would have done so, years before.
Trying to do that is like trying to re-envent the wheel.
Yes, some got lucky with Herbalife and made a fortune, but thats a very small amount of people, who tried the system years before it got saturated.

Trust me, I ve seen ANYTHING you can imagine in this business.
I've been invited by the company in LA, I had payed trips, awards, extravaganzas, talked with everyone important and in high-level, except the man (Mark) himself (I was a bit late for that).
I've also done a huge amount of research, and read a ton of books, but there is nothing compared to real life experience.

So here are some free pieces of advice for all of you pro or against the Herbalife (or MLM in general) wether you are lamers, loosers, or succesful ones:

WHY MLM?
Cause MLM cuts away the middle men allowing the distributors to get that middle profit instead.
Plus by sometimes overpricing the products, leaves a lot more profit.
Thats the usual core of any MLM company. Its a hybrid based mostly on the franchise model.
Nevertheless, if you like to make $10.000 or more per month you have to work some time and invest
some money on that.

The herbalife business IS very succesful for a period if done under such a hybrid model.
NO, you cannot do it with classic MLM or work at home models only. It will saturate.
If you want to be succesful, forget about MLM. Think business and think franchise.
MLM is actually a model to start a business with limited cash, from both sides (the company and the distributor). NO business with a potential future can start up without any cash at all. Even $1

Second, stop bitching that you lost money and try to sell on EBAY your products you were unable to sell in retail, cause this fact itself screams that you are amateurs, and probably your upline sponsors are too.

Only an idiot could buy a $20 bucks product and sell it at 1/4 of its actual price just to get rid of it. Some of you are violating every basic rule of commerce.

Free tip:
If you are an idiot and smash your car in an empty road you dont blame the road, or the car manufacturer, blame your self, and do your self and humanity a favor not to drive a car again. the same goes with business. they are not for idiots and amateurs. amateurs and idiots go to the EMPLOYEE section. Professionals go to the BOSS section. got it?
Thats why there are a few bosses but many-many employees.
Aint life a b!tch? Well get over it and decide wich side do you like, and do it FAST cause you are not alone on this planet.

I never listened to what my upline sponsors said. This means I've heard but not followed them.
Most of them wasnt succesful businesmen, infact they were failures in their previous jobs, and made some money from Herbalife, since they couldnt do anything else. But they deserve some curtesy for just that. They didnt use a good model, cause they didnt have one. In fact neither Herbalife itself has a good one. The Herbalife model is an MLM model that is made by Mark Hughes and succesful distributors 25 years ago, from combination of other models or improvisation. They took the bad things out and kept the good things in, and kept adding any stuff they found convinient along the way. Not perfect but it worked.

But even Mark, always kept saying that you cant put all your effort in recruiting. The real business is in the products. You can recruit a zillion people. So what? Probably they will be a bunch of loosers who think they hit the jackpot and will become Bill Gates in 2 years.

Well newsflash #1 for you: They wont. The market is too small, and they probably dont have the guts for it. Most of the people who cry and keep bitching that they lost money are loosers who cant make a decent $20 sale. I had dozens of such people in my downline.
So why they joined Herbalife in a first place? Even my sponsor was such a looser.
Well he could be a rich guy today just because of me but he dropped out. Lucky you upliners! haha

So, what is Herbalife?
It is commerce. Its a trend. And its a very demanding but very rewarding business if done right.

What can someone do to avoid any problems?

- First of all keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut.
Suck any kind of good or bad info before you start. Do your homework. I personally did a 4.5 months recearch before starting. That included, but wasnt limited to:

What is herbalife, the products, the industry, rumors, competitors, comparison with other products, actual market, sales force, customers, ages, advertising, antagonism, internal problems, disbelief, alternative solutions, market plan, investment plan, value-over-time, results, revenues, job oportunity, assets, risk, etc.

So there I was, thinking about what I PERSONALLY wanted to do with this company, these products,
and this "opportunity". So do yourself a favor and do the same before starting.
It might not be the right choice for you, or the right time for you to do this business.
It requires perseverance, a very strong (aided with aloe) stomach, and people around you who want or have the same goals with you. Make a kick-ass team. Stick to the business, and stick to the product sales.

The Herbalife business, like any kind of business has rules.
Some of them are very specific. Some other are just to keep the rookies straight.
Its like a game. If you wanna win you gotta learn the rules.
This doesnt mean that you have to follow them all the time, but many others do.
So it will be helpful to know how they think and how they act to protect yourself.
But above all, trust NOONE. Especially other sponsors you dont know.
Dont talk to others. Let them do it first. Absorb information and keep what you like for you.

If you dont like to talk with customers, then this job is NOT for you.
Yes, some customers are very stupid, but its up to you to fall into their level.
But dont waste all of your time with stupid customers. They are not serious about anything except the money tag. If you think you can make $50.000 a month after say, 3 years, then be prepared to do it, otherwise you are a lame amateur who thinks that everyone in this world has the same potential with the others.

Newsflash #2
YOU DONT have the same potential with others.
You are just given the same opportunity with others and its up to you from there and on.
You are either 1 or 0
There is no grey-zone.
Do you want some pocket-money, maybe $100 extra per week?
Go wax cars instead. You have the same (if not more) chances to drive a Ferrari one day.
This is a business for determined people, and good connections with other upliners/customers are like gold.

Your basic "to-do" options in the Herbalife business are :
- Hang out in seminars to learn your environment and who the key-players are.
- Sell products on retail if you can, but only when you feel ready
- Find pro's who can do it for you, under your code. this is not recruiting. this is getting someone better than you, to do YOUR job instead. you get your commision, they get theirs and everbody's happy.

- Do all of the above at the same time, IF you can be good at both.
- When you become good enough, teach others how to do it, then leave them alone, and start over.
- Know how to keep the pace. Know when to stop searching and when its time to find someone else.
This is THE most underestimated factor in this business. You wont believe how many idiots are out

there, expanding like a plaque, saturating the market with their bull$hit actions.
A recent example is when an idiot World Team Member, posted 150 free adds in a newspaper, with the same phones. That newspaper BANNED Herbalife people for ever.

So you have to know WHEN to stop, cause the market is limited, and people REMEMBER.
Dont fool yourself that you can make a difference in just a month.
There were many others, probably better, long before you started.

- If a client or downline of yours is an idiot and doesnt hear what you say, stop wasting your time trying to make them go from IQ 70 to IQ 180. It will never happen.
If they want to stay FAT or BROKE its their problem, not yours.
You are not Jesus, you are a business person, so be the best you can, move on, or quit.

How NOT to work in the Herbalife business:

- Do NOT fall to the trap to visit someone you know, or suggested by a friend, in a casual outfit.
Its lame and translates to a no-respect behavior. Everyone is a potential client and you dont know
who you might also meet there.
Get a GREAT outfit and leave the "loose weight now - ask me how" buttons home.
You are not going to a Lakers game. You are going to make a sale, probably to feed your kids.
Get a briefcase with only the basic stuff in it, like a price catalogue, some before-after photos,
a product catalogue, some programs, a calculator, and any paper included in a business pack (you just never know), but without the pack. Be as "light" as you can.
That also means you DONT get ANY products with you. You are not working for Amway or Tupperware.
Try to "act" like a lawyer but without the bull$hit and cocky behavior. Be a pro, and act like one. Clients love pro's.

- Do NOT accept anything to eat, or drink except water. While the client is geting the water, take a look at the house (but dont look like you are doing it), to make an opinion about his financial situation (wich translates in wich kind of program you sell).

- Do NOT attend to a sales meeting, without prior verification. Imagine yourself going all dressed-up and visiting an empty house or (even worse) a place packed with a bunch of kids, strangers, people having a barbecue and every other person and situation that will make you look like an idiot. Do your self a favor and verify that your client is home, ALONE (if possible).

- Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT sell products to stupid acting clients, (or in front of friends/relatives) who talk smart-ass when you pitch a sale. Especially if they are NOT the actual buyers (e.g in front of friends)
If they were actually smart, they wouldnt be FAT ! So stay away from this kind of people.
Pack your briefcase and leave at once. And show them that they are not serious about it.
In a few words, be a bitch when the circumstances call for it, (but not over-react)

If they fail to stick to the program (wich is the most common thing), nomatter what you do
GUESS who they'll blame 1st ? YES YOU, THE PRODUCTS AND THE COMPANY
Remember, results is what makes your job move forward, and BAD results spread like a reputation
virus. Bad clients = bad results.

- Do NOT work 100% at home. Get an office. Work at home is for amateurs except if you are a business genious with a kick-ass website and a mansion for home. Customers are suckers for visiting offices to get any kind of advice. Its their time to escape from their problems, and they are already in a good "buy" mode. Like when visiting their shrink. You are now their best friend.

If you cant afford a small office, team up with others in the Herbalife business from your organization, and split the expences, to afford one. Have separate phone lines for each one, and a timetable to avoid overlapping client appoinments. Believe me it works. We've done it a dozen times and every one has accepted its a great, affordable method to work with. And its good for your downlines to have a place to meet too. Get 5 people and get $100 from each. Voila, $500 per week for office expences.
Isnt that better than going to hotels with silly buttons, and clapping on top of chairs like a baptist church?
I REPEAT. If you want a pro's paycheck, you'd better act like one.

- Do NOT work with all your downlines at the same time. Focus only on your best people.
These are the people that will support your paycheck when you start.
Sure, you might discover that a lost and neglected downline of yours became succesful after 15 years, but hey, be honest to yourself. Do you give a $hit about such performances?
Value your time, and dont spare it for anyone who doesnt deserve it.
You cannot afford of waiting for 20 years to solve your financial problems.

- Do NOT loose total contact with your people.
If you have more than 5 people in your downline, gather them once a week and set some goals.
Listen to them, but follow a certain pattern. Dont do what is convinient for them only. You are the boss.
They may like to get $100 per month or havent lost a single pound after using the products for a year.
Do YOU like to do SERIOUS business with these kind of people? I dont think so.

- Do NOT act like a smart-ass at your downlines if they are better than you in some matters.
For example, you are 20 pounds overweight and a downline of yours is too.
But dont yell at her to loose weight when you are in a worse condition, especially in front of other downlines who can see the difference. Boss your people, but cut them some slack also.

- Do NOT spend ANY money in flyers, no matter what the upliners tell you.
Flyers and printed adds generally are LAME. They scream amateurism.
Have you ever seen Lancome, Estee Lauder, MaxFactor, Loreal, or Gemey doing such things?
Herbalife is among those companies (quality wise), and you are a certified representative, of such a company, so ACT like one!

Dont "think" that because another Herbalifer did it and had some clients, is good for you, or the company.

I've seen stickers on scarecrows in the middle of nowhere. Does that sound of a professional's move to promote his work? If you disagree, stop reading and go become a pizza-boy.

- Do NOT post lame adds in newspapers like "LOOSE WEIGHT NOW" or "EARN $10.000 per week".
Nobody is actually ready for that amount of money. Deep inside they know they cant earn that money.
And probably either you, at least not when you are a rookie.
Put something like "People needed for part time office work. $100 per day. flexible hours"
Its more realistic, and it WILL get you more people than you think. Remember that less is more.

- Do NOT try to recruit lamers who complain about the Business Pack cost, or people who cant afford it.

Even if they are poor people and you really wanna help them, their poverty or denial of investing to a business will be an obstacle to them, and eventually you.
In order to help people, they have to be determined to make certain steps.
If they think that a ridiculus $100 is a risk, they are not the people you want to do business with.

- Do NOT lie to people. Be honest. Truth is a b!tch sometimes, but still it IS truth.
You will develop self-defending mechanisms as time goes by and wont let yourself feel sad,
if your performance is not what you have expected. Dont worry. It happened to all of us.

- Do NOT pay for having a stupid website with mansions, sports cars, boats, and stupid looking family hugging photos. Even if you actually have such a lifestyle (like myself even before Herbalife) you are just one person among milions. Most of the people falling on your page are teenagers and students, office employees surfing the net on their lunchbreak, divorced housewifes looking for blind dates, or computer nerds looking for easy money without the affiliate-spam involved.

Get real.
Know the means you use to advertise your business and the people who actually use it.
80% percent of the internet people especially in chat and date pages are at least FAT, if not obese.
So why bothering posting adds for money if its PRODUCTS they actually need?
Gather your team, and put all together some money for a banner about products on a chat page.
You'll be amazed about the amount of people who answer.
Its cheaper, and your entire team will have opportunities to sell some products,
instead of busting their asses to throw lame flyers and polute the environment.
Plus you get something that no flyer or newspaper will EVER be able to provide you: Statistics!

If you want to have a website, make it as simple as it gets, but make it look professional.
Avoid green herbalife look-alikes, the entire internet is packed with such lame sites. Be creative.

Dont post a ton of info about the company cause they (the visitors) will do their own thinking anyway.

Give them a little info about the business, and let them contact you to get the info they want from a Business Pack or a meeting. Thats why those things are made. Its their purpose.
Dont waste money on things that others thought long before you got here.

- Do NOT mix 2 websites in one. That means you either have a site for the business or a site for the products, or both separatelly. But never, EVER a combination or a look-alike. You will "burn" your visitors. Its THE lamest thing to do.

- Do NOT bust your sponsor's ball$ all the time. He/She might not even have the brains to answer all your questions. Furthermore, try to do your own thinking and find your own answers.
But NEVER act without first having an opinion from someone "older" in the business. Someone you
trust. Dont forget that there is a thing called MANUAL inside the IBP. SO GO AND READ IT.

- Do NOT ask other sponsors during a meeting, about stuff you can learn otherwise.
It screams amateurism to your guests and that you dont like your sponsor. Remember: even idiots have commercial value, ESPECIALLY in Herbalife. If that idiot happens to be your sponsor, dont flush him/her in the toilet. You might need them someday.

- Do NOT hold silly meetings with loud music and clapping/applauding.
Its not the Oprah show or a baptist church. Its a seminar.
Have some ambient music during the breaks, but remember you are not a bunch of Jehoba witnesses to grab each other or indians to praise the spirit of "Dancing with Hughes".
You are business people in a BUSINESS meeting. Act like so.

This example is THE GREATEST turn-off for newcomers and it screams amateurism.
Yes, it works, but have you ever tried to do it the other way around?
You will be amazed of how many people could actually stay and listen to the second part.
Remember: A meeting is NOT an extravaganza, regardless of what some morons think of.

Avoid sending your guests to such meetings also. If you REALLY dont have any other option,
stick close to them like glue. Protect your guests from idiots sitting next to them.
And why you have to be aware of so many things regarding your guests?
Cause you aint the guy with the mike up there and the $100.000 paycheck to not worry about loosing a couple of guests. You DO worry. Its your money we are talking about.

- Do NOT act like a smartass, bragging about your sales or checks. It pisses people off, and you bring negative vibes to your team and the parallel downlines and uplines. Instead try to be modest and when someone congratulates you about your performance or monthly goal, praise someone else as better example than yourself. This shows that you are a team player and not a jerk.
Your downlines will look up to you, and do the same.

- Do NOT buy huge amounts of products to fill a warehouse in case someone needs them. Keep a word

in your mind always: OVERHEAD. Even a home-based business has expenses.
If you have other Ds's near you and you are lacking of certain products to fill an order,
do swaps instead. But dont do it all the time.

