Ten years ago I started to sell Weekenders clothes. It's a form of home-selling, sort of like Tupperware or Avon. We had a line of clothes that all coordinated, and you sell at home parties, and then make 40% commission.
It looked like a good deal, and everybody was showing me all the charts on how well you could do.
I quit within six months. I just found that I was changing all my friendships because I needed to book more parties. And then people start to avoid you!
I have other friends who have really needed money who have sold other things: Usborne books, Mary Kay, Arbonne, etc. etc. In all cases the story was the same. You buy a whole bunch of stuff at the outset, and then if you sell over a certain threshold in the first few months, the commission increases or you get a cut off of other people's in your downline. So you work so hard to get to that threshold. And when you're $350 short, you just buy that $350 yourself. It's worth it, right?
And it seems to me that that's what inevitably happens. When you sell the stuff, you keep buying it. You don't want to miss your quotas. And I'm convinced that most of the money made off of these home parties is not from sales to individuals, but sales to the actual representatives, who often burn out within a year.
One of my friends is doing quite well with a company called Epicure, which sells home spice blends and mixes. I really really like their products, and I buy them all the time. But that's the only company I've ever been involved in that has a lot of repeat customers.
Many stay at home moms sign up for these things because they want to make extra money, and there's no doubt that some people can do well at them. Many have earned their pink Cadillacs, after all! But you have to sell hard. And if you're not prepared to do that, and if you're not prepared to turn many of your friendships into selling opportunities, you won't advance.
This week Weekenders went bankrupt. I'm honestly not surprised. It was too expensive to be a consultant, and I don't know how people kept up. But I wonder if the era of home parties is over. They were important before the internet, because people who didn't like shopping in malls could just shop by catalogue or at a party. But today we can shop on the internet, so we don't need to go to malls anyway.
What do you think? Have you had experience selling from home? Would you recommend it? I honestly want to know what people think of this trend!
I think it largely depends on the company, and therefore the product. I have found that because the company I am with has such broad appeal, is fun, has no sales quotas and fantastic hostess benefits, I don't need to bug anyone to host a party. I do still need to make follow up contacts with those who have said they are interested in hosting a party...and that is a vital part of the business and my job! It's hard sometimes to pick up the phone and actually make the calls; however I have yet to have someone be annoyed with me following up with them.
It seems that personal expectations play a large part in the success of a home based business...you still need to have personal goals and a plan to reach them, which includes offering what you have. Any business will not thrive unless there is work put into it, and just because it is a home based business doesn't mean it's not work. That said, I am very low pressure with sales, parties and recruiting...people either like it or don't, want to host or don't, and want to join my team or don't. I'm not personally invested in anything except wanting my hostesses and customers to have a good time, and offering my team whatever I can to help them achieve their own goals.
I've sold Tupperware, Partylite and beauticontrol. I loved the products for all three, but like you said, you really have to be a go getter to make the business work. I didn't want to hound friends to have parties, or bug anyone to order, so it eventually died with me. I wasn't the type to put myself out there and go up to random people, or sell myself in public. =)
Personally, I really do avoid people who host these types of parties because we can't afford to spend money on extra stuff. What is most bothersome is when you tell someone you aren't intersted and they keep bugging you to buy their product. I have had that happen before with a gal who is an acquaintance. It is nice that some people can prosper from a business like this, but I generally avoid going to these types of parties myself.
I feel so bad for the Weekenders reps. One of my friends JUST signed up with them...I know she is out a lot of money.
Direct sales is hard. I am with a direct sales company but my target market is NOT my friends and family, so I don't have to worry about losing friendships.
I tend to target businesses because our product is ideally suited for professionals who want to keep in touch with clients. In this regard, it is more like a sales job...because I meet with clients daily to show the product. I am a business professional. I am a member of our local Chamber of Commerce and belong to several networking groups. This would be difficult for someone who needs to be home with young kids all day...mine are in school.
A lot of people would be uncomfortable with this, but I like it because I do not have to bother my friends and family. It would be very difficult for me to be with a company that required parties.
With two young kids we do the discovery toys route. It drives me nuts when people who know that I would love to send my kids to private school but can't afford it tell me that if I start selling their products then that will pay for their tuition. That is not the case. I would have to put much more time and money into it, way before I would get enough to be able to pay for private schools (at least in this area) I don't have that type of personality that I would be able to make it work, and then I would be stuck with two very expensive tuitions and no money. I guess I will stick with homeschooling.
