Has anyone ever sold Mary Kay?

[cakemom]

My daughter and I were considering joining Mary Kay as a way to 1) teach skincare classes for teens with products I really enjoy and 2) be able to help other women/teens not to be so frustrated in choosing which make-up would be the best color fit as well as being able to actually try make up before they buy it and not waste money buying things that don't work once they try it at home.

 

I wondered if anyone else has been or is a part of Mary Kay and what your experience has been. Would you recommend it and what are the pros and cons.

 

Thanks for your help!! We appreciate it!

[LG Gone Wild]

I did but I didn't like having to hold parties and then there is that whole inventory thing you have to maintain.

 

Still use MK though and have had the same consultant for 12 years.

[Holly IN]

I wondered if anyone else has been or is a part of Mary Kay and what your experience has been. Would you recommend it and what are the pros and cons.

 

Thanks for your help!! We appreciate it!

 

I have been a consultant before MK died. Before MK died it was the best time to be a consultant. I quit after she died because her son changed all the requirements for a MK consultant. I used to get 50% of the sales regardless. Now (unless it changed) you have to sell so much or buy so much from them up front in order to get the 50% sales. I didn't like that. That caused me to have way too much inventory. So I quit cold turkey. Her son is not consultant friendly at the time. Maybe things have changed since then....

 

I really do not miss it at all.

 

Holly

[Denise Allen]

I sold for a few years. The inventory cost me too much money. If you don't have sales you still have to place an order within so much time. Not sure what that span is today. Also, I personally think it would be hard to market it to younger people when money is tight & you can get make up at the drugstore so cheap. Plus there are many stores that let you return make up now- if you don't like it once you purchase.

 

But, like any direct sales, It is what you make it. If you are driven and know people- you can still do well with it.

[Home'scool]

I did Mary Kay for a while. I would not recommend doing it for a lot of reasons, but bottom line I do not think you can make any money at it. You will end up frustrating yourself, and all your friends, in the process. The stories of directors making oodles of cash are over-exaggerated.

 

Check out http://www.pinktruth.com.

[Denise Allen]

Can I suggest Premier Jewelry? I sold that after Mary Kay for several years (until baby #4 & I quit). You make 50 % of what you sell- always. It is easy, fun, and everyone likes jewelry. The hostess plan is great too!! Just a thought.

[mhgillil]

I love make-up and teaching girls and women how to take care of their skin and find the best products to accentuate their beauty, but I would never ever sell Mary-Kay. I considered it in college and did a hefty amount of research to see if it was worth the investment and, from what I learned, most of the time new consultants end up going into a tremendous amount of debt keeping up with the necessary inventory. As previous posters have said, it seemed to be different deal before Mary-Kay passed away.

[kchara]

I love make-up and teaching girls and women how to take care of their skin and find the best products to accentuate their beauty, but I would never ever sell Mary-Kay. I considered it in college and did a hefty amount of research to see if it was worth the investment and, from what I learned, most of the time new consultants end up going into a tremendous amount of debt keeping up with the necessary inventory. As previous posters have said, it seemed to be different deal before Mary-Kay passed away.

 

:iagree: If you're looking for skin care and makeup colors and such, I'd look at BeautiControl. They're owned by Tupperware, who designed the in home party format, and have been doing this a long time. They have the most outstanding training and incentives of any company I've seen or researched. And their products are outstanding. I don't sell for them anymore, but I used to, and someday when the kids are older, I'll probably get back into it. (Don't have time for Spas now.)

[littlebug42]

My friend sells Beauticontrol and I love their stuff. I don't wear makeup so I don't use it but I love their skin care and spa products.

[Cheryl in NM]

I've sold MK.

 

I think it would be fine if:

1. You don't mind walking up to perfect strangers and cold-calling

2. You don't mind running here and there and everywhere holding parties, even when only 2 people show up

3. You have enough money on hand to start your inventory

4. You have a supportive up-line

 

My up-line insisted on a huge beginning inventory for me; I took out a loan, never sold half of the stuff from my first order and ended up selling it back to the company (making me ineligible from EVER selling MK again) when i quit.

 

I quit because:

1. I didn't like walking up to perfect strangers and telling them they look bad

2. The products are very expensive

3. I was barely making ends meet and barely paying that loan and people weren't showing up to my parties and when they did, they didn't order much.

 

I have determined since that I am NOT a salesperson. Just go into it with your eyes open.

