SCENTSY MLM Scam Deceptive Advertising by Sleazy Independent Consultants?
Is Scentsy a deceptive MLM company that uses fraudulent tactics and sleazy independent consultants to sell dangerous, overpriced products?
According to Carol B. it is. We received this angry complaint from Carol, who felt that she was deceptively tricked into attending a sales presentation by a coworker.
Here’s Carol’s story:
“I started working at a new job in a new town. Since I don’t know too many people here, I was really happy when a coworker sent me an email saying that she was having a few people over on Sunday afternoon, and she would love it if I would be able to come.
“I really appreciated her thinking of me, and I was really looking forward to meeting some new people.
“When I arrived, I found out that instead of a social get together, this was a home party and that my new ‘friend’ was an ‘independent consultant’ for some multi-level marketing scam called ‘Scentsy.’ Instead of a real party, I had to listen to a presentation about these stupid, overpriced warmers that melt scented wax with a light bulb. She was pushing these stupid warmers and wax bars packages for like $75 – $85. The Scentsy plug-in warmers are glorified nightlights they sell for $20, and the tabletop warmers are like $35. Of course, if you’re stupid enough to buy those you’ll have to buy their ridiculous scented wax bars for the rest of your life.
“I discreetly asked around and none of the other guests knew they were attending a sales presentation. Yet still they allowed themselves to be manipulated into buying these ridiculously overpriced air freshners just to be polite. I was the only one who didn’t buy.
“I have some advice to people who do these home parties like Scentsy and invite people under false pretenses: You are scum. You might think you are clever, and you might get some free products or whatever, but all those people you tricked, even the ones you tricked into buying and tell you they love the product, now know you’re scum and can’t be trusted.
“My advice to people who unknowingly show up to sales parties: You should leave. Or eat a bunch of their free food and then leave. Do not buy a thing! Make it clear you don’t appreciate being lied to and that if your friend needs money that bad she just should have asked you for a loan. Do not be ashamed. It’s your scummy host who should be ashamed. Go buy yourself a Glade Air Freshner and buy some new shoes with all the money you saved!”
The only good thing that came out of Carol’s experience with the Scentsy home party is a new goal she has at work.
Says Carol: “I now have a work fantasy that I will get promoted to supervisor over the sleazebag Scentsy consultant. I will call her in for a meeting to discuss a promotion and a raise. When she gets there, I’ll say ‘Oh, I didn’t mean a promotion and a raise! Sorry! The meeting was to let you know you’re fired! Good luck with your Scentsy MLM scam!”
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE SCENTSY MLM HOME PARTY OPPORTUNITY? IS IT A SCAM OR LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW!
Marci, you are obviously much more mature and intelligent than the no namer who keeps slamming you and Scentsy. I happened to do a little research myself, and found you to be very right in your comment about Scentsy and their many charitable contributions. The company has a great mission statement, and has done so much for so many others. In fact. I myself have decided to join. I love Scentsy products, so why not? These people on here just want to bring you down, at any expense. I’m glad to see you hold your ground! I also looked into pink zebra..they say it’s better? Why? You pay to be a consultant every month! And you HAVE to hit a goal to continue, and you pay to join…actually one starter kit is even twice as much as scentsy! I do my research. And I am happy to be joining the Scentsy family! I wish there was a way to contact eachother on here without giving our info to random weirdos who just want to argue and slam! Thank you for promptingu interest in the company!
marci/Jenn:
It’s obvious from your writing style, grammatical tics and a couple of distinct “tells” that you are the same person. Now that I look back, it’s likely that you are also “stay at home mommy.”
marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy, are you really so pathological that you would post under three different names? Seriously?
Get help, sister.
OMG! Are you serious right now? You are without a doubt, PATHETIC! who the hell would do that?! You, I’m sure…but I have proven over and over again I am VERY proud of who I am, I don’t need disguises and aliases! I would love to meet you in person. Just once. Seriously. You are just p.o.ed that not everyone is following you and your opinions and Scentsy has more than one devout follower. I’m sorry. How sad and lonely you must be.