- Do NOT rush your self (even if your sponsor tells you to do so), on signing new Supervisors.
WHAT? But isnt that the plan that will make you a fortune? NO its not. At least in the begining.
Let me tell you why:

a) Its easy for someone to buy a $50-100 distributor kit than a $4000 Sv order.
If he/she becomes a failure in the first month, its not a big deal. Just get their products back and they lost their (already lost) time, and just $20 bucks for the paperwork. So what? Its less than 2 tickets and a large pop-corn. Can you do business with the same cost for a movie? Nope!
So dont worry, they'll get over it.

If case #2 fails, you end up with a looser who bitches for the rest of his/her entire life about you being a scam and Herbalife been a fraud, causing him/her to "loose" $4000 bucks.

REMEMBER:
NOOONE, EVER will have the guts to accept the reality and call themselves loosers. They will blame you and the company. Welcome to the real world. Live with that.
If you havent mentioned it yet, this page here is full with posts from such loosers.

So protect your self and the company. If they are hard working, motivated and succesful,you wont even need to tell them about becoming Sv's. They will become by themselves when they realize that its the most profitable way to go in Herbalife.
But is it bad to become one? No, both will get twice their investment back, IF they work,
but WHAT IF they dont? Got the picture? ;-)

b) So why its more profitable to have simple distributors and not supervisors and up?
You are probably wondering why noone has never told that for you, or if you tried to get an aswer on that, and everyone was acting like "Duhhhh". Let me tell you why.

- A distributor'ss ENTIRE volume is counted as his, PLUS as yours.
- If a distributor signs another distributor, you get the volume points from both, regardless if you have done anything that month. If an Sv signs another, you get a small piece, ONLY IF you have a current month volume.
- A Supervisor's (and up) volume is NOT counted like yours, you get from 2 to 11% depending your
status, monthly production, level, downline and a whole bunch of other factors.
- You can more easily convince someone to become a Ds and give $50 than SV and give $4.000 as
mentioned above.
- You can do all the above without ever have to meet a Ds but NOT with a Sv (e.g. online)
- You dont have to coach a Ds to get a bonus. But you have to coach an Sv if you want him to become
succesful and get your 5-11% bonus.
- If a Ds sales a <1000 VP program (around 800 euro), you get almost 20% of his profit and do nothing.

Cool huh? 1000 VP = 42% discount= 8% for you = 1/5 ( 20% ) profit= easy money.
But if an Sv does the same, and do nothing, you also get NOTHING. Not that cool....
-If you loose an Sv there's no big deal. You will keep his downline in fact.
But if you loose a Ds, you loose you personal VP every month that she made for you.

So you wanna get easy and legit money with Herbalife?
FORGET about supervisors, and the b.s your sponsor says about royalty checks for SVs and up.
Give the cheapest IBP kits the company has, and teach your Distributors how to sell
1000VP programms. Its easy and cheap for them to do also.
Repeat it for a year or so, and you will earn a presidents team member check before you know it.

Even an idiot can sell a Thermojetics tea and get back the $40 he gave for the IBP.
So you wont have any complaints at all even if they quit.
Given the above factors, your goal should be to make at least 5 distributors per month.
Not a very BIG deal I might say. Almost a person per week. Is it difficult?

If they sell <1000VP you get almost 20%.
Its not much, BUT you get the Volume points as well.
5X1000 VP = 2X 2.500 wich is DOUBLE your minimum required production, without you actually selling

the products. The more distributors you make, the more production based on retail you got.
Plus they add up each month cause you keep the previous plus the new ones.
Keep doing it for e.g 6 months to establish a good network of people (some will quit).

GOT THE PICTURE? NOW DO THE MATH !

This job is not a rip-off. It became a rip-off look-alike to
a) lamers who brainwash other lamers-millionaire-wannabes with BS that they can do it too.
Why do you want to become a millionaire? Have you ever been one and know what is it like?
Stick to normal goals like $1000 per week.

b) amateurs who dont know, dont have the brains or dont give a $hit about what is called "brand name".

they do whatever they can in their power to recruit someone, and most of the times they dont even know what the hell does this moron want in their downline. And probably they wont even bother to coach them as well. So its loosers following other loosers. Go figure.

c) idiots who are tottaly unaware that a 5% commision is nothing if your lazy and nerd downlines dont work. There is actually MORE money in selling products in retail than in recruiting.
But they are so stupid, that they didnt even bothered to do the maths.
They just think that they can get rich by recruiting half of their country and let them sell the products to the other half. Well, newsflash #3: that isnt a great plan at all, you lamers.

Any company makes a lot of effort to establish a brand name.
It doesnt matter if you dont use that company's products. For the company the brand name is gold.
So an idiot who does not respect the millions of dollars spent to make such a name, will eventually fail.

This kind of people are responsible for a company's failure to sunstain a customer base.
For example: Various lamers (even in GET, or Millionaire team) went out and put stickers in public toilets and encouraged their downlines to do the same. Now imagine that. How stupid can that be? Can YOU send your people to such meetings?

I personally spent money and pay people to advertise my business, as if it was any other business. Got the picture? A potential client or soon-to-be distributor will say "what a stupid company" So do your self a favor and think about it. There is good and bad in any kind of business

You can find a good taxi driver and a bad taxi driver
A good doctor and a bad doctor
A good lawyer and a bad lawyer
A good supermarket and a bad supermarket

The same goes with any business and Herbalife is NOT an exception.
Noone will remeber you personally. They will remember the brand name (herbalife).

So stop bitching about rip-offs if you dont have the intelect to understand and distinguish:
a) if this is a job for you, and you are capable of doing it like it SHOULD be done
b) or if the one who offered you this job is a professional and not an idiot like the above

What I've learned in Herbalife?

- Lots of things that I already knew but learned them again from another point of view
- That the market is full of suckers for money and idiots who think they'll become Bill Gates the IV.
- That a stupid idea is not responsible for the ones who believe in it
- That there is a huge amount of people who dont like to work at all, but just want "easy money"
- That you can always find 10.000 idiots like the above but difficult to get 5 determined people who want to do business and are willing to work their butts off and make it happen.

Bottomline:
Herbalife is a GREAT real-life example for your kids (and sometimes for you)to discover, why you will NEVER be Bill Gates, why only 1000 top class companies in the world hold all the money and why there are poor people and rich people.
Its a lesson of how life and business work. And a very cheap lesson in fact.

What I've earned in money terms? More than I've invested for sure.
Was it worth it? Yes, regarding the money, NO regarding the time (2 years is a century for business).
Do I still do it? Rarelly, but it always was a part time business for me anyway.
I will keep my distributor id just cause I like the products, and have some succesful downlines too.
Have I solved my financial problems with Herbalife? For a certain period yes.
But is not what I like to do for a living. I just did it for fun and got some profit out of it.
Plus I love my profession and I finally get six figures contracts, more than any Herbalife check,
and without the hassle.

So good luck to your quest, and as for the loosers, GET A BRAIN.

WARNING-some spelling mistakes in this one....sorry in advance...

Well folks, I have to say I have been a very happy Herbalife Distributor for over 2 years now. I have been part time until the end of last year, slowly increasing the people I help with their weight and health. I am not earning buckets of money BUT I do not expect to be with the amount of work I HAVE PUT IN at this time. My upline is earning over $50k per month and I knew her when she was first starting out 6 years ago - a very normal, everyday person.....as she is today - just one who can buy expensive clothes & cars!!!
The thing is she has WORKED HARD for it.

It is that simple!!!!
Successful people do what unsuccessful people don't.

If people are successful in MLM or network marketing it is because they have drive, passion, determination, they never lose their focus or let dream stealers take thier dreams away. It is NOT because they sell product to all their relatives & friends. The successful ones step out of their comfort zones and do what it takes.