[cathmom]

I would never recommend selling MK. I was talked into it and it was a very bad experience. MK makes money off of their consultants, and usually the consultants don't make much if any money.

[Audrey]

A friend of mine sells MK. She has 8 sisters, though, and 3 of them run a beauty salon. They go through a TON of make-up, so my friend makes a fair amount of money from them, plus from their customers when they order make-up.

 

I have sold Avon since my MIL passed away (she did it for 35 years prior to passing). My friend wanted me to sell MK, too, but I didn't like the investment level I would have had to make.

 

If you are interested, Avon is a simple arrangement. In the past few years, they've been pushing the leadership angle, but you don't have to do that. You can just sell. Your discount depends on your order that campaign (as low as 10%, as high as 50%), but there is no minimum order to make and you don't have to keep any inventory if you don't want it. The sign up is a small fee (I think $40??), which gives you some set-up stuff, and sometimes includes a few products, depending on the current sign-up offer. It's much simpler than MK. The make-up is pretty good and there's skincare for every age and budget. They also have fashion, jewellery, accessories, decor, etc.

[LidiyaDawn]

My daughter and I were considering joining Mary Kay as a way to 1) teach skincare classes for teens with products I really enjoy and 2) be able to help other women/teens not to be so frustrated in choosing which make-up would be the best color fit as well as being able to actually try make up before they buy it and not waste money buying things that don't work once they try it at home.

 

I wondered if anyone else has been or is a part of Mary Kay and what your experience has been. Would you recommend it and what are the pros and cons.

 

Thanks for your help!! We appreciate it!

 

I just had a peek at the MK website….you seem to have a focus on teens in particular and I don't know if that's going to work for you unless you happen to know a lot of fairly wealthy teens? That makeup is quite expensive compared to what you can get at drugstores/walmart/etc.

 

dd14 loves to wear makeup and spends a fair portion of her babysitting money buying various stuff - but she'd never pay the prices on the MK website. $20 for ONE shiny lip thing? She can get 4 or 5 of them for the same price at Walmart. ;)

[Gooblink]

A friend of mine sells MK. She has 8 sisters, though, and 3 of them run a beauty salon. They go through a TON of make-up, so my friend makes a fair amount of money from them, plus from their customers when they order make-up.

 

I have sold Avon since my MIL passed away (she did it for 35 years prior to passing). My friend wanted me to sell MK, too, but I didn't like the investment level I would have had to make.

 

If you are interested, Avon is a simple arrangement. In the past few years, they've been pushing the leadership angle, but you don't have to do that. You can just sell. Your discount depends on your order that campaign (as low as 10%, as high as 50%), but there is no minimum order to make and you don't have to keep any inventory if you don't want it. The sign up is a small fee (I think $40??), which gives you some set-up stuff, and sometimes includes a few products, depending on the current sign-up offer. It's much simpler than MK. The make-up is pretty good and there's skincare for every age and budget. They also have fashion, jewellery, accessories, decor, etc.

 

I love Avon! I've sold MK and Avon (and a few other things, in between) and had the best success, profit-wise, with Avon. No inventory, no cold-calling, unless you want to...the stuff pretty much sells itself.

 

Audrey, does Avon still offer that seperate line of products and business model, similar to Mk or Beauticontrol? I can't remember what the product line is called...I think reps were called Certified Beauty Advisors...but I had considered it a few years back.

[Mommy22alyns]

 

Check out www.pinktruth.com.

 

 

Yes, I would absolutely recommend this.

[katilac]

Would teen girls even be interested in Mary Kay? Even when I was young, it was kind of considered to be, ahem, 'old lady' stuff. I don't think it's gained any cool points since then, but I could be wrong :D

[Audrey]

I love Avon! I've sold MK and Avon (and a few other things, in between) and had the best success, profit-wise, with Avon. No inventory, no cold-calling, unless you want to...the stuff pretty much sells itself.

 

Audrey, does Avon still offer that seperate line of products and business model, similar to Mk or Beauticontrol? I can't remember what the product line is called...I think reps were called Certified Beauty Advisors...but I had considered it a few years back.

 

 

Hmm... not sure. There is a line called Mark that is geared more towards teens/young women. I'm not sure how it works in the US -- if you can just be a Mark representative. In Canada, to do either one, you are under Avon Canada. I get the Mark catalogues with my regular Avon orders, so I can sell both lines in the same campaign.

