Meri Brown and her Wet Bar of Tears

[ginger90]

From an article I saw on Yahoo

Meri might have a problem with her business model though... It looks like she might wear more of the clothes then she sells! I kid... I kid... kind of.

So, it's not just us, lol!

[MrSmith]

Oh. My. God. You guys look what I found! You simply MUST READ THIS.

Edited to add: You have to click the link and also read the first reponse! OMFG!

Edited January 31, 2017 by MrSmith

[Galloway Cave]

OK I am really crappy at math, so anyone feel free to correct me, but what I came up with is $18 profit for each piece of clothing sold, and if she sells all 381 pieces (which we have already heard they don't do because, UGLY, but lets just say she sells them all) that equals $6858 in profit. Take out the money for taxes and you are right back at around $5000. So why even invest the money in the first place, unless you have a whole bunch of "consultants" selling below you in the pyramid? Am I doing this right?

[MrSmith]

1 hour ago, Galloway Cave said:

OK I am really crappy at math, so anyone feel free to correct me, but what I came up with is $18 profit for each piece of clothing sold, and if she sells all 381 pieces (which we have already heard they don't do because, UGLY, but lets just say she sells them all) that equals $6858 in profit. Take out the money for taxes and you are right back at around $5000. So why even invest the money in the first place, unless you have a whole bunch of "consultants" selling below you in the pyramid? Am I doing this right?

Don't worry. You're clearly not as crappy at math as someone has led you to believe...

[Absolom]

The problem is I think that $18 profit per item is a myth.  The leggings actually sell for less than $18 profit per pair so when you deal with actual cost the items (the ones that did sell) sold for - costs - initial price paid to LLR - taxes means you don't earn anywhere near the $6858 potential that they advertise.  I also think some of the LLR supporters are plants. 

So not only is the profit potential not realistic, but even if you made that profit if you want to keep selling you have to turn around and place another order so there goes what "profit" you did make.  All of sudden it has become inventory to try to unload.

Meri has apparently kept so many pieces that what little profit she's making she's apparently wearing or she's going in the hole filling her closet. 

[Galloway Cave]

I was just reading the comments of that article and you are right. The leggings are 2/$40, so the profit is very low. Plus I didn't take into account shipping. The first person commenting knows the LulaRoe family and says they use the family and friends (who don't pay for the inventory) as the "success stories".

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Galloway Cave said:

OK I am really crappy at math, so anyone feel free to correct me, but what I came up with is $18 profit for each piece of clothing sold, and if she sells all 381 pieces (which we have already heard they don't do because, UGLY, but lets just say she sells them all) that equals $6858 in profit. Take out the money for taxes and you are right back at around $5000. So why even invest the money in the first place, unless you have a whole bunch of "consultants" selling below you in the pyramid? Am I doing this right?

Don't forget that self employed people pay both halves of ss tax, so subtract another 12.4%. It's deductible,  so it ends up reducing fit and sit a little, but some counties also have inventory taxes,  and, of course, business license fees.  I'm a CPA and planned to work from home after having a baby. After taxes and child care costs, it just wasn't worth it.

[Meowwww]

nm. 

Edited February 1, 2017 by Meowwww

[DakotaJustice]

Oh yeah I read that and the comments. Did you notice there's always at least one person bragging on how they make $15k a month selling that crap?? 

[Rabbittron]

1 hour ago, Swim mom said:

Don't forget that self employed people pay both halves of ss tax, so subtract another 12.4%. It's deductible,  so it ends up reducing fit and sit a little, but some counties also have inventory taxes,  and, of course, business license fees.  I'm a CPA and planned to work from home after having a baby. After taxes and child care costs, it just wasn't worth it.

Do you really think that these people pay taxes? It is a cash sale or if they pay by credit card it never gets reported. 

[DakotaJustice]

2 hours ago, Absolom said:

The problem is I think that $18 profit per item is a myth.  The leggings actually sell for less than $18 profit per pair so when you deal with actual cost the items (the ones that did sell) sold for - costs - initial price paid to LLR - taxes means you don't earn anywhere near the $6858 potential that they advertise.  I also think some of the LLR supporters are plants. 