When I first started out doing this I did not approach anyone (friend or relative) to purchase anything. You will find that if you are using the product people will notice your energy, enthusiasim (sp!) and of course weight loss. It all flows on from there.

MLM is not for everyone.
Everyone IS NOT for MLM that is for sure!

My husband & I spent over $250k on a franchise, that failed to do what the Franchisor 'promised'.
So is it a bad, deceitful (sp), unworthy franchise business? No. We were not the right people for that business.

If you are willing to work for a boss day after day, week after week, with 4 weeks leave a year and maybe a holiday bonus that is OK. Just don't begrudge the people who want to get away from the mainstream and look after their own future, please.

Remember as Jim Rohn said....Profits are beter than wages; wages make you a living, profits make you a fortune.

....and never forget....a smile costs nothing and it can make the difference to someones day... :o)...have a beaut one.
cheers
Trace

Thank You Jason

And what are you saying is right. They started to get me but i'm glad i read this ripoff reports before i signed up. Herbalife nothing but crooks!!!!!

The need to go to Hell!!!!!

I almost got sucked in to Herbalife a few months ago. I ordered the decision pack for $29 and $9.99 shipping. Once I watched the DVD, I spoke to my sponsor. She told me that I would HAVE to order $7000.00 worth of product to start. She said that I HAD to try every product before I sold it. I had told her before I even ordered the decision pack that I had less than $100.00 to invest, so I reminded her of this when she told me I had to invest $7000.00.
She said that I should get a loan from family or a bank!!
Needless to say, I sent the decision pack back and was only out $15.00 for the shipping both ways.
I believe Herbalife is a decent product but I don't believe you should have to pay this much money to sell it. Especially when you only keep 35% of the profits after doing all the work of bringing these people in.

I approached a distributor and was thinking of becoming involved in Herbalife as it seemed like a good opportunity.

After reading all the pro and con arguements I am convinced that this is something I want to be part of. I know it will take time and hard work.

I'm tired of being a loser, of being poor, of working for other people and getting nothing out of it. I want to have my own business and all I sense from the naysayers here in regards to Herbalife is fear, anger, and jealousy.

Those in favor of Herbalife have been rational, calm, and truthful in regards to their opinions and I thank them for that.

have been working for Herbalife for 6 years. Its a very simple business. The products are in huge demand(Half the population is over weight), its a comusmmable product so customers orders monthly, you get fantastic results taking them, you buy them at a discount and make a profit. And you can sponsor other people into the company and make a royalty. Consitently achived 7-11 new customers a week. Qualities needed to be succesful are hard working, determined and good communication skills.

Reading some of the other comments on the site its like they expect customers to be presented to them on a silver platter. A critcism maybe that its very easy and inexpensive to join, which means that some people without the right qualities will therfore join and not succeed and end up providing negative feedback. Dont make the business more complicated than it is. Do your homework. Meet other people working in the business.

Herbalife is not a scam, it is a publicly traded company under the NYSE. There is no way that a company that is traded in the stock market can be a scam. The products work great and have helped achieve many to lose weight. If you are joining to make an extra income, you just have to be careful of who your coach is. Your coach does help determine your success. A good coach will not pressure you in anything that you do not want to do. I am personally taking the Herbalife products and they are working so great that I'm considering moving on and making an income out of it. My coach does not pressure me into buying products I don't need and he explains everything in detail before I make any decisions. Of course, for any business to be successful, you have to work hard at it. For every business there is a cost involved. But how much you want to invest in the business is totally up to you. I will be starting as a distributor, and I'm doing this because I have my own personal goals to lose weight. I will not go to people and knock on their door to sell the product, these people will come to me. How? I am an example of the product. I lose weight, my friends, coworkers and family members will be asking me how I lost weight. I have so many heavy and unhealthy people around me that there is no way I will not make money in this business. They will see my weight loss and they will come to me and purchase my products. Plain and simple. And this will not fully happen or succeed until i lose my personal weight. Remember Herbalife itself is not a scam. If you were pressured to make large purchases of inventory and immediately become a supervisor, then you were scammed by your coach, not Herbalife. And its these bad and greedy coaches that are giving Herbalife a bad name. If you don't feel comfortable with your coach, then I will advise you to end it, but its a shame that your own coach for the purpose of them being so greedy, will drive you away from a great company and a great opportunity of making money.

Denise writes: "There is no way that a company that is traded in the stock market can be a scam."

What??? From where do you get your information that only non-scamming companies are permitted to offer stock?? How can you possibly believe this is true? No one KNOWS when a business is going to scam people, and there is no way that no company trading in the stock market has NEVER been guilty of defrauding their investors. Such naivete is not going to serve you well if that is the basis on which you make stock purchases and sales.

Laying in bed saw an advertisment on TV

It is what you called being BRAIN WASHED. 400.00 later I had 2 800 numbers, 2 websites and a promotional package with a Shake, Nite Works, Multi Vitamins, Lift Off, a measuring tape, some buttons (advertisement buttons) a pen, and an embroidered bag.

The kicker - I had to take the stuff or I would not be able to sell it as, people could see through me.

I could pull my way through that one, to sell you just have to be able to sell.

Next was the order to start selling and building the pyramid. 4 grand (which I did not do)another kicker 410 dollars was included in the 4 grand just to SHIP IT. All the pages I printed out (dried up my ink), the milk shake and the stuff I opened went in the trash and the other stuff will go on eBay.

You sign a contract and the people were nice but taking that stuff was not up my alley. I got discouraged and tossed the brain washed mess.

Denise said "Herbalife is not a scam, it is a publicly traded company under the NYSE. There is no way that a company that is traded in the stock market can be a scam."

You are as stupid as they come. I'm sure Enron was publicly traded also.

Herbalife products are good. The organization is the scum of the earth. Is it weren't for stupid people they would not have the empire that they do. To all of you distibutors out there: I'm sure you are hard working people that believe in the product and are making a happy amount of money. If you started to make an amount of money that Herbalife "noticed" you would begin to realize what scum they are. You would then have a target on your head because they would find a way to screw you out of your earnings. I love the comments by Jim in Duluth GA and Mark in Australia (2002). Jim is so stupid that he makes Denise look smart. Mark just kept giving Jim enough rope to hang himself with his comments.

I became a distributor ('85 & '92) so I could get the products at a discount. I tried selling it but fat people are fat for a reason. A lack of respect for themselves that neither you or I can change. They want to grasp on to a valid reason that justifies their reasons as to why they are fat. "I have a medical problem" or "It's in my genes". Blah Blah Blah. Just like alcoholics, "It's a disease". That is pure BS. You are weak and have no self-control and want to blame everyone/everything else for your problems. Wake up and smell the coffee stupid people. Mark Hughes got what he deserved when he died.

Jim said "I'm tired of being a loser, of being poor, of working for other people and getting nothing out of it. I want to have my own business and all I sense from the naysayers here in regards to Herbalife is fear, anger, and jealousy."

Jim, follow your dreams and don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Working to make someone else rich is called a JOB. The nay-sayers are afraid of life and don't know how to follow "their" dreams. Don't give up. MLM is usually the first place people start with their dream. MLM is not for everyone. But if it works for you, great! The smarter people will see that it is BS but you have to fail first to see why. MLM still beats making your boss rich and getting a $0.25/hr raise and the boss acts like he is doing you a favor. Good Luck!

Tracy in Australia & Damien in Greece -- Well said, great attitudes.

Well, I am a currently in the Herbalife Organization. I am a Distributor ( and former Supervisor ) There is alot of things that should be known about this business.

First off, I will start with the things that I do find ( from my experience ) to be legitimate about the company/business opportunity.

Well, first off, the products are good, and they work. The products do give alot of energy, and if taken right can be very useful for weight loss/better nutrition. All my customers so far have had good comments on the products, and have been happy with them.

