Thirty One Gifts has now publicly confirmed it will be closing:

While a date isn’t specified, distributors had earlier leaked December 15th.

Now, in what appears to be an attempt to clear stock, Thirty One Gifts has reduced distributor sign up fees to $1.

As of October 24th, Thirty One Gifts is allowing new distributors to sign up for $1. This offer is available till October 31st.

Then, until December 15th, these new distributors can “make additional income for the holidays”.

While not strictly speaking unethical, I do think its poor form to launch a recruitment drive prior to Thirty One Gifts closing.

One of the key selling points of MLM is building something residual for the future. Here you pay $1, try to build something over the next month and a half and then… it’s over.

Realistically I don’t think anyone signing up for Thirty One Gifts now is going to be duped persay, but I do feel there might be some last minute profiteering going on.

“Cmon, it’s only $1 to sign up. What have you got to lose?” Prospect signs up, orders some product and generates some revenue for whoever recruited them.

The more respectable thing to do is just have a sale. Slap a “we’re closing!” sign on Thirty One Gifts’ website, start slashing prices and let your customers do their thing.

Spare a thought for the unlucky person who might sign up for $1 and does manage to get something going.

And I think that’s the thing that irks me. $1 or no you’re signing up to participate in Thirty One Gifts’ MLM opportunity. If you fail over the next month and a half, you’ll probably take a loss in purchased inventory.

If you succeed, come December 15th whatever you do build is snatched away.