So not only is the profit potential not realistic, but even if you made that profit if you want to keep selling you have to turn around and place another order so there goes what "profit" you did make.  All of sudden it has become inventory to try to unload.

Meri has apparently kept so many pieces that what little profit she's making she's apparently wearing or she's going in the hole filling her closet. 

Oh yeah I read that and the comments. Did you notice there's always at least one person bragging on how they make $15k a month selling that crap?? 

Also Meri said last month that she had just received a single shipment of 12 boxes of new inventory. The photos I've seen of the "starter packages" are 6 boxes so 12 has to be at least $10k she shelled out so yeah, she's rolling all of her profits plus more into new inventory.

[Onceafan]

Wow have you guys watched this old interview? Meri has a really negative opinion of Kody and Janelle's relationship. She actually says Kody cares more for Christine then Janelle. The more I listen to Meri the more I dislike her.

[Celia Rubenstein]

Let me get this straight... Meri was okay with Janelle because she saw her as some kind of platonic drone bee who didn't threaten Meri's idea of herself as Queen. So why then did Meri feel the need make Janelle's life a living hell?

Then along comes Christine who had a romantic relationship with Kody which really upset Meri .... however Kody has made it sound like he could barely stand to look at Christine.  

This makes no sense to me. Someone is full of shit. I think it may be all of them.

[CofCinci]

Meri is being honest here. When Janelle became the second wife, Meri liked her and she didn't feel threatened. Kody wasn't into Janelle so Meri was fine with the marriage. Then Janelle continues to get pregnant while Meri can't. Kody's relationship with Janelle changed over time because she has the sons.  By the time Christine comes aboard her, Meri is jealous towards both Janelle and Christine. Christine was also polyg royalty so I'm sure there was some romance and fanfare during the courtship - which made an insecure Meri even more insecure. Kody was never into Christine so eventually Meri chilled; however, his relationship with Janelle changed and Meri grew angry. 

[DakotaJustice]

8 hours ago, Rabbittron said:

Do you really think that these people pay taxes? It is a cash sale or if they pay by credit card it never gets reported. 

Most of them probably don't, because they aren't making jack shit to begin with. 

I'm sure there are a bunch filing Schedule C's though since LLR does process 1099s for commissions earned so they kind of have to report their earnings I would think. Since they're business women and all. *rolleyes*

[DakotaJustice]

11 hours ago, Absolom said:

The problem is I think that $18 profit per item is a myth.  The leggings actually sell for less than $18 profit per pair so when you deal with actual cost the items (the ones that did sell) sold for - costs - initial price paid to LLR - taxes means you don't earn anywhere near the $6858 potential that they advertise.  I also think some of the LLR supporters are plants. 

So not only is the profit potential not realistic, but even if you made that profit if you want to keep selling you have to turn around and place another order so there goes what "profit" you did make.  All of sudden it has become inventory to try to unload.

Meri has apparently kept so many pieces that what little profit she's making she's apparently wearing or she's going in the hole filling her closet. 

The $18 profit per item is averaging out all the styles that LLR offers I believe. The leggings are by far the most popular but they also offer tops, dresses, and skirts. 

[MrSmith]

@Onceafan That video is so sickening and grotesque. Ugh. <insert puking face emoji> Still, I appreciate you sharing it. It's worth watching since it helps provide a measure of the deceit, bullshirt, and double-talk in which those con artists engage.

[MrSmith]

11 hours ago, Absolom said:

The problem is I think that $18 profit per item is a myth.  The leggings actually sell for less than $18 profit per pair so when you deal with actual cost the items (the ones that did sell) sold for - costs - initial price paid to LLR - taxes means you don't earn anywhere near the $6858 potential that they advertise.  I also think some of the LLR supporters are plants. 

