Job hunters flock to Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware

[marmar]

AP, via SFGate:



Job hunters flock to Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware
Juanita Cousins, Associated Press

Saturday, June 13, 2009


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(06-13) 04:00 PDT Nashville --

Armies of new Avon ladies, Mary Kay reps and Tupperware sellers are advancing on living rooms across the country, their ranks full of professionals forced to take a second job amid the recession.

Becke Alexander, sales manager for Avon Products Inc. in New York, hears each week from laid-off bankers and stay-at-home moms, but also gainfully employed people worried how long they'll stay that way. All of them are willing to knock on doors, host parties or do whatever else it takes to peddle some makeup.

" 'I need money.' That's what I've been hearing since about November," Alexander said. "There are no hobby seekers coming here. It's people with a legitimate need."

Job cuts, shrinking bonuses and scaled-back hours have pushed more people than ever to become direct sales representatives, a phenomenon industry experts say they've seen before.

In the 1990-91 recession, the number of direct sellers increased 8 percent to 5.1 million Americans. In the 2001 recession, the work force increased to 12.2 million. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/13/BUUL1869D0.DTL&type=business

[SpiralHawk]

1. Republicon Homelanders need to employ the "Fuller Brush Man" strategery

to clean up the toilet bowls of their minds and politics

[Raine]

4. LOL and especially after

8 years of them and the filth they left behind. x(

[sarcasmo]

2. Don't you have to pay money up front to these companies in order to get started?

[jmowreader]

13. Most of them, yes

Avon is supposedly cheapest--they charge $10 to get started, but that doesn't include samples. Mary Kay is pretty expensive at $100, but you get enough product to make over 30 people. Tupperware is also around $100.

I like Watkins, who makes a lot of flavorings and stuff you can't get other places. They don't discourage you linking Watkins with other businesses, which makes Watkins a good sideline to another business you run. Watkins does two other things I like: they stay away from MLM, and they don't try to convince you that selling vanilla extract is going to turn you rich. They KNOW it's a sideline at best.

[malaise]

3. Which reminds me of an old joke

I heard as a teenager.

Why did Pond'scream?

Because Max Factor. :evilgrin:

[femmocrat]

5. And who is buying their wares?

Can't be very lucrative.

[iamjoy]

7. Maybe It Is Lucrative

I mean, think about it - there are people who can't take a vacation this year. So, maybe they'll indulge with some new cosmetics or personal care products (Mary Kay or Avon). Other people are going out to eat less (more time in the kitchen) so they may feel it's okay to buy some Tupperware or Pampered Chef. Maybe they can't redecorate their house, but they can buy a few candles and accessories from Partylite or some pretty dish from Princess House.

All of this stuff is high priced, but still cheaper than other luxuries people may be skipping in this economy. Also, people may buy it because they want to help their friend. I think there's something in the social dynamic of the home parties that encourages people to spend, or maybe it's just seeing the products demonstrated and staged in a way what many stores don't have the resources to do.

I imagine these direct selling businesses are doing pretty well, but I don't know how good a living most of their reps actually make off of it. A lot of times the initial investment isn't that big, and you do get product for it, but I think they it sound easier than it really is. I think you really have to be a good sales person and truly apply yourself if you want to be a success.

[CurtEastPoint]

6. What? No AMWAY?

aka scamway

[InvisibleTouch]

8. These are tough sells.

I tried it once, a few years ago, without success. I don't have the type of personality that chats someone up in the grocery store and tries to get them to buy pricey makeup. (And it is pricey, compared to what you can find at the store; you could argue that it's also correspondingly better in quality, but if it's a choice between buying food and buying eyeshadow ... well....) And even those sellers who have a naturally outgoing and gregarious nature are having a very hard time in this type of business. I can only wish them luck.

[SoCalDem]

9. Who one earth of going to pay 19.99 for 3 colorful plastic bowls

in this economy:rofl:

[muntrv]

10. Is there a surge in Amway sellers?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

11. Tupperware is major entertainment for blue collar housewives.

Believe me, I know. Wives of refinery workers.

Former MIL was a tupperware pusher. She would invite me to her tupperware parties and get offended b/c I couldn't come.

They were all in the daytime for the housewives. I was working. Well, Duh!!!! :eyes:

[BlooInBloo]

12. My sig applies to things as small as this, even.