Opinions about Arbonne?

[christinadei]

I'm looking for opinions about Arbonne products as well as the business opportunity. Does anyone have any experience with the company?

My boss started selling Arbonne a few months ago and I thought it was a joke. She is a CPA and very smart, business wise, so I figured I'd sit back and watch. She is now signing up her 7th business builder and has promoted twice, she has a doctor and a few nurses under her (great credibility for the wellness products) and is seriously considering quitting her job.

I am thinking about signing up, after all, the startup costs are what I want them to be, so I don't have a lot to lose. I love the fact that the products are 100% natural. Of course, I also love the idea of big bucks, being my own boss, etc.

I'm at a crossroads in my career and am ready to leave and don't know where I want to go, so I'm seriously thinking about this as a business opportunity. Please give me any and all feedback you have.

 

[Ileana]

My Fiance's step-mother was selling those products.

She didn't do very well in it.

With Pyramid Scheme systems like that, you can only succeed if you know a lot of people and can network. Otherwise, you're SOL

 

[myladyisatramp]

Is it the cold remedy Airborne you are talking about. if not what is Airbonne...

 

[Ileana]

Is it the cold remedy Airborne you are talking about. if not what is Airbonne...

Think Swiss Avon

arbonne dot com

 

[saintbernardpup]

My sister's husband's sister (not sure what that makes her to me) sells Arbonne. I bought some foot lotion and some bare minerals type powder from her and I really liked both items. I think she does ok. Personally, I sell Body Shop at Home. I LOVE the products and have some loyal customers. I think that the required sales are a bit high though for someone like me who just wants to sell on the side and get a discount items that I buy. Once you are an active consultant for the Body Shop you have to sell $400 in products every 3 months. And though I have loyal customers, there is only so much soap, lotion and makeup that a girl needs! I think there is a market out there for that stuff and if you go out there and advertise and do parties and maybe set up a website, it can be lucrative. I just haven't invested much time in my business.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

I know a couple of people that sell Arbonne. It's been a while, but I have ordered several different items from them and to be honest with you I like Olay, Aveeno, or Avon products just as well and they don't cost as much. And every time I've gone to an Arbonne party I've always felt like the guests were being pressured to sign up to be a consultant. I know they have one program where you pay something like $39/year and you get a discount (20%??) off all items - even if it's just to buy stuff for yourself. But then I think the consultant that you sign up under gets some kind of credit towards what you buy.

I will say I love their Pampermint Body Scrub. Even my brother likes it!

 

[HeatherFeather]

My friend's sister was selling this for awhile. She gave me a trial of their skin care products. I liked them, but not enough to pay what they wanted for them! I use philosophy products, which are not inexpensive, but quite reasonable compared to the Arbonne.

Oh, and my friend says she hasn't heard her sister mention this for several months so she thinks she has stopped selling it.

 

[KKB]

Not sure that I feel it has been BETTER than other products I've tried. I like that it is natural. I picked it up on ebay for $105 for the intro set ("anti-aging"). 7 bottles...that is about $15/bottle...fairly comparable to many products at Target right now. DEFINITELY cheaper than dept. stores!

I have a high school classmate who has been doing it a little over a year. She was a teacher like me...was promoted to VP w/in 6 months and had the infamous white Mercedes. Took a leave from teaching. I believe that she said she made $8K her third month! She also mentioned that if she didn't have kid activities, that she spends a couple hours each night making calls or doing meetings (not to mention how many daytime hours she spends doing paperwork, taking "classes" etc). Frankly, I don't have many nights w/o kid activities, and frankly that isn't how I want to spend my time....

I did attend some meetings. Many say I would do well at such a business. BUT I am NOT comfortable constantly peppering conversations with EVERYONE about Arbonne. It is a great product. I just am not comfortable having it spread into my whole life. (one reason I didn't like owning a brick & mortar store, also...24/7). It IS a business, and if you want to do well, then you must put forth a ton of effort to get such results. And you must be a natural salesperson...or study hard to become one!

If you have the right personality, the right attitude and you are basically willing to do WHATEVER it takes to be successful, (as well as TOTALLY believe in the product) you will probably do well.

 

[steen995]

Their baby care line is great. My kids do really well with their sunscreen product. My oldest DS has had a reaction with other sunscreens. I signed up just to buy their stuff at a discount. They have these cute sample packs you can buy at xmas that I gave toall my kids various teachers.

That's pretty much the extent of my knowledge on subject.