So not only is the profit potential not realistic, but even if you made that profit if you want to keep selling you have to turn around and place another order so there goes what "profit" you did make.  All of sudden it has become inventory to try to unload.

Meri has apparently kept so many pieces that what little profit she's making she's apparently wearing or she's going in the hole filling her closet. 

I very much doubt there is anywhere near an average of $18 profit per item. Even if the gross profit is $18 per item on average, the fact that the consultant has to pay for shipping will certainly drag that down. Also, the fact the consultant has to pay for shipping out of their pocket just galls me. If I were a LLR consultant (or if my wife were) I can tell you right now that the customers would be footing that bill! After all, any time you order anything online, if there is shipping, then you're paying it. So, why should LLR be any different? Unless the point is to help ensure most of their consultants lose money, which I suppose is a real possibility.

As for Meri, it's probably a good thing she has a spare room or two because I can't imagine how much space 700 articles of clothing would take up. My wife doesn't think that we own 700 articles of clothing between the two of us! I have posited that we do, but she insists we'd have to count each sock as an article of clothing to achieve it. (This will probably lead me to count them all some day soon....) I know for sure in the place we currently live that if we added 700 articles of clothing to what we have in the house, we wouldn't have space for it all. Even if we did, it would annoy me having to use so much space for this.

[Guest]

I didn't find the video any more disgusting than I find poligamy in general. Meri is being very honest, and it looked like the other wives agreed with her assessment. I think they are much less open now. Especially since Robyn corrects them every time they say something.  I actually like Meri more in this video, where she's very open and honest, than today's Meri where she thinks a lot before she says anything, and comes across a little strange. 

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Rabbittron said:

Do you really think that these people pay taxes? It is a cash sale or if they pay by credit card it never gets reported. 

Oh yes! Nevada has a state sales tax and that means it has sales tax auditors.  There is NO WAY this group isn't getting a state tax audit every 3 years, or whatever Nevada's rotation is. 

[Absolom]

2 hours ago, DakotaJustice said:

The $18 profit per item is averaging out all the styles that LLR offers I believe. The leggings are by far the most popular but they also offer tops, dresses, and skirts. 

In reading people's blogs and posts about LLR, $18 profit per item is what LLR "says" they'll make.  With not all the items selling so the LLR pushers have to dump stuff in sales or on ebay, it is not the average profit, but more like the maximum profit they can make on only the most popular pieces.  And it isn't true profit, it's the mark up, because LLR casually fails to mention all the costs not associated with buying inventory such has hangers, racks, shipping to people, taxes, transportation to pop up events, etc. 

[Sista Snarky]

I remember LLR "math" mentioned in one of the articles...

To hit the big numbers that are not realistic or possible...

One would have to have box after box of items at the highest selling price point (that doesn't happen since the boxes are full of variety at different price points)...sell every one at LLR suggested retail price (good luck with that) & keep putting the money back into the LLR pot until reaching the $15K level.

It's like a confusing math "problem"  that's also riddled with bullshit.

The LLR bubble will really burst when thrift stores are jammed with LLR items....many still new with tags. Plenty of reps in a flooded market will become totally overwhelmed with many factors & want all traces of LLR out of the house. Especially if other family members were not smitten with the LLR concept in the first place.

It's bad enough for some to come to sobering terms about the reality. Having that shit hanging around as a reminder wouldn't help matters.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Sista Snarky

[Meowwww]

15 hours ago, MrSmith said:

I very much doubt there is anywhere near an average of $18 profit per item. Even if the gross profit is $18 per item on average, the fact that the consultant has to pay for shipping will certainly drag that down. Also, the fact the consultant has to pay for shipping out of their pocket just galls me. If I were a LLR consultant (or if my wife were) I can tell you right now that the customers would be footing that bill! After all, any time you order anything online, if there is shipping, then you're paying it. So, why should LLR be any different? Unless the point is to help ensure most of their consultants lose money, which I suppose is a real possibility.

