Is LifeVantage A Scam? Health And Wellness MLM Accused As A Pyramid Scheme?

Welcome to my LifeVantage Review!

Perhaps you may have been in a dilemma with online opportunities and you might have come across a company selling anti-aging goods with a multi-level marketing (MLM) platform called LifeVantage. As we know, health and wellness are some of the most saturated niches in the business. 

So here you are probably opting to search for this company someone has recommended you or you just happen to see online. 

Well, you’ve come to the right place. 

Stay tuned and read until the end, as we will discuss more this MLM opportunity -- LifeVantage in this review!

What is this networking brand about? Why was it being tagged as a pyramid scheme? In case it’s legit, how much money can you make from the program?

Find out more answers in this honest LifeVantage review!

LifeVantage is a multi-level marketing company that markets and sells a range of anti-aging products from vitamins to supplements with the purpose to help people live longer. Their goal is on reducing "oxidative stress" through their "scientifically proven" products. It is based in Utah, USA.

Here’s a quick background of the networking brand in review:

• In June 1988, the company was founded by Darren Jensen in Colorado as Andraplex Corporation. 
• In January of 1992, the name of the company was changed to Yaak River Resources, Inc. 
• In October 2004, it was renamed to Lifeline Therapeutics, Inc. 
• In March 2005, the company acquired all the common stocks of Lifeline Nutraceuticals Corporation and renamed it to LifeVantage Corporation.

LifeVantage was known for its flagship product Protandim. It is a herbal dietary supplement with a patented mix of five herbal ingredients. It was marketed with unsupported claims that it can treat several medical conditions. That’s why the company probably faced legal and regulatory issues.

LifeVantage Product Line

LifeVantage’s product line is a range of anti-aging products. As mentioned, their flagship product is Protandim. For the past years, LifeVantage has continually engaged in the identification, research, development, and distribution of such products and has even generated several new products from Protandim. 

So as mentioned, they offer a range of products which are categorized with the following:

• Nutrition- supplements and probiotics etc. ($40.99-$127.99 monthly)
• Stacks- as a bundle of multiple supplements
• Beauty- shampoo, hand cream, moisturizers, anti-aging cream, etc. ($12.99-$140.99monthly)
• Fitness- whey protein, fat burning pills, etc. ($40.99-$140.99 monthly)
• Pets- Petandim for dogs ($25.99 monthly)

How To Make Money With LifeVantage?

Being an MLM, the company manages to save a lot of money on advertising and marketing because every day distributors help to promote these products. Indeed, one of the gains a company can have when doing business in this platform but that is with the company alone. 

How about the distributors? Well, in return, they can earn commissions from selling the products or bonuses from the sales their recruits or downlines make, like LuLaRoe and Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic.

Having said that, basically you’ll earn in LifeVantage through selling (sales commission) and through recruiting people and getting bonuses from the sales that they generate. 

There are 7 ways that distributors can get paid from LifeVantage:

1. Smart start bonus (30-40% commission for people recruited and the "starter pack" they buy: 100PV+ = 30% commission 200PV+ = 40% commission)
2. Launch bonus (200PV+ needed to get bonuses of your downline recruits)
3. Unilevel commissions (2-9% commission from downline sales)
4. Generational matching bonus (10% match of your downline unilevel commissions)
5. Elite bonus pool (4% of total sales gets spread to all "active elite distributors")
6. Rank achievement bonus (one time bonuses for achieving the top 3 ranks)
7. Business centers (You can become a "distributor" under yourself once you reach Premier Pro 5 rank)

See more about their compensation plan in this video:

No, it’s not a Scam. LifeVantage is a legit MLM company in the health and wellness niche. They market and distribute anti-aging products where distributors can earn money as they sell and get a pay exactly like what the company claimed.  

Being in the business for a long time, who would say that it’s a scam? But it was probably due to its MLM nature that it was coined to be a pyramid scheme and just like most MLMs, there’s too much emphasis on recruitment. Though not Better Business Bureau (BBB)-accredited, they do hold an A+ rating.

