Post: #1

I got into Herbalife aprox. a month ago, mainly for the business opportunity. I have also tried some of their products, mainly just the shake and teas.

Anyone here also consumes Herbalife products? What are your thoughts on them?

Anyone here also on the Herbalife business? Any thoughts on that as well?

Post: #2

Some of the biggest hedge funds seem to think it is a ponzi scheme. Hence why the stock has been clobbered the last week or so. Ackman says he is riding it to zero, but he is pretty slimey and might just be making it up. Whitney Tilson just jumped on board and went short, but he has to be the dumbest money manager on the planet. They both could be wrong, but David Einhorn might be involved and that guy is as smart as they come. If he seems to think HLF is a ponzi scheme then I would have to think it won't be long until the company is no longer around.

I have never tried any of there products or even know exactly what they sell. But looking at it from an investment standpoint these 3 guys might be onto something.

Post: #3

http://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2...herbalife/

Bill Ackman and Whitney Tilson are both shorting the company.

WIA

Post: #4

Lots of personal trainers at my gym end up promoting this to their clients, they are making decent cash out of it.

Post: #5

It's a pyramid scheme, scam in short.

Post: #6

Here in NJ, especially in some urban areas, business is really booming for those independent representatives who sell it. I know a few people who are making some good money selling certain Herbalife products. Between them I notice a certain similarity in their marketing strategy and preferred type of customer. They all go after customers who are either "fresh off the boat" or havent been in the US for a long period of time. While this strategy can be seen as taking advantage of someone it's also pretty effective because the the customer hasnt been exposed to too many other health products yet and is most likely to believe that this product is the best product out there.

Post: #7

Fretdancer- send me a PM if you have any questions.

Post: #8

Herbalife is a cult like scam.

It works on people who are greedy and belive that they MUST CONSUME to be healthy.

But as we the Red Pill people know Love and Health cannot be bought by money.

Post: #9

Interesting replies. Quick question: What does ''shorting'' mean?

@Alpha: PMing you.

Post: #10

(12-30-2012 12:06 AM)Mage Wrote:  Herbalife is a cult like scam.

It works on people who are greedy and belive that they MUST CONSUME to be healthy.

But as we the Red Pill people know Love and Health cannot be bought by money.

Well, everything revolves around consuming. Wether you are buying green tea from the supermarket, from Herbalife, or buying seperate ingredients and tools needed to prepare it.

I still don't see what is your point. Can you elaborate more?

Post: #11

(12-30-2012 01:43 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  Interesting replies. Quick question: What does ''shorting'' mean?

@Alpha: PMing you.

In its basic term it means betting the stock will go down. You can make money from stocks going up or going down.

Post: #12

(12-30-2012 01:44 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(12-30-2012 12:06 AM)Mage Wrote:  Herbalife is a cult like scam.

It works on people who are greedy and belive that they MUST CONSUME to be healthy.

But as we the Red Pill people know Love and Health cannot be bought by money.

Well, everything revolves around consuming. Wether you are buying green tea from the supermarket, from Herbalife, or buying seperate ingredients and tools needed to prepare it.

I still don't see what is your point. Can you elaborate more?

The point is that you don't need green tea to be healthy. Just like you don't need to buy that girl a drink to sleep with her.

When Herbalife tried to recruit me they tried to convince me that all people have a sickness or another and if they don't consume some products they will become even more sick.

The truth is directly the opposite - the more you give out of yourself trough exercise and hard physical work and the less products you consume trough your mouth and skin, limting yourself only to the necessary - the healthier you are.

This is why in modern consumerist society people are fat and sick.

Now everybody will tell you that you need to buy their products to be healthy and that you need to buy women gifts to have their love, but it's all a lie.

You don't buy health if you are born healthy. You can only sabotage your health trough excessive consumption of unhealthy products or even healthy products in excess.

Post: #13

Mage, I think the concept of selling is a valid concept. What makes it a scam is if the product cannot standalone i.e. you need to recruit people who pay a membership fee which outweighs the value of the services or product offered.

The question here is, is Herbalife a valid product on a standalone basis?

If it is, then I'm not sure if the Herballife market place is a scam?

Maybe one can say that PUA is a pyramid scheme?

Post: #14

Herbalife is MLM.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-level_marketing

Post: #15

Moma, I argue against Herbalife as I see it pointless from perspective of Health.

As for perspective of Economics it all depends from you. Maybe you are a person who is a good and active seller, who loves marketing and would actually profit from your numerous referrals, but obviously such persons are a minority or there wouldn't be any profit for them. The majority overpays for minority to profit.

Post: #16

@Mage: I understand your point and I agree. However, this does not mean that the elements contained in some Herbalife products wouldn't be a boost to one's body/organism.

Mage, regarding the business aspect of Herbalife and despite your opinions on it. Do you think its a very efficient and profitable way to earn money?

Post: #17

(12-30-2012 03:51 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  @Mage: I understand your point and I agree. However, this does not mean that the elements contained in some Herbalife products wouldn't be a boost to one's body/organism.

Mage, regarding the business aspect of Herbalife and despite your opinions on it. Do you think its a very efficient and profitable way to earn money?

I have answered to all of this already.

Post: #18

This girl I know recently tried to recruit me into a MLM marketing scam that sounds quite similar to herbalife. This one was for some water purifier that supposedly de-ionizes it and makes the water alkaline in PH. The seminar gave us free dinner(which was pretty good actually) and this hour-long pitch. The reps were masters of cunning. They were selling this machine for $4000. There was an almost cult-like feel to this organization. People claiming it cured them of all these health ailments. I hadn't heard of this product prior so I went home and did some research and found out it's entirely bullshit, not supported by science at all. But for those that get in on the top of these MLM schemes, profits are handsome indeed. Any company that bases its model on bringing in an ever growing number of reps who get a downline kicback for products sold is a scam. Run like hell.