As for Meri, it's probably a good thing she has a spare room or two because I can't imagine how much space 700 articles of clothing would take up. My wife doesn't think that we own 700 articles of clothing between the two of us! I have posited that we do, but she insists we'd have to count each sock as an article of clothing to achieve it. (This will probably lead me to count them all some day soon....) I know for sure in the place we currently live that if we added 700 articles of clothing to what we have in the house, we wouldn't have space for it all. Even if we did, it would annoy me having to use so much space for this.

Meri seems to sell everything on her live sales. More than any usual LLR sales.  

[ginger90]

I have  seen posts on a facebook yard sale site local to me for the leggings. They are priced from $25 each to only $5 each, new with tags. People ask if they are authentic. People copy these and try to pass them off??

[ReadMeLattice]

My friend recently started selling LuLaRoe and it's already driving me nuts. I don't know how to tell her I think it's overpriced AND unattractive so I just tell her I'm broke right now. 

[AZChristian]

2 minutes ago, Lm2162 said:

My friend recently started selling LuLaRoe and it's already driving me nuts. I don't know how to tell her I think it's overpriced AND unattractive so I just tell her I'm broke right now. 

You're nicer than I. I would simply say, "I'm glad you're my friend, and I need to be honest with you. That stuff is overpriced and unattractive, and I will never want to buy any of it. Please don't ask me again. Now, let's go get a cup of coffee."

[DakotaJustice]

5 hours ago, ginger90 said:

I have  seen posts on a facebook yard sale site local to me for the leggings. They are priced from $25 each to only $5 each, new with tags. People ask if they are authentic. People copy these and try to pass them off??

Sounds like consultants who cancelled with LLR and are now trying to unload their unsold inventory. Lord of them out there. 

LLR says they'll buyback -its supposed to be 90% refund, but it's more like 85% from what I've read and everything must be unworn and in original packaging. If it's not in the packaging, then they only give an 80% refund if memory serves. 

Also read on GD that the company takes its time with the refunds. 

[Lsk02]

I hate even admitting it here, but I've bought from several LLR consultants (NOT Meri, I will not join her group and I don't watch stupid live sales), and paid shipping for all, except local consultants who offer door pickups. I haven't run into any who have free shipping. 

 

FWIW, I've ordered 1 pair of basic black leggings for myself. My college age daughter wears the solid colored dresses and skirts a lot, she says they're very comfortable and easy to dress up. My yougest daughter likes the loud leggings, but she's at an age where that's still acceptable, I think.  Felt like I needed to explain myself! 

[Sista Snarky]

2 hours ago, Lsk02 said:

I hate even admitting it here, but I've bought from several LLR consultants (NOT Meri, I will not join her group and I don't watch stupid live sales), and paid shipping for all, except local consultants who offer door pickups. I haven't run into any who have free shipping. 

 

FWIW, I've ordered 1 pair of basic black leggings for myself. My college age daughter wears the solid colored dresses and skirts a lot, she says they're very comfortable and easy to dress up. My yougest daughter likes the loud leggings, but she's at an age where that's still acceptable, I think.  Felt like I needed to explain myself! 

You're safe with us! We're not gonna shank you or anything! ?

[Sista Snarky]

7 hours ago, Lm2162 said:

My friend recently started selling LuLaRoe and it's already driving me nuts. I don't know how to tell her I think it's overpriced AND unattractive so I just tell her I'm broke right now. 

So many inappropriate Jersey friends  means I have the luxury of saying...if you come at me with that LLR shit...I'm gonna drop ya with my taser or kick ya until ya dead.

If I was trying to spare feelings I would go the I'm skin sensitive route & say polyester is not the fabric of my life.

Polyester (around 90%)  mixed with a little spandex is the recipe for the LLR "buttery" feel.

[CofCinci]

Just because Meri sells out on these "live sales" doesn't mean people actually pay the invoices.  She had to get a shady motel room for a 'pop up' sales event -- most likely because the buyers for those items never paid the invoice.

