MLM Companies Starting To Offer Affiliate Programs!

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Guess what? I got an unusual surprise in my email box today. USANA, the health and wellness company sent me an invitation to join their AFFILIATE program. No kidding!

How many of you who are familiar with MLM companies and even written reviews about them thought that one day they would dive headlong into the affiliate world! On January 17th USANA a well-established health, wellness and beauty company launched its affiliate program.

Since I used to be a USANA associate over 20 years ago, I must still be on their database, hence this invitation.

What I Learned

USANA affiliate commissions range from 15% to 20% of sales and are paid out weekly. You do not have to become an associate or purchase products to quality. Affiliates get their own affiliate dashboard where you can send customers to purchase products. Also, they are given quite a bit of freedom to market the products as stated in their terms and conditions. This includes through their own website.

Affiliates are also allowed to use the term USANA in their affiliate name. This truly surprised me.

There is a downside. Affiliates cannot promote competitors products. If they do, and USANA finds out, their affiliate status will be terminated.

Disclaimer

I am not writing this article to promote USANA. In the early part of this century I ceased to be a USANA associate. Nor did I continue to purchase the products.

As an associate I was purchasing over $200 a month in products in order to qualify for associate commissions. Can you guess I hardly made any commissions and ended up with a cupboard full of products? I decided to throw in the towel?

ADDITION after I published this post. USANA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. I made quite a bit of money investing in the company when I bought stock low and sold high several years later.

Ramifications

If MLM companies offer affiliate programs, do you think there could be a backlash from existing associates? I think so.

Why should an associate be bound by the strict rules being an associate when an affiliate can have so much freedom to conduct their business as they please? Doesn't seem fair does it?

Of course, an affiliate cannot build a network like an associate can and earn a portion of the commissions that a downline generates.

If you wish to find out what the USANA affiliate terms and conditions are feel free to check them out yourself.

What message does this give to affiliate marketers like ourselves? If MLM companies feel they need to enlist the support of affiliate marketers to increase sales, what does that tell you? That we are on the right track!

It so happens that I have written a review about USANA. Do you think I should become a USANA affiliate and add my link in my review?

Do You Know Of Any Other MLM Companies That Offer Affiliate Programs?

I used the Wealthy Affiliate Promote tool to find USANA or any other MLM company who may offer affiliate programs. I didn't find any.

If you do, I'd like to know. I also Googled to find out and didn't find any either. Maybe USANA is the first. I feel this is a start of a trend. What do you think?

All the best to you.

Cheers.

Edwin

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Recent Comments

41

Edwin,
That's a very interesting turn of events, especially coming from MLM companies. I used to be into MLM myself in South Africa. During those years (mid 80's) online marketing was not as well known as it is at present. The company GNLD (HEALTH AND SUPLIMENT PRODUCTS) only knew the the MLM way!
Many thanks for sharing the above info...lets see to where this leads to?

Take care.................Johan.

Hi Johan,

Thanks for reaching out. I am also curious how the MLM industry as a whole will be adding affiliate programs to its sales strategies. I am also curious how their active associates will react to this competing form of sales.

All the best to you.

Edwin

Edwin,

Yes that's precisely my question as well?

Could it be that we are heading for a total paradigm shift in the digital/online Mkt world?

Thank goodness for WA!

Please keep us posted Edwin.

Best wishes.
Johan.

Thanks, Johan, I will.

Cheers.

Edwin

Hi Edwin…thank you for your interesting and informative article.

It will certainly be something to keep an eye out on.

-Mike

High Mike

Although I never made a profit as an associate, I made quite a bit of money buying and selling their stock. I bought low at around $14 and sold at their peak at $100. Currently, their shares are selling for $60.

Cheers.

Edwin

Nice!

-Mike

Interesting times indeed. I had never heard of USANA before, but must find out more. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and others who were also unaware..
Thanks
Stephen

High Stephen,

Although I never made a profit as an associate, I made quite a bit of money buying and selling their stock. I bought low at around $14 and sold at their peak at $100. Currently, their shares are selling for $60.

Cheers.

Edwin

This means that the wave for affiliate marketing is changing to our favor. Hopefully it continues, so that those huge corporations that continue to jip us with our commissions will stop.

Thanks Edwin!

Cheers,
Maria 🌹

Hi Maria,

I love your perspective. Thanks for commenting.

Edwin

Indeed Maria. I feel that with the use of technology as a leveraging tool, MLM companies want to use the expertise of affiliate marketers that they do not teach, to increase sales.

Thanks for commenting.

Edwin

In my opinion, there is a difference.

- Affiliate Programs are no more than two levels. (Affiliate and Broker)

- MLM has more than two levels.

- Affiliate Programs have a primary focus of selling products.

- MLMs have a primary focus on recruiting and team building.

- Affiliate Programs are free to join.

- MLMs have a fee for membership and usually a product auto shipment requirement.

I have a love-hate relationship with the MLM, network, marketing, relationship, marketing, Direct Sales (and now calling themselves Affiliate Marketing) industry.

I know Eric Worre personally. I have had conversations with him about this.

Until the MLM industry shifts their focus away from recruiting, and focuses on the product or service, they will all be looked at as a “pyramid scam”.

The main difference, is pushing recruiting versus moving product.

🔺 Affiliate Marketers are Solopreneurs.

🔻 MLMers are Team Builders.


Neither is good or bad, just clearly different.

My 2 Cents.

Thanks for this write-up, Brad. Wrote it better than I would have

I have being in one or two several MLMs and I still do have a love-hate relationship with MLM, but like you say neither is good or bad

Hi Brad,

Thanks for sharing your perspective. Makes sense. The bottom line is meeting consumers needs by selling them products and making a profit. Associates and affiliate marketers are the conduit to make this happen in different ways like you described.

Glad to hear from you.

Edwin

Hi Chris,

If you like recruiting and building a team to train to do what you do, then that works great. The issue is finding others who are willing to put in the work. That is one of the reasons why the attrition rate is high in MLM.

Also, for most companies, most of the sales are generated by the associate's purchases themselves.

Only a few make it big.

Cheers.

Edwin

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