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I have done this on several occasions...do you think it is wise in the long run? Or would it just be better to buy every once in a while from another rep?


Sometimes it seems like I spent more on the kit and "specials" or whateverthat I would have on a regular purchase. I can't say that I have ever been upset, or wished I didn't do it, but I can't decide if, in general, it's a good practice.


Anybody else that can shed some light on this?

Great question! I seem to be doing this all the time. I think it is totally worth it if you weigh your options.


My first company was Tastefully Simple. I absolutely love the products and thought I could really do well with it. So while I signed for the discount, I also signed for the business end of it and it has been a success.


Second was SLAH. Strictly fo the starter kit I'd say. The kit was a $700 value for $199. It was all the stuff I wanted anyway and with no sales minimums I figured it was a win-win. I've gotten some parties out of it so it was definitely worth it and that was only a couple months ago.


Finally, I just signed with Stuff-A-Friend. That one was a no-brainer because it was totally free. I wanted te animals for xmas presents anyway so I got a 30% discount. Awesome. Perhaps it will lead to some sales which would be great but if not, no big deal.


One thing I will never do is sign up with a company for the discount when I have to pay a significant sign up fee which only covers business materials. I'll only pay if I'm getting the goods! But I don't think I'll be taking on anything else for awhile anyway!!

If its a product you are going to 100% use I don't see anything wrong with it. It really depends , for me candles, I use them but I am selling, but would still join for the awesome candle of the month to get a new scent! :) Great price for it too.

For anything consummable, it is wise to become a personal sales consultant. Also, you might feel the passion and then decide to make some profit for yourself.

I really considered joining a company this fall simply for the starter kit. It contained all the items that I wanted to purchase (plus more) and it would have been less expensive to buy the kit than to buy the items outright. But I had NO desire to work with another company. I love my company and have grown a great business with it.I don't have time to do something else. So I decided against joining just for the kit. My friend is a consultant for this company and I knew it would help her much more for me to be her customer than to be a kit buyer.


It was a hard decision though. Once you are a consultant you know how easy it is to join a company, get the kit, and then do nothing:-) My main reasons for not joining were:


1. Support my friend


2. I didn't have the 6 "start up" parties to list on my application and I wasn't going to lie to get thekit.


There is one company which I will eventually join. (I've been saying that for 2 years now.) I use their skin care, they have a low start up, and I might as well get the personal discount. Of course again with that company I have no desire to sell or build any type of business. It would be stictly for the discount.


:-) Marianne

I've never had to list 6 parties to joina company smileys/smiley24.gif

I have done this with several companies to get the discount for goods
in my basket business. I have since scaled down once I discovered
which products were selling the best. I am really excited about one of
the companies I joined-Gabby Goodies- because they have done a major
makeover in their business for the better!



I don't like to pay full price for my skin care products and have
struggled with this over the past year or so. I loved Mary Kay products
but couldn't re- join the company so I went looking for a
replacement. After "joining" a few different companies and being
diappointed in the products and in some cases the service, I finally
found one that works for me. Funny thing is, there are still some Mary
Kay products I can't live without so I order from Cecilia occassionally!

I'm building a nice business with this new company.



I joined SLAH strictly for the discount and the items in the starter
kit for my home, but am finding such great interest in it in my area
that I am going to be holding a few parties. So, totally worth
the $199 to join! And I love my upline Cathy Stech, she is such a
neat person.



I feel that I probably wasted some money over the past year having
joined some companies that didn't work out and lost some money when one
company went out of business before it even started, but in the long
run I am settling in and am quite happy with what I have now.

I have joined companies just for the discount plus also to use the products for my gift basket business and now to add more variety in my online gift and party store. It works out well for me but I always am up front with my sponsor about my reason for joining.


I joined Jafraa while agoand that is soley for personal use, then Gabby Goodies, Heavenly Delights and a few more coming down the roadsmileys/smiley2.gif My main business is with Our Family Favoritesand we have people join us just to purchase products at a discount and to use in their own gift baskets. It's all goodsmileys/smiley1.gif

I have joined a few ones for the discount when I don't have a rep to buy from. Most of the time I would rather buy from a wahm.


~Cinnamon~ <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

I was originally a discount buyer. But I was soo in love with the toys, I became a test driver.


I used to sign up kit buyers, but I don't any more since I think some times they become embarrassed, and then I also lose them as a customer.


Debbie

I've never done this. I guess my line of thinking is similar to Cinnamon, as I would rather help support a fellow wahm and just buy from her (or maybe there are certain things we can barter for??).

I only did this once. It was so fun, I turned it into a wonderful home biz (and still get the discount for myself). We have lots of people join just for the discount. If it's something that you will use frequently, I'd say, yes it's worth it! smileys/smiley17.gif

I did do PS I Love you, but i'm not using it, and there is a fee for renewal so I'm not renewing.. with discovery toys, i joined b/c i used the toys with my special needs kids and could buy at a discount, but I did do some parties, just never built into what I probably could have done! With EWE I love it and am doing it for the biz.. i dont' know that i would do another for the kit.. probably buy from a wahm instead.

Hmmm, I guess I like the 'supporting the other wahms' when I don't buy the items regularly and joining for the higher priced items I need a lot of or will use up.....I'm sure I won't stick to that!


It's just so fun to shop at home and with friends and have parties...Party Plans are a beautiful thing!

I did this with Tupperware, only because the rep I found was far from me and hard to get ahold of, UNTIL I said I wanted to join, thenI heard from her - have hardly heard from her since (been with it 1 year) Iam surprised Ihave beenable to stay active this long with the quarterly requirements.





and the thing since I have joined is there are so many older ladies, with pieces that are 20-30 years oldwho need items replaced- due to chips , peels etc,and they have no idea where to go to do it - many do not have internet access. They get so excited to see me at shows, some will come back later in the day with thier broken pieces . So I have helped out alot of ladies and made new friends and customers by becoming a rep


I joined the other 3 Biz I am with, because they are items I will use and I felt I could sell and actually I have fiigured out how to market products from the varrious Biz together, so they work off each other!


Tonja

For anything consummable, it is wise to become a personal sales consultant. Also, you might feel the passion and then decide to make some profit for yourself.





I agree with Cecilia 100%!

If it is something I think I will be a repeat buyer for I would join just for the discount. I would be upfront with the signing consultant because I would want her to feel undermined.

I think signing up for the discount is wonderful!! Especially if there are no minimums!!


I am with Arbonne and my team encourages everyone to sign up to buy at wholesale prices. It is only $29 to sign up with a yearly renewal fee of $15. There are no minimums or monthly requirements~ they just order when and what they want.(Kind of like joining a Sam's or Costco's)As a wholesale buyer, theyget 35% off all of their purchases and access to their own online account.As the person that sponsored them I am still available just like I would be if they were my retail client!


I have been interested in signing up with a couple of other companies just for the discount, but when I find out how much their sign up is, I change my mind.


Lori