[Kohola3]

Dollars to donuts you are correct, CofCinci. I bet there are a lot of sad sack looky-loos who only want to get close to a "celeb" and pretend to be customers.  It's sick how many people are wowed by some D list reality "star" and post all kinds of gag worthy love messages on Twitter and Facebook.

[tabloidlover]

On ‎1‎/‎31‎/‎2017 at 9:57 PM, Onceafan said:

Wow have you guys watched this old interview? Meri has a really negative opinion of Kody and Janelle's relationship. She actually says Kody cares more for Christine then Janelle. The more I listen to Meri the more I dislike her.

Holy shit!  Meri was full on bitch mode here....  Such a difference in her since she lost the HBIC role.   I actually feel a little badly for Janelle in this clip. 

[MrSmith]

9 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

Dollars to donuts you are correct, CofCinci. I bet there are a lot of sad sack looky-loos who only want to get close to a "celeb" and pretend to be customers.  It's sick how many people are wowed by some D list reality "star" and post all kinds of gag worthy love messages on Twitter and Facebook.

D list? Come now. Surely you're giving her entirely too much credit. There's got to be a much lower ranked list on which she can be placed.

[ghoulina]

Yea, that's a really bitchy video. She could have answered that question differently and been a lot more diplomatic about it. 

"We all have a different dynamic with Kody. With Kody having multiple wives, we can all fill a different need. Christine's relationship with him seemed to have a very similar dynamic to the one *I* had with him, so I felt a bit threatened by that." 

[ginger90]

Potential customers are on a waiting list......

https://mobile.twitter.com/MeriBrown1/status/827763137755557888?p=v

[Galloway Cave]

In other words, Meri has been "too busy" to dill with her FB page and OK requests.

[CofCinci]

She can't click the confirm join button on FB for her fans that want to purchase. What a shitty business model. 

[LilWharveyGal]

FFS.  She can't click buttons?  WTF else does she have to do all day?

[Sista Snarky]

9 hours ago, ginger90 said:

Potential customers are on a waiting list......

https://mobile.twitter.com/MeriBrown1/status/827763137755557888?p=v

Holy cats!

Meri even had Madison  there to hit the accept button.

The arrogance & lack of work ethic  of that is insane. 

Edited February 5, 2017 by Sista Snarky

[lookeyloo]

I think it is more that she is building suspense.  She sees the buttons, knows how to click them and thinks "let them wait" as if it is valuable and precious to get accepted by her.

[RazzleberryPie]

It's the other wives fault. Robyn can't click a button all by herself. She gets no help from anyone (except her live in nanny, three sister wives and dozen children over the age of 12). She told Meri or somebody to do it, but they refused to support her dreams again. She's a victim. It's persecution because she's the pretty, innocent one, just like Snow White. All she wanted was for them to have a successful family business where she does not work, yet gets all the glory. I bet she's so upset she cAnt even show affection to Kody. Bless her heart. 

[Celia Rubenstein]

Maybe it is taking so long because Meri has to "severely vet" every applicant to make sure they're not the Catfish before she lets them in her group.

[TurtlePower]

7 hours ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Maybe it is taking so long because Meri has to "severely vet" every applicant to make sure they're not the Catfish before she lets them in her group.

Probably for reals there. If I were Meri I wouldn't even be on social media--sounds like she has her hands full. I don't know how she does it--I quit FB quite a while back because it seems to be connected to EVERYTHING and I was like, no. F-off, FB. Too much meanness and political crap too.

[ginger90]

I have to wonder what criteria one has to pass for Meri to accept them on freaking Facebook? The catfish passed, LuLaroe passed. Google must not be her friend.

[CofCinci]

Is there really a criteria though when she posts the location of her "pop up" sales and tells her fans to meet her at the Best Western for some ugly leggings?!

[Sista Snarky]

Well not for nothin' but Meri didn't flinch one bit  when she was working that green goo order by  Fake Sam when she claims she knew that Fake Sam was FOS within the first week of speaking to it.

She seems to sleep well at night...knowing that money was grifted from someone else that fell for Fake Sam. 

