Is Arbonne International A Scam?

Company: Arbonne International

Website: www.arbonne.com

With there being so many ways to make money online, one of the most talked about ways is through a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) business.

However, with so many MLM’s available on the internet, finding the right one for you can be a problem, especially if you take the business on face-value or from the sales pitch of someone who wants to recruit you.

I’d imagine that at this point, if you are searching for a review on Arbonne International, it was recommended to you by a friend or family member.

Who knows, it could have even been an advertisement somewhere on social media.

But where ever you got the information, or from whom you got the information, hopefully you will pick up some valuable insight from this review that will help you make an informed decision.

The following review is a detailed analysis of Arbonne International, which shows you just how strong of an MLM it is.

Find out if it is an online business opportunity is worth your time.

You can also check out the step-by-step training that helps me earn over $10,000+ per month working from home.

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An Arbonne International Overview

In 1975, Petter Morck founded Arbonne International.

There are distribution centers in Canada United Kingdom, Australia, Poland, New Zealand and California.

The headquarters is located in Irvine, California.

Petter was born in Poland and he was able to create a quality skincare product line and decided to venture into the MLM business.

Although Arbonne’s bread and butter are the skincare products, they produce a large number of products.

Arbonne also sells bath & body products, hair products, sun protection, makeup and even nutrition products.

Overall, their product line is vast and reaches a large customer base.

However, Arbonne International filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

Plan To Get Paid…Or Not

Before we get started, here are a few claims that that Arbonne International stand by…

Pure: Arbonne chooses to use natural products such as extracts.

Safe: Arbonne stands by their products by making sure that they are eco-friendly.

Beneficial: Arbonne claims that all of their products are beneficial to health or look.

All Arbonne products are free from the following ingredients:

Parabens, Benzene, Petrolatum, Phthalates, Toluene, PABAS, Animal product or by products, and Formaldehyde-based preservatives.

Don’t all companies claim the exact same thing?

Where is the scientific evidence to back up claims like, “our products make you look younger and feel great.”

Let’s see if the compensation plans are as strong as their claims are!!!

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Arbonne International Success Plan

The compensation plan for Arbonne is quite extensive and complicated which is a turnoff by itself.

In order to become a member of the management qualification programs or the bonus/override programs, Independent Consultants have to sell 150 in Personal Retail Volume every month.

What does this mean?

Here is what the Success Plan for Arbonne states:

“PQV includes the Qualifying Volume (QV) from sales to an Arbonne Independent Consultant’s registered Clients and Preferred Clients and sales and purchases under an Arbonne Independent Consultant’s own Arbonne ID.”

This is what it takes just to get started with the compensation plan. If this does not have you skeptical, them I’m sure the next part of the compensation plan will.

Independent Consultants, which is the starting level and the commission bonuses are almost difficult to reach and even harder to maintain, considering the rewards are limited.

• Up to 35% retail commission from the resale of Arbonne products purchased from Arbonne at a 35% discount from the Suggested Retail Price (SRP), excluding non-commission able items such as Business Aids, sample packs and Starter Kits.
• 15% commission on orders placed by personally registered Preferred Clients. This commission is paid on Suggested Retail Price and is not applicable to discounted product promotions.
• Access to ongoing product specials, Arbonne incentives and other monthly promotions.

Doesn’t it seem a bit fishy that you are the one that ultimately fronts the money for all products rather than having a system where each customer orders and pays?

I think so…

Another snag is even if you manage to keep up with the basic level of sales, you still most likely lose money due to traveling and hosting parties or other customer generating events.

If you want to read the entire Arbonne Success Plan, follow this link here.

4 Ways To Earn With Arbonne International:

1. Profits on the sales of all the products you purchase as an Independent Consultant, Preferred Client Commissions purchases that are made by other Preferred Clients. These figures are calculated at 15% SRP of the total order.
2. Overrides paid on the volume of product sales and the sales volume of all Independent Consultant teammates.
3. Mercedes-Benz Cash Bonus Program which is only available at the Vice President or higher levels. This program is based on product sales volume and the sales volume of all Arbonne Independent Consultants that are on your team.
4. Any bonuses are paid based on sales volume of you and all other teammates.

The Positives of Arbonne International

At least Arbonne International has a product to sell. That is more than some MLM businesses can say.

However, there are so many beauty product companies out there.

There is only so much Arbonne International can do in order to separate themselves from their competitors.

I have read comments from Consultants and customers that have stated that the products are fine, but the MLM is something completely different.

The fact of the matter is that successful Independent Consultants are few and far between…

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The Negatives of Arbonne International

The easiest way to explain this is to be brutally honest…

Although I like the idea of making money with a very popular product, I can’t see where the money making opportunities are.

The Success Plan provides consultants with a small commission for selling products. If the profit margin was bigger, maybe the annual average income of Independent Consultants would be higher.

When you factor in all of the traveling and face-to-face customer time, you are most likely losing money.

You also have to network with friends and family, mostly, and that can be embarrassing especially when it comes to explaining the product by reading a pamphlet. Awkward…

The Success Plan business model is a legalized scheme to push product to individual consultants in the hopes that new customers are generated.

In short, the money ends up in the pockets of the creators.

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to get your MLM business going, just to realize that all of your hard work is for not…

Lastly, here are a few portions of the Independent Consultant Compensation Summary that everyone considering to become an Independent Consultant should see:

• Only 13% of all Independent Consultants received a monthly commission in the U.S. during 2014.
• The average annual earnings for all Independent Consultants in the U.S. was $561.

The Independent Consultant Compensation Summary is located here.

Let’s break down the average annual earnings a bit further.

$561 per year means $46.75 a month. This would mean that you spend more money on gas while visiting customers than you make per month.

This is not a promising outlook for any business venture.

There’s easier ways of making money and you might consider this program.

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Final Verdict

I can confirm that Arbonne International is a real business and people are making money with it, but the process is archaic.

It is just a recycled version of the Avon craze from the 80’s and 90’s.

In my honest opinion, it is extremely rare to make a livable amount of money selling Arbonne’s skincare products at parties to your friends and family.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not impossible but it is very improbable.

If you are looking for an online business to start up, I would recommend almost any other reputable business.

I think a U.S. customer review from 2013 sums up Arbonne perfectly: “Fantastic product at a decent price. Don’t mix up the biz opportunity with the product……..2 different animals.”

You are better off trying to take advantage of discounts and freebees that are given to you as an Independent Consultant than trying to make money with Arbonne.

Is it a scam?

I doubt it because the FTC would shut it down immediately, but the FTC cannot keep track of every MLM that pops up.

I mean, some have to slip through the cracks, right?

Look I get it, I could be completely wrong here. If you have any evidence that might help me change my mind about the legitimacy of the money making potential…

Go ahead and leave me a comment using the form below.

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