Plexus MLM Review – Is Plexus Worldwide A Scam?
Welcome – It’s safe to say you are here because you want to know Is Plexus Worldwide A Scam? Can you make money by joining Plexus Worldwide? Can you make money joining this multi-level marketing company? Is multi-level marketing (MLM for short) a good business model to get involved with? Let’s dive into my Plexus MLM Review.
Plexus Worldwide is a multi-level marketing company that claims to help its affiliates earn money by selling health, nutrition, and wellness products. However, as with most online businesses, people are always skeptical about its legitimacy. Is Plexus Worldwide Legit?
Can you profit through multi-level marketing by selling a company’s products from the comfort of your home? We are here to answer your questions to the best of our ability. Regarding Plexus Worldwide, the company prides itself on selling diverse health and wellness products.
However, does Plexus Worldwide really stand out from the hundreds of other health and wellness multi-level marketing companies in existence? Is its entire mode of operation genuine?The information in this article could save you potentially large amounts of time and money.
Plexus Worldwide Overview
Plexus Worldwide is a company whose entirety revolves around the Health and fitness niche. A brief history check shows that the multimillion-dollar company, founded by none other than Alfred Pettersen and Tarl Robinson, came into existence in the year 2006. Plexus Worldwide has its headquarters situated in Scottsdale, Arizona. It offers people in Canada, Australia, and Mexico access to its product line which includes different skincare products, weight loss products, vitamins, protein drinks, and protein bars.
Ever since Alfred Pettersen and Tarl Robinson founded the company back in 2006, the company has experienced tremendous growth and overall success. The company’s total revenue as of the year 2017 was a whopping $562 million, pushing it to sit comfortably at the 30th spot in the Direct Selling News. Overall, the company’s global recognition is one anyone would be proud of, boasting over 700,000 Ambassadors. Also, Plexus make the list of the top twelve places to work.
Available Products
Plexus Worldwide is a company that is all about nutrition and general wellness. Hence, their products center on different nutritional products. Customers can browse through their selection of weight loss products, skincare, nutrition, and vitamins. Also, Plexus Worldwide provides vitamins that are safe enough for kids’ consumption.
Plexus Slim is one product that is extremely popular among consumers. This weight management product works by tricking the stomach into thinking it is full to reduce your overall food consumption. The product contains different ingredients such as beetroot extract, chromium polynicotinate, green coffee bean extract, citric acid, stevia, cambogia, and garcinia.
Meanwhile, the active ingredient in this product is polydextrose, which helps in suppressing appetite. A pack of Plexus Slim contains 30 sachets with different flavors. The mode of consumption is quite simple as all you do is take one serving of the Plexus Slim an hour before your meal, twice daily. One serving of the Plexus Slim accounts for exactly 20 calories, and following the consumption guidelines, you will be consuming an entire package in exactly 15 days.
This product settles at $180 monthly that is excluding the subscription. You do get a $10 discount if you opt for a monthly subscription. The major drawback with this product, that is, excluding its price, is that it does not have the standard FDA regulation attached. Consequently, you will find similar products at cheaper prices on Amazon. One such product cost about $60, showing a huge price differential between it and the Plexus Slim.
Are There Membership Costs?
You join the Plexus Worldwide community when you purchase a membership during your sign-up process. Purchasing a membership is actually cheap at $39.95. You can, however, choose to purchase a starter kit, which is the only way you will be able to earn subsidiary income. The price range for Plexus Worldwide starter kits ranges from $99 to $199.
Similarly, the price differential is greatly dependent on the availability of the kits. Also, the kits enable you to buy at wholesale prices. You can choose to turn on Autoship (monthly product suggestions) so that you will be eligible for commissions. Overall, you are meant to renew your membership annually.
Advantages of Plexus Worldwide
Preferred Customer: Your favorite clientele can subscribe to gain access to certain discount offers on the products available. For each client that subscribes, you get a commission.
Commission on Return: For any customer that returns a product, which is something that happens frequently, the commission you received remains yours.
Money Return Policy: With Plexus Worldwide, you gain access to a 60-day money return policy for any product you acquire.
Disadvantages of Plexus Worldwide
- BBB Status: The Better Business Bureau (BBC) lists Plexus worldwide as having No Rating. This clearly shows that the company has limited information concerning it.