 

[qtwns]

Uhg... I'm not quite sure about the products. I have heard rave things about them, but I have limited experience with using it myself. The "Uhg" comes from the constant hammering I get about it from my SIL who sells it. She drives us all crazy with her sales pitches, emails, and we always know what we're getting for Christmas and birthdays. She is very high pressure and I have heard from others that this is typical of their sales method. She has gotten a few "promotions" but she still works two other jobs and they still never seem to make ends meet. I love her, but she is one of the main reasons why I love caller ID so much. Sometimes I avoid her like the plague. Go for it, but don't let it consume you. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

LOVE the product I am consistently getting comments on my skin -something I have never gotten in the past. My sister is selling it and has been up and down. It seems that reps always try to sign you up for the $39 so no one wants to come to a show because everyone is a rep. On the other hand, I know of a couple of women here that have done VERY well with it. However, they are very aggressive( at every vendor type event) and somewhat pushy. No problem with that,just not my thing.

 

[kctwinmommy]

I just had a party at my house 2 weeks ago, my SIL just started selling it. Now, the only good thing about hosting the party was that I got $100 worth of products for $20, plus tax/shipping! So I got $200 worth of stuff for like $55! I just got it though, so I haven't tried it yet. But I did get some of the baby stuff, my DS has sensitive skin, so I heard it was good for that.

I can't say much about the products then yet. But as far as the company itself, I can see how it could be annoying when your friends and family are always pushing it. We'll see how my SIL does, she only started about 2 months ago. She's doing it for extra income right now, they've been having some tougher times, but they have 3 kids, so she's just doing what she can.

 

[MKCP5]

Very nice stuff, very expensive though so you have to be living in the right type of area, with women who have enough income to take very good care of themselves. I like the products, but not enough to keep spending so much. A close friend has done pretty well, but she puts an awful lot of time into it. Her sister has done REALLY well and got the Mercedes etc. She got in on it very early though, when it was just catching on and really put 110% into it. Good luck

 

[momof5boys]

I too signed up so I could get a discount, had no intention of selling Arbonne. The only problem was I didn't like the products! They made me break out more, the body scrubs aren't bad but I itch for an hour after using them. Most of my friends have had parties(including me) but most of them aren't using the products anymore. If you want to sell it be prepared to be pushy. I won't even answer my phone anymore if the consultants number is on the caller ID, I got tired of saying no!

 

[travlnman1]

One of my closest friends is a Arbonne VP and she earned her white Merceedes convertable in 1 year. One of her sales persons also earned her Merceedes in less than a year.
(think Mary Kay and the pink cadillacs. WIth Arbonne, you earn a white merceedes)
If you do not have an Arbonne rep in your area and want to see what Arbonne is all about and possibly start a new business, PM me, and I can put you on to my friend.
It's a great way to earn Disney money!! AND drive a white Merceedes~!
I really like the products but for me, they're expensive.
I love the lotion and body serum.

 

[mom2grace]

I like the products too, but I buy them on ebay, for a lot less $$ than even getting the "discount" I bought for $39 or whatever!

 

[holbear]

My sister signed up to get the discount and then got excited thinking she would give selling a go. She couldn't get me to sign up.. I already use other products that I like better. She hasn't sold much and told me she doesn't even like the products that well after using them for a while. They are to greasy I think.

 

[christinadei]

Thanks for all the opinions. I'm back to my original thoughts. It can be a great opportunity for those that are good at selling and are willing to put a lot of work and time in, but it's probably something I'd never be good at.

I dont' want my friends/family to dread my phone calls! I really just don't think it's for me. Thanks for the opinions though, I really just wanted to think it through and you guys helped a great deal (as always)

 

[ceecee]

My Fiance's step-mother was selling those products.

She didn't do very well in it.

With Pyramid Scheme systems like that, you can only succeed if you know a lot of people and can network. Otherwise, you're SOL

My boss's wife sold it for a while as well. It's all about networking and getting people to sign up to sell, like Amway (if that's still around). She no longer is selling it. The products are quite pricey and I never thought they were exceptional by any means.

 

[JamesMom]

I went to a local fair and stopped at an airbonne booth because i was curious. I'm currently a Mary Kay rep just to get my product at cost. I was shocked at the prices at Airbonne. To get a comparable set to the one I use at MK would cost like $250 at Airbonne (I get mine for less than $100 at MK as a rep) and the consultant discount is only 35%. Too expensive in my opinion. I did get a sample packet but haven't tried it because I couldn't afford it anyways. I used to use estee lauder & origins, but being a stay-at-home, somethings gotta give, kwim?