My name is Michele and last night I was called by a woman selling Melaleuca products. I believe this company to be a SCAM so this morning I decided to research this company. I found several negative articles regarding this companies customer service practices, lack of ethical treatment of animals and other serious claims of ripping people off.
The only people who seem to be saying anything good about it are the people making money from it!
Anyway I felt that you might be interested that this company is marketing their company to mothers playing on their love for their children.
As I was talking to this woman I "googled" Melaleuca Idaho Falls and found several websites condemning this companies products and tactics.
After 15 minutes of her "explaining" the products I politely told her I wanted to end the conversation due to all of these articles I was reading.
She belligerently said "we have only been on the phone for five minutes so you couldn't have read all that stuff." I very calmly said "we have been on the phone for 15 minutes and I can read!"
She then said "I can't believe you would put children at risk of cancer." I responded with ”I am not interested in your company.” She then said "I made $175,000.00 last year." I responded with “I prefer to sleep at night.” She said “have a great life and hung up!
The woman who contacted me was:
Michelle Elizer
Her idea of "explaining" the products was by telling me that Johnson and Johnson's baby shampoo has formaldehyde and can give your children cancer now this may be true, I have no idea but if I were not aware of this type of scam I might have actually fallen for it. She also went on to say the same about tooth paste and laundry detergent; once again someone that is not familiar with this type of marketing might get fooled.
I feel that this company might be using false statements to gain the confidence of the American public so that they can take advantage of them. From what I have read this company automatically deducts money from your bank account and will not refund money when asked to. The better business bureau is useless as long as a company responds they consider a problem to be resolved and will keep a company in good standing. They do not care about the consumer they only care about the business that pays for a membership!
In one of their agents comments defending the company the agent stated that the company received awards from the American Red Cross & The Salvation Army.
I have contacted the BBB, American Red Cross & The Salvation Army.
The BBB has 297 complaints.
The American Red Cross & The Salvation Army have not yet replied but there is no mention of Melaleuca on their websites.
1. Written by former mela customer, on 20-06-2008 16:34
My husband & I joined Melaleuca several years ago. We were part of the MOMteam as well. For us it never really worked as a business but we loved the products. Major reason many have a problem with Melaleuca IS having to order a certain amount every month. i did not like that either but I did like the products. However, just to clearify a few things the products are labeled as NON-TOXIC or ENVIRONMENTALLY-SAFE. In saying that, that does not mean everything in them completely "natural". I also had a problem with this & started to do more research-there are so many other products out there that are TRULY safe!!! You can buy many of them at Amazon.com in bulk & save way more money than you ever could with Melaleuca's programs. We have switched to Seventh Generation. I first ordered it through Amazon-great prices & free shipping. I am now stocked up for at least 2 years!!!! Even with frequent cleaning-I have 3 young boys.
As far as the MOM team-I personally think some of the previous writers had bad mentors. I must say though when I was with the MOM team there were problems way up the ladder & the team ended up spliting & renaming so many times it really became a pain in the butt to keep changing my websites & business info. Just made it difficult to believe whta they were teaching. I also had problem with the whole secrecy thing-I refused to do it. For an "in-home" presentation I was told to display the products but keep them covered or in another room so none of the guests could see them. To me that was just insane! I was up front & honest with people when I spoke to them about Melaleuca. And I don't care what anyone says (bottom barrel or top of the heap) to tell anyone you can work less than part time at home & make tons of $$$ is a total lie. With the calls you have to make, training, & phone meetings you end up working just as much as anyone else.
As far as their customer service-I never had any problems with them. They were always very friendly & helpful. Our son has VERY sensitive skin & eczema, he had a reaction to the sunscreen (which had not happened before), so I called explained the probelm. I was told to keep it & my money (cost, s/h, & tax) was refunded. They also told me they would forward the problem to the product/developement dept to research. A few days later one of the people from that dept. called to get a full description of what had happened. She said they had changed the formula & needed tp know about any problems to keep on file. When we were done they also sent me a gift certificate for $25. They were truly concerned for my son & again very friendly.
So enough said-the monthly requirement ***, products are good, do you research BEFORE you sign. Any truly good business person will understand that. An you can always look for "natural cleaner recipes" online-vinegar & baking soda work great for just about anything & they are SUPER CHEAP!!!!!