Excuse me are you going to start insulting me to? I am my own person and have my own thoughts and don’t like you bringing me into your stupid stupid argument. You are dumb to argue!!!! She likes scentsy it is her business.there is nothing wrong with it. Get a life dude!
Lmao poor Marci. Don’t listen,do what you do and love it girl!
marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy:
wow wow wow. I have run into some freaky people on the web, but you take the cake. Do you have multiple personality disorder?
You are definitely pathological. I could tell when you said you had to be in court in 1 hour yet an hour later you were still posting here. Hmmm. And pretending to be a lawyer when your grammar indicated HS or GED.
You have some very distinctive, even odd, writing tics that are only shared by you and your two alter egos, who just conveniently showed up to praise you and fawn over you.
Thanks for the offer, but I have no desire to meet you in person. You’re definitely a creeper. I’m a little freaked out right now.
Oh I’m fine. It’s just so sad. Poor little person has to insult strangers to make his life have meaning. Sticks and stones, yo. Sticks and stones. You know it’s funny. This is typical criminal behavior too. Verbal attacks, consistent tantrums, deflection. Doesn’t bother me at all. Deal with it daily.
Uh oh. All the multiple personalites just happened to be available to post within 8 minutes on a Friday night.
Very very believable marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy.
Seriously. Help is available.
Jesus. You need help. You know that? Only you would dream up a stupid comment suggesting I am 3 different people. Hope your God helps you out in the end. And since you seem to desire to know my education background goes quite a bit farther than high school. Would you like a link to copies of my masters and graduates accreditations? Or perhaps a link to my firm, you will without a doubt someday need help. Hahahaha I’ll represent you alright.
hahaha!. At least you’ve got plenty of help with your multiple successful careers, marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy!
Maybe one of your personalities was in court while the other was commenting!
Help is available, marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy. I suggest in-patient. :)
I get email updates dipwad
“Would you like a link to copies of my masters and graduates accreditations? Or perhaps a link to my firm, you will without a doubt someday need help Hahahaha I’ll represent you alright.”
Yes, please provide those links.
By the way, “alright” isn’t a word.
And “masters and graduates accreditations” doesn’t make any sense. Schools receive accreditations, not students. What degree did you get in law school?
The more you argue, the more obvious your “posing” is. You’ve not only never been to college or law school, I doubt you’ve ever peeked in the window.
The jig is up, marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy. You’ve been exposed.
marci/Jenn wrote “I get email updates dipwad”
marci, better have “stay at home mommy” say she gets email updates too!
Let’s make this convincing!
OMFG this is funny!
There’s a break in the action while marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy searches Google to find out what degrees law schools give out. (hint: it starts with J. and ends with D.)
Thanks, marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy. I needed a good laugh tonight.
SCENTSY SALESPEOPLE LIE.
STAY AWAY FROM SCENTSY.
That’s the moral of the story.
– Carol B’s Scentsy rep “friend” deceived her into attending a sales pitch by inviting her to a “party.”
– Scentsy rep “marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy” posed as 3 different people to attack and try to discredit a critic of Scentsy (backfired big time)
– Scentsy rep “marci” posted multiple lies in an attempt to make Scentsy seem legitimate (That Scentsy is a Fortune 500 company, that Fortune praised Scentsy, that Scentsy is a “billion dollar company.” All untrue.)
“marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy” has fled this conversation in shame.
Your efforts will also end in shame if you let the deceptive Scentsy reps persuade you that you can somehow one-up Wal Mart/Target at their own business and make money turning your family members, friends and co-workers into “customers.”
