WAHM Forums

My hostess over the weekend is not happy she has to pay the $20 for her $100 for $20s. I hardly ever do parties any more and was actually never trained on them, my upline dropped out and her upline lives in another state.


This girl had a Discovery Toys party last month and she was like, oh, we just got free stuff based on sales, and a creative memories one the month before, same deal, she gets "free" products based on sales. Of course, it is only like $21 per $100 in sales or something like that.


So she thinks it is wrong that she has to pay $40 to get $200 worth of stuff after going to the trouble of hosting a class. I told her up front that is the way it works, and she knows my financial situation that I really need all the money I can get from this class. She also AGREED to give everyone 10-20% off to get higher sales so she could get more bonus, so the comission is cut down anyway. So if that $40 has to come out of it, after I also gave her a small salt scrub, a hostess gift ($20),and a free product (eye cream $25)from a booking bonus.


I asked her if she got anything extra at those other parites that she paid out of pocket. Because that is what always happens to me, I get sucked in wanting the $50 photo album and only got $35 in free product, so I spend $15 to get what I want. She said, no, we don't have money to spend on things, that is why I host the parties to get stuff for free, and then I only choose things that are completely free. I said well, Arbonne doesn't work that way.


I mean we are friends, it is not like we are mad, I just wonder if ALL the other home parties give free up front? Is ARbonne the only one that has the hostess pay $20?So I called my upline (who maked $15K a month) and she said she pays it. Of course she does! But I am wondering about the rest of the newer people and DMs like me, do you pay it?


Argh, why can't anything be simple?. I also had ANOTHER person today not want to give their SS# to be a wholesale buyer. That is 5 for me.

I would NOT pay it! She knew up front how she earned the 80% discount! It sounds to me like she is trying to take advantage of your friendship to get you to cover her cost.There are many businesses where the hostess earns a percentage off product based on sales. Arbonne is extremely generous to their hostesses. The fact that you gifted her with a sea salt scrub, eye cream AND the hostess set, I am assuming that was the 85$ RE9 body set?? You went way beyond being generous.


As far as the SSN issue, explain about the tax purposes if they did ever decide to do the business. If they still won't budge, you could just give them the discount under your account for volume. Hope this helps! Hang in their! And keep focusing on the day when you can cover the $20/$40 for your hostesses b/c you have $$ coming out your ears!! ;)

I'm really kind of shocked that she doesn't want to pay $40 for $200 worth of product! I guess you could offer to pay the $40, let her choose ONE FREE ITEM & you keep the rest in product. You say she knew this going in? That way - she is getting free product!

Why don't you offer her a choice, $100 for free or $200 for $40?
You can take advantage of the other $100 for $20 to make up for the
things you give out. Never let a hostess feel she's not getting a
GREAT deal.



To answer your question, I pay the first $20. It makes it easy
for me. I just tell everyone that if they host a party for me,
they get $100 worth of their choice of products for FREE! In
addition to other great gifts and discounts for other products.



I don't offer a blanket 10% to 20% extra to guests. I offer them
35% off if they want to sign on wholesale. I am surprised that
people don't want to give you their SSN. How are you presenting
the wholesale option? Maybe they don't understand that they are
signing up to be a consultant, just with no intention of selling the
products. I definitely would not give them the 35% off without
signing on, though. It will boost your volume temporarily, but
why would anyone pay you more than wholesale if you are offering 35% to
anyone that doesn't want to give out their ssn? Just tell them
that Arbonne is REQUIRED to get that number because if they end up
selling the products or getting a paycheck from Arbonne, there has to
be a way to report the income. <!--
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I agree with Beverly. Maybe, since she knows she is qualified for the $200 for $40, but doesn't want to pay the $40, give her $160 in product and the other $40 in product keep for yourself or call some clients for reorders or spend for future host gifts?


you said she had gotten $21 free with $100 in sales from another company? her sales with you were over $500, so if you use those numbers, she would only get $105 free with this order...............smileys/smiley5.gifI dunno!

I agree with Beverly as well. I never let people borrow my discount. Heck, even my mom had to pay her $29! I feel like that devalues our products. $29 for the discount is a great deal so there is no reason for them to not sign up if they want to save $$. When I did parties I also didn't give any specials other than the offer for the discount. People will always go for what is easiest so they'll choose whatever special you are giving.


Try to work out some kind of compromise with your friend about the $200 for $40. If she is a friend then she should know that you are strapped for cash as well. Explain to her that if you were to do that then it would be coming out of your pocket. People don't really realize all this free stuff comes from somewhere. They just think the company provides it for us. Then try to give her one of the deals that the girls above suggested. Whatever works for you. You want to leave her happy with her experience so figure out a way to make her see the value she's getting for whatever it is you decide you can do.