- Product Health Warnings: Plexus Worldwide, with all its success, has had a fair share of legal drawbacks. The company found itself in a lawsuit as a result of certain lead contamination in 96 products. The products involved in the lawsuit are the Fast Relief and the Protein Go-Pack Chocolate. The company handled the entire event privately, disclosing nothing to the public.
- FDA Warnings: While Plexus is a popular health and wellness brand, they have had its share of problems. The FDA warned Plexus Worldwide about misleading claims on their website. At the time, this issue was specifically about three products, namely BioCleanse, Fast Relief, and ProBio5.
- Product Misrepresentation: The majority of the products that they provide do not work exactly as they advertise. One such product with a misleading advertisement is the Breast Check Recheck.
Additional Concerns…
- The Breast Check Recheck aims to allow women to conduct self-checks on their breasts to scout for lumps. Ambassadors at Plexus Worldwide pushed this product with claims that they had FDA approval and that doctors and nurses did, in fact, recommend the Breast Check Recheck.
- A concise investigation proved that the claims made by these ambassadors were entirely false and misleading. The issue with this product was so prevalent that the American Cancer Society requested that Plexus Worldwide desist from attaching its name to all forms of product promotion during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
- Income Misrepresentation: Most people are of the opinion that since the company has such large revenue, its ambassadors make a huge amount. This is entirely false as the majority of ambassadors make less than $500 annually.
- Membership Cancellation: Most ambassadors find it hard to cancel their annual membership fees even after the company assures them that they have done so. They are still deducted for the membership that the company assured them was canceled.
Is Plexus Worldwide A Scam?
Plexus Worldwide is not a scam multi-level marketing company. When you consider the number of years they’ve been in business, you’ll know that the company is legit. However, I cannot recommend joining Plexis because there has been too much controversy regarding the safety of their products and they’ve been guilty of misrepresenting some of their products as well.
Here is just one example: The Federal Trade Commission in June 2020 sent a cease and desist letter to Plexus Worldwide regarding social media posts made by Plexus representatives claiming that their herbal supplements can treat or prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”). Here is the link to the actual letter so you can read it for yourself.
Another interesting fact is according to Plexus’ 2018 income disclosure statement, which appears to be the most recent data available, the average earnings of Plexus distributors barely reach $300 annually! That’s a remarkably low figure which DOES NOT take into consideration the expenses and fees a distributor has to spend in order to remain active.
According to the “fine print” of the Plexus income disclosure statement, “In some cases, these costs may exceed the amounts earned by an Ambassador.” Plexus Worldwide is similar to other legit MLMs I’ve reviewed on this blog such as:
Similarly, there are other statistics you need to consider before you join the Plexus Worldwide program or any other MLM company.
Plexus MLM Review: My Personal Verdict
While the Plexus MLM is not a scam and is a legitimate opportunity, there are several pitfalls when it comes to earning a long term income.
Plexus Earnings Disclaimer
The following earnings disclaimer is posted on the Plexus website:
“Plexus makes no guarantees on income. Personal earnings will vary. Your success depends on your effort, commitment, skill, and leadership abilities. In 2020, the average annual earnings of all Brand Ambassadors were $544. Please see the Plexus Annual Income Disclosure Statement.”
Did I read that correctly? The disclaimer said that the average ANNUAL earnings were 544 dollars. Why would I want to do all the work necessary to get customers and recruit people for my business to make less than a thousand dollars in a year? That makes no sense! That brings me to my next point:
Multi-Level Marketing Is A Bad Business Model
After an exhaustive study of over 300 MLMs, The Consumers Awareness Institute that 99% of people who join multi-level marketing companies lose money. That applies to ALL MLMs, the best and the worst companies. Do you understand what that means? If you join an MLM organization you only have a 1% chance of not losing money.
