Welcome to our Nature’s Sunshine Review!
If you’ve been looking for ways to work from home, you may have come across the business opportunity offered by Nature’s Sunshine. Or, maybe someone has approached you and said that it’s a great way of making money from home.
But part of you isn’t totally convinced, and you’re still wondering is Nature’s Sunshine a scam?
To put you at ease, Nature’s Sunshine isn’t a scam, it’s been around for over 3 decades… But that is not really the question you need answering. What you need to know is whether this is the right opportunity for you.
99% of MLM members lose money, as their members jump in with both feet without really knowing all the facts. That is what our review is going to help you with…
First off, it’s great to see that you’re doing your research before buying into any “seemingly good” product.
That is how you avoid scams and find only legitimate ways to make money online!
To be completely transparent with you, we’re not associated with Nature’s Sunshine in any form. We’re not here to pitch or sell you anything.
Instead, our Nature’s Sunshine review will provide you with all the information that you need to know to make an informed decision as to whether this is the right choice for you…
Nature’s Sunshine Review Summary
Product Name: Nature’s Sunshine
Founder: Gene Hughes, Kristine Hughes
Product Type: Health and Wellness MLM Company
Price: $40 subscription + $400 to $500 seminar
Best For: Experienced Network Marketers
Pros
- Positive Product Reviews
- No Sales Quota
- Established Reputation
Cons
- Expensive Products
- Lacks an Income Disclosure Statement
- Saturated Market
- Pyramid Scheme in Disguise?
- Past Legal Issues
Summary: Nature’s Sunshine is an MLM that sells a range of health and wellness products. When most MLM’s do not make it past the 5 year mark, it’s good to see that Nature’s Sunshine has been around for over 3 decades.
They also offer an affiliate program where members sell their products for commissions. They don’t have a sales quota, but they do have overpriced products in a very saturated market.
A red flag for us is that they lack an income disclosure statement, which shows whether their members are earning any money or not. Without one, we worry that no one is making money and they are trying to hide this from you.
Rating: 40/100
Recommended? No
Table of Contents
What is Nature's Sunshine?
Nature’s Sunshine is a health and wellness MLM or Multi-Level Marketing company. It was founded by Gene Hughes and Kristine Hughes all the way back in 1972. The means that this is one of the first MLM companies that appeared in the health and wellness industry.
The vision they had was to help people live a healthier lifestyle. they were one of the first companies to put herbs into easy-to-take capsules.
This was the innovation that led to their business booming, and from that their business skyrocketed in sales and popularity.
Since then, Nature’s Sunshine has become a mainstay in the health and wellness MLM market, and is now on the most reputable and established health companies, offering a range of different health supplements, vitamins, and other related products.
They have over 600+ products, in 17 different categories.
Nature’s Sunshine has their own Hughes Center for Research and Innovation, which houses medical professionals, scientists, and state of the art biological research technology.
Here’s a 7-minute introduction video to the company…
Whilst Nature’s Sunshine is a legit MLM, the question still needs to asked as to whether they could be operating as a pyramid scheme in disguise…
Is Nature's Sunshine a Pyramid Scheme?
No, Nature’s Sunshine isn’t a pyramid scheme. The company is legitimate, and has a very good reputation owing to their length of time in the industry.
They wouldn’t have got through 3 decades of operating, if they were operating as a true pyramid scheme.
Their members can also make money from selling their products, without the need to depend solely on recruitment.
Having said that, it is still worth checking… Is Nature’s Sunshine a pyramid scheme in disguise?
What’s a Pyramid Scheme?
A pyramid scheme is a company where members are paid based on recruiting new members, rather than selling products. A pyramid scheme won’t even have any products or services to speak of.
Pyramid Schemes are illegal in the majority of the world. They are totally unsustainable and impossible for every member to make money from them.
This diagram from Wikipedia explains why…
The people who are making money are those who aggressively recruit people into a scheme that has little chance of helping them make money. Bottom line, a system cannot survive on recruitment alone, as when the recruits stop the system will collapse.
Most MLM’s force members into a monthly sales quota, which makes them end up having to buy products when they don’t sell enough and the only way to not do this is to recruit people.
But not many are able to earn a decent living from just selling products, the only way to earn decent amounts is to recruit people, this may point at the company being a pyramid scheme in disguise.
