Thirty-one? Like Avon, but with purses.

[Kitty]

My style is as many shoes and Coach bags that can fit into a closet. I'm just being honest here. lol

My mom and my sister LOVE Coach. They get pretty nice deals on their bags too.

I'm just not into fancy purses, hence a small purple bag I got for my birthday one year, a $3 bag with music notes on it from Wal-Mart I've had for 2 years, and aforementioned $6 POS from Dollar General. I use "POS" ironically, it's a very good bag. I hate large bags, but I need bags large enough to hide away a notebook...

[MamaJunebug]

ETA: I am a mess. My reponses to anniec are in bfital.

I don't think I understand why "Jehovah's Witness" was preceeded by a "wait for it" in your first sentence.... is there a reason that I am missing why it is particularly funny that a JW would run an MLM business? Don't many JWs see themselves of part of the broader Christian church? (I know that mainstream Christians may not hold this to be so, but I am trying to look at this from her perspective). [\quote]

anniec....at first I was tempted to respond sarcasticaly, but you have a point. What I wrote didn't reflect my thought process on why it was funny. In good Knight style, here are the points I was missing/didn't include:

1. The bags I bought would be for Christmas presents, and JW's don't celebrate Christmas.

2. Honestly: I do consider JW's a cult, and I do think they totally miss the Christian message. So to know that the bags a JW friend was selling were part of a Christian[sic]-based MLM struck me as humorous.

I guess you gotta know me in person. Or mostly, you're glad you don't. ;) Anyway, it does sound harsh and I apologize for that. I wish I could undo it, but this is the next best thing. Thanks for calling me out on it.

What is your motivation for 'helping her out' by buying a bag in the first place? Has she confided in you that she is in financial difficulty and asked you to help? Yes, that's it exactly. From the way you have written about the idea of gifting her the profit she would have made off you and your friends, it looks like you have already rounded up a group of ladies to help her out for whatever reason? Does she know about that plan?

She knows that I have 3 ladies in addition to myself, and one of my daughters, interested in buying. As it turn outs: One of the ladies has taken a terrible turn for the worse, health-wise, and I am not going to pursue this iwth her at all. The other two are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts/in reciprocation for support I've given friends of theirs at PChef and Taste Of Home parties. I went back and looked at her most recent e-mail to me. She says she is feeling very discouraged, hasn't been able to set up any other catalog or home parties, is wondering whether this is all worth it.

I think that what to do next depends entirely on what you know about her personality and the extent of your relationship with this person.

Personally, I'd be really mortified if I knew someone was buying something they didn't want, in order to help me out. I'd be super-super sensitive and possibly a little annoyed if I thought there was a 'Christian' agenda behind it. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but my 'evangelism opportunity' radar was pinged a little from the issue you have made of her being a JW.

anniec, I do evangelize, especially to people in systems that I perceive to be abusive. And that's how I perceive the Watchtower Society (JW). However, this is how I evangelize: I converse wtih them if they want to discuss Scripture and I clearly state my beliefs vis-a-vis theirs; and in my friend JW's case, I help her out one way or another (I've still not decided how). And the people with whom I speak adn interact will know, I hope, that I am Christian by my love.

And here's what I don't do, just for the record: I do not ask them to renounce their faith and accept mine. I do not tell them they're going to Hell if they don't believe the way I do. I do not insist that pray with me, nor receive Jesus as I wait, or get baptized, or come to my church. See, we Lutherans believe that we witness, the Holy Spirit converts. And that we can't see that conversion in 99.999% of the cases.

Other people, of course, might be much more more grateful and accepting than I am! Maybe she is the sort of person you could speak frankly with and offer her some cash to help her get by, without really saying any more about the bags which you seem clearly not to want now?

That is a distinct possibility and one I'm mulling over. She's been a good friend, as I said, for many years. And it isn't that I don't want a bag or two that she sells. But if I can lend her the same support as I'd lend her by purchasing stuff I don't need, and by not penalizing her for trying an MLM, but also not supporting the MLM ... then ....

you know, girl, your message has got me determined. I need to find out from JW what she has on-hand. Maybe one of the samples she had to buy is soemthing I want. And then I need to tell her that I'd love to help her cover some of the costs of startup and make her a gift of what she would've earned had I purchased stuff.