I just got into a heated argument with my Mom today and it's going to be on my mind for a while. I'm not going to get scientific about what I'm going through. I joined The M.O.M. Team/Melaleuca almost two weeks ago. Although setting appointments hasn't been a problem, many of the women seemed guarded about the opportunity and it seems my chances of success aren't what I envisioned they would be. I'm not basing any of this on what I contrived in my head. I'm basing this off of my mentor getting me to "think big". That's really nice and everything, but when the follow-through on a company's performace is slacking due to empty promises and neglecting other facts that need to be mentioned, there is comes great disappointment and a set reality you didn't plan on running into. The reality of this is, you're not going to be a big success and make tons of money. Some of the products are not what Melaleuca promised to be. You're forced to keep your Preferred Customer status in order to stay in business. The shopping points REQUIRED go up as your income goes down leaving you broke and in further debt. The business opportunity isn't what is origianally promised, because of customer dissatisfaction. I think one of the major keys to customer satisfaction is allowing them to shop for as much or as little as they want to without trying to influence them into believing their shopping decisions are poor. I know it's not right to do that to people, because they become discouraged and wouldn't want to shop from you due to your judgement on their character and how they shop. Ultimately, when you're in business, most decisions aren't really up to you, because it is the customers that make your business what it is.
this is a pissed off site. go brag about your company on another website. she is offering her opinion. keep googleing all the reports to see who hates your stuff. make sure you say how much money your making. NO ONE CARES!!!
I also have done research. You should google the contents you cannot pronounce on the things you use. Do this b4 you decide to spout off in your ignorance. If it stands to reason that our bodies process medications through a patch, why should it not make sense that we absorb the surfactants and toxins from our detergents? My son was born with a birth defect caused from toxins absorbed through my skin and then depositing in him.
Another food for thought, when was the last time Target, Bath and Body works, or Walmart gave you any cash back when you shopped there? I didn't think so, that is a PERK, not gimmick, of Melaleuca. That is a reward for the loyalty of the shopper.
Once you get your nose back in you can try taking the chemicals out of your home. Then go to the store and walk the toxin/cleaning isle and notice the strong smell.
Hello- I'm sorry for your percieved poor experience. It appears you are looking for more reasons to dislike Melaleuca Inc, than to embrace this company's concept and all it represents. Remember, one person's representation and your experience of that... does NOT make the company.
Hopefully you are open minded and skeptical, not closed minded and critical. Thus it will leave you with a learning experience.
I do want to let you know that in regards to "scare tactics", I do believe that Melaleuca's concept is that the "truth is good enough". Some people choose to go a bit farther and help educate consumers on why safer, quality ingredients do make a difference. In the case of MANY Johnson & Johnson products (as you gave in your excerpt), this company now chooses to keep the price of their products down by utilizing cheaper types of preservatives (quaternium-15, a formaldehyde family ingredient; along with LYE and others.). If you are upset at this implication... GOOD.. continue doing your homework and making your buying decisions based on these "upsetting" truths. If you have a personal "clash" with one person however, don't judge the entire company... would you do that elsewhere? Of course not. Most respectfully, M.Simon, Child Psychologist/Toxin Educator
297 complaints by the BBB is pretty good considering about 30,000 to 40,000 people join Melaleuca every month!
I'm truly sorry that you have closed your mind to such an EXCELLENT company. They are ALL for the consumer. If you don't think you spend more money in the grocery store, then you need to bring a calculator with you and really check it out. $60.00 per month is a drop in the bucket when going shopping unless your using one product for cleaning, laundry, haircare, make-up vitamins, etc. You're just kidding yourself.
Why wouldn't you look into something that might help your family? My garbage men would not take my cleaning and laundry products. My husband (who is an environmental scientist ) had to bring them to a hazardous waste site because they are considered "HAZARDOUS WASTE"! In factories, people that handle these types of products have to where full body suits with gas masks...the drums that contain detergent has skulls and crossbones
on them.
I don't mean to be rude but you need to research some reputable sites rather than search the web for gossip from disgruntled people like yourself that just don't get it!
Anyone can write anything on any site. I could write about any company saying how corrupt it is. You have to consider the source.
Oh, by the way, I have a letter about Melaleuca's animal testing. Funny thing, the only thing they tested on animals is the DOG SHAMPOO!!! Do you think maybe they should have tested it on humans?
By the way, I know Michelle Elizer...so I really think you are way off with your comments.
7. Written by Melaleuca -So far, So good, on 04-04-2008 11:53
I am a new work from home mom who just signed with the The M.O.M Team/Melaleuca.
So far, I am happy with the products I have. My only concern is why I have to purchase $60-$70 worth of products each month? I'm not sure if I want to continue to do that because I don't use that much worth of products per month for anything.
I will give it one more month before letting my mentor know what I'll do.
Checked out the BBB on Melaleuca: Majority of claims are listed as resolved by complany. I tried to look up Johnsons and Johnsons but the company is too broad I think... I wonder how many they have had...