Here’s a 5-minute video that will help you spot these companies operating like a pyramid scheme in disguise…
Like I said, Nature’s Sunshine is legit. But let’s look into the success rate…
Success is Rare at Nature's Sunshine
Success isn’t just rare at Nature’s Sunshine, but it’s also rare in many MLM companies.
Did you know that between 72.5% and 99% of MLM members are losing money?
The main reason for this is the monthly sales quotas that MLMs put on their members. They have to achieve a certain amount every month, or risk not remaining active and eligible for commissions.
If you don’t achieve the quota, you have to then buy enough products yourself to reach the level.
This means members are losing a lot of money from their savings before they are able to recruit their first member.
How Does Nature's Sunshine Work?
Nature’s Sunshine sells a range of different health and wellness products that are organic and all-natural.
They also offer an opportunity for everyday people a chance of selling these products and earning commissions from anything they are able to sell.
This sounds like a great deal for both parties. But the reality is that the company does this to save millions of dollars on marketing campaigns. But this leaves the hardest task down to their members.
Think about this way, you have to convince people to buy overpriced products from a brand that they may not have heard of, when there are tons of other products on the market for a lower price.
Anyways, let’s talk about their product line…
Nature's Sunshine Product Line
If you want to join an MLM, you’re going to need to get a good handle on the product line that they offer.
With Nature’s Sunshine product line, that is a whole lot of products to get to grips with.
You can complete the complete list on their website, but here’s the main categories:
- Children’s Health
- Essential Fatty Acids
- Essential Oils
- Gut & Digestive
- Herbs & Botanicals
- Men’s Health
- Probiotics
- Protein Powders
- Skin & Personal Care
- Sports Nutrition
- Super Foods
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Weight Management
All of their products are said to be all-natural herbal health and wellness products, their best sellers are:
- Collatrim ($26) – This is a vitamin supplement that comes in the form of a capsule. This improves skin and joint health, thanks to its hydrolysed collagen. It also supplies your body with small peptides, amino acids, and collagen to help make you feel younger.
- Rejuvenad ($65) – A dietary supplement that comes with 30 stick packets per bottle. It claims to boots energy levels and improves cardiovascular health. It also lowers body fat.
- CleanStart Cleanse ($53) – This is another dietary supplement that comes with 56 packets per bottle. It aims to detoxify your body and rid it of toxins. It also improves your digestive system and maintains your body’s natural levels.
Their product line is vast, and it looks like they have every base covered. But you should know that they aren’t the only company selling these types of product. The MLM health and wellness market is really saturated. There are thousands of companies that sell supplements like the ones Nature’s Sunshine sell.
Here’s some of them…
If you’ve ever checked out any of these companies, you’ll know that they all seem to say that their product is completely unique and have something special that sets them apart.
The truth is that they are all very similar products. But is there a product that sets them apart? Well, let’s take a look at their flagship product…
Nature’s Sunshine Flagship Product
Nature’s Sunshine’s flagship product is their Solstic Revive, which will set you back $38 for 30 packets.
It contains glucosamine that improves joint, bone, and muscle health. It also improves hydration, nerve function, muscle development, making you healthier, stronger, and more energetic. According to their claims.
If you want to learn a little more about their products, you can check out this 2-minute video…
Now, let’s get into whether you can make money here or not…
Can You Make Money with Nature's Sunshine?
Yes, you are able to make money with Nature’s Sunshine. But it’s going to be really hard.
They may be some who are making money. But the money they will be earning is similar or even lower than the minimum wage. They are working for 8 hours a day.
It’s far from the profitable part-time business opportunity that you may think it is. Why it’s even harder to understand if people are actually making money or not is the fact the company doesn’t publish an income disclosure statement.
Without this, it’s impossible to tell whether people are actually making money or not. What is the company trying to hide?
Haven't Made Your First $1 Yet?
How to Make Money with Nature's Sunshine?
Nature’s Sunshine is a typical MLM, so there are the usual ways for you to make money with their business opportunity:
- Sell Nature’s Sunshine Products for commissions
- Recruit members into your downline team
Please note, that you don’t actually earn from recruiting people, this would make it a pyramid scheme. Instead, you earn bonuses based on the sales that your downline team make.
