These three words are deeply etched into Melaleuca’s core values and serve as mandates for all product development. Rather than just reiterate what you can easily find on the company web site, I’ll simply share my experience as a customer since 2006 and the fact that this isn’t just corporate hype and lip service without substance.
Melaleuca produces over 400 products and each one has had to meet all three of these requirements to become part of their product line.
- Safe – This part is the simplest and least unique. Just don’t use anything toxic! However, its meaning has extensions. It has to be safe for you, your family, your home, and it must be environmentally friendly. That also means sustainability at every level.
- Effective – As we can all easily imagine, this is where things get more complicated and challenging. There are plenty of products that are safe and not all that effective and the mainstream products can be effective but very few are truly safe. At least this goal is a bit easier with a snack bar where effective means nutritious and satisfying.
- Affordable – Now we come to the one where opinions differ. I’m glad they settled on affordable rather than inexpensive because that’s also more accurate. When compared to other products even remotely close to the quality of Melaleuca products, where such products even exist, they are definitely inexpensive. Many, perhaps most Melaleuca products, especially cleaning products, are a fraction of name brands in the store. But some do cost more than common store brands. Because of the former, the latter balances out and the overall effect is that most people will spend about the same money they are used to. For people with low expectations who are especially skilled at coupon clipping and always buying the cheapest no matter what, it’s best to just admit they probably don’t have the mindset conducive to being a Melaleuca customer.
Back in April I wrote about the radical revamping of the company’s tooth polish. The product was already great before and the total reformulation serves as a prime example of these three guiding mandates being met. During the testing stage Melaleuca put this tooth polish up against two leading competitors. One was a leading brand that works well enough but contains ingredients known to be harsh and not recommended for oral health. The other was a natural product that is equally safe but far less effective. The Melaleuca product also won in taste tests by a very wide margin. Now months later, I will gladly report it’s still one of my favorite Melaleuca products.
I’ve seen many product improvements and new product introductions over my more than 16 years as a Melaleuca customer. I’ve seen their commitment to upholding these guiding principles. When they discover ways to enhance the effective part, they do it, and usually without raising the price because affordability is still one of those three principles. I am often amazed how few and far between price increases occur, especially now.