I personally think Melaleuca products are great, they work great and aren't expensive. I have had a few delivery issues but when I called they have always sent me what I was missing or what came broken (deoderant both times!) right away. Better than some companies I've dealt with in the past...
I'm researching melaleuca products right now too. I did enroll so I could try their products and so far I really do love everything I have tried. But I am a sceptic and a believer in that sometimes "its too good to be true." But so far, what I've found is that the main philosphy of this is a healthier home and healthier family based on using products that won't kill you!
The US has very few regulations on what companies can put into our everyday products, unlike Europe and now Canada. And that is scary. The majority of research I've done points to the negatives of most of the brands I have trusted and loved. I am very particular about products because I have major skin issues as does my daughter, so I only bought the few items that I didn't react to.
So far, the Melaleuca products I've tried have been GREAT. The lotion took away my daughter's excema in one week; the laundry and dish detergents work great. My kitchen is shinier (i have to think that maybe the other brands leave a residue, but I don't know).
Anyway, I agree that this complaint should be against that lady who called. My neighbor who introduced me was just telling me about her personal experiences with the products and did share info she had researched, but zero pressure to enroll. It was all very low pressure and you can cancel without penalty (I have a few friends I found out recently that did end up cancelling but only because the products lasted so long they didn't need anymore. Now they regret it a bit and may sign up, or I may just buy them a few things on my account....
One last thing: You will never be able to eliminate 100% of the toxins in your life, but I figure if I can eliminate a few of them, I will feel better and hopefully we will all be healthier for longer...
In summary, GREAT products, they stand alone. But that always stinks when someone is pressure selling. I would disregard the person, and try the products on your own.
10. Written by Very Happy with Melaleuca/Just, on 22-03-2008 11:17
I have to comment on Michelles' posting 3/19/08. Interesting how you 'claim' you read several articals yet your links are alledged angry consumers only. You have no proof to support your comments either.
I was introduced to Melaleuca as a wellness product, my son has severe allergies. I wasn't scared into it but given samples to try first. I also have a high sensitivity to OTC household cleaners, some which induced migraines. I do not sell Melaleuca. I use the products because they have helped my family and doesn't cost me more.
I think the lady you spoke with made you mad and you retaliated by condeming the company, not to mention the many stay at home moms/dads who are trying to make a living. Two wrongs don't make a right. It seemed like you both talked to each other rather immaturely, it wasn't so much her facts weren't true it was how they were presented to you to get a sale. I've been reading for years the danger and toxisity in household cleaners and every day procucts we us. Now, not everyone can sell and I imagine just as we are shopping for cars and other items, there are some that imbellish to get a sale. Not good for the company, but not the companies fault. As I stated earlier, I'm a user of the product, I don't sell but I will defend the quality of the product and the difference it has made for me. I use to use oxyclean in every load of laundry.....the Melapower detergent works alone and gets my whites white, and my son doesn't break out. I don't get migraines cleaning my shower and it's truely clean when I'm done. I'm also a grandma and I've used just about everything on the market. The better something claims to be the more chemicals they seem to add to make it better.
I would like to say to the moms out there who are contemplating buying/selling don't let the negative comments sway you. Make your educated decision for your family based on trying it just like you would a new over the counter product that sell mass quantities at outrageous prices and could care less about the long term affects on your you and your family. If someone wants you to sell something, they should allow you to sample as I did.
Comments
Comments (11)
I'm not going to get scientific about what I'm going through. I joined The M.O.M. Team/Melaleuca almost two weeks ago. Although setting appointments hasn't been a problem, many of the women seemed guarded about the opportunity and it seems my chances of success aren't what I envisioned they would be. I'm not basing any of this on what I contrived in my head. I'm basing this off of my mentor getting me to "think big". That's really nice and everything, but when the follow-through on a company's performace is slacking due to empty promises and neglecting other facts that need to be mentioned, there is comes great disappointment and a set reality you didn't plan on running into. The reality of this is, you're not going to be a big success and make tons of money. Some of the products are not what Melaleuca promised to be. You're forced to keep your Preferred Customer status in order to stay in business. The shopping points REQUIRED go up as your income goes down leaving you broke and in further debt. The business opportunity isn't what is origianally promised, because of customer dissatisfaction. I think one of the major keys to customer satisfaction is allowing them to shop for as much or as little as they want to without trying to influence them into believing their shopping decisions are poor. I know it's not right to do that to people, because they become discouraged and wouldn't want to shop from you due to your judgement on their character and how they shop. Ultimately, when you're in business, most decisions aren't really up to you, because it is the customers that make your business what it is.