I've sold Pampered Chef and Mary Kay, and I realised quickly that I just wasn't the selling type. I think many people jump into it without realising that yes, it is actual work, and sometimes it depends on where you live that helps out. My sister lived in Suburbia Utah and had MANY friends who bought her Pampered Chef like crazy. I tried to sell it in an area where the income wasn't so high and people had no demand for such products.
To the bitter Weekenders rep. Sorry to hear that your experience was less than favorable. but let me ask you this...what job do you know of that doesn't require time and effort to be successful? Attitude is everything! If you're losing friends, your attitude and priorities are wrong. If people are fully aware of what they are saying 'no' to, then stop pestering them and move on. Work smarter, not harder! It's up to you to find your market, identify your customer's needs and meet them.
As a successful part-time Weekenders Coordinator for 9 years, there were never any quotas to meet nor did I have to place personal orders to meet monthly numbers.
Our training and support has been second to none, which makes any of us a huge asset to any other direct sales company...because we were trained the right way!
Would I venture into another direct sales opportunity? Maybe. Right now I am upholding my reputation for outstanding customer service and doing everything I can for my customers! Now that's attitude!
And when you find that job that doesn't require any effort or time and brings in lots of money...let me know!
Coming from someone who hasn't had a large amount of extra money in the last 8 or so years, I tend to avoid home-selling parties.
I always feel pressured to buy...meaning I am always worried that I will offend a friend if I don't buy something...and it is usually not something that I wanted or needed, but I was just SO encouraged to come 'just for fun'.
Big Orange....You sound like a real jerk! Your wife probably does so well because she needs to get out of the house and AWAY from YOU for the majority of her waking hours. A home-based business and/or direct sales are not everyone's cup of tea....if someone tried it, was not comfortable with it so quit doing it, doesn't mean the person has some personality flaw. You, however, hung YOUR personality flaws up for all to see. Congrats!
I've been a consultant with two different companies but have come to realize I don't enjoy doing the presentations and all the packing/unpacking of materials to carry back and forth to shows, so I probably won't do this type of work again.
I have mixed feelings on the whole home-party business model. In many ways it seems outdated -- there are just so many more convenient retail options out there now, esp. the internet. I would never be part of company that expected me to carry inventory, that's for sure. I know Mary Kay and some others are really bad about that.
It's a shame there are hard-sell consultants who give the rest of us such a bad rep. I've done shows where guests walked in with a chip on their shoulder, all ready to be so defensive, obviously not wanting to be there. LOL, I really wanted to tell them, you're not doing me any favors with that attitude, please leave! Seriously --- if someone feels "pressured" simply by being shown a product, that's THEIR problem, don't blame me for simply making the offer.
I agree that the home party model for sales is D-E-A-D. I've come to the conclusion that there's an ethical problem with the whole set up. Think about it - why would I want to invite all my friends over for an evening of listening to a sales pitch, just so I can earn hostess credits for whatever "free stuff" they are offering? That's using my friends for personal gain. Even though women often say you can come just for the social aspect, but you don't have to buy, that's baloney. Everyone knows there's unspoken pressure to buy something.
Years ago I tried selling Mary Kay and then Longaberger. It's impossible to make money just "selling" because once you factor in the cost of all your catalogs and sales aids, you've eaten up a bunch of your profit. That's why they push "recruiting" so hard. They want you to suck other women into the scheme. I think these companies have endured because they are selling women a "dream". If they can keep you dreaming that one day you'll make it big, they can keep you sucked into the system. I suspect the only people really making money are the corporate fat cats of these companies.
I certainly have had experience! I was once a Mary Kay rep. Even with those who look and talk like they are raking in the cash, the reality is often tons of debt and product that won't sell. The companies frequently change the product lines, forcing reps to restock (spend more) and you end up with tons of stuff in your closet that you can't sell. Some people are sort of interested until they see the price tag. They're like, um, NO. I can get MAC for those prices!
You are right, the consultant IS the customer. You really can't win with these things. You're also right about it screwing up your friendships. It's not worth it. It's money down the toilet and aggravation for nothing.
You know, Mary Kay must really its own type of entity, LOL! I can think of 3 ex-reps from that company and all of them were extremely angry about their experience. One was even in some serious financial straights. They all talk about what you talk about -- the push to recruit, inventory overload, etc. I know a LOT of women who are in or were in other home-party businesses and it's only the Mary Kay reps who did that. Also, they seemed to be the only ones carrying shelves worth of product all the time. I can honestly tell you that neither of my companies "pushed recruiting" -- certainly it was part of the model but it wasn't something I got calls and emails about on a daily basis or anything like that. Granted, I was only in it for some extra cash, too. I only ever scheduled 4 or 5 parties a month, no time or inclination for more! But that was enough to pay some bills and get some freebies, so that's okay.
