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Phoenix, Juice+, Ann Summers, Bluebella and the rest - What's the downside?
- Thread starter Jon
- Start date
Scott@KarmaContent
Money Making Megastar!
Phoenix said:
We all need to take some form of supplement? That sweeping statement is complete nonsense. Where's your proof?
Proof from my own eyes look at breakfast, how many cereals contain sugar? How many people add extra sugar to their cereal? Toast, there is sugar in bread, do you have jam too well sugar in that too, then tea and coffee, who adds sugar. Sugar has no nutrional value and can do more harm than good. We are depriving our bodies of essential nutrition. My late father died of motor neurone disease, he was a fit active guy. But I wonder how much the lack of nutrition was partly due to him getting that horrible disease. It has been proven that people ate more healthly during the war, less fats and less sugars.
I've worked for 2 mlms...for me the downsides are:-
Rules and restrictions - you are not free to run your business as you want to, you have to run it as the company wants you to, and if you don't you are penalised financially
Very complicated commission structures and incentives which frequently change so it's easy to lose track of what you will be paid when for what
Selling methods that don't always seem quite right for our times...party plan, brochures, inadequate websites, not being allowed to sell via online marketplaces and so on and so forth
And most importantly, earnings. After paying for start up kits, website fees, annual renewal fees, brochures, sign up packs, prospecting materials, demo products, order forms, samples, reclaimed commission and so on and so forth it was hard even to break even some months, as most of what you earned was often going straight back into the company's pockets.
I am now doing my own thing selling fashion jewellery. I am looking for representatives who are interested in helping me sell jewellery in return for commission payments. There is no start up kit to buy or anything like that, you will simply receive commission for every sale you make. If anyone is interested please feel free to email me with your email address and I will email you back with more information.
Rules and restrictions - you are not free to run your business as you want to, you have to run it as the company wants you to, and if you don't you are penalised financially
Very complicated commission structures and incentives which frequently change so it's easy to lose track of what you will be paid when for what
Selling methods that don't always seem quite right for our times...party plan, brochures, inadequate websites, not being allowed to sell via online marketplaces and so on and so forth
And most importantly, earnings. After paying for start up kits, website fees, annual renewal fees, brochures, sign up packs, prospecting materials, demo products, order forms, samples, reclaimed commission and so on and so forth it was hard even to break even some months, as most of what you earned was often going straight back into the company's pockets.
I am now doing my own thing selling fashion jewellery. I am looking for representatives who are interested in helping me sell jewellery in return for commission payments. There is no start up kit to buy or anything like that, you will simply receive commission for every sale you make. If anyone is interested please feel free to email me with your email address and I will email you back with more information.
sparkleandshine said:
Where do you get your jewellery from? Do you make it for others to sell or do you buy in stock?
& please don't take it as a criticism.. it just needs further explanation rather than being secretive about it...
I'm sure Jon would welcome a thread with all of the details
I'm sure Jon would welcome a thread with all of the details
Laura said:The reason I asked the above question is because I saw a friend of a friend advertising this necklace for £20 with this description - 'A friend makes beautiful jewellery.'
I googled the image (because I'm nosey) & I found the exact same necklace for A LOT less
I know you have to order in bulk & place a minimum order of £50 (£4.95 delivery, free for orders over £100) & include VAT but the mark up is a tad excessive.. don't you think.. unless you're including P&P, making the jewellery & supplying this company..
I'm all for entrepreneurial spirit but transparency is a must.. do you have a website rather than a message asking for people to email you for details?
Maybe I got it wrong & it's not the same necklace.. if that's the case, I apologise
Hi Laura, I'm not being secretive about what I do I just wasn't sure how much I could say without coming across as spamming and getting banned from the forum! Yes I do have a website, am I allowed to share this, or does this count as spamming? Basically what i do is run an online shop and to increase my sales i also offer out the opportunity to others to sell the jewellery too, in return for a commission on every sale. My background is mlm so its a business model I am very familiar with, so thats why i added in the mlm element...but primarily i am an online shop. From what you are saying it sounds as if you have been digging about and have found out who my supplier is, is that correct? I make no claims about the jewellery being handmade by me, as it isn't, as you have discovered. Also I'm not sure why you are having a pop about why is the retail price more expensive than the trade price as that's just how retail works? As a retailer I buy at trade price. I then have to decide what my retail price will be. Obviously I have to make a profit otherwise what's the point. Plus I also have to factor in things like vat, packing and postage, PayPal fees, eBay fees and payment of any commission if the sale comes from someone else other than me. If anything I was wondering if my prices were too low! Retail customers cannot buy at trade price....its illegal anyway isn't it? Only businesses can buy at trade price. I can't see every single potential customer going to the lengths of setting up their own business just so they can pay trade instead of retail prices....and plus I really don't think my jewellery is that expensive anyway compared to what you can get elsewhere.... You've actually picked out one of my most expensive pieces as an example, prices range from £4 to £20 and that includes vat and p&p so I can't see many people complaining about that really. What is it you do Laura?
Scott@KarmaContent
Money Making Megastar!
She's entitled to charge what she likes. Half the stuff you see in shops, Ebay etc is made in China for pennies and can be bought on Ali Baba for not much more. It's standard practice and the way the world works.
Thats true Scott, the only right price in retail is the price the customers are prepared to pay. As a retailer its all about striking a balance between maximizing your own profits but at the same time not pricing yourself out of the market by pricing too high.
I wasn't digging, it didn't take much to find it tbh...
Of course you can charge what you like but if you're setting up an mlm type venture then you need to follow certain rules.. as you know.
I wasn't having a pop, I'm perfectly aware of how the world works regarding rrp.