No name, I have not fled the conversation in shame, I am not at all ashamed of what I have made of myself, as I have worked very hard to get where I am in life. I just refuse to continue to argue with a putz who is too embarrassed to even name themselves. I am, in fact, one person, have an LL.M. and am currently working on my S.J.D., and need not prove myself to such a waste of oxygen such as yourself. I do not have time to sit in front of a computer screen and listen to needless rants on a daily basis like yourself, someone who makes is painfully obvious that they lack not only basic intelligence but any form of human affection. Oh, and by the way. O did post responses to your ridiculous posts, they were removed for content. Lol. You can only take so much idiot babble. I believe I have had my fill. Jealousy gets you nowhere in life, you should make something of yourself, then maybe you wouldn’t feel the need to slam successful people and companies to make yourself feel better about your own pitiful existence. Moral to MY story is this: Scentsy has done wonders for many people. It is a quality product. It may not be for everyone, but can be a fun venture for those who enjoy it. To Carol, I am sorry that you had a bad experience with a bad consultant, but there are over a hundred thousand other consultants worldwide, and not every one of us is deceptive and most of us take great pride in our business. Opinions do matter, but when people start name calling and spouting personal attacks, it gets ugly quick. I did not intend to offend anyone by my posts, and although Mr or ms guest quickly took it down to a personal level, I am really a very nice person! I stand up for what I believe in, which, IMO, more should do the same. This will be my last post, and as sure as I am a woman, guest will have a comeback and retaliate, but I am holding my head high. My ONE head, as I am ONE person, and bowing out gracefully with pride. :)
marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy wrote: “I did not intend to offend anyone by my posts”
marci et. al.: I accept your apology.
Good luck with your “successful” careers, both real and imaginary.
I dont think that was an apology to you, guest.
Guest. Please post an email so I can invite u to my first scentsy party.
Marci- congratulations on your degree and business and good luck in the future
marci/Jenn/stay at home mommy wrote: “Guest. Please post an email so I can invite u to my first scentsy party. ”
That would be wonderful! I am honored! Will all your fake personas be there?
You can email me at either urfooling@noone.com or getafreaking@life.com.
Should I bring anything to the Scentsy party, or is my checkbook, Visa & Mastercard all you desire?
This debate is hilarious thank you guys for the laugh. Anonymous if you don’t something don’t buy it (oh crap! Looks like I’m yet another personality!!!! Bahaha), the original poster seriously over reacted. In the grand scheme of things “who cares! “”
Lol..thank you! My point EXACTLY! But look out Gigi…anyone who doesn’t agree with no name is another of my personalities…Lmao!
Unfortunately life is to short to waste it away being that pissed off.
Agreed. To each his own. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but personal attacks are nonsense. I took issue with the original poster, only because it seems as though one single consultant should be complained of, because that is who “deceived” her. Not the company. MAJOR over reaction. The thing that gets me, is I am under the impression that the deceptive MLM companies that people take issue with are the ones that FORCE you to recruit to even make money. Scentsy does not. True, you can get a little bonus if you build a downline, but it is by no means MANDATORY. And some consultants, like myself, do not have downline, and do just fine. Also, some do not have the parties everyone rants about. I have not hosted a single party since I started. And would never dream of lying to get people there. Not sure where the whole “Scentsy is a deceptive, truthless, sleazy company” comes in. Granted it is a business in which individuals run themselves, so there are bound to be a few bad seeds, but not all of us are scum. Some of us choose to run our business in an honest, non-pushy, fun manner. Like I have said MANY times, it’s not for everyone. If you don’t like it, dont do it. If you don’t like the products, don’t use them. There are plenty others out there who like it. You are right. WHO CARES if you don’t!
Bitterness leads to a wasted life.
marci writes: “This will be my last post… I am holding my head high… bowing out gracefully with pride”
Then she follows with another inane 245 word rant that says exactly nothing.
This chick lies like we all breathe. Anyone believe that a partner in a successful law firm, who’s taking advanced law classes, is so attention-starved that she can’t help but posting the same drivel here?
Please, marci, enlighten the masses somewhere else.
“Gigi” writes “Bitterness leads to a wasted life.”