I don’t find those statistics very encouraging when it comes to joining an MLM. Here are some additional hard facts you need to consider before joining ANY multi-level marketing business
Additional Facts On Multi-Level Marketing
- 99%: According to the Federal Trade Commission this is the number of all MLM participants who lose money
- You are 38%: more likely of making money with your own small, home-based business than by joining an MLM
- There is a 10% – 20% higher rate of making a profit with an online business than joining an MLM
- You would have a 300 times higher chance of winning a game of roulette in Las Vegas from 1 single spin of the wheel than you would make a profit with an MLM
- 47%: The number of participants who flat-out lose money according to the AARP Foundation
- 27%: the percentage of people who make no money whatsoever in an MLM – AARP Foundation
- 26%: The meager amount of people who actually earn a profit participating in MLMs
- 53%: This is the percentage of MLM participants who earn less than $5000 a year
- 39%: the number of people who QUIT MLMs because of trying to sell services and products to family and friends damaged their relationships
- 50%: Percentage of MLM reps who quit within 1 year after joining
- 95%: The respective number of reps who quit within 10 years
- 75%: The number of people who have participated and left an MLM and state that they would never join another MLM in their life
- 1,049: The number of MLM reps who make less than 70 cents an hour according to a 2018 poll of MLM reps representing various companies
- 20%: of people involved with MLMs never made a sale
- 60%: percentage of people involved with MLMs earned less than $500 within the last 5 years of joining
- 32% of people involved with MLMs financed their MLM “business” by getting into credit card debt
References
References for the above facts are from the following sources:
- The Case (for and) against Multi-level Marketing By Jon M. Taylor, MBA, Ph.D., Consumer Awareness Institute
- 3 Mind-Blowing Statistics About MLMs: Due.com
- Multi-level marketing: Wikipedia
- Multilevel Marketing: “The Research, Risks and Rewards”: AARP
Warning: The RED Flags of Multi-Level Marketing Schemes and Scams Online
It would be best to watch out for these things with multi-level marketing companies, as they are red flags you should not ignore. Taking note of these eight signs can save you considerable time and money.
- The Company Does NOT Offer a FREE Trial
This is a big one to look out for. Most information products are worthless, and if you could jump directly into those products and “try them out” before investing in them, you would never invest in low-quality garbage. That is why they hide behind a payment. If their information is so good, should they not prove it by allowing you to access what they offer?
Does the Plexus MLM Opportunity Offer a Free Trial? NO
2. Companies That Don’t Clearly Outline Pricing
If you go to a sales page for a product and they don’t disclose the price clearly, you will likely get “duped.” Any legitimate company will offer clarity on pricing and have a pricing page on their website. MANY companies in this industry HIDE their pricing; it is unethical, and it will almost certainly scam you. Also, if the company charges hundreds or even thousands of dollars for their products or for joining their business “opportunity,” it should be of concern.
Does the Plexus MLM Opportunity Outline Clear Pricing? YES
3. MLM Companies That Use Video Sales Pages / Squeeze Pages
If you visit a “sales page” and the only thing you see on it is exaggerated promises of quick money, this will almost certainly be an expensive, overpriced scam. This marketing tactic is used to HIDE pricing and hide the product itself. They typically ask for your email or a small payment, and then you will be put through an extensive and expensive sales funnel.
Does the Plexus Use a Video page for their MLM opportunity? NO
4. Companies That Don’t Have a High Trustpilot Rating
Plexus Worldwide has a poor Trustpilot rating of 2.7! Trustpilot is where you should get genuine consumer reviews about products/services you plan on buying. However, a word of caution: sometimes good reviews don’t tell the whole story about whether a company is REALLY legit. It’s good to read the individual comments to see what others say about their experiences with a particular company. Nonetheless, if a company doesn’t exist on this website or has a rating lower than 4.5 out of 5 stars, you may not want to get involved with the company at all. Consider companies, businesses, and platforms with GREAT Trustpilot ratings and minimize the prospect of getting scammed and losing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
If a company doesn’t exist on this website or has a rating lower than 4.5 out of 5 stars, you may want to seriously reconsider joining. There are going to be better programs and services available without the financial risk.
Does Plexus Worldwide Have a High TrustPilot Rating? NO
5. Multi-Level Marketing Companies That Sell “Riches” Without Telling You the Process
If you are being pushed by the idea that you are going to be “rich” or that you’ll be able to “make money in a short period ” without telling you what you will be doing to earn this money (in a specific way), then they are selling the “sizzle”…and chances are there is no “steak” after you make your purchase. Avoid programs these types of programs like the plague.
