One of my sisters sells ThirtyOne. She was buying so much of it that her pal who was the seller told her she’d be ahead to just join the team. She told me that she really enjoyed the two live parties that she had at the beginning, but most people don’t have time or interest for that so now all her “parties” are online. Anyone who wants a given product can purchase through one of the current parties and the party sponsor gets the credit. One recent party was to raise money for a therapy dog for a local school.
I have mixed feelings about this. She seems to really enjoy her side gig, and the many different tote bags she’s given me are sturdy and one is my current favorite. She also gave me a couple of boxy things (tote liners???) that are great at holding a bunch of files and can be easily stashed in a bookcase or schlepped from the computer room to wherever I actually need those papers. But I am not so thrilled by the occasional pushy e-mail or business posts in Facebook. And truly, how many tote bags and coolers and whatnots do I need? I haven’t sent any of the things she’s sent me to Goodwill, but I did pass a bunch of it on to my MIL and SIL. I have yet to buy anything myself.
I have one beautiful Silpada bracelet that I bought 15 years ago. I get complements on it everytime I wear it.
There was a time when my friends and neighbors hosted tons of MLM parties. They were more social than sell oriented. Very few sales pitches, just samples on the dining room table, with the saleslady and catalogues off to the side. And wine and food.
My SIL is selling scentcy now, and everyone got one for Christmas a few years ago. Ugh. Not interested. At. All.
I listened to the podcast referenced earlier. It is am excellent and very sad look at the MLM world. Almost nobody makes any money.
Tupperware— still have the multicolored measuring spoons and a set of measuring cups from 35 years ago. Son asked where I got them cause he wanted some too. Don’t make anymore unfortunately. They’re my favorites still.
Party Lite— not sure that’s the exact company but still have some super cute votive candle holders that I happily bought Still have and use them. Think there were four of us at the party. Sorta sad. Long ago
Pampered Chef— a lot bought the pizza stone. I was too cheap. I have some random other gadget that I can’t find. Like others, ran into Apple peelers almost brand new at good Will.
Had two co-workers who sold Amway—spent more time on phone than actually working. Workings of a cult.
I don’t go to any of this stuff anymore but I think my age group has outgrown all of it.
This is nuts but I just realized that we had a Longaburger picnic basket, given as a wedding gift, that we loved and used. Looked at images and H agrees that was our basket. How did I not realize that?
Feb. 2019 the building has been put up for sale.
Wow, never knew there were jewekry parties too! I am glad to have been spared those. The power of peer pressure and allure of making money in “easy” side job is sadly very persuasive.
I got pulled into a jewelry party by a neighbor once, and I didn’t even know her name! I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
I loved Discovery Toys and we still have the marble run somewhere, saving it for grand kids. I have a few Pampered Chef items (well, they’re all baking stones I think) but I’ve never been to a party.
H’s cousin sells Rodan and Fields and it drives me crazy. I’d rather have a random party invitation once or twice a year that I could turn down than see social media posts every damn day! They are clever too, and never use the company name so it’s hard to run a filter that will catch them. Ugh…
I never went to a Mary Kay party…but I did use their mascara which I really liked. But then my person stopped selling the stuff.
If you have never seen the play “Dixie’s Tupperware Party”…it’s totally worth seeing. It’s a one person show…and the person is running a Tupperware party for the audience. Totally hilarious if you have ever been to one of these parties, and even more hilarious if you have ever sold Tupperware…like me…
@greenwitch --the marble run!!! My kids loved that! Also remember a water wheel construction type toy for the beach. I wonder if these are up in the attic somewhere? And linking chains you could use to attach toys to strollers, carseats etc.
I’m surprised Arbonne hasn’t been mentioned yet! Along the Rowan & Fields line, it’s over taken my area! Not only selling but the hard push to sign up as a consultant. Once you get to a certain level, you get the white Mercedes Benz. Just not my bag. Friendships have ended over the hard push, and their resentment over the “negativity” of those not wanting to sign up.
My niece was doing Beauty Control (?) She was convinced that it was going to solve all her $$ problems. Post flyers in stores to recruit parties and people will flock right? And she is an introvert and pretty socially awkward. I hated that she got snookered into it even though we tried to talk her out of it.
I forgot that I did buy cosmetics from Mary Kay a few times. The woman selling it would give half of the money to the gymnastics team in which both of our daughters participated. it was billed as a fundraiser for the team, but after the fundraiser, the seller had access to everyone’s emails, etc. I bought some stuff afterwards mostly because we were in the same carpool. I resisted all of her attempts to get me to have a party–I told her I didn’t have any friends. I guess she did well because she did get a pink car (Cadillac???)
I forgot about Arbonne! I never went to a party, but I got hit up at work literally the first day I started a new lawyer job at in 2006. One of the paralegals sold it and I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot, so I bought a bunch. I liked it. I like trying things, so as long as I don’t get locked into monthly auto-fills, I’m OK.
I block or snooze people on Facebook who do the sneaky business posts. So annoying. Once in a while I check their page to see what their family is up to. I find 90% of the posts are business related. So I keep them blocked or snooze them for another month.
Don’t buy any of the stuff but have several friends that are all in on the selling side (Amway and many others). A few seem to do well and always talk about the ones making millions (actually there are some of them). They know not to push anymore around me. Several times they’d hit me with the “if you do this and that you’ll make X” pitch. My reply was generally, “if I did that in my current job I’d also make X so I’ll just do it there”. That would generally shut them up.
The woman I buy Mary Kay moisturizer from follows a pretty strict social media rule. She only posts 1 business post for every 2 or more personal posts. She thinks people will find that less pushy and more likely to buy from her. It seems to help, she has been with MK for 20+ years and supported her family with it for awhile when one of them lost a regular job.
@jym626, if I am going to be outdoors for an event in the summer, I put it on in the shower after I turn off the water and then air dry, then put on another layer before I go outside.