To join LifeVantage’s MLM opportunity and become a distributor, one should pay the starting fee of $50 which includes the kit, provided with it are the following:

• How to get your business started
• Blueprint for success
• Product samples

But you’ll have to purchase a launch kit/ pack to try and sell products. These are the different "Launch kits" that include LifeVantage products:

• Silver ($350) - 20% savings
• Gold Pack ($650) - 25% savings
• Gold Performance Pack ($650) - 25% savings
• Platinum ($1,250) - 30% savings

But aside from these costs, distributors are also required a monthly sales quota to remain active. They need to hit a 100PV each month, so that would probably be around $130+ worth of products. So if you can’t have such sales monthly, you’ll probably end up buying the products from your pocket to retain the active status. But it doesn’t stop there, you’ll also need to purchase a 40PV monthly which is around $50 to also remain active.

PROS

Well, there’s not much too like about LifeVantage. There’s nothing something that would place them higher than companies with the same line of products. However, I do commend them for having a benefit donation. When you go for a shop for their products, there’s also an option to donate for the LifeVantage Legacy which is an organization committed to impacting the lives of one million children through programs and initiatives that make a lasting impact on the future generations. Well, a lot of companies do something like this nowadays. But I do hope such donations go to where it is supposed to be.

CONS

Saturated Market

As you know, anti-aging products are not new in the field. The market is jam-packed with businesses offering such scientific based products. 

So with a lot of competitors, it would be a challenge to sell LifeVantage products taking into consideration the fact that there are a lot of famous companies selling the same line of products which are more successful and reliable. So, distributors should strategize and should be good in sales talk. 

Monthly Quota

Yes, they do require a monthly sales quota for a distributor to stay active. Well, it can be a great motivation for distributors to do more and sell more. However, it can be at as well pressure. 

In LifeVantage’s protocol, not only do they require sales volume but also the distributor's volume of products which is I could say another inconvenience for the distributor because that will be another cost. 

Taking into consideration the possibility that if they would not reach their sales quota, they would also opt to purchase products on their own pocket money. It will also be costly for joining this business venture.

Regulatory And Legal Issues Involved

I could say that one major red flag of LifeVantage’s MLM opportunity is its involvement in issues. 

In 2017, LifeVantage was warned by the FDA for illegal marketing of Protandim. The company also faced several lawsuits. Well, for me a great reputation mirrors a great company and business. So, why join a company with such issues?

It can be for those who are starting a home-based business, yes it can be a part-time job for them but not for a living. To gain a lucrative income in this kind of business opportunity, one should be skillful in sales and are experienced in the MLM industry. It is also for those who are health and wellness enthusiasts, especially those who are into anti-aging products. 

Starting as a distributor, one will have a kit that includes things one should need to start the LifeVantage business and as well as access to the back office. Distributors will be as well provided with at-home training and opportunity sessions

In closing, LifeVantage is legit! Operating for a long time, it is not a SCAM. However, they are coined as a Pyramid Scheme probably due to the emphasis on recruitment. Yet, they are not a pyramid scheme. 

Still, I will not recommend you this program. It would be already a challenge putting up with the recruitment hype alone but a distributor will as well have to thrive to reach for monthly quotas that will probably cost them $1,960- $2,860 annually. 

Also, this kind of niche is saturated including the product line, so it’ll be a challenge selling such products. Let’s not forget about the cheaper alternatives we can find online and most of which comes from leading brands that are not MLM-related.

And lastly, one major point why I would not recommend you LifeVantage is its involvement in regulatory and legal issues.

Unless you’re not bothered by the legal issues that LifeVantage has been involved with or you’re okay with how MLM works in general, I suggest that you join our #1 alternative!

It’s the top-recommended program online and signing up means getting these perks:

• Training resources
• Webinars to help you start your business online
• One-on-one coaching
• Comprehensive guide
• And many more!

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Thank you for reading our LifeVantage review and if you have questions or comments, please feel free to drop it in the comment box.