And well, now for the things that I find to be negative about the company/business opportunity. ( And this may sound bad, because I am IN the company. But keep in mind, that I am only out to speak the truth of the matter. I dont consider myself to be a member that is running a fraudulant business ).

And unfortunately, I have MANY more bad comments to say than positive ones. Not so much bad comments on the products, but rather how the company is run and what you are told to do when you start up. I want to make it very clear, that I am not saying that EVERYONE that is in this business, is running a scam. But rather that alot of what is said, is simply scripted ( and I know this for a fact. trust me, I was told to do it too ).

When you are told that "Anyone can do it/ You can do it", or "Just keep doing more of IT". that is things that you are told to say to people. I truly dont think that this business is for anybody. Not everybody can do this business, or else so many people wouldnt fail in this business.

There is a number of aspects that I looked at more carefully ( since I started struggling with recruiting people ), that I wish I had taken the time to think about before.

First off, if you are a Supervisor in the company, you are told that you should consistantly be bringing in at least 2 or 3 NEW Supervisors a month. And that is in order for your investments to be made up over a period of time. ( You must bring in 2 or 3 Supervisors a month, who will bring in 2 or 3 a month, who will bring in 2 or 3 month, and so on ) This is how you build your "Organization" in this company. You bring in people, that bring in new people, who bring in new people.

When you are told that you can consistently bring in 2 or 3 new Supervisors a month, that is a VERY hard feat to do. Let me just present a few numbers for all of you out there to look at, and you can get my point.

Ok, there are 1 Million Herbalife Distributors out there in the world. this is a known fact in the business. Now, I am not sure as to the number of Supervisors that make up this number, but for aguements sake, lets just say its 100,000 ( the real number is probably much higher, although I dont know the actual number ).

Lets just use that number for arguements sake. If there is 100,000 Supervisors, and each month they are told that they can bring on 2 - 3 new ones as well. that means that after the next month, there would be 300,000 Supervisors ( the 100,000 original, then 200,000 new ones added on ).

This figure would be if each Supervisor brought on 2 new ones. So, then you have 300,000 Supervisors total, right? And the next month, there would be 900,000 Supervisors. ( The 300,000 + 600,000 new ones since each one brings on 2 new ones ).

Then the next month, there would be 2,700,000 Supervisors ( the 900,000 Supervisors + 1,800,000 new ones since, each one brings on 2 new ones ). Can you get my point yet? This number would theoretically get bigger and bigger and bigger each month. yet it NEVER does grow substantially like you are told it should. My point is that there is no possible way that a person that is brought into the company can possibly bring on 2 or 3 new people consistantly each month.

It is true that some of the people do bring on a few or even several people per month ( either new Supervisors or new Distributors ). but then again, alot of times alot of those people jump ship too.

There may be alot of people out there that will debate my point. but there is no debate. The truth is in the numbers. You all saw my calculations on how many Supervisors the company would have after only 3 months if each one brought on 2 new ones ( which is what you are told that "anyone can get" when you start up ). But the truth is in the numbers, and that is that there is no way that everyone can bring on that many people. It is simply too hard to do.

Now, some people are able to get a huge "downline", and build a profitable business. all I can say is that for the average person, that feat is almost impossible. That is why the vast majority of people in this business fail. There are a few people that are able to build a downline, and have the downline bring on new people. I just warn you, that things are not as you are told. That is something that I can attest to myself.

I also found that when you send "Training Packages" out to people, to view. that I did not get anywhere near to the amount of people that I was told I should get. Even as a ratio, I did not get even close to the amount that I was told. And alot of the ones that did show interest, quickly changed their mind. Yet, you are told that "you just had a bad month", or "everyone has those hard times". This may be true. but there is a reason for that too. Its normal for there to be hard times. because the business, by nature, is very hard to succeed in.

When you get a call from the person that is "Sponsoring" you, that person has an agenda. And the agenda is to get you signed up so that you can start making money ( which in turn gets them money too ). They make a small portion of the money that you, and everyone you bring on does. They really just want to get you started, so that you can build your, and their organization. There is money to be made off of you.

And it seems to me, that your "upline" is only interested in you when you are spending money for the company. The hidden costs of running a business in this company are very high, especially if you dont have the money to do so. The business opportunity promisses wealth and $2000 - $4000 a month, if you stick to the plan for 3 - 6 months. And I can say that I did just that, and it did not work for me.

I didnt get anywhere near where I was told I would. I felt like a failure. but in reality, I actually did what was expected. I dont know why I expected to get 2 or 3 new Supervisors a month. I mean, after I finally did the calculations for it, it became obvious that there is no way that it could be the way you are told it is. If everyone did, then the company would have hundreds of Millions of Supervisors ( if not over a Billion!)

The bottom line, is that your upline in this business, is only really interested in building THEIR business, and want you to spend money on it, so that it counts towards theirs.
I am not saying that they want you to fail, because thats not true. they want you to succeed, because it means that their organization will be bigger. All I am saying, is that when you are told to spend an "x" amount of money on advertising a month ( usually around $1500 a month + ) and to place your orders and etc. that is to help your upline make money.

I no longer trust this type of business. I do not think that anyone that is wanting a business, should make all their business decisions based on the words of someone that is only looking to use you to build THEIR business. I unfortunately made this mistake, and it was something that I learnt from. It was probably the biggest learning experience of my life, and will surely help me make better business decisions in the future.

Although you are not forced to do anything you are not able to do. you are strongly encouraged by your upline to "put more" ( more money ) into your business, and are told that it will surely bring you more results.

For anyone considering a business in this company. do so with EXTREME caution. I am not saying that it is impossible to make a good income from it, it is just not what you are told, thats all. You must make your own business decisions based on YOUR ability, not based on what your upline says you should do. This is suppost to be YOUR business after all, right? You are told that you are the "President" of your business. but I dont know of any other company where the president goes to their upline to be told how they should spend their money. The problem with this, is that your upline has a very good reason to tell you to spend more. because they make more off that. That is the wrong reason to do so though.

This business has a VERY high rate of failure, and there is a reason for that. The products are great, and there are decent people in the company. but if you want to join, dont be spoon fed everything that you are told, because its all scripted, and designed to make you think that success for anyone is going to happen. In this particular business, the ones that can sell this business to others, do best. The ones that can make you beleive that "you can be successful too", are the ones that do well. Its a business of attraction, and sorry. but not everyone is able to do this.

This business is definitely not for everybody, and for those who want to do it. thats fine, hopefully you do well. But please, treat it as YOUR business, and not your uplines.

I've been hearing about Herbalife as long as I can remember, I am 41.

Why is it that for all I've heard about, for decades, the only people I have EVER heard tout the wonder of the products are DISTRIBUTORS. Not yet a single, non-distributing 'customer'. I hesitate to use the word customer as I no doubt will bring down a hailstorm of rebuttals advising Distributors do not HAVE customers or some sort of word games to deny the fact that there evidently are ONLY DISTRIBUTORS.

Who are you distributing to? How come I've never been able to purchase products without being strong-armed into 'becoming a distributor'?

It hasn't worked, lololol.

Any company that cannot present themselves with the name of their business, and I assume Herbalife IS the name of the business, as that is the name that has been used by all these distributors for years now - well, anyway, if a company can't say "We are Herbalife" and attract whoever the heck they are trying to attract - RED FLAG.

Why are they never trying to attract CUSTOMERS?

I've yet to see an ad that promoted Herbalife PRODUCTS.

This is strange.

As for the Donald Trump "endorsement" of MLMs, lololol, well, yeah, the man ain't stupid! He knows how to make money FOR HIMSELF. Yes, Trump might well START an MLM (in another lifetime), with the key word being START. He would not be on the bottom, I promise you that!

i have been in this business for a few months now, and i am making money. and i also enjoy it! it's not at all negative.