Post: #19

(12-30-2012 04:00 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  This girl I know recently tried to recruit me into a MLM marketing scam that sounds quite similar to herbalife. This one was for some water purifier that supposedly de-ionizes it and makes the water alkaline in PH. The seminar gave us free dinner(which was pretty good actually) and this hour-long pitch. The reps were masters of cunning. They were selling this machine for $4000. There was an almost cult-like feel to this organization. People claiming it cured them of all these health ailments. I hadn't heard of this product prior so I went home and did some research and found out it's entirely bullshit, not supported by science at all. But for those that get in on the top of these MLM schemes, profits are handsome indeed. Any company that bases its model on bringing in an ever growing number of reps who get a downline kicback for products sold is a scam. Run like hell.

Interesting experience. However wether Herbalife is a scam or not, I think they have obtained pretty solid reputation. Even Messi seems to be sponsoring them apparently.

Post: #20

(12-30-2012 04:10 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(12-30-2012 04:00 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  This girl I know recently tried to recruit me into a MLM marketing scam that sounds quite similar to herbalife. This one was for some water purifier that supposedly de-ionizes it and makes the water alkaline in PH. The seminar gave us free dinner(which was pretty good actually) and this hour-long pitch. The reps were masters of cunning. They were selling this machine for $4000. There was an almost cult-like feel to this organization. People claiming it cured them of all these health ailments. I hadn't heard of this product prior so I went home and did some research and found out it's entirely bullshit, not supported by science at all. But for those that get in on the top of these MLM schemes, profits are handsome indeed. Any company that bases its model on bringing in an ever growing number of reps who get a downline kicback for products sold is a scam. Run like hell.

Interesting experience. However wether Herbalife is a scam or not, I think they have obtained pretty solid reputation. Even Messi seems to be sponsoring them apparently.

yeah. what's the go here?

I thought Herbalife was a scam too, but then how in the world did they get Messi (and FC Barcelona) to endorse it?

Post: #21

(12-30-2012 06:08 PM)bonkers Wrote:  

(12-30-2012 04:10 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(12-30-2012 04:00 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  This girl I know recently tried to recruit me into a MLM marketing scam that sounds quite similar to herbalife. This one was for some water purifier that supposedly de-ionizes it and makes the water alkaline in PH. The seminar gave us free dinner(which was pretty good actually) and this hour-long pitch. The reps were masters of cunning. They were selling this machine for $4000. There was an almost cult-like feel to this organization. People claiming it cured them of all these health ailments. I hadn't heard of this product prior so I went home and did some research and found out it's entirely bullshit, not supported by science at all. But for those that get in on the top of these MLM schemes, profits are handsome indeed. Any company that bases its model on bringing in an ever growing number of reps who get a downline kicback for products sold is a scam. Run like hell.

Interesting experience. However wether Herbalife is a scam or not, I think they have obtained pretty solid reputation. Even Messi seems to be sponsoring them apparently.

yeah. what's the go here?

I thought Herbalife was a scam too, but then how in the world did they get Messi (and FC Barcelona) to endorse it?

Lots of famous people with a healthy lifestyle like athletes often promote products which are even unhealthy, like soda drinks. This is just a marketing tactic.

Post: #22

(12-30-2012 06:08 PM)bonkers Wrote:  

(12-30-2012 04:10 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(12-30-2012 04:00 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  This girl I know recently tried to recruit me into a MLM marketing scam that sounds quite similar to herbalife. This one was for some water purifier that supposedly de-ionizes it and makes the water alkaline in PH. The seminar gave us free dinner(which was pretty good actually) and this hour-long pitch. The reps were masters of cunning. They were selling this machine for $4000. There was an almost cult-like feel to this organization. People claiming it cured them of all these health ailments. I hadn't heard of this product prior so I went home and did some research and found out it's entirely bullshit, not supported by science at all. But for those that get in on the top of these MLM schemes, profits are handsome indeed. Any company that bases its model on bringing in an ever growing number of reps who get a downline kicback for products sold is a scam. Run like hell.

Interesting experience. However wether Herbalife is a scam or not, I think they have obtained pretty solid reputation. Even Messi seems to be sponsoring them apparently.

yeah. what's the go here?

I thought Herbalife was a scam too, but then how in the world did they get Messi (and FC Barcelona) to endorse it?

The same way Turkish Airlines, Adidas or Audi got him... how do you think companies get famous people to promote their stuff?

Post: #23

I happen to know people at the top of one of the most respected MLMs who make millions and I still think its a scam. It's all about numbers and pressuring people to recruit more people so you can make them money.

I had a look at the percentages of people at each level of the MLM and it said only about 10% or less of people make it past the first level. Even at the second level you are hardly making any money especially for the time and money you put into your "business." As far as the numbers past that it was less than 1% of people that get there so basically its like trying to win the lottery. Not Worth It

MLMs remind of spammers on YouTube/Blogs/Forums who post worthless plugs to try to get more views to their channel or site and try to relate it somehow to the video or post they are commenting on

Post: #24

they are all over mexico. but i dont think they are successful. even a gringo with money like me sees it as a joke.

Post: #25

(01-01-2013 11:59 PM)bacon Wrote:  they are all over mexico. but i dont think they are successful. even a gringo with money like me sees it as a joke.

Yes. All over Mexico.

Herbalife's alleged nutrition club density is one per every 2,800 people in Mexico, the same as the top 15 U.S. quick service restaurants combined.

Sounds fishy, eh? 40,660 units in Mexico, compared to 408 BKs, 396 McDonald's, and 360 Starbucks.

Slides 293 and 294 from here--more about Herbalife and why it's a scam, in pdf/ppt format.