I just need to get a handle on how much that would be. I know I mentally figured I could spare $150 .... maybe I should just hand her that, and the catalogs she gave me (I understand they cost, what a ripoff!!!) and a big hug and then run. (I was gonna insert a joke about pamphlets here but I won't, I won't!!!! ;)

Thanks, all!!!

[MamaJunebug]

There's a lot of info on these MLM's here (http://www.pinktruth.com/board/index.php), MamaJunebug. I would imagine someone there could give you specific answers as to how much your friend is making/losing with her venture. I've never been involved in any kind of MLM, but I do enjoy reading the Pink Truth boards. You really see what kind of scam these things are by perusing them.

Thank you, deborahlynn! I just saw this mesage and I'm going straight over there. Bless ya! :D

[MamaJunebug]

Thank you, deborahlynn! I just saw this mesage and I'm going straight over there. Bless ya! :D

OMG OMG OMG --- This from the board deborahlynn posted:

To make it worse, Thirty One consultants also get a much lower percentage of the sales, giving her a lot less "profit" to start with. I think they start out right around 20%, meaning they're only making about $4 off a $20 bag before expenses - that's worse than selling a lipstick.

So if I ordered my $150 from JW she was going to get about $30. Heckz to the noez!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm tearing up in frustration and anger. But I know exactly what I'm going to do. And the first thing is, I'm writing my 2 ladies who have catalogs and telling them what I've decided.

If the three of us ordered $300, JW would realize a whopping $60. Which would probably pay for her catalogs and samples ... in part.

Thank you all, thank you especially, deborahlynn. Srsly. Cannot thank you enough.

[deborahlynn1979]

Aw, glad you found it helpful, MamaJunebug! The best thing you can do as her friend is to show her how she ISN'T going to be making money and is just throwing away her time and resources. Hopefully she can find a more legitimate way to get on her feet!

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, MJB. I think we have quite separate worldviews but it is interesting to hear yours.

And yeah, on the data you posted, 20% commission for a 1st level sales person is about average for an MLM. Unless you have downliners on whose sales you earn a commision then you never earn more than pin money with these things. I know a number of people who sell Avon, who enjoy it because Avon products are cheap consumables that they can enjoy sampling and buying cheaply while they make a few ££ on the side. But most of the other stuff brings little joy.

[doggie]

so Jesus likes someone to sell purses for him low quality purses? This is something for gullible people to sell and buy.

[almostfundylyte]

My former BFF is a Mary Kay consultant. About 3 years ago, she joined a fundie church, divorced her husband(they had 1 son), then started "courting" (her words) a divorced dad of three. She told me about the engagement, and said "I really want Other Girl from my church to be my maid of honor instead of you. She always buys MK from me, and you never do." Our friendship was already strained because of the fundy kool aid from her church (the same church I left shortly before she joined, the pastor told S and I we aren't real Christians b/c we left his church), but this definately didn't help. Obviously, she's free to choose whomever she wants for her wedding, but I never realized friendship was a commodity. I did attend the wedding, where I was ignored by everyone who is a member of said church, and I think we've spoken once since then. I do recieve FB invites to her MK parties, but I feel really happy when I click Not Attending.

So this isn't entirely OT, I do have a bag from 31. I think it is the large utility pocket tote. I love it for hauling books and papers home to grade, and it wipes clean easily.

[liltwinstar]

All of the "house party" MLMs drive me bonkers. They used to run through church like wildfire - there was one that sold Christmas stuff (all year - totally useful :roll: ). Then there was partylite, etc etc. My mom used to host parties/buy stuff sometimes. The worst was when she was invited to a "bridal shower" that was really a pampered chef party - the bride-to-be picked out the stuff she wanted from the pampered chef catalogue and then the "guests" were supposed to pick up the tab as their "gift".

Now I get invitations to CAbi parties (clothes) and Stella and Dot parties (super expensive costume jewelry) and some Willow thing that sells home decorator crap. At work, I also get inundated with Scentsy catalogues and Avon catalogues - even though supposedly we have a "no solicitation" policy. Drives me crazy. Plus, as a feminist, I'm thoroughly annoyed by the marketing of these companies - promising women that they can "work" and have "family time" and all that. It's a total lie; the women who sell the stuff work super hard, alienate their friends, and make nothing - and they usually burn out in a year or so, leaving them with piles of scented crap and no money. It's infuriating.

Also, I've seen the 31 bags, and they are ugly. Give me a plain leather bag any day, thanks.

[desertvixen]

Thanks, the Pink Truth stuff is eating my day here.