If herbalife is so great why isn't it sold in stores?

As Jeff noted, Herbalife is not in stores. Nor can you buy it from anyone!!! ALL I HAVE EVER BEEN OFFERED IS TO BE A DISTRIBUTOR. I have never once received a catalog of products, referral to a product website, NOTHING. Whyyyyyy can't I buy Herbalife products, in over 20 years of avid consumerism????? I guess there is no answer to that except there are only distributors. Weird, very, very weird. How does anyone make money since the only people involved are DISTRIBUTORS?

I have been a Herbalife consumer for 7+ years and have a wonderful consultant. She is very knowledgeable and is always available to answer questions if I have any. There are plenty of honest people out there that sell items that are not sold in stores, for the most part they are not out to just take your money.

Not everyone is made to be in network marketing, but that doesn't mean that it isn't right for someone else.

Herbalife has been around for over 17 years, a lot of companies have come and gone in that time frame, but Herbalife is still around. You can't penalize the whole company for some distributor's actions.

I really don't need to debate this with anyone, because I have had a positive experience with many network marketing companies. But, I'm also one of those type of people that feel I don't need to bash people in general.

I hope that you all find what you are looking for to make you happy.
BJH
LA

I'm a distributor, and I'd like to answer you Juliet and Jeff. Juliet: I just don't think you have found the right distributor. There are some distributors out there who want you to become a distributor as well. Some do this so you can enjoy the discount that comes with that. I personally don't push anyone to sign up. If you just want to use the products, that's fine by me and I will be more than happy to just have you as a customer. If you send me your e-mail address, I'll even send you a catalog. :)

Herbalife has been in business for 27 years now and is going strong. They are the nutritional sponsor of the LA Galaxy soccer team (read David Beckham's team). They also give money to nutritional research and both UCLA medical center and the University of Mississippi. They have a non-profit charitable organization that helps give kids at risk a safe place to stay and a good meal that they otherwise wouldn't have. They are also publicly traded on the NYSE. These are not the credentials of a rip-off company.

As for Jeff's question about them not being available in stores. The products are not available in stores because Herbalife operates on a relationship between customer and distributor that would never happen if the products were bought in a store. If someone bought a product in a store and then didn't take it correctly or consistently, they would, in all likelyhood, start telling people they knew that the product didn't work. So that creates a negative image for the company, and not because of a bad product, but because of improper use. Direct sales is a staple of the American business landscape, and it doesn't mean that the companies are crooked - look also at Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, etc.

So before you criticize the company, look a little deeper at it.

Herbalife has been implicated in making false medical claims and also being a pyramid scheme. Mark Hughes (President & CEO) was fined USD850,000.

http://www.mlmwatch.org/04C/Herbalife/herbalife04.html

I recently was invited to a "work at home and make money" presentation. They won't disclose what is the company name or much details of the business. Only during the presentation they let you know that it is Herbalife. (I found this very sneaky). In the presentation they let us know that Herbalife pays the highest commision in the industry: 73%!!! So they say you will make a lot of commision by doing this business.

But if you think a little deeper and don't get mesmerized by all the money talk, this just means that the cost of the actual product is very cheap (ie. junk). Distributors are conning consumers into buying cheap, inferior products.

Also check out this site, where a job applicant went for a job interview in Herbalife HQ and learned some interesting facts about the company:
http://www.cockeyed.com/workfromhome/recruit.html

Herbalife products have also been implicated with side effects. The US FDA has received many complaints from consumers. Herbalife has also been sued and settled out of court.
http://www.quackwatch.org/search/webglimpse.cgi?ARCHID_6=6&query=complaints

More info:
How Herbalife scam works:
http://cockeyed.com/workfromhome/herbalesson.html

I wouldn't recommend Herbalife !! In fact, stay away!!

Just take good nutrition ...
http://www.nutrition-info.com

.. watch your diet, don't smoke, don't drink, and exercise.

Jason's report is exactly what happened to me. I was totally screwed royal by this unscrupulous company and their so-called training program in the same detailed way Jason described in his report. I couldn't have worded it better. Thanks, man!

RECOMMENDATIONS: Keep your distance from anything involving Herbalife International and ETeam Home-Based Business!

I was suckered into this scam...hook, line & sinker before surfing Rip-Off Report and discovering the large number of complaints against this terrible company.

The Herbalife products have NOT been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration! Potentially dangerous!

Take in consideration that anyone (distributors, supervisors, whoever) with rebuttals that comes to Herbalife's defense is probably someone completely misguided or a criminal, who's future belongs in a state prison!

MLMs should be outlawed. Why? Because they are based one a very serious lie. And that lie is that EVERYONE and ANYONE can be a business owner.

I hate to burst anyone's bubble but not everyone has the aptitude or ability or education or interest or desire to be a business owner. It has nothing to do with a particular company being a scam. All MLMs prey on the economic disadvantaged with promises of riches. It isn't going to happen.

And to all of you MLM shills out there, my educational background and degree is in business.

I wanted to post a response to the question of why MLMs are not taught in colleges and endoresed by business leaders. The poster's premise is incorrect and betrays his or her ignorance on the subject.

For the purposes of better understanding my point, I think a little background information is required. My wife and I both traveled the "traditional route." We both went to college and post-graduate schools. She has her M.B.A. and I am finishing my last year of law school and will sit for the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bar examinations in July, 2009. We would both be classified as educated people. In other words, we're not mentally impaired.

About four years ago, my brother-in-law, who is an aerospace engineer (aka, a rocket scientist), asked my wife and I to take a look at a business opportunity that he was getting into. We attended a house meeting and looked at a business opportunity. The speaker, who resembled a used car salesman (I later found out that he, in fact, was a former used car salesman), drew a bunch of circles on the board and demonstrated how we could make money by producing about 1000 points per month and getting 6 others to do the same. At that time, I was a cop and I was convinced that what I was hearing was a scam. Sure, it looked easy enough and, having grown up lower-lower middle class, the money he was talking about was enticing. My father-in-law, also an educated person and one of the foremost violinists in the United States, was in hook, line and sinker. My wife and I got in too, but more reluctantly. The business turned out to not be for us, although we still buy some of the products, such as toilet paper, napkins and the shampoo (which is awesome shampoo).

While that opportunity wasn't for us, we both realized that the central tenent of what they were teaching was true. So, I started to educate myself about business and money. After reading people like Suze Orman, Robert Kyosaki, Donald Trump, etc., I realized that, in order for my family to be secure, my wife and I had to own something of our own. We looked into stocks, bonds, mutual funds and gold. However, with the volatility of the market being what it is, my wife and I decided to get back into the MLM arena, but with a different company.

After performing our due diligence, my wife and I have settled on Herbalife. While I don't know whether it will work or not, I have found out a few things that have comforted me in taking this calculated risk:

First, a current member of the New Mexico State Senate is in the upper echelon of this company. Having graduated from college Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science, I know a little something about Politics. What I know is that, if Herbalife was a scam, as has been alleged, then the State Senator (who is also an MD) would never have been elected, period. We saw that when the Amway guy lost the Michigan Governor's race to Gov. Granholm, who has been consistently rated as one of America's worst Governors.

Second, as to the products themselves, their head chemist is a Nobel Prize winner. It seems to me that, if one wins a Nobel Prize in one of the applied sciences, they have some credibility on that subject. (As a side note, I would be willing to wager that the people on this site criticizing Herbalife and their Nobel Laureate chemist were the same people who were in ecstacy over Al Gore and Yasser Arafat winning the Nobel Peace Prize...so much for consistency.)

Third, Hebalife is a publicly traded company on the NYSE. Such status mandates certain discloures to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given that most of the directors of Herbalife are Republicans and since Democrats have had control of Congress for the last two years, it seems to me that if something were amiss, there would have been hearings. After all, it would distract people from learning that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been Democrat Slush Funds for the past decade and a half.