Is the Plexus Worldwide Income opportunity confusing? YES – All multi-level marketing compensation plans are complicated and confusing!
6. Companies Without an Easy Way to Contact Them
If you don’t have a direct way to contact the company to answer questions about their program, they are hiding behind something. That is the first clue, and I recommend you test it. If the company has an email address, email it. If you don’t get a response within 48 hours at most, then that is probably the sort of help you can expect in the future.
Can you easily contact the Plexus administrators? NO
7. Companies That Don’t Offer Direct Access/Communication with the Owners
Who owns the product? Can you get help and communicate with them directly? If NOT, then this program is more than likely in the business of taking your money. CEOs in the opportunity world who are unwilling to communicate with their customers directly have a “too good for you” mentality, which should be avoided.
Can you contact the owner of Plexus Worldwide directly? NO
8. Companies That Are Just “Information”
If they are providing you with “ideas” about how you could create a business without offering you all the tools, services, and levels of ongoing support that you need to succeed online, you will have a tough time succeeding. Many companies charge you for their information and then tell you that you need to purchase all sorts of stuff actually to use the techniques taught.
Is the Plexus MLM opportunity just information? NO
When you consider the above eight points, multi-level marketing platforms like Plexus Worldwide may be business opportunities you do not want to pursue!
As you can conclude from the above information, multi-level marketing companies are not all what they claim to be. Too often, people put their hope and trust in someone else making money for them instead of learning how to leverage the power of the internet with their own online presence. People look for others to rescue them financially when, in reality, YOU have to come to your financial rescue!
However, there is a BETTER OPTION to create your own online business. There is a platform available that will teach you step by step how to build your own online business, an ethical platform whose primary focus is to help everyday people learn how to make money online, a platform where you can immediately have access to individuals who are highly successful with their online businesses.Introducing Wealthy Affiliate, The Industry Leader in the Online Business Space…
Wealthy Affiliate is the SAME platform I’ve used to create the blog you are reading right now! Wealthy Affiliate is the best place to start if you are a beginner and need to learn about online marketing! There is total transparency – nothing is hidden, and no shenanigans exist! Everything you need is outlined step-by-step with easy-to-follow video tutorials.
- WA Offers a Free Trial
- WA Offers Clear Pricing
- WA Offers a comprehensive website
- WA has a High Trustpilot Rating
- WA is not a get-rich-quick scheme
- WA offers a straightforward way to contact the company
- You can contact Kyle & Carson directly
- WA offers tools and support
(1) Companies That Don’t Offer a Free Trial.
This is one of the key reasons I want to introduce you to Wealthy Affiliate. You can get a “test drive” to Wealthy Affiliate, but that doesn’t end, and there is NO credit card requirement. This is their Starter membership, including more than any paid product I have seen in this industry. Here are a few things you get with the COMPLETELY FREE Starter membership.
- One Free Profit-Ready Website (Hosting Included)
- Getting Started Training, 10 Full Video Lessons
- 7 Days of Full Mentorship & Expert Help
- Communication Directly with Kyle & Carson (the founders)
- Keyword and Market Research Tools
- The Affiliate Opportunity Platform
- Ability to Network with Millions of Fellow Entrepreneurs
- 100’s of training resources
- And Much More!
(2) Companies That Dont’ Clearly Outline Pricing.
Wealthy Affiliate’s pricing page clearly outlines three available memberships: a Starter membership (FREE), a Premium ($49/month), or a Premium Plus+ ($99/month). There are no upsells, and nothing more complex than this. You are not obligated to upgrade, but if you do decide to, you can run a million-dollar online business utilizing the platform and tools that Wealthy Affiliate offers.
(3) Companies That Use Video Sales Pages / Squeeze Pages.
Wealthy Affiliate offers a comprehensive website where you can learn more about the exact process of building an online business and all of the platforms, technology, and services involved that are offered to you as a member; this includes a thorough outline of WA’s education, hosting, website, domains, community, and success elements.
(4) Companies That Don’t Have a High TrustPilot Rating.
WealthyAffiliate.com has a 4.8 STAR rating on TrustPilot. The owners personally get back to every comment, and this leads to the industry. It is tough to achieve a rating like this in any industry, let alone the make-money-online niche.