[OnTheBrink]

I sold it years ago. Like, maybe 20 years ago. Made no money off of it and it was very stressful. I like the products, but don't want to sell them!

 

I have a friend who sells now, and she just does it for the discount for herself and friends. She charges friends her cost. She's not in it for the money; she just wanted to be able to get it cheaper than the retail cost.

[Eleni]

I did it for a couple of years back in the late 90's. I really enjoyed it, and dh loved the MK convention...he says he got his best sales ideas from MK.

I did do well with it...BUT..I love sales. It is a A LOT of work, and involves really staying on top of your leads and making sure to work full circle (hold party-book parties from parties-interview potential recruits from parties- and follow up every few months for reorders) If that does not happen all momentum will fall apart, and it is hard to get up and running again.

 

I quit when I took 2 months off because my dad was diagnosed with cancer and was dying. I spent all my time with him, and let my business fall apart. After he died I just didn't have the gumption to make it happen again. I was only 22.

 

I don't think I would do MK again just because it is a huge time commitment. Dh is the one in sales now and still utilizing things he learned from me from being in MK. :lol:

[Gooblink]

Hmm... not sure. There is a line called Mark that is geared more towards teens/young women. I'm not sure how it works in the US -- if you can just be a Mark representative. In Canada, to do either one, you are under Avon Canada. I get the Mark catalogues with my regular Avon orders, so I can sell both lines in the same campaign.

 

Okay, I went into my bathroom closet and found an old bottle of the product I'm thinking about. :) I really need to declutter.

 

It was a line, now discontinued, called BeComing. Avon was going to sell it through JCPenney, as well. When I was an Avon Rep, they were offering a Certified Beauty Advisor career path with a structure much like MK...I don't remember how it was going to all mesh with the same product being sold through a department store. I guess it didn't work out, either way.

 

Sorry for the derail, OP. :)

[cakemom]

Wow, it really sounds like there is a lot of not so good experiences of selling MK. I am glad I asked. I do like what I bought from them and have been using since December, but as far as selling this line, it seems like there is more negative than positive!

 

Has anyone else had experience with Avon or BeutiControl? I had never even heard of BeautiControl. I have never used any products from either of these lines so I am not sure what they sell or how good the products are. I will have to also go and check out their websites a bit later.

 

Thanks for the input, I would love to hear if anyone else has anything to add.

[Audrey]

Okay, I went into my bathroom closet and found an old bottle of the product I'm thinking about. :) I really need to declutter.

 

It was a line, now discontinued, called BeComing. Avon was going to sell it through JCPenney, as well. When I was an Avon Rep, they were offering a Certified Beauty Advisor career path with a structure much like MK...I don't remember how it was going to all mesh with the same product being sold through a department store. I guess it didn't work out, either way.

 

Sorry for the derail, OP. :)

 

 

Oh! That must have been way before my time in Avon then, or they never offered it up here. I've never heard of that.

[kchara]

I'd be happy to answer what I know of BeautiControl. I quit selling about 3 years ago, when I got pregnant with the twins, but I had a great director, and if I don't have the answer, I'm sure she will. Feel free to PM me if you'd rather, or I'm subbing to the thread. :)

[tinkhs]

I've sold MK.

 

I think it would be fine if:

1. You don't mind walking up to perfect strangers and cold-calling

2. You don't mind running here and there and everywhere holding parties, even when only 2 people show up

3. You have enough money on hand to start your inventory

4. You have a supportive up-line

 

My up-line insisted on a huge beginning inventory for me; I took out a loan, never sold half of the stuff from my first order and ended up selling it back to the company (making me ineligible from EVER selling MK again) when i quit.

 

I quit because:

1. I didn't like walking up to perfect strangers and telling them they look bad

2. The products are very expensive

3. I was barely making ends meet and barely paying that loan and people weren't showing up to my parties and when they did, they didn't order much.

 

I have determined since that I am NOT a salesperson. Just go into it with your eyes open.

 

:iagree: My experience also. Although, I was told I couldn't sell it back to the company. A lot of it is still sitting in my living room. I've given some away to friends who have no money and used some of it.

 

It's a LOT of work if you are going to make any money. By the way, the minimum required order is $300 to get your discount (every month or two, I think). I don't know enough people, especially as a homeschool mom. If I worked or my kids went to school, maybe I would have a bigger pool of people.

 

GO IN WITH EYES WIDE OPEN!