Do any of you sell Mary Kay?

[DB in NJ]

I'm thinking about it and looking for input. I assume you get out of it what you put in (just like anything else), but I'm wondering what the company is like to work for. Do they embrace high-pressure tactics? Do they encourage them? Do you find it difficult to do parties or to scare up business? Is it worth the investment?

 

Thanks for any and all input you can give me. I'm particularly interested in hearing from you if you USED to sell it and stopped. Please tell me why.

[DB in NJ]

Nobody here sells Mary Kay? Not one?? :(

[NotSoObvious]

Nooooooooooooo. ;) that was $2,000 down the drain and a fast way to learn I am not a salesperson. ;)

[Home'scool]

I sold Mary Kay years ago when I was looking for a way to stay home with my kids. It is very very very VERY hard to make any real money. The products change all the time so you will feel the need to constantly be updating your inventory when you haven't even sold your previous stuff. They will "suggest" that you market to friends and acquaintances but that gets awkward real fast.

 

If you want the real scoop check out http://www.pinktruth.com/

 

I eventually got out after about a year. I was able to sell back my inventory for about 80% of its cost so at least I got some of my money back.

 

I still use the products, but I am happier as a purchaser and not a seller. I would not recommend it at all

[Lightly Salted]

I don't but am surrounded by people IRL who do ... and I would definitely recommend the pink truth site as you consider.

[blessed3x]

I sold Mary Kay years ago when I was looking for a way to stay home with my kids. It is very very very VERY hard to make any real money. The products change all the time so you will feel the need to constantly be updating your inventory when you haven't even sold your previous stuff. They will "suggest" that you market to friends and acquaintances but that gets awkward real fast.

 

If you want the real scoop check out http://www.pinktruth.com/

 

I eventually got out after about a year. I was able to sell back my inventory for about 80% of its cost so at least I got some of my money back.

 

I still use the products, but I am happier as a purchaser and not a seller. I would not recommend it at all

 

 

:iagree:

[FaithManor]

I have only known one person who tried to sell Mary Kay. She was determined to do it so she could supplement her husband's income which would have allowed her to stay home with their baby instead of continue teaching. It didn't go well. She had to borrow money from her parents to buy the start up kits.

 

She began just trying to have some parties, low key...trying not to be high pressure...then moved to renting tables at fairs and what not...still didn't make enough to shake a stick at. Finally, in desperation, she moved to high pressure sales on family, friends, and co-workers. She ruined most of her relationships. She never made any real money, put the now toddler into day care, and went back to work full time. It was very sad. Her sisters, aunts, and many good friends, never really forgave her for trying the hard sell on them.

 

I see this a LOT with sell from home/party type businesses. My SIL tried Home and Garden or Home and something - never recouped on dime of the money she spent getting involved with it. Decorative stuff...some of it was very pretty. But, the reality is people get tired of being invited to parties to buy things so their friends can get free stuff. I decline invitations CONSTANTLY...Pampered Chef, then it was Stampin' Up, then it was Arbonne, then it was some chocolate company, then Lia Sophia....

 

If one were in a higher income, suburban area with lots of disposable income, and a high population of women who enjoyed these kinds of get-togethers then one might make a few bucks. I suspect that the women who do make money come from such population centers. Out here in rural-ville....it's a pipe dream.

 

Faith

[Mom23Boys]

I'm thinking about it and looking for input. I assume you get out of it what you put in (just like anything else), but I'm wondering what the company is like to work for. Do they embrace high-pressure tactics? Do they encourage them? Do you find it difficult to do parties or to scare up business? Is it worth the investment?

 

Thanks for any and all input you can give me. I'm particularly interested in hearing from you if you USED to sell it and stopped. Please tell me why.

 

 

I used to sell it years ago. It is very hard to make money without recruiting people to be under you. I was not comfortable misleading people as to how "great" and "easy" it was to sell Mary Kay. It takes a lot of time if you want to sell a lot. You have to be comfortable pressuring friends and family as well as strangers.

 

You are pushed to have inventory, but things expire and/or they change packaging, so you have to update.

 

They plug it as a way to have more family time, but most parties and facials are at night, as well as the meetings.

 

I will say though, I found out I am not into sales. I wouldn't be good at any kind of sales. So, if you are a natural saleswoman, your experience may be different.

 

But, Mary Kay bothers me (others are probably similar, but I have no experience with them) in the way that they recruit. It is designed to get you in so deep, so fast that you can't get out without losing a lot of money. Plus, so many people sell it around here that the market is pretty saturated.

[cathmom]

I was going to post that pink truth site also. I sold MK about 20 years ago after being pressured into it by my sister and enabled by my father. It was horrible and left me in debt. Don't do it! Get an actual job if you need money.

[tadah]

You could also take a look at the August 2012 Harper's magazine article on Mary Kay, which you can find on the pinktruth site, although it's a little hard to read there. I remember reading that article when the magazine came out -- it was pretty vivid.

[Samiam]

The thing is , when considering selling something, look at the competition . The makeup/skin care industry is HUGE! Walmart s, drug stores, specialty stores, e Sephora, online, other door to door/MLM like Avon, Arbonne, etc. Lots and Lots of competition. Then with MK, while you are not required to have inventory on hand, you are highly recommended to have on hand for instant delivery to your customers. They don't want to wait when they can get makeup at 20 stores within a 10 mile radius. So that is $$$$$$ invested before you have any customers.

 

Who will YOU sell to? Family? Friends? How will you convince them that MK is better than their current favorite???

 

Personally I always think that MK is a bit outdated in their business practices. Honestly every MK gal I know looks like Tammy Faye Baker with too much makeup.....and I like makeup so it's not that I'm into it....just not clownish....but that is how MK trains them.