Now, let’s get into how much it costs to get started with Nature’s Sunshine…
Getting Started with Nature's Sunshine
If all you want to do is share the products as an affiliate, there is no actual cost to join and earn a 15% commission on everything you sell.
But if you want to become a consultant where you build a business and have access to their compensation plan and bonuses that are available, then there is a $40 subscription. Although, this can actually be waived if you buy $40 worth of products.
Aside from that, you also have the freedom to subscrive to their programs, which are:
- In.Form Coach ($550) – this is a certificate for being an official health coach of Nature’s Sunshine
- Online Training ($400) – Learn the basics and advanced tips/strategies to become a Nature’s Sunshine member and agent
Whilst these aren’t mandatory, it would be worthwhile to go through them if you are serious about making the most out of this business opportunity.
One good thing about Nature’s Sunshine is that there is no monthly sales quota. But you will have to factor in the expenses going with buying the products, or bundels to then sell on.
Then there is other expenses to consider like marketing, training, and miscellaneous costs that come with running a business.
P.S. This program enabled us to Create a 4-Figure Monthly Passive Income. It’s Free to Get Started and only costs $49/month to go full-time!
Nature's Sunshine Compensation Plan
MLM companies love a good old complicated compensation plan. It stinks of them not wanting you to know whats really going on.
Either way, we’re going to help you get the information you need in as a simple way as you can.
There are two different kinds of compensation plan within Nature’s Sunshine. These are:
- Classis Plan – Earn 12% commission from each sale you make. You can also get commission that ranges from 10% to 1% from your level 1 to level 5 downline members
- Legacy Plan – Earn 10% commission from each sale you make. You also have commission that ranges from 10% to 5% to 1% from your level 1-7 downline members
Here’s the other ways to make money from Nature’s Sunshine:
- Smart Start Bonus – Earn between 10% and 30% commission on your newly recruited member. This depends on your current rank and level
- Promotion Bonus – Earn between $250 and $1,000 once you get promoted to Regional Manager, all the way up to Elite Manager.
You can check out their full compensation plan here, or you can check out both of the videos below…
I know, right, it’s confusing.
But it is entirely normal for MLM’s to make their compensation plan as complicated as they can be.
To keep it simple, there are two ways for you to make money with the Nature’s Sunshine compensation plan:
- Sell the products of Nature’s Sunshine
- Recruit Members into Nature’s Sunshine
Is Nature's Sunshine a Scam?
Nature’s Sunshine is not a scam. They are a legitimate company that sells medically-proven and healthy products, and they pay their members correctly.
So, why do people start calling these things a scam? Well, it’s because of how hard it is for members to sell these overpriced products, and then they are finding they spent more on their subscription and coaching seminars, then they actually have made.
They then walk away calling it a scam. But is that really the case,? Well, the rest of our review is there to help you get all the other points you need to know, including the pros and cons of this business opportunity.
Just to be completely transparent with you, I’m not a distributor of Nature’s Sunshine, nor do I endorse Nature’s Sunshine in any way. I have researched the website, testimonials, and information available on the internet to get the details about what this program genuinely does. I do this, as I have been caught out by a scam in the past, and am trying to help others avoid a similar fate…
Tired of MLMs? Check out How We Make Money Online!
What We Liked About Nature's Sunshine
Here’s what we like about Nature’s Sunshine:
#1 No Sales Quota
This is a really good sign about Nature’s Sunshine, and it’s also very rare.
This means that you don’t have to reach a certain amount of products sold to be eligible for commissions.
#2 Positive Product Reviews
There are many positive reviews about their products online, here are some of the top reviews on Amazon:
This shows people are satisfied with their products, as they are effective. It’s much easier to sell products that people find useful.
#3 Established Reputation
Most MLMs aren’t able to get past the 5 year mark.
So, it is rather impressive that Nature’s Sunshine has been operating since 1972. That is a staggering 48 years ago.
There are no signs that this company is going anywhere soon.
What We Didn't Like About Nature's Sunshine
Here’s what we didn’t like about Nature’s Sunshine:
#1 Expensive Products
Nature’s Sunshine have a wide range of products, that do receive positive feedback.
But they’re also really expensive!
