WAHM Forums

If you have bought from either company as a customer can you post your experiences with the quality and shipping time? Thanks!

I have bought from Thirty-One a couple of times. It took about 2 weeks for the order to arrive, but I did have mine personalized. It might be shorter for no personalization. I was very impressed with the quality...in fact the one purse I've been using daily for almost a year and you can barely tell it's been used! I'm not easy on my purses either. I'm actually considering joining Thirty-One as a rep :-)

Ali

Before I joined Initials, I bought one of the Sassy Totes from online. I placed the order early December and got mine in about 2 weeks time.

Now, when I submit the orders for my customers, many are shipping out within a day or two of the order being placed. Depends a lot on the size of the order per customer/party (if being shipped to a hostess). I'm also hard on my bags/purses, even though I've only had mine a short time, it still looks like I just bought it. Straps are holding up great since I tend to load mine up with books, water bottle, sometimes stuff for my 14 month old daughter.

If you can swing it... Order a bag from both companies to compare the two. I have a special going right now if you would like to order one of our bags. Just PM me or visit my site and drop me an email.

I bought before I joined & it took about 7 business days. The warehouse was in TN at the time & I am WA..... so thats pretty good. Now the warehouse is in OH...and most of my customers are still getting things in the following week or ordering.

I fell in love with it so much, that I joined just 2 months ago back in December! Now I have a wonderful team (18 people in 2months!!!!!) and I am on the road to high success!

Love Thirty one :)

Hi Cinnamon~

I have had experience with both. Both are wonderful companies, however, I am most comfortable with Initials. I love many things about Initials, including the host program, quality products, free embroidery, plus much more!

I can share with you comments from ladies at four Thirty-One parties over the past year....at three of these, I was the rep - at the other, it was a kick-off show for one of my consultants. At each of these parties, ladies were there who had previously been to an Initials party and had purchased bags. Every lady said that they liked our quality and workmanship much better - our styles, and our fabrics. I want to stress this is not "my personal comments"....I have never seen an initials product...only sharing comments from my customers. The fact that we charge for embroidery has never been an issue - it is an option and our prices reflect that. Good Luck in your decision! :)

Did the embroidery for Thirty one used to be included with the price of the bags? It seems like I remember hearing the "free embroidery or monogramming" as a selling point back a year and a half ago but now I know there is a charge for it. Just curious to see if I am remembering correctly.

Amy - yes it was. When the company first started, they charged for it - then it was included in the price (this is all before I started). Last year they begin charging $6 for monogramming but when they did, the prices for all the bags went down to offset the price of the monogramming...reason being for the charge is there are many many customers - do NOT want personalization and they felt they were being charged for something they did not want - in other words paying the same price for a "plain" bag as someone who wanted it personalized. Now it is an option - I've had NO complaints, in fact I am in the south where monogramming is big and they do not mind...in fact it makes sense if you think about it!

As an Initials consultant, I've heard the opposite. I've heard that having it included is great for our customers. It's all on your perspective. I have experience with both companies and am very impressed with the quality that Initials offers as well as the professionalism. They've teamed up with the right forces to move this company steadily into the future. Having experienced this with another ds company a few years ago, I appreciate what they are doing.

Bottom line, you have to love the product so that you are able to sell it! Initials product line fits my taste. They are evolving and adding fun things such as our Resort Collection which is going like hotcakes! I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have for us come Fall!

Best wishes Cinnamon!

I do want to say that I like the style of both companies but Initials Inc has a stronger call to me. I did order a kit and when it gets here I will check it out to make sure the quality is good enough for me to represent before I start advertising for it or planing any parties.

YEAH!!! Welcome aboard Cinnamon! If you need anything, just let us know!

Amy - yes it was. When the company first started, they charged for it - then it was included in the price (this is all before I started). Last year they begin charging $6 for monogramming but when they did, the prices for all the bags went down to offset the price of the monogramming...reason being for the charge is there are many many customers - do NOT want personalization and they felt they were being charged for something they did not want - in other words paying the same price for a "plain" bag as someone who wanted it personalized. Now it is an option - I've had NO complaints, in fact I am in the south where monogramming is big and they do not mind...in fact it makes sense if you think about it!