As for the issue of pressure -- I don't know, maybe I just come at it from a different perspective. I don't think it's any different than going shopping with a friend. And I'm not someone who likes to schlep through stores, so I've always kinda liked catalog shopping and home parties (but I LOVE the internet, LOL). I've had people decline to attend parties I've hosted -- fine by me, no skin off my nose. Everyone's so busy, sometimes the only time I see people is at these things, LOL! I've attended lots of home parties. Sometimes I buy, sometimes I don't. But I don't have a problem saying no -- NO ONE should, you can say no without being rude.
Being a consultant, I feel like you only hurt your business by pressuring people -- it's just like any other business, word-of-mouth. If they truly don't want to be there and show up out of "obligation", they are going to go home and tell 20 people they know about the terrible party they "had to go to". That doesn't help me, so as I said in my earlier post, don't do me any favors, stay home! LOL
I almost signed up for Mary Kay, but was a business and accounting student at the time. A lot of what they told me wasn't making sense (particularly about certain deductions that I could take...as an accounting student I knew a lot of what they were claiming was either inflated or completely false).
What bothers me is that to do well, it's not about selling the products. It's about recruiting other people and getting them to BUY products which will sit on their shelves for years to come while they recruit others to BUY more...and the cycle continues.
I'm not sure it's possible to not alienate your friends, at least a little bit, when you use a home party MLM. It puts pressure on your friend to call all their friends to beg them to come, they provide snacks, and then they feel pressure to buy something they don't even want or need because it would help their friend. It's just bad for relationships!
Yes, at a JOB I have to work hard to get my paycheck, but the wonderful thing is that every two weeks I GET a paycheck for a set amount and along with that I get full benefits. It's kind of nice, actually. :)
I sold both Mary Kay and Tupperware and honestly, people these days just don't have the time. During the week, people are too busy working and the last thing that they want to do in the evening is have a "party". One the weekends, there is housework and family things to do. I personally didn't have the time to sell it, and you have to really work it. Even now, if someone wanted me to have a "party" I couldn't do it. I work during the week and do my household chores and family/friend time on the weekends.
I sold Mary Kay, biggest mistake of my life. These home based business deals just aren't worth it. People I "worked" with can argue I didn't work my "business" but in reality, most women would rather shop at a normal store and pay lower prices. Just look at the economy, people getting cut back in their jobs, gas prices going sky high, electric prices going up, I'm sure water will next. I dealt with a whole church of women from all stages of life and all incomes. They all told me that Mary Kay was too pricey for them. I ended up selling back after having a 50% off sale, and the women I "worked" with dissed me. Honestly I've never heard of the Weekenders, but should a rep have crossed my path, I can tell you I would have never purchased anything from them. Buying clothes from a catalog was something my grandmother did, and sizes are all over the place with different brands. As I was telling my boyfriend this morning at breakfast, the only time I will ever again be "my own boss" is if I open my own Coffee House. And I will do everything I can to educate women in the scams and disadvantages of MLM/Home businesses. Tho I love Avon products...
When you are "in" direct sales, you cannot be trusted to give an accurate representation of how well you are doing or how wonderful your company is. Every word out of your mouth has the potential to influence your business. When I was in MK (and YES I DID earn that Cadillac) I made sure I only told people the good side of the business just like so many on this list of comments. MK was "so much better than the other companies" and "so much easier to do"- it sold itself, after all! We "never" pressured anyone. Well now that I am out after ten years, I see how destructive this type of Multi-Level Marketing plan is. Very bad mistake getting involved in any of them. Even at the top- it's all brainwashing and over investing!
I absolutely HATE getting invites to home parties. They're not parties. When I got to a party, it's to be with my friends, relax and enjoy their company. The last thing I find relaxing is a sales pitch for ANYTHING. The home party model is outdated and out of step with today's women. Not to mention that the business model is predatory--you only make the big bucks by recruiting, not by selling.
It makes no sense to buy the overpriced home party stuff when there is comparable product everywhere else, especially on the internet! You can also buy the real thing for less on ebay! I am a SAHM but I would much rather browse the internet for good deals than waste my family time on home parties.
The home party is a thing of the past! Don't waste your time and $$ signing up.
