Isagenix MLM Review – Is The Isagenix Opportunity a Pyramid Scheme?

For anyone who is interested in health and fitness, it might seem obvious to make extra money selling health and wellness products. If that's the case, you may have heard of Isagenix. You may have even tried some of these products. But even under the best of circumstances, selling products is a tough job. In this Isagenix MLM review, you'll learn how it works. You'll find out if this opportunity is right for you. By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll be asking yourself, what’s the point?  Let us start with an introduction to the company.

What is Isagenix?

Isagenix was founded in 2002 by Jim Coover and Kathy Coover along with John Anderson. The company is headquartered in Arizona. 

Isagenix uses the multi-level marketing (MLM) business opportunity model to sell beauty supplements, body care, skincare, pre-and post-workout drinks, weight loss products, and nutritional supplements. In 2017, the company reported $958 million in annual income revenue and has over 200,000 active associates or product users.

Isagenix MLM is perhaps best known for its "nutritional cleansing" products. These products are designed to help break down fat so your body can flush it out more easily. This is done with the "Cleanse for Life" powder, which is taken as a drink four times a day.

Are Isagenix Products Worth Their Price?

You can choose from a variety of products. Let’s take a look at one of the most popular products from Isagenix. The Isagenix Weight Loss Basic Pack. This is a 30-day supply that includes:

IsaLean Shake: a superfood meal replacement 

Ionix Supreme: contains botanical adaptogens to help reduce stress

Cleanse for Life: a powder mixed with water that you drink in the morning

AMPED Hydrate: contains electrolytes to keep you hydrated

Snack Bites: individually wrapped snack bites to help satisfy cravings

IsaFlush: contains herbs and minerals to help you stay regular

Natural Accelerator: boosts metabolism and helps to burn fat

But do these meal replacement shakes and products actually help you lose weight? According to Isagenix, the average weight loss after 12 weeks is 24 pounds. That's about two pounds per week. That's the same claim Weight Watchers makes if you follow their plan. 

What about added sugar? For example, the Isalean Shake (chocolate) contains 10 grams of sugar per two-level scoops. Six of those grams are ADDED sugar.

For preferred customers, the price is $299. For regular non-member customers, the price is $349.

So with this plan, a non-member would pay $1,050 to lose 24 pounds in 12 weeks. With Weight Watchers, the most you pay is $6/week, which equates to a savings of $72 for 12 weeks, a savings of $978!

So are the collection of products from Isagenix worth the price? Probably not, but there are many people who seem to love them. With price tags like that, they are going to be a tough sell.

Note: None of these products have been approved by the FDA. In fact, the FDA is not responsible for approving dietary supplements and weight loss products.

The Isagenix Opportunity

To get started, you first become a customer of Isagenix and try the products. As a customer, you order the products through an Isagenix Independent Associate at full retail prices. 

The next step is to become a member and open a customer account. With membership, you will receive up to 15% off the retail prices of all Isagenix products. At this time, you will not receive compensation for selling products to others, but you can earn points called Product Introduction Rewards. This is to encourage you to become an Associate. You need 100 PV (Personal Volume) points within 30 days to become an Associate.

Once you are an Associate, you'll receive personal website space on the Isagenix customer portal where you can direct customers to place orders. You also receive training and the mobile app.

How Much Does It Cost To Join Isagenix?

There are no starter kits to buy. You start by trying the products yourself as a customer. If you decide to become an associate, there are hidden costs that are not reimbursed, such as phone charges, gas and maintenance of your car, and your personal time.

Can You Make Money With Isagenix?

According to Co-founder Kathy Coover, you must sell 100 PV per 30-day period to remain active. When you advance to Consultant, Isagenix will give you a $50 Rank Advancement Bonus and you can earn $100 for each new Associate you recruit (up to 20 Associates).

When you build a team by recruiting others, you also earn on their sales. Your team consists of a left team and a right team. When one team earns 600 GV (group volume) and the other team earns 300 BV, you qualify for a team bonus called a Cycle. One cycle is equal to $54. Excess BVs are kept for qualifying for the next Team Bonus.

The commission structure is confusing. In fact, I could not find any official commission percentages. To earn money, you need to accumulate 100 PV in a 30-day period. You also need to recruit two people to do the same. You will be paid based on the PV count at the end of the month.

According to my research, Isagenix has produced only 308 millionaires among its 220,000 representatives. This is equivalent to 0.14%. And these millionaires have worked at Isagenix for 6-16 years. The numbers are based on cumulative gross revenue. 

According to a 2015 Isagenix earnings report, 83.3% of associates earned no commission at all and 11.5% earned less than $500!

Pros of Isagenix

No Starter Kit: There’s no expensive starter kit to buy here.

Try Before You Commit: Before you become an Associate, you need to be a paying customer first. This will give you an out if you decide it’s not for you. 

Variety of Products: There are plenty of products for customers to choose from. 

Cons of Isagenix

No Discounts: Associates pay the same price for products as customers. No discounts.

Expensive products: Most of the products have a pretty high price tag. There are similar products out there that are cheaper.

No Pay For Trying The Products: You don’t simply start as an associate. You have to be a customer then a paying member. Even if you start off as an Associate, you will receive discounts on products but you won’t earn any commissions until you meet the minimum requirements.

Is Isagenix A Scam?

Like most MLM companies, Isagenix is not a scam, but it's business model is certainly an MLM. And since these personal care products are not FDA approved, it can be difficult to sell them. Not to mention that the prices are pretty high too. In case you are also wondering is Isagenix a pyramid scheme the answer is no. 

Final Thoughts

The main method of making money with this MLM is recruiting - not selling products. In the case of Isagenix, it's even worse. There are no official commission rates. The money you make is based on personal volume points (PV). There's no information about what an individual PV amounts to. You are paid by cycles. So we still don't know what the point is!

If you’d like to have your own business with fewer complications, check out my #1 recommendation. Your membership provides you with a free website, hosting, 24/7 support, training, and excellent tools. Plus, I’ll help you!