Even though it’s been around since 1956, a very common thing I get very often is: “Is Shaklee a scam??”, and rightly so. Although it’s a very small minority of businesses, it’s wise to check things out to make sure whatever business you’re reviewing is entirely legitimate and offers a high-quality product that you can stand behind as a distributor.
Detailed reviews to find out if Shaklee is legit or a scam
Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Shaklee produces a wide variety of natural health and environmental products, also known as “greens,” ranging from high-end multivitamins and supplements, cellular anti-aging, natural weight loss, beauty and biodegradable cleaning concentrates. One thing I found very impressive is that they were the first company to become “Climate Neutral” certified by fully offsetting their CO2 emissions, while still being the #1 natural nutrition corporation based on total sales in the US. Shaklee it is a role model to show that a company can be profitable and, at the same time, do good for the planet.
I’m looking at you, Monsanto…
The Shaklee Story
Dr. Forrest Shaklee founded the company in 1956 after spending much of his adult life studying vitamins and how they help promote health. At that time, taking vitamins was not very common in the US, so they chose the MLM business model to promote their products to people personally. Around 1962, Shaklee began selling Basic-H, a biodegradable, plant-based cleaning concentrate, which remains one of Shaklee’s best-selling products to this day.
Since 2004, Roger Barnett, Shaklee’s current owner and CEO, has been instrumental in the company’s recent explosion in popularity through things like having its products featured on many prominent national television shows. So far so good, right?
Does Shaklee have a history of scamming customers or business owners?
In my experience with network marketing training, I’ve found that most of the time when someone claims a company is a scam, it’s because they were a distributor who failed to succeed because they didn’t get any real training beyond “Call all your friends and family until they join.” Sure, talking about Shaklee or any other business with people you know is something you should do, but I don’t think a company should structure their training primarily by talking to your sister and brother-in-law. Makes sense?
Getting back on topic, I checked company reviews with the Better Business Bureau to see if Shaklee has a history of “fraud complaint“or something like that, and I’m happy to say they’re rated A+.
Is Shaklee a scam?
Based on my experience and research, I would say NO. Here are some things I have considered:
- Shaklee It is a company of more than 50 years. The real scams they don’t last that long before they are discovered and closed.
- A pyramid or Ponzi scheme raises money without an actual product or service being offered. Shaklee sells real, tangible products and has even been the Official Nutrition Sponsor of the US Olympic Ski Team since 1980.
- They are licensed to do business in 7 different countries (USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and China) so it is unlikely that they will be able to fool 7 different governments. Wouldn’t you agree?
- Shaklee has spent more than $250 million on research and development of its products. Google “Shaklee Landmark Study” for more information.
Shaklee is NOT a scam
To be fair, to be successful in Shaklee, or any other MLM, you have to learn to market your business in a way that isn’t 100% dependent on the people you already know. This often ignored fact is, in my opinion, the main reason why many people think that companies like Shaklee maybe a fraud. They jump into a business thinking they’re going to make millions, and when their dog walker decides not to join right away, they run out of people to share their business with and end up quitting a few months later.
This is the best advice I can give you right now: Find out how your potential Shaklee sponsor will help you market your business effectively (my preference is the Internet, but there are plenty of ways to meet people who are actively considering your business) once You’ve talked to your warm market. If they can’t give you a good answer, then you might consider using a network marketing system to build your business or even find another sponsor who can show you how to market your Shaklee business the right way.