I think every individual is different. I've always loved the idea of a home party and was asked by many to sign up. I always said not because I am very shy by nature and I was very busy. 4 years ago I found a product that I really loved and I did sign up. I had expectations that it wouldn't go anywhere and after 15 weeks I would be done. I was a skeptic like many of the commenters here. My first show that I did I made over $300 and I was floored.
I quit my teaching job a year ago to stay home with my baby. I was only able to do this because of the direct selling business that I've built. And yes, if you build a team, you'll make more money. But I know plenty of girls in this company making good, decent money and they aren't a "manager".
But it is work. And I always tell girls that join my team that they will get out of it what they put into it. I don't think I've changed the relationships with my friends and family - mainly because I don't have to rely on them for my business. Some of them have been hostesses in the past, many have not. I've had many women book shows with me because I'm not pushy and we have fun!
I have one gal on my team that has been fighting off a Mary Kay rep for months. She finally bought a kit and then had the gal get mad when she refused to buy a $3000 inventory. I'm thankful she was smart enough to stop at that (and just horrified at how Mary Kay reps work this - it's repulsive). She has a girl that she signed up who was with another company for 3 years and never made a profit - she kept offering discounts and buying more and more samples. That's just crazy to me.
But I look at this as a business and while I know that I need to invest money in my business, I'm not going to invest every penny I earn back into it by ordering more and more samples. The company I rep for does not require inventories and while we have a quota, it's very small and I've never heard of people "buying" it themself. If you are smart about how you run a business, you'll see success - and I think that's true whether I'm selling lia sophia jewelry or I open up a brick-and-mortar jewelry store. I'm so saddened by all the comments I read here about those of you that have lost money or someone close to you has lost money. I know it happens; but it doesn't happen with all companies.
But again, every company is different. I also recently joined Stampin Up as a hobbyist demo so that I could have a discount on their products. Their quota is higher than the lia sophia one but my personal purchases hit that. Some reps in this company are making good money at it. I'm not sure how but I don't doubt that they do. This to me is not a business like my other one is. It's one of those companies where I really love the product and I'd rather have a discount on paper and stuff than paying full price at a Michaels or Hobby Lobby. And I joined knowing full well I would spend X amount each month to meet that quota.
So - I don't think this industry is dead. I know lots of women that are having parties for all kinds of direct sales companies. I do think that there are women who love it and women who hate it. And with any business, focusing on the people who love you product and need your product is what brings you success. I know there was lots of mention about getting the products on the internet. And that is a great option - but I hope that we never lose the sense of community and sisterhood that we as women have. Sometimes I worry that we are becoming so busy as a society and isolating ourselves. It's always go, go, go! I hope that we still take the time to connect and relax and have fun. And I'm glad when a friend of mine throws a 'party' - it's a great excuse to say "I'm not gonna work tonight and honey you have fun with the kids. I'm gonna go hang out with my gals and shop." But that's me - and I love the home shopping concept.
Poster above, why are you calling the women you work with "girls?" Are they young enough to be your daughter or are you working with teenagers? I'm sorry to question you if you are.
I think I read something in Ms. Manners about how these parties take advantage of the social pressure to be polite and try to recipocialy please the hostess and I have to say I agree. I'm in MOPs and I get these invites a lot and I feel it is taking advantage of the group's e-mail list. Needless to say I am not a fan.
@anonymous, sorry you're getting invitations via MOPS. We stress at our MOPS group that this is NOT a way to build your home business. I strongly suggest that you mention to your steering team that you wish the "girls" would not do that.
@anonymous, re: calling them girls, I myself feel like a girl, even though I'm um 39. ish. (cough cough) So I call myself a girl and refer to other female people as girls, too!
@original topic, home sales businesses, I was involved with one for about 2 years. I only ever had 1 home show! One thing I really struggled with was "sharing the XXX experience" (i.e. promoting the business). I felt that if I was going to be sharing ANY experience, it should be how to have Jesus as your Savior, not how to earn money while staying home with your kids!
[quote] Poster above, why are you calling the women you work with "girls?" [quote]
It's just what I've always called 'em. They're my girls, like my girlfriends. All my emails start with "hey girls". To me, it means we are on an even playing field, we're equals, we're friends, we're here to support each other. I think it's a southern thing; a fellow rep from the NE asked me that once before too. I think she found it offensive and told me she would never refer to her team that way. To me, it's very personal instead of being very stiff and formal. Did you find it offensive? (and that reads really harsh on the screen - so I don't mean it that way at all. I'm truly curious as to how it came across to you.)