Maybe you need to specify to those who are selling your items that they are not handmade by you so that there's no crossed wires.
If you want to get defensive then you're perfectly entitled just as people who are interested in helping you sell jewellery are entitled to know what is involved etc... & the only way that can happen is if you tell people the full facts
It's not spammy to open a thread & tell everyone what you do, what's involved & what you're offering...
Good luck in your venture
Of course you can charge what you like but if you're setting up an mlm type venture then you need to follow certain rules.. as you know.
I wasn't having a pop, I'm perfectly aware of how the world works regarding rrp.
Maybe you need to specify to those who are selling your items that they are not handmade by you so that there's no crossed wires.
If you want to get defensive then you're perfectly entitled just as people who are interested in helping you sell jewellery are entitled to know what is involved etc... & the only way that can happen is if you tell people the full facts
It's not spammy to open a thread & tell everyone what you do, what's involved & what you're offering...
Good luck in your venture
Thanks Laura you didn't tell me what you do by the way?
Yes I'm aware of the legalities surrounding mlms/pyramid schemes...I've been in the industry since 2011 so they have been drummed into me!!!!!
It hadn't occurred to me to say the pieces aren't handmade because I didn't think anyone would think they were...if they were I think they would be a lot more expensive.
I could maybe set up a thread...
I didn't think I was coming across as being defensive? but if I was I apologise
you didn't tell me what you do by the way?Yes I'm aware of the legalities surrounding mlms/pyramid schemes...I've been in the industry since 2011 so they have been drummed into me!!!!!
It hadn't occurred to me to say the pieces aren't handmade because I didn't think anyone would think they were...if they were I think they would be a lot more expensive.
I could maybe set up a thread...
I didn't think I was coming across as being defensive? but if I was I apologise
Sorry, I'm in mlm.. wikaniko.. it's not for everyone but I like it
The written word is oft misconstrued
You'd be surprised how cheaply some people sell their handmade goods, they really do undersell themselves.
I think you should set up a thread, it gives you an opportunity to tell people what you're all about
The written word is oft misconstrued
You'd be surprised how cheaply some people sell their handmade goods, they really do undersell themselves.
I think you should set up a thread, it gives you an opportunity to tell people what you're all about
It's eco friendly products, everything from washing up liquid to garden seeds & lots in between. I joined it to get my shopping cheaper & then fell in love with the business side
There is a thread on here & a link in my signature bit if you want to have a look.
There is a thread on here & a link in my signature bit if you want to have a look.
kimmscott said:Of course. Here's a link which may help http://www.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/clinical-research/juice-plus-clinical-research.html#.U8-TXhlwbqA
You don't have to apologise I come across negativity quite a lot. I think the thing that always surprises me the most is that people who work at say McDonald's or coca cola seem to escape it
I found this article in response to that web page about Juice Plus clinical trials.
http://www.devingrayfitness.com/debunked-juice-plus-a-research-review/
Not all reviews are to be trusted.
MLMhatterrr said:kimmscott said:Of course. Here's a link which may help http://www.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/clinical-research/juice-plus-clinical-research.html#.U8-TXhlwbqA
You don't have to apologise I come across negativity quite a lot. I think the thing that always surprises me the most is that people who work at say McDonald's or coca cola seem to escape it
I found this article in response to that web page about Juice Plus clinical trials.
http://www.devingrayfitness.com/debunked-juice-plus-a-research-review/
Not all reviews are to be trusted.
I read that one several weeks back, very interesting article
and welcome to TMS - I'm hoping your name is in referrence to The Mad Hatter or similar and not MLM HATER - because not everyone in MLM is bad Chammy said:MLMhatterrr said:kimmscott said:Of course. Here's a link which may help http://www.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/clinical-research/juice-plus-clinical-research.html#.U8-TXhlwbqA
You don't have to apologise I come across negativity quite a lot. I think the thing that always surprises me the most is that people who work at say McDonald's or coca cola seem to escape it
I found this article in response to that web page about Juice Plus clinical trials.
http://www.devingrayfitness.com/debunked-juice-plus-a-research-review/
Not all reviews are to be trusted.
I read that one several weeks back, very interesting article
Hi Chammy, thanks for your welcome.
I have a fierce mistrust of MLM (sorry
) but was intrigued at the title of this thread "downside of MLM" because in my experience, the reps in MLM companies (FL, Juice+, Ariix, LTW to name a few) only extol the positives of the 'business' and are actively encouraged to keep away from anyone (even family/friends) who express concern or criticise what they are doing. It seems a cruel business model which ensures that many must fail in order for few (very, very few) to make a living. I know of various subterfuges which are practised by these companies in order to gain recruits and sell merchandise, including making medical claims (a BIG bugbear of mine), claiming "six figure incomes" are achievable, and only working "5-10 hours a week in your pjs at home with babby". Aye right :'(.
Apart from that, I love MLM ;D.
I tried Phoenix and it didn't work for me. I still think it could have worked but I didn't have that much time to get envolved. The reason I joined was because I recently stopped working to be a full-time mum. Phoenix advises you to host a"coffee and cards" envent at your place or a friends place or you can also try to sell at playgroups for example. I couldn't be bothered with that myself because my son is quite clingy so I'm never really free to do anything. I thought I could just sell online but it takes a lot of "nagging your friends to buy from you" or asking them to spread the word. I just didn't want to be too pushy. I still have some lovely cards leftover (luckily I only bought the smallest stock), I am now using them for myself or giving a few away as presents (just adding a little pack of cards to a birthday present or christmas gift). I don't regret trying because it showed me that things that I thought were going to be easier can sometimes be harder that I thought. It was still a good experience which I think could've definetely work for someone else. Just to let you know Phoenix has recently closed down but a new card company will soon open.