As far as socials go, if you have access to a computer at the party then just sit down with them &amp; have them register online &amp; place their order. That way they input their own social into the system without you seeing it. So far I've only had one person question why they needed to fill out their social. Once I explained it they were fine. Or if there is no access to a computer right then ask them to fill everything else out. Then after the party agree on a time you can get on the phone together &amp; walk her through filling out the registration &amp; order online.

Thanks you guys!
To add to my frustration, I put off two other activities last night, one was calling a friend of my mom's in Chicago to sign her up and the other was watching a movie with my husband because I called her at 9:30 to go through the order and she said she'd call me after she put her baby down. I had all the paperwork ready to go. She NEVER CALLED ME BACK! I told her she could call until 11:00. She probably called me four times yesterday asking if I'd heard from so and so about their order, because she really wants to close out the party and get her stuff, etc. So I called everyone, got all their orders, worked out a deal with her sister who decided she wants to sign up wholesale, and blah blah blah...


So I guess I need to figure it all out, write it all down and have a backbone!

anet, always give someone the benefit of doubt, maybe her baby wasn't being cooperative last night?

Oh, and about the ss#, I do the 3 ways to win and say the whole deal about you can have the same privelege as the consultants, with no obligation or minimum orders. I do compare it to a Sam's club and say the perk is, if you refer anyone to Sam's they don't give you diddly squat, but if you refer someone to ARbonne and they sign up and order, you get a little 4% bonus. For that reason, even if you have no intention of selling, for IRS purposes, Arbonne has to consider everyone with the potential to earn income. They don't differentiate. I say no one sees it and they can input it directly and only the last 4 numbers ever show up after that. Whatever. they are the ones missing out. Like Rita D. said at ACT, "some will, some won't so what, move on!"

I completely understand wanting to make the hostess as happy as possible, but not everyone can afford to cover the $20/$40 cost to get her free product. I know I can't. And I don't want any one that I sponsor to think they would have to do this too to gift the hostess. When people first sign up, it is usually for the right now money, and not for how much extra $$ they will have to put into the parties. I always gift my hostess w/ the RE9 body set, so that is $20 out of my pocket right away whether her party has sales or not. Then I give away small gifts during the party. So, to cover the extra expense for the $100 for $20's, I am now putting in $60 for one party. One day when I am RVP it won't be a problem. But as of now, it is about the right now money AND offering the wholesale option. For those who do cover the $20/$40 cost, I am glad that you are financially able to do so. But Anet, if you are in need of extra products for future hostess gifts, then you may want to consider the choice given above of offering her a few free products and keeping the rest for yourself. You could stock up on scrubs!


After thinking about the SSN issue, I do have to take back what I said about just giving her your discount for volume. Bev was right. People are going to try to get the best discount at the cheapest price. If someone overheard this issue of not wanting to give out the SSN but still get the discount, they may decide to not give their SSN too. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

this would bea great time to discuss the possibility of signing her up for an account, and then working the order to RSVP? you would get $50 that way.... gotta run, try to work the numbers out and see if this fits better....????

I agree, if you for their $100 for $20 then don't. When I did parties I didn't do it either b/c I couldn't afford to. I just always let them know about the $20 upfront &amp; made sure my voice reflected how good a deal it was. Luckily, I never had anyone react the way anet's friend did. Thank goodness! smileys/smiley1.gif

If people do not want to use their SS# they can apply for a Tax ID # easily online. I never use my SS# and I was able to do it online free and without problem. The IRS sent me a verification letter in the mail.

Cassandra, thanks for the tips. I did figure her baby wasn't cooperative, but she just called and her husband didn't tell her I'd called until this morning. I also knew she was sick, but so was I and 3 of my kids are as well, and I still set aside that time to work with her so I was frustrated. I should be used to it. I may try the RSVP thing, because she is signing up, But then you don't get the bonuses, right, like the PWPs? because some people were getting those. So it might not work.


I just told her again what the deal is and that I can't afford out of pocket expenses, so that's that.


thanks again for your tips and support. I just wondered what other people did, because it seems some hostesses want FREE, not discounted.

Good info on the taxID Sunset!

Sunset, how did you do the tax ID thing? I looked at the IRS website and I couldn't find any info. It talked about an Individual TID for aliens, non residents, etc. and EIN's for employer ID numbers. I was confused and the only thing I could find about either of them was a form to fill out and send in.


any info you could give would be great.

anet,


https://sa.www4.irs.gov/sa_vign/newFormSS4.do (https://sa.www4.irs.gov/sa_vign/newFormSS4.do) This is the link for the online application. Once you fill it out, it gives you a temporary 9 digit number and then a couple weeks later, you get your verification letter from the IRS. This way, Arbonne gets a number they can use right away at sign up...no waiting and no social security number issue.

I am confused, sunset, how does that work for just the average joe who doesn't want to give me a SS#? they don't own any business or anything, they are just PARANOID about their ss# being in cyberspace (as if it is not there already!) anyway, this looks very complicated and specific to a business entity????


sorry for being so ditzy, but if someone told me this was an alternative to giving a ss# I would not think it was worth it.