never heard of them but it does sound like a scam.

There are so many of these multi-level marketing companies and I would stay away from them. No one ever got rich by these get-rich-quick schemes.

Yes I have heard of them. I got some (free) products from them through one of my and my husband's friends. We were a part of another small business similiar to Melaleuca, called Quixstar (it used to be called Amway) and you loose a LOT of money through stuff like that! If you want to be successful in businesses like that, you have to do exactly what you said, spend lots of hours on it and basically, give up your day job. I wouldn't recommend it. We left Quixstar last year, and it was one of the best moves we made.

First of all, all Multi Level Marketing companies are not even close to a scam. Anyone who says that is just plain uneducated in the field of sales and marketing.

As for Melaleuca, it's a huge company that I hardly think the U.S. and Canadian Governments would allow to continue operating as a scam. They are under the microscope, I assure you, and are adherent to very strict standards.
The facts they give you about products in your home causing allergies and infection, are true. People have no idea what they are breathing in with different household products, and some are downright dangerous. Not just for children, but for adults as well because they cause inflammation in the system which leads to heart disease as well as other ailments.
These aren't scare tactics, they're just trying to educate people on the dangers of different products.

As for the compensation plan, I believe it is indeed outdated. It is difficult to earn a decent living if you are just starting out. The problem is that now most of the baby boomers are empty nesters and no longer want to fill their house with a bunch of products they purchased from their own 'store'. They are now looking for health and anti-aging.

So, you can be assured that it is not true that Melaleuca is some rip-off scam-like business. Their reps do not just make money for the first few months, they have to work their way up....difficult as it is because of current market trends.

The products that the reps purchase each month, do so come at a discount, and are not just to be able to help them sell.
You need to do some homework on the fundamentals of Multi Level Marketing in order to understand how it really works.

Melaleuca is a real company, not a scam. Someone else has already went over most of the details of the business side, so I'll skip that part.

But, I would like to "correct" one of the postings.

The cleaners come in a concentrated bottle that costs $4.99 if your are a preferred member. Each bottle of concentrate actually makes 4 full size bottles, which comes to $1.25 per bottle. The products are safer and more environmentally friendly. If you look on the good old net, it is documented by MULTIPLE sites that have no financial connection to Melaleuca.

There are people making a very decent living with the revenue program. Melaleuca PUBLISHES its annual income statistics. They show not only the high end earnings, but also the average and low end.

Melaleuca has many different "teams" set up for training and supporting new members. If the team that you have spoke with is using scare tactics, find another team. Mom Execs, Stayin Home and Lovin' It, Four Point Moms, and so forth are all different teams who train new enrollees in different ways. Some good, and apparently, some not so good.

Source(s)

Happy customer. Just a customer for over a year.

I'm with them and they are a great company and not much work to it to me. And I didn't have to sign up friends and family either. Really all the work is in the beginning and once the ball starts rolling it keeps rolling. I love the products. Not because of the scare of the chemicals in my old ones but the healing power in the Melaleuca ones I use. And the better smell than bleach or lysol. People are customers without being representatives, it's just a way for others to make a little back for being customers. And I know a woman who has two kids and has been doing this for 3 years and is making a good living. It all depends on the person. But at least Melaleuca gives full refunds on products empty bottles within 60 days if you don't like it. Why would they do that if they thought anyone wouldn't love their products. And being a business builder you are buying products with a up to a 40% discount on the direct customer price. Really I don't see any scam in it at all. And they are constantly giving their customers free stuff and coupons for the company too. And like this month people who sign up get $100 in free products plus a free gift of their great bar soaps. And people can still sign up and try if a couple of months send back empty bottles and get full refunds. And they don't make it difficult to return either. The forms are right in the box with your purchase. Sorry if it doesn't agree with you but I love it, and I would shop even without the business end.

I am making $45,000/day in Melaleuca. YOu morons who are two stupid to understnad that MLM is the wave of the futre dont earn as much as me in an entire year.

MLM now accounts for like 80% of all retail sales. Anyone who tells you differnetly doesnt know squat about sales and marketing.

I think the biggest non MLM retailer in the world is selling like $1 million in total annual sales. there are MLM companies doing almost 3 times that.

Get a clue!