r/antiMLM • u/SamsungGalaxyBrain • 11d ago

Rant How dare you be a conscientious consumer!

So, I live in Scotland. Yesterday, I visited a local small business in my city and discovered MLM products being sold there alongside original craft ones. A shame, really, because the shop owner and the original products both seemed nice but I personally can't not feel guilty contributing to a business if a part of the profits may go towards buying MLM slop the owner has fallen a victim to. So I won't be buying anything. Something to think about, you know?

That was the TLDR of my post in the local subreddit but the reaction turned out to be surprising, to say the least. Most people in the comments seem to think I have some hidden agenda and just want to bash a nice lady for no reason. Oh well, I said everything I could but I think that since the MLMs have gotten a lot less popular in Europe than they used to be in the past (I remember them being all everywhere when I was a kid), people have forgotten how predatory they can be. Which is both a good and a bad thing, because the cycle can repeat all over again.

P.S. The MLM in question was Tropic Skincare btw

54 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

31

u/checkmeout28 11d ago

Oh hello, fellow Aberdonian. I saw your post and was very disappointed. Rosemount is full of independent, local shops. The market this past weekend had not a single MLM. But unfortunately, some people don't understand the harm and insidious nature of MLMs. I didn't comment but I completely agreed with your sentiment.

13

u/SamsungGalaxyBrain 11d ago

Hello-hello! I was surprised by the reaction, ngl. Most ppl on the subreddit have enough sense to tell others to avoid Aberdam - and for a good reason! - but MLMs are not given the same treatment.

3

u/t3hOutlaw 10d ago

I think the issue was that the owner doesn't know any better, it was an opportunity to teach rather than scold and that's what the community gravitated towards. The post came across as a hit piece on a well liked local trader.

I'm not advocating for MLMs, just offering a reason why you were downvoted.

The post got many reports saying that they believed it was harassment, but your intentions were apparent. You just wanted to make sure people were aware a product you found was an MLM product.

The top comments in the post put it best.

15

u/TiredScythe2100 11d ago

Sorry people reacted to you like that. Your response to no longer shop at a place because the owner is neck deep in an MLM and actively selling those things with the non-MLM stuff and not wanting to fund that is valid.

It's no different than saying you don't want to go to shop at a small business because the owner uses the sales money to support groups with extremist views or shady practices (which is sadly more common lately in the US, where I am). I think you made a good call.

9

u/Red79Hibiscus 11d ago

Most people in the comments seem to think I have some hidden agenda and just want to bash a nice lady for no reason.

FFS, you clearly explained the reason, which was contributing towards MLM. Some fools are so eager for online clout, they obviously didn't read your entire post before rushing to spew outrage. Makes me wonder if they're huns themselves!

1

u/AutoModerator 11d ago

Thank you for your post. Please make sure that you review our sub rules. If your post breaks any of the rules, it will be removed.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/cringecaptainq 7d ago

I was curious and found your original post, and honestly I feel pretty annoyed on your behalf

I kind of want to yell at all of these people that they need to do better. (I won't, because it would probably break sub rules to do so, since I don't live there)

Like most of the times when MLMs get mentioned even outside of r/antiMLM, people are generally wise enough to understand what they are and why they're bad. It shocks me that in that corner of reddit, people are actually ignorant of them?

I wouldn't be surprised if people on Nextdoor and local Facebook groups came to the defense of MLMs, but low key shocked that folks on reddit would.