I am new (Dec) to 31 and have found this happen to me quite often... Customers like the fact that they can use the bag & have a fun print, with out the personalization. I have to say that around 70% of my own personal stock is not monogrammed & I get numerous compliments on my purse.

Good luck to you Cinnamon...... No matter your business choice, its what you put into it & how much YOU love them :)

I'm 41 years old and before I joined Thirty-One, I looked into a LOT of DS companies (previously consultant for Home Interiors, Nest Entertainment/Yello Dyno, Avon, Home and Garden Party, Tupperware) and had prayed about it for over a year. I think it's a personal preference. I, myself, compared the two companies products and found that the Thirty-One line seemed more like "me" and what I'd like to own. The patterns Initials carry are a bit too "busy" for me and they didn't really offer anything "classic" or "traditional" in addition to the "trendy." There are a few items I like in the Initials line, but very few. Again, personal preference. I've never actually seen anything from Initials, so I can't say anything about the quality. I can say that I've had a few issues with a couple of Thirty-One products that they replaced with NO problems and even took up issues with their suppliers because of quality issues. As a new company, Thirty-One has come a LONG way since it's beginning in 2003 and continues to learn and adjust to the market. I will say one more thing about Initials...as I compared the hostess plans and consultant compensation plans, I also felt Thirty-One offered the better opportunity and although the prices are pretty comprable, I think Thirty-One offers a better value, as well.

I'm 41 years old and before I joined Thirty-One, I looked into a LOT of DS companies (previously consultant for Home Interiors, Nest Entertainment/Yello Dyno, Avon, Home and Garden Party, Tupperware) and had prayed about it for over a year. I think it's a personal preference. I, myself, compared the two companies products and found that the Thirty-One line seemed more like "me" and what I'd like to own. The patterns Initials carry are a bit too "busy" for me and they didn't really offer anything "classic" or "traditional" in addition to the "trendy." There are a few items I like in the Initials line, but very few. Again, personal preference. I've never actually seen anything from Initials, so I can't say anything about the quality. I can say that I've had a few issues with a couple of Thirty-One products that they replaced with NO problems and even took up issues with their suppliers because of quality issues. As a new company, Thirty-One has come a LONG way since it's beginning in 2003 and continues to learn and adjust to the market. I will say one more thing about Initials...as I compared the hostess plans and consultant compensation plans, I also felt Thirty-One offered the better opportunity and although the prices are pretty comprable, I think Thirty-One offers a better value, as well.

The patterns Initials carry are a bit too "busy" for me and they didn't really offer anything "classic" or "traditional" in addition to the "trendy." There are a few items I like in the Initials line, but very few. Again, personal preference.

I wonder if it has been a while since you looked at Initials. Most of the pattens right now are a more classic or traditional style, like the Deco Dots (https://www.myinitials-inc.com/forms/frm_shop_item_info.aspx?prod=1030-2) or the Houndstooth (https://www.myinitials-inc.com/forms/frm_shop_item_info.aspx?prod=1004-3), but I also like the fun prints like the Hippie Chic bag in Oasis (https://www.myinitials-inc.com/forms/frm_shop_item_info.aspx?prod=1032-2).

I do think they are both great companies and I did a lot of prayer and thought before I picked Initials, Inc, but you are right it is about personal preference. :)

I definitely have to agree with you Cinnamon, having looked at both companies, I love that Initials, Inc has the faux aligator bags and the You're Hired line is awesome-talk about classic and classy! Anyone interested in Initials, Inc should check out the YouTube video. It shows the product really up close and you can get a real "feel" for the fabrics and colors!

I am not a consultant for either company and would definitely order before I joined, but just "looking" at them and comparing product, hostess, marketing etc. I would most likely choose Initials, Inc. While both companies are faith based, I like the fact that Initials, Inc. is a bit more reserved about it, if that makes sense.

Your right cabimom the You're Hired! and upper east side (faux alligator bags look) collections are very classy!! I love the upper east side portfolio Wallet in Raspberry that I have.