Network Marketing or Multi - Level Marketing (MLM)

Network Marketing vs Pyramid Scheme

Is Network Marketing a Pyramid Scheme?

If not, what's the difference between network marketing and a pyramid scheme?

Let me guess, somebody has just approached you and asked you to join their network marketing business and your instant thought was - is this one of those pyramid scams?

You made the right decision to do some research and be concerned, because pyramid schemes are illegal and can put you in to a lot of trouble. The good news is that network marketing or multi-level marketing is a legitimate and legal business model. On this page we will help you to identify the differences between network marketing and pyramid schemes, including a checklist of things to look for.

To start with we will review the similarities and then work to distinguish the two.

Generally, the initial concern for people when introduced to a network marketing opportunity is when they see the compensation plan which resembles a pyramid in shape. Instantly they fear the worst as they draw a resemblance to illegal pyramid schemes. The truth is that this pyramid structure is the same as every other sustainable business model across the world. This is best highlighted in the diagram below (figure 1.)



Is it the shape of the business model that dictates whether a business model is illegal?

No, of course not. If this were true every profitable company, government, church and school would be illegal and shut down. It is not so much the shape of the pyramid that people should be concerned about, more the way in which the pyramid is created that distinguishes whether or not it is legal. Let’s review.

Pyramid Scheme (illegal scam)

A pyramid scheme can be defined as a fraudulent money-making scheme that is based on a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme without a legitimate product or service being delivered. Eventually the number of new recruits fails to sustain the payment structure and the scheme collapses with most people losing the money they paid in.

In a more practical sense, probably the easiest way to identify pyramid schemes is firstly there is no legitimate product or service involved (ie you do not get a legitimate product in return for your initial investment). The second way to identify pyramid schemes is that you do not get a financial return unless you have successfully introduced a number of new recruits into the pyramid. Basically, pyramid schemes concentrate on the money that you could earn by recruiting new people into the pyramid and generally ignore the marketing and selling of any products or services.

Network Marketing (legitimate, legal business model)

The concept behind network marketing is a distribution model that allows a company to sell their products directly to the consumer. Choosing to use a word of mouth approach (networking) instead of advertising through traditional streams (eg media). Therefore instead of paying the media for advertising, network marketing companies are structured to reward distributors through commission in return for selling their products