So true! So does trying to scam friends and coworkers with sleazy MLM schemes! Not only wasted, but friendless. And pathetic.
Scentsy sucks and so do the superficial desperate housewives who greedily wh*re out their personal lives and reputations in search of a few measly dollars they’ll never receive.
You proved your point very well, Gigi. Guest is a prime example of a life wasted hating on complete strangers because not everyone shares he she’s opinions. Once again NO ONE CARES IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT. Find someone else to attack. Your efforts here are wasted.
LOL!!!
Girls, the message from this story and the comments are clear:
If you want to have a party, have a party. Treat your guests as respected guests, not as customers. Serve some homemade sangria, margaritas or pina coladas with fresh pineapple. Serve some delicious appetizers or tapas. Enjoy each other’s company without the distraction of commercial products, marketing techniques or product sales.
We’ve got all week to be barraged by advertisements, advertorials and sales pitches. Set some time aside to celebrate your sisters as sisters, not as prospective buyers.
Treat your friends as friends, your family members as family. If you want to retail air freshners get a job at Wal Mart, Target or Bed, Bath & Beyond. They are professional retailers; you are not. Their products are just as good, and people can get refills more conveniently and more cheaply.
If you think you can make money off friends and family, you may end up as sad and lonely as marci/jenn/Gigi, pretending your someone you’re not, trying to impress strangers, desperately trying to interact, declaring that you will not post anymore then posting again and again… all because your friends cross the street when they see you coming and avoid your calls like you’re a telemarketer.
What do you do when there’s someone trying to sell you something? You avoid them. That’s why marci keeps coming back. Her friends have left her. All she has are her lies and fantasies.
Please don’t let this happen to you.
Lmbu…you called it Gigi, you have become another one of my alter egos. So pathetic. Get over yourself, please. Seriously. It’s becoming amusing, really.
http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2011
I’m still confused as to exactly what part of Scentsy is a scam?
Power & success have gone to the heads of owners Orville & Heidi Thompson. Read between the lines of Orville’s recent email to consultants. If their heads get any bigger, I’m afraid they’ll explode.
Orville sez: “When Heidi and I introduced the Scentsy mission statement to a small group of people on July 1, 2004, little did we know how significantly a few words written on a piece of paper could so dramatically change the lives of so many people.”
Orville means: Aren’t we amazing? With a few of our words we change lives and make millions!. We are GODS!
Orville sez: “But where others may be ready to cash in and coast, Heidi and I feel compelled to push onward. There are still families we have not reached.”
Orville means: Aren’t we are exceptional?! Bow at our feet! Now stop bowing and go extract money from the families we haven’t sold to yet!
Orville sez: “Some of you are legacy builders. You want to pass your business on to your children and grandchildren. And we are implementing a new policy for you—and all Consultants who want to grow their businesses—to aid you in reaching that goal…”
Orville means: When Heidi and I eliminate your rights and take away profitable revenue streams it took you years to establish, remember we are doing it for your children and grandchildren. If it occurs to you this makes no sense, keep it to yourself!
Orville sez: “Current Scentsy policy states a Scentsy Consultant may not participate in a direct selling company that directly competes with Scentsy. This will not change, but the new policy will expand to include competition against new brands Scentsy, Inc. launches in the future. In addition, Scentsy Directors and above will not receive generational bonuses if they build a downline with any other direct selling company, regardless of its products.”
Orville means: “Now that we’ve got our hooks in you, we want absolute, total control over you. Not only can we prevent Directors from selling even non-competing products, we can keep everyone from selling stuff we are only THINKING about!”
Orville sez: “we want you to be fully committed to Scentsy and its current and future brands. We’re asking for your loyalty, and will require loyalty from our leadership….”
Orville means: Resistance is futile, peasants! Kiss the ring or be struck down! (Did I mention we are GODS?)
Orville sez that having freedom “mocks the values we represent… This new policy will allow us to maintain accountability among our leaders…”
Orville means: Total world domination begins with domination over our minions. Kneel before our mormon throne, slaves!