That  part of the  debacle didn't make the cut when she was on her journey to get to the bottom of things & for her own "closure" 

That's a disgrace.

Meri will never be able know for sure if "LuLaRoe Samantha" lurks on FB. This thing still chugs along on social media as Fake Sam. It lives for that & I'm sure it is "nurturing" several FB accounts pretending to be crazy for LLR. 

Edited February 7, 2017 by Sista Snarky

[RazzleberryPie]

18 hours ago, ginger90 said:

I have to wonder what criteria one has to pass for Meri to accept them on freaking Facebook? The catfish passed, LuLaroe passed. Google must not be her friend.

I joined the Lula group a few months ago and left after about two weeks. She never did album sales. Not sure what she did at locations, but online it was just random 'join me tonight for live sales' without much warning. She mostly seemed bored to tears, wasn't great at describing things, and showed the really expensive and dowdy stuff she wears on the show. I just want yoga leggings and the one fittest shirt dress. Maybe a maxi in summer.

[Hockeymom]

I've been reading this thread for a while. Now, I need to chime in. I have never been a fan of Meri. Ever. I just can't stand her whole "poor me" Boo Hoo bullcrap. I watched her cry about infertility. I watched her put everyone through hell while she agonized over the decision to do IVF. She had everyone, including Mariah, weeping and feeling sorry for her. I don't think she even wanted more kids at 40. She was so snarky and smug about how things were going to change. I don't remember the exact verbiage, but it was definitely an "I've got a secret" vibe.

She's always had that smug, condescending thing going on and began to actively distance herself from the family once her daughter was getting ready for college. Meri was pretty clear that she was doing her own thing and enjoying the freedom. So on the one hand, its "Poor me. My one and only child (sob) is leaving and I am so alone", and on the other, it's "See ya suckers. I'm off to get my hair done". And then to have the audacity to assume her large, empty home would become the hub of family gatherings - And be so hurt when it did not. 

I have no sympathy for her self-induced loneliness. When she insisted on the huge, five bedroom house, she knew she'd be rambling around alone in it. Did she really expect everyone to run over to watch her cry in her Cornflakes? It boggles the mind that anyone other than Meri herself is taking the blame for the catfish scandal. "Oh, we should have taken better care of Meri. She was so lonely, so vulnerable." Bah! If you want to go - Go. If you want to stay, stay. Just shut up about it! You chose to be a polygamist. Did she think that meant she would be the wife, and the other ones were just maids?

So, I can't believe these thoughts are coming from my brain. But - we've all been saying that they need to get jobs. Really, what is she qualified to do? Meri has been un or under employed all her life. She has no education or skills. Yes, she likes to sew. Yes, she likes to plan parties. These could be the start of a business. But we have seen how things work out with the Browns when they become entrepreneurs. It never ends well. Perhaps LuLaRue wasn't the best choice. However, women have been transitioning from empty-nester back into the workforce using these kinds of pyramid businesses for years. Think Tupperware, MaryKay, Avon, Amway, etc. I don't think its wrong for people with no business acumen to plug into an existing structure. At the very least, you get out of the house, meet new people, learn new skills, etc.

Meri does have one thing going for her. It's her "celebrity". It's the only marketable weapon in the arsenal. She probably IS selling more than her non-famous LuLaRue counterparts.  I don't like her, but, she has paid the price for her notoriety. Why not use it for something?

[AZChristian]

I think a lot of us think "what would we do" in that situation?  If I were a divorced woman, upside-down in a mortgage on a house that's (at least) 3 times bigger than I need for myself, I would NOT spend thousands of dollars to invest in a questionable pyramid scheme.  I'd look at a lot more options - including working for minimum wage at a craft store . . . which would start bringing in money right away.  And I'd be working out a short sale on that house so fast that it would make my ex-husband's head spin.  He engineered this mess . . . let him live with it.

A lot of the viewers' frustration comes from seeing that reality "stars" just don't have to deal with real-life consequences of stupid decisions.