It's interesting to read through all these comments -- it seems there are many former Mary Kay reps and all of them sound really mad (IMO)! But the ones who repped for other companies don't seem to have that level of anger about home-parties. It's one thing to say you don't like home parties or you don't like the business model, but calling it brainwashing, destructive, etc., just seems to be taking it out on others. Knowing some Mary Kay reps myself, this is what I've experienced IRL as well. This is why I say Mary Kay must be a "different ball of wax" because any time someone gets out of it they are soooo mad.
Your post is so timely!!! It's as if you confirmed a decision I made today.
I just joined Usborne books 3 months ago. I love the books and I had a long list of books to purchase for homeschooling. There was a great deal available for becoming a consultant and I jumped on it.
They have a 12 week training program where you can earn free books for different steps, etc. I ended up earning over $600 in free books - not to mention the commission.
But I HAVE noticed some of what you mentioned in your post. Some of my friends couldn't wait to have parties for me and those went great. But weren't as excited and their shows were a bust. I also became hyper focused on meeting the goals and neglected other things I was supposed to be doing. And I didn't like spending time away from my family.
We thankfully don't need the money, and now that my training period is over, I'm done trying to meet goals. I'm so glad we don't have any minimums!
I just told my husband that from now on, I'm only doing shows for those who ask me to (homeschoolers LOVE them) and maybe a booth or bookfair if it comes my way. I think it is a little different with books because people do like buying books and Usborne is great quality at a great price.
If I had to make the decision over again, I would do it in a heartbeat. However, if it were another company and another product, I don't think I could have done it. Big Orange's wife is probably successful because she loves the product.
I had a Pampered Chef party for my aunt years ago and I had a blast and got a ton of free stuff that I still use today.
I've never had one of those home parties. I really don't like them for this reason: When I have someone in my home I want to have them in my home to feed them and love them, to be my guest. I don't want them to buy anything or feel like they "have to" buy something. Maybe that's why I'm a terrible sales person.
On the other hand, my MIL supported her three boys selling Tupperware back in the 70s after her husband died.
Wow! I am always amazed when people start a business and expect the sales to fall into their lap without seeking out training or practicing their profession. What other business or profession would even stand for that? And then for the same people to complain because they didn't make any money?
There are a multitude of resources out there for training and support if your company doesn't offer it, the Direct Selling Women's Alliance being one of them. In fact they even have a leadership certification course. But the honest truth is that most consultants do not even read their manual, much less DO the things the company trains them to do. If they did, they'd be more successful.
It is not rocket science but you DO have to WORK and that means opening your mouth and talking to people - outSIDE of your circle of family and friends. Would a brick and mortar store expect to get all their sales from only their family and friends and then blame them when they didn't shop there every day? Use common sense.
Those who complain about being invited to a home party and being pressure to sell are missing the point. The party IS a sales party, it is a private demonstration, and you are being invited to come SHOP. If you do not like that, don't go, call your friend up and invite them to lunch if you want to spend time with them in another way, but don't blame them for wanting to share something they are excited about with you.
The direct selling profession is alive and well and there are plenty of opportunities for success for those who want to work and grow as a person in the process. If you are perfectly happy with things the way they are, by all means don't change a thing, but if you aren't, don't complain, find out how to be part of the solution and better yourself in the process. Best of luck to all!
Karen Clark Story Time Felts http://www.funfelt.com
Hi, my name is Carol Palmer and I wanted to say I have tried everything out there when it comes to home party businesses.
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I've been with Mary Kay for a number of years now. My original idea was to join simply to take advantage of their consultant prices (50% off) for my own personal use as well as my sister and mom.
I run a home-based preschool and kept some of my products on a book shelf to simply let my preschool parents aware that I was selling the stuff. I never brought up the subject but often made a sale by them knowing that I sold the stuff and letting them ask/come to me (probably not the Mary Kay philosophy, but that's what's been working for me). Seeing as there's never any quotas to meet only a minimal yearly order and the rest happens all on it's own. I always said that if I get no orders and need no more of their products then I'd end my Mary Kay days without losing any friends or irritating any one.
About Me: I'm a Christian author of a bunch of books, and a frequent speaker to women's groups and marriage conferences. Best of all, I love homeschooling my daughters, Rebecca and Katie. And I love to knit. Preferably simultaneously.
Stumble It!
I sold Pampered Chef stuff for a year or two. I honestly don't remember when I gave it up.
I just didn't want to keep bugging every friend and family member to have a party.
I love the products, and still buy them, I just didn't love the pressure of trying to get friends and family to shell out more money.