Orville sez: “We realize we may lose some great Consultants with this policy and that is unfortunate…”
Orville means: …but we don’t really give a sh*t cuz we’re now all about ego, power and us getting filthy rich.
Orville sez: “At Convention this year, I announced Scentsy would someday rise to become a Fortune 500 company.”
Orville means: … if I Heidi & I gotta climb over and crush the dreams & spirits of thousands who trusted us, oh well…
Orville sez: “We’re on the brink of making direct selling history, and Heidi and I are thrilled to reach such an immeasurable milestone with you…”
Orville means: We’re making history, bwaahaahaa! Thanks to all you pathetic dreamers who fell for our egomaniacal sales schmaltz and made us rich and powerful at your expense! Your reward is that we’ll continue to pretend that you are anything other than disposable dimwitted pawns we use and discard to gain power and wealth.
You are lucky we let you utter our names, infidels! Did I mention that we are GODS?
Wow, some people have WAY too much time on their hands…lol
More NonScents: Excellent post. Hilarious. People involved in pyramid schemes block out the fact that there is only one peak to the pyramid and they will never be there. Seriously, gals, out of $380 Million in sales, how much do you think the consultants get? How much are YOU making NOW?
Nancy: If you are confused about what part is a scam, please reread each of my comments. If you are still confused, congratulations. You are the Thompson’s ideal rep.
Regardless of much the company itself gets, i make a GREAT chunk of money every single month, not to mention deep discounts on products I love. Frankly, it’s not anyone’s business how much money we make. Like I, among others, have said: it is not for everyone. If you don’t like it, great! But don’t knock people for doing what makes them happy.
Guest has successfully insulted each and every pro scentsy on here. Makes me wonder just how many websites this person creeps daily just to put people down. Cynicism at its finest. Hurry up and get with your sisters for some good ole margaritas, sangrias, pina coladas, tortillas, whatever. You need a good stiff drink.
According to the woman who anonymously posts variously as “marci/Jenn/ & stay at home mommy”:
she is “A partner in a very successful law firm”
she has “no downline. I don’t have parties and like I said before, people COME TO ME wanting product”
“Scentsy pretty much sells itself”
she has “not had a single complaint in five long years. Not one complaint, not one lost customer”
“I myself have NOT ONCE had a single party, yet have hundreds of overly satisfied REPEAT customers”
“i make a GREAT chunk of money every single month”
How amazing is this opportunity! Hundreds of repeat customers flock to her, waving their money! And everyone is happy and eager to buy more!
She makes a “GREAT chunk of money every single month” without expending hardly any effort!
Except for the fact that marci has established herself as a pathological liar, this Scentsy opportunity sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it girls?
And you know what they say about opportunities that sound too good to be true, don’t you?
This discussion is getting quite entertaining, you guys are arguing for the sake of being right. Anonymous I’m sorry my alter ego, Marci, annoys you for her grammatical errors (smartphones make us sound stupid sometimes, autocorrect can suck, not re-reading what you wrote can also suck, no one is perfect we have all been guilty of this at some point in our lives, oh well). I’m sorry anonymous for all the grammatical errors in this post. So much enphasis is put on stupid things, if you don’t like what my alter ego sells don’t buy it. If you get invited to a party don’t go, please don’t dwell so much on it that you have an aneurism (that would be unfortunate).
Lol…thank you personality Gigi…I wasn’t aware we were required to be perfect to post, and you sent home my entire point once again, if you don’t like it, don’t.participate and don’t buy it.
Gigi writes “you guys are arguing for the sake of being right”
Do people argue for the sake of being wrong?
“Anonymous…”
We’re all anonymous, aren’t we? You aren’t disclosing your real identity any more than marci/Jenn/ & stay at home mommy is disclosing any of hers.