As to the specific charges that have been levied, I'd like to address the last one first. The fact is that many business leaders do endorse getting into MLMs. Robert Kyosaki (Multiple New York Times Bestselling Author) and Donald Trump always have very positive things to say about MLMs. So, since they are both Billionaires, and you presumably are not, I think I would be safe in taking their word over yours, no offense.

Second, as to why the colleges don't teach about MLMs. The reason for that is very simple. If colleges taught about MLMs, colleges would be out of business. Colleges are not the haughty, noble educational institutions they once were. They are a multi-billion dollar business, just like MLMs. Think about it, let's say you go to a decent state school, similar to my alma mater. Tuition is about $12K per year. Add in another $2K for books and $6K for fees and the total cost of one year of college is roughly $20K. Also, most students earn their degree in 5 years. So, for a regular old Bachelor's Degree, a graduate has paid $100K. When that student graduates, he or she will either go on to post graduate school (more student loan debt) or get a job. Most students who are lucky enough to find a job in the current, shriveling, job market will be fortunate to earn $45K per year. After taxes, that would amount to about $2500 per month. Student loan payments will be about $500-$700 per month, rent/mortgage about $1000, car & insurance about $700. That leaves the new graduate with roughly $300 per month to spend paying down the massive credit card debt he or she had to incur for things like groceries, gas and the stuff that inhabits their house/apartment/condo. So, if students learned that, with a little hard work and some up front costs, they had a better chance of financial survival (let alone freedom), there would be fewer students. It's like Watergate (follow the money). Harvard University has a $7 billion dollar endowment. That money comes from alumni donations. Do you really think that its in Harvard's interests to promote an area of commerce that could ultimately result in fewer customers, er...I mean students?

Another point, I know a lot of people like to hang their hat on Dateline NBC's reporting on MLMs. The same reasoning applies to the media. NBC is not a news channel. Even CNN/FoxNews/MSNBS aren't really News channels. By that, I mean a well-informed citizenry is not really their goal (Exhibit A: 2008 Presidential Election). Their goal, as is that of every business, is profit. A television network's profits happen to come from selling advertisements. Companies pay exhorbitant amounts to advertise on television (I think this year's Super Bowl commercials cost about $9 million for a 30 second ad). Now, lets say I have a company that sells vitamins. Lets say that NBC wants to charge me $4 million dollars to advertise on the season finale of The Office. But, if I go with MLM Company A, I'll move just as much product (or slightly less), but my marketing outlay will be about $1 million. Not only will my outlay be less, but I'll have guaranteed repeat customers. The decision where to market my product, then, is clear. Such a decision threatens ad revenue for TV and Radio stations. Those stations, not being in business to lose money, get their news divisions to do hit pieces on the MLM, in order to dissuade marketing through those means.

As to the notion of pyramid schemes, every people-based structure in America is a pyramid scheme. Think about it, Let's take a College (since the above poster puts his faith in college). A college is usually headed by a President (or Dean). Then there are a bunch of Vice Presidents (or Vice Deans) below the president. After the VPs, there are Deans of specific schools (say, for instance, the School of Social Sciences or Mathematics). Then you have the chairs of specific departments (such as the political science department, or psychology department). Then you have the Teaching Assistants and finally you have the students. Now, are there more students or more professors at this college? Obviously, the students would far outnumber the professors. Next, are there more professors or department heads? How about the number of department chairs vs. the number of Vice Deans? Are there more Vice Deans or Deans? Also, who makes more, the students or the professors? How about the professors vs. the Deans? Sure looks like a pyramid scheme to me (and much more expensive than MLMs).

Lastly, the above poster noted that MLMs continually try to rip people off by telling them that Everyone & Anyone can become wealthy. That assertion is not entirely true. Most MLMs say that, While not everyone will become wealthy, Anyone can be wealthy. Its important to notice the distinction. Its just like saying that any 4th grader in America can grow up to be President of the United States, but not every 4th grader will grow up to be President of the United States. Anyone can be anything. Its one of the great things about being an American. You are bound by nothing nor are you prohibited from taking your desires and talents as far as you'd like. However, its up to you to put in the equity (both monetary and sweat) to realize a profit on your investment. Will my wife and I make money from Herbalife? I don't really know. What I do know, however, is that whether I succeed or fail will be determined solely by me. That's what we like to call liberty and freedom.

About two years ago, I had contacted four of these MLM companies for a home-business opportunity. HerbaLife was one of them and I did not care for some of their practices, especially in comparison to the other companies. The upline coach for me, out of all due respects, did not sound like the brightest crayon in the box. She could not answer even simple questions.

Anyways, I went through a lot of those hoops too, and did not even see a good variety of products compared to a company like Melaleuca. They were also a lot more expensive than Melaleuca. I hated the fact that they focused too much on lifestyle, "testimonials," the big houses, etc instead of getting to the danged business/product. So I finally just dropped it. I had decided with Melaleuca over the other four companies for various reasons, but even dropped them with time.

I realized from the start it was a business, not a job. I just decided it was not for me. In my mind's eye, it was wrecking the purpose of my desire to be self-employed, to have my own business. That and I hated these rules where I had to order $X worth of product every month even if I did not need it.

My late uncle used to have his own business. He painted houses, and did it well, but it was hard work. Yet it was his own business, not an MLM with some large painting corp. My husband, before he was diagnosed with cancer, wanted to start his own locksmith business. He has his own locksmith key kit and just needed a few more tools (like a drill) and to get a license. It will then be HIS business. Am I making any sense here? So I have been trying my own, too, although not with any success.

There are some out there not representing these companies well, and making misleading ads about the money and residual income. I know it is about sales, but I did not like HerbaLife making me jump through so many hoops. The other companies did not do any such thing. They told me upfront who they were when they called me, and the sorts of products they have. (Melaleuca, Usana, Arbonne)

The MLM model is taught as an IMPROPER way to do business. It is not endorsed by ANY leading business entity. My education is in business, not science fiction.

Rocket science and MLM's. That is a great combination! In all of this munbo-jumbo about "post-graduate" degrees and rocket science and Donald Trump I still haven't seen any EVIDENCE that the MLM is a legitimate business model. Maybe because IT ISN'T!!

I spend each day going over sales and marketing figures, reading P&L reports, looking at ways to control labor costs. THAT is what goes on in business. There is no magic plan that someone can use to become rich over night. Donald Trump didn't do it. I would much prefer to get my regular raises and bonuses than to trust the empty promises of scam artists and those that support them.

I got sucked into the Herbal Life gig...income at home and am still paying for the credit cards I had to use to get started...plus a closet of useless products..this is a scheme where they are more concerned with selling distributorships in a pyramid type way where the more distribtorships you can sell..the more you will make and the less you willl have to work...of course these go by diiferent nomenclatures as you work your way up the ladder (pseudo status) In other words its about the quantity of distributors not the mere profit from selling something the eqivalent of which you can get at Wal-mart for a fraction of the cost..

[quote]"Rocket science and MLM's. That is a great combination! In all of this munbo-jumbo about 'post-graduate' degrees and rocket science and Donald Trump I still haven't seen any EVIDENCE that the MLM is a legitimate business model. Maybe because IT ISN'T!!"[/quote]

If any of you had one bit of sense anyone can see that EVERY business in America is a pyramid. Lets start with the, as you all call it, "legitimate" business. Hmm lets see who's at the top ok?... a CEO(President)Biggest $$$....downline COO, CFO(multiple VPs)next highest $$$$ etc. next down line Regional Manager...next down line...Area Managers....next downline Managers....next down line Department managers...next downline...employees(least amount of $$$$). Sure sounds like a "pyramid" to me.

I think you all get my point. Get off the holier than thou attitude that MLMs are not a legitimate business.