This becomes a problem when you factor in how many other products that there on the market that are very similar, and are much cheaper…
When consumers can get hold of much cheaper alternatives, why are they going to be interested in paying yours when they pretty much do the same thing as these cheaper alternatives…
#2 Lacks an Income Disclosure Statement
Nature’s Sunshine doesn’t have an income disclosure statement to prove that their members are actually earning money.
This is important even if we already know that the company is established. But without this document, we don’t really know if any of the members are earning an income at all.
#3 Health & Wellness is a Saturated Market
You should know that this is a really competitive market. It is saturated, due to the number of MLM companies that are out there all selling the same thing.
Selling products is hard enough, but when people can just go online and find products and not require distributors. MLM businesses have not really kept up with the way people are buying these days.
#4 Is Nature’s Sunshine a Pyramid Scheme in Disguise?
There is no real proof of this, but as they lack an income disclosure statement, and a few other signs, it could well be a pyramid scheme in disguise…
Here’s how their system works…
This is down to the fact that the people making good money with an MLM are those who recruit huge teams, often at the expense of people below them.
So, although you can make money just by selling the products, the big money is through recruitment.
#5 Past Legal Issues
In 2009, Nature’s SUnshine agreed to pay a $600,000 fine after being charged by the SEC for bribing Brazillian officials over $1 million in 2000-2001.
They did this so they could import unregistered nutritional products into the country. They also doctored their books to hide this payment…
Haven't Made Your First $1 Yet?
My Nature's Sunshine Review - Final Conclusion
Nature’s Sunshine is a legitimate MLM company that sells real and effective health products.
But the biggest issue is that they are just overpriced.
This makes the business opportunity a difficult route, especially for newbies. The only way for you to earn a good income is if you recruit as many members as you can. And you are still doing this, even thought it means the members that join under you are losing money.
MLM is a tough business model, and selling and recruiting is not for every one.
There are much better business opportunities out there, that are better…
How We Make Money Online
I’m not a fan of MLM, not because it’s illegal or not profitable, but because of all the restrictions and expensive costs involved.
Instead, Affiliate Marketing is our top recommended business model for anyone looking to make money online
The reasons are simple…
- You can promote anything you want and aren’t restricted to only promote products from one MLM company
- You don’t have to recruit anyone to make money
- You never need to sell to your friends and family
- It’s free to get started
In fact, with affiliate marketing we’ve been able to Create a 4-Figure Monthly Passive Income Stream. If you want to learn more, click here.
Thanks for checking out our Nature’s Sunshine Review! If you have any questions or comments to add, then please write them in the comments section below. 😉
Sharing is Caring…
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Nature's Sunshine
$40 subscription + $400 - $500 seminar
Pros
- Positive Product Reviews
- No Sales Quota
- Established Reputation
Cons
- Expensive Products
- Lacks an Income Disclosure Statement
- Saturated Market
- Pyramid Scheme in Disguise?
- Past Legal Issues
Hi John. Thank you for another interesting review. I read a bit before about Nature’s sunshine program and to be fair opinions were quite mixed. But looking on your post its clear for me that this is not good offer for beginners. MLM itself is quite old concept and I do believe there are more effective ways to earn money online, and additionally their products seems quite costly. Definitely not worth investing time in this platform.
Hey Cogito,
thanks for checking out our review! No, MLM is definitely not for beginners, or anyone looking for a casual income. You basically need to become a full-time sales manager just to have a chance of scraping a living with this.
There are definitely more effective ways to make money online, without all the stress and hassle of MLM.
All the best,
John
Hi John, thank you for sharing your article. Reading your article regarding if the” Nature’s Sunshine is A Scam? Health MLM or Pyramid Scheme in Disguise?” I just realise that not everything in this world is made with honesty. Thank you!
I can say that the article is really impressive, I really like how you start straightforward with the pros and cons big enough and for everyone understanding. Super. To be honest, I never heard about this company, website Nature’s Sunshine and mostly is an MLM company!
I completely like it and read the article and open the link from the article, very well done John and thank you for this. Amazing information to assimilate for everyone understanding. Also, the affiliate plan/commissioning is very interesting and straight to the point. The fact and how you’ve explained step by step is well done. PS. I have no idea that we can add at the bottom of any article how to make money online, our honest review, that’s amazing!
Unfortunately, I have no experience nor question regarding your article. Thank you. Many blessings.