“I’m sorry my alter ego, Marci, annoys you for her grammatical errors”
She doesn’t annoy me. She amuses me! Her errors directly contradict her attempt to pose as a highly educated attorney and a successful partner in a law firm. What attorney refers to her “masters and graduates accreditations”? Autocorrect doesnt create common spelling errors like “alright” that no attorney would make.
You see, I would only point out your misspelling of “aneurysm” if you were claiming to be a doctor. Since you’re not, I won’t point it out.
“don’t dwell so much on it that you have an aneurism”
Don’t worry! Exposing fakes, frauds and phonies is cathartic for me (marci may have to look that up).
But thanks for your concern!
“Oderint dum metuant” baby doll….ALRIGHT? Trust, your words are fecal matter to most.
Go look it up
Just because you were deceived does not mean every independent consultant does this for any party company or direct sales company they work for. When I did Party Lite once, I made it clear that it was a candle party. That person did not use her best judgment. I would have walked out and I have walked out of stuff like that. You don’t have to buy anything. It should not be a requirement. This person that deceived you should not be doing stuff like that.
Well, I don’t ever trick people, and I am very sorry you had that experience. I wish it wouldn’t have damaged your image of the Scentsy company that badly. However, you are very wrong in your thinking that it is a scam. I do not sell my scentsy for the money, i dont make that much doing it, and i dont need the money anyways because my husband is blessed with a great job. I do to get out of the house, because i LOVE and used the products already, and people were WANTING someone to offer it around here. Contrary to what you might think you know, Scentsy is WAY more then a “stupid plug in” and the glade plug in is no comparison.
Did you know Scentsy has experience a 400% increase in sells just in its second year? How about that it is a Christian based company started by two stay at home mothers that wanted a safer alternative to burning candles and having hot wax around kiddos? OR that is a fortune 500 company, or how about the fact that it is all made in america, the warmers are hand painted, all the shipping is done by hand as to keep from buying machines and taking away american jobs.
So, call it what you want, but I would just say I think you shouldn’t call our company a SCAM just because someone SCAMMED u into coming to her house
.
Well daid, Tara!
Sorry, lol, well SAID Tara….I’m sure I’ll get jumped all over for that one…
Ii think scentsy wax is overrated. It’s way too strong and it reeks. Both my daughter and husband go into sneezing fits when they come near scentsy wax. The idea is nice but i Walmart sells those Better Homes & Garden cubes that actually smell good and are way cheaper than Scentsy. I actually support the small vendors out there that make their own awesome smelling wax and that won’t choke puke and gag my guest. And scentsy room sprays are disgusting too! Ugh!
Well said, Amanda. (or, as marci would say, well daid)
I agree that Scentsy reeks. To me, they reek of desperation. Desperation and greed.. Though that smell may be emanating from the greedy Scentsy con-sultants trying to slither their way into the pocketbooks and wallets of co-workers, family and “friends.”
“I actually support the small vendors out there that make their own awesome smelling wax and that won’t choke puke and gag my guest.”
Good for you!
“And scentsy room sprays are disgusting too! Ugh!”
I know! Gross!
Guest….You are absolutely ridiculous. Who in their right mind would hold up an argument like this for so long? Do you really have no life? I, myself am a consultant for Scentsy, and I love the company and the products. Even if the owners them self were doing it for all the wrong reasons, the product is still sound. I have NEVER done a party, have never even promoted myself much the way I should, and still get orders from friends…word of mouth, and even random orders online. AGAIN, I don’t even promote myself. I am not praying off the weak….infact I am doing nothing to push at all. People come to me on their own free will wanting to order. And the wax is not overpriced either. It last longer because of the oils used in it, where as the walmart wax, yes some of it does smell nice, will NOT last as long, it comes down to the science of things, literally. Im not claiming Scentsy is the greatest thing ever. But it is a great product, and not all that expensive either. Constantly buying your Yankee candles (which i do love as well) is pricey though. We are not a cult, yes some people take it above and beyond, thats their choice, but they also make more money then you would expect from this company.