(5) Companies That Sell “Riches”.
One thing you will not hear from Wealthy Affiliate in their training or marketing is “get rich quick.” The reality is that to build a business, you first have to build a solid foundation and understand it. Wealthy Affiliate provides you with the tools, training, and platform you need to create a business of any size online (even million-dollar websites). Still, it would be best if you were realistic about the process. It will take some hard work and dedication.
(6) Companies Without an Easy Way to Contact Them.
You can contact Wealthy Affiliate directly from their website without being a member. They have a contact form, and the owners freely share their email addresses if you need to contact them or have any questions. They are kyle@wealthyaffiliate.com and carson@wealthyaffiliate.com. Feel free to reach them directly if you have questions, and of course, as a member, you will have access to them within the community. Which leads me to…
(7) Companies That Don’t Offer Direct Access/Communication with the Owners.
Wealthy Affiliate is the most transparent company in the space and offers you access to Kyle and Carson, the founders, directly within the community. If you want help from them directly, ask. You can even access them for their help and mentorship within the first seven days of the Starter membership…so without paying a dime, you can access both owners directly!
(8) Companies That Are Just “Information”.
Many things are required to build a successful online business, and Wealthy Affiliate includes all of them. To build an online business, you need a website, top-tier hosting, marketing and research tools, ongoing education of the latest marketing strategies, writing tools/platforms, and a way to find the TOP opportunities online. Not to mention support, mentorship, and expertise. These are ALL things that Wealthy Affiliate provides you with any membership level, equipping you to create, grow, and manage a business of any level online.
No other company in the industry offers a free “test drive,” as they likely don’t have the confidence that someone would purchase a trial. WA gives you access to its platforms, websites, hosting, research tools, community, and support within the free membership…so there is ZERO risk, and you can decide if you ever want to purchase a premium membership.
Is There A Better Option?
If you’ve made the decision that joining a multi-level marketing company like Plexus Worldwide isn’t right for you, there are other ways to make money online. From my experience, the best and easiest way to make money online is with affiliate marketing, especially if you are new at trying to make money online. I say this because with affiliate marketing cold calling complete strangers and trying to convince potential clients to do business with you isn’t required.
Also, you can start affiliate marketing on a shoestring budget. You can start your business in the comfort of your home, around your work schedule and around your family – YOU are in complete control. If you want to learn about affiliate marketing, click on the banner below and have a look at Wealthy Affiliate. Wealthy Affiliate is the best course that I know of that will teach you how to make money online through affiliate marketing.
It’s also the best course I know of that’s designed for people who have ZERO experience with internet marketing. The best part? Wealthy Affiliate is free to try! You can try it out for a limited time to see if it’s a great fit for you. Since it’s FREE to try, you literally have nothing to lose. To learn more click below:
I have not come across Plexus World before,but as I do not live in the States, I was not familiar with Alfred Petterson or Tarl Robinson either.
I at first did not realise when you were talking about Plexus World, that you are actually talking about a MLM company, which completely turned me off.
I worked for a MLM company for nearly 10 years, and cannot recommend the business model.
Affiliate marketing is a far better and realistic way of earning online income.
Thank You for your comments…
Yes, you are correct…affiliate marketing definitely has it’s advantages as a business model.
Multi-level marketing certainly is difficult to make money with and is something I would never recommend.
Howard
This Post of yours about Plexus Worldwide is enlightening preventing people from losing resources ( time, money, energy plus relationships) and eye opener for those looking for money from the best MLM in the world.
You made a great deal in researching factual information of MLM business in general. That makes your article more reliable and convincing.
And I just want to attest your claims by citing myself as an example. For the past 2 decades, I have joined 7 different MLM’s. I got enticed by the quick money scheme and the health benefits of the products.
You are right, I am one of the 99% who lost money. And I cannot sustain taking them due to product cost. I tried again and again, hoping the next one would be profitable. But just the same, losing than profiting.
Please continue to share this truth as it is needed by those who are seeking extra or alternative income. Thanks for your concern.
Great Comments, Rose!
You can relate from your personal experience that multi-level marketing is one of the worst ways to make money.
Glad you benefited from this blog post.
Talk Soon,
Howard