[quote]"I spend each day going over sales and marketing figures, reading P&L reports, looking at ways to control labor costs. THAT is what goes on in business. There is no magic plan that someone can use to become rich over night. Donald Trump didn't do it. I would much prefer to get my regular raises and bonuses than to trust the empty promises of scam artists and those that support them."[/quote]

Number one...this is a HOME BASED business. Secondly, if the independent distributor for Herbalife is smart, they do have an accountant that handles cost controls such as advertising, marketing etc. Also, I never saw ANYONE say this was a get rich overnight business. Its something you can start part time to make extra money and work into a full time business.

Also, this is why you will have a J O B. which stand for "Just Over Broke" for 30 years(if you make it that long before getting laid off), watch the company you work for at the end of that time say "thanks, here's a gold plated watch" and live on social security the rest of your life. No one ever said MLM was for everyone. You get out of it what you put in to it. I'd be willing to bet the people that are on here complaining thought that the world was going to come beating on their doors to buy the product.

You're real funny and I would laugh if it weren't so sad. By comparing the normal business structure to the MLM model shows that you have little to no knowledge of the business world. I have never dealt with Herbalife personally so I can not judge that company. However, it is a MLM and like all MLM's, it promises the pot at the end of the rainbow to people that HAVE NO BUSINESS TRYING TO OWN A BUSINESS!

If the truth be known, the most successful Independent Business Owners are drug dealers. They make a lot more than any Herbalife dealer can. Your remark about people having sense is infantile. MLM's prey on unsuspecting, desperate people. And that is the number one problem with them. If you want to call my business degree a waste of time, fine. But I am the one that is moving up the ladder. How are you doing?

Several years ago I also became HEAVILY involved in the Herbalife opportunity. I bought into the Supervisor level. Mark Hughes (the founder of Herbalife) was still alive back then.
The formulations back then DID work for me. I lost weight rather easily, and was pleased with the products. They have since changed. One of the products contained a compound (ephedrine) eventually banned by the FDA due to several deaths (not from Herbalife products). Yes, these folks more than likely overdid the recommended dosages, but still......UNSAFE.

I agree with many who have already spoken. I attended regional meetings, local meetings, district meetings....I had three toll free lines. I had my own website. I had herbatel. I had a fax line. I did it big. In the time involved with the MLM opportunity put forth by Herbalife, I spent well over $50,000.00 to operate my business; products, advertising, business expenses, etc.

Here is the TRUE scam portion of the opportunity:

There IS big money available within the opportunity. But not where most think......
The BIG money is in building an organization underneath you, and in Selling TRAINING AIDS to the masses in your group! You get kickbacks for the touchphone voicemail system, kickbacks from business generated selling the products, kickbacks for lots of things....but The true, PURE CASH FLOW comes to you by selling audio, video, and printed media training aids. The big producers ALL EXPECTtheir downlines to purchase this fluff.......downlines are not looked upon as trying hard enough if they do not purchase the miriad of tapes, DVD's, CD's, Books, notebooks, scripts, etc. The BIG money is in selling your own "model" of success to your downline.

Nuff said.

It goes to say that the #1 way to create wealth is to write a book or have a seminar on how to 'create wealth'.

Or to recruit suckers who will recruit other suckers who at some point actually sell product or get even more suckers.

Thats scheme & mlm... at its best..

Personally any friend who dares try these amway or other, need to be carefull I dont put them into the hospital If I find that they really know how it really works.

If not I correct them.. if they know in reality, they will be disowned as I am the wealthiest in the family, and have already removed 1/5 of the family/inlaws from the benefits of the future estate.

The closest to these methods that acutally works is when they sell you the product directly and you do a small markup and resell it.

Like SMC, or even any mlm where you really do sell the product after markup.
Problem with amway is that much of the product is substandard quality.

(A former amway seller).

I am an herbalife supervisor. *I* approached my (at the time) salesperson to sign up under her. She actually advised me NOT to waste my money on ANY of the extras... no web page, no phone number (half of this stuff I've never heard of, not saying it doesn't exist it just hasn't been shoved in my face). I started with my simple $69 (I think... I know it wasn't more than that) to get the 25% discount. I was buying a bit of product so the $69 was worth every penny... side note: I've lost 90 lbs!!

Since signing on as a distributor, I decided to start my own weightloss business.. a seperate licensed support group type setting. While I don't require my students to buy product, I do use this as a source to advertise. Being that I am relying on sales to profit, it was in my best interest to purchase inventory to obtain the supervisor status. BTW.... it wasn't $4,000 actually spent. Yes, I had to buy $4,000 RTV worth of product, with my discount it was roughly $2400.

That said I am by NO MEANS getting rich quick. I have not approached 1 person to sign up under me, I'm not really interested in a downline. Not that I don't want one, I'm just not the "salesperson" type. I love the product and am passionate about helping others lose weight. I do have 1 person (who approached me) that signed up as a distributor for the discount. My earnings on herbalife are very minimal.... probably only $500/mo. It's enough for me. I'm not crooked and couldn't deal with the stress of guilt due to convincing others to fork out tons of unnecessary money just so that I can get rich.

I have only been doing this since the beginning of 09 and am optimistic that eventually as I build up my other business that I will start making a more reasonable income. For me, this will be a slow journey that will hopefully result in a humble income while still leaving me the flexibility to cater to my #1 job.... a mom.

Don't judge the whole company based on your "coach's" lack of morals. There are some good supervisors out there that won't try and rip you off. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that these days, more people in general are becoming crooked for their own greed.... even the salesperson in the furniture store is going to try and convince you to buy something you don't want or need.

My advice....
don't fork out more than you can afford,
don't expect to get rich quick and
don't sign up under anyone who tells you that you HAVE to buy something

I recieved an email from "Online Business Systems". It shows a video of a guy "proving" how much money he made. It shows him logging into some account (can't remember the exact title, ROI Rocket or something like that), showing that he made well over a million dollars in 2009. Then he shows a Google Adwords account showing that he spent like $600,000 on adverising, which still left him netting over a million. For some odd reason his picture on one of these accounts was blurred out. I found this odd because the original capture page included a photo of him and his family. Nonetheless, he was promoting some sort of work-from-home business, but never would say what it was. He says I can make as much money as I want, $500 a month, $5000 a month, it all depends on how much time I want to put into it. I could order the decision package for $9.95 and if I decided I liked it then I could order the $39.95 package. They say that this is to weed out the "tire kickers" from the serious people. The phrase "tire kickers" seems to be a standard phrase with a lot of mlm recruiting schemes.

I entered my email address so I could get a little more information, maybe I'd find out exactly what kind of business this is. Unfortunately, the email only contained information that was already in the original advertisement, just saying that I should send $9.95 for the decision package and blah blah. I had to go to scams.com to find out that they were trying to get me to sell Herbalife. Then I came here and read all these comments and rebuttals.

First off, I notice that most pro-Herbalife folks can't seem to spell. I found that interesting. Perhaps one poor speller is posing as several people? Who knows.

If selling Herbalife is such a great business, then why don't they tell you upfront? Why try to get someone to spend $9.95 in order to find out what the business is? Why not state at the beginning "Herbalife distributors wanted"? Or "How would you like to be an Herbalife distributor"? This shows deceptiveness. It's sneaky and underhanded.

I also find it interesting that any company representative who is doing so well, making a ton of money with a rock solid company would be here at ripoffreport in the first place. Why would you care what people are saying if it supposedly has no inpact? Truth is, it exposes you for what you are. You prey on the desparate hopes of others with false visions of earning a good income from a home based "business". You have to present a positive facade because you yourself fell for the same sales pitch and, in order to have any success at all, you have to keep the illusion alive, in hopes of finding people who are as gullible as you were. It's a sad, sad cycle.