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Phoenix, Juice+, Ann Summers, Bluebella and the rest - What's the downside?
- Thread starter Jon
- Start date
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ry3uNXpaRc[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1gL9yAklwA[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVB7huZQe_A
doesn't seem to have moved on THAT much as a business model really
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1gL9yAklwA[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVB7huZQe_A
doesn't seem to have moved on THAT much as a business model really
Re: Phoenix, Juice+, Ann Summers, Bluebella and the rest - What's wdownside?
That out me off a lot of direct selling companies, I always asked myself if I would ever buy their product. I considered Phoenix but while I like their cards I don't buy them, and they have plenty of reps in my area, and usborne books - again I like their stuff but I know reps, and I bought most of my sons recent books from tesco.
SHD is part of the new wave where customisation is part of the offering, offering something that you can't get at a supermarket or large retailer.
As for going it solo, to give anywhere near the customisation options I get with SHD I'd have to pick another wholesaler, probably in the US or China. I could buy a locket for $34 that I sell with SHD for £57. But I'd have to handle customs, testing for nickel/cadmium compliance, setting up and maintaining my own web store, creating my own promotional materials, creating my own promotional images, and I wouldn't have access to the hostess incentive programs and other selling tools.
Could I make a go of it? Of course I could! Realistically I'd cut my offerings and import a smaller number of components in bulk to cut costs further. But I'd be looking at a proper full time job, not something to fit around my son, and my margins would be a bit better than the 40% I'd get with SHD, but probably not that much better that it's anywhere close to a no brainer, and I'd have a heck of a lot more invested and at risk.
SHD is a bad example though
SHD isn't a traditional direct selling/party company.
Jon@TheMoneyShed said:
That out me off a lot of direct selling companies, I always asked myself if I would ever buy their product. I considered Phoenix but while I like their cards I don't buy them, and they have plenty of reps in my area, and usborne books - again I like their stuff but I know reps, and I bought most of my sons recent books from tesco.
SHD is part of the new wave where customisation is part of the offering, offering something that you can't get at a supermarket or large retailer.
As for going it solo, to give anywhere near the customisation options I get with SHD I'd have to pick another wholesaler, probably in the US or China. I could buy a locket for $34 that I sell with SHD for £57. But I'd have to handle customs, testing for nickel/cadmium compliance, setting up and maintaining my own web store, creating my own promotional materials, creating my own promotional images, and I wouldn't have access to the hostess incentive programs and other selling tools.
Could I make a go of it? Of course I could! Realistically I'd cut my offerings and import a smaller number of components in bulk to cut costs further. But I'd be looking at a proper full time job, not something to fit around my son, and my margins would be a bit better than the 40% I'd get with SHD, but probably not that much better that it's anywhere close to a no brainer, and I'd have a heck of a lot more invested and at risk.
SHD is a bad example though
SHD isn't a traditional direct selling/party company.Just going to throw in my info for Barefoot Books....
As an Ambassador I get 30% of my sales plus 15% in free books on each order. If I order more than £200 in a month, I bonus qualify which gives me 10% cash bonus (on the discounted value). If that £200 goes in one order, I get 20% in free books. You can choose to go through the sales leader route where your comission rises with volume of sales, by building a team, or both. It is hard work, but the company broke off its relationship with Amazon last year and doesn't deal with the Book People etc which makes it easier in that way to Usborne. They are a nice easy going coompany which is good as there's no strict sales targets or anything. I find I get one really successful event (baby show etc) every 2-3 months and I have to work my butt off inbetween! Hosting events on Facebook is also pretty successful. If you want to make a full time income, you do need a team and it's not for everyone. The biggest thing for me is thatas a SAHM it has made sure that I'm keeping work on my CV and updating my skills. Barefoot do have lots of training and resources to help you build up your business.
I also run a Phoenix Cards business - I joined this for £30 and use my catalogues and samples to get orders, although apparently only 25% of those who join at that fee stay with the business so I have to be in that 25%! The compensation scheme isn't as good as Barefoot (e.g you don't get free shipping on your orders) however it does have much more of a return business appeal, and has a much wider demographic for selling to! Again, you can build a team or not and there's no hassling you over sales targets. I love the social side of Phoenix, getting out the house and chatting to people.
As an Ambassador I get 30% of my sales plus 15% in free books on each order. If I order more than £200 in a month, I bonus qualify which gives me 10% cash bonus (on the discounted value). If that £200 goes in one order, I get 20% in free books. You can choose to go through the sales leader route where your comission rises with volume of sales, by building a team, or both. It is hard work, but the company broke off its relationship with Amazon last year and doesn't deal with the Book People etc which makes it easier in that way to Usborne. They are a nice easy going coompany which is good as there's no strict sales targets or anything. I find I get one really successful event (baby show etc) every 2-3 months and I have to work my butt off inbetween! Hosting events on Facebook is also pretty successful. If you want to make a full time income, you do need a team and it's not for everyone. The biggest thing for me is thatas a SAHM it has made sure that I'm keeping work on my CV and updating my skills. Barefoot do have lots of training and resources to help you build up your business.
I also run a Phoenix Cards business - I joined this for £30 and use my catalogues and samples to get orders, although apparently only 25% of those who join at that fee stay with the business so I have to be in that 25%! The compensation scheme isn't as good as Barefoot (e.g you don't get free shipping on your orders) however it does have much more of a return business appeal, and has a much wider demographic for selling to! Again, you can build a team or not and there's no hassling you over sales targets. I love the social side of Phoenix, getting out the house and chatting to people.
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I find all of these commission structures (with discounts on supplies etc etc) very confusing and have a hard time trying to work out how much profit is actually being made by reps. The Avon stuff seems to be more about getting cheap stuff for yourself more than actually earning a living.
Anyone want to demystify the profitability issue?
Edit: I see Jon snuck a post in while I was typing!
Anyone want to demystify the profitability issue?
Edit: I see Jon snuck a post in while I was typing!
Can't speak for anyone but SHD, but here's how ours works.
I demo stuff to my customer, they place an order through my web portal with their credit card. It then ships directly to the customer, SHD handle the card transaction.
I then get 20% of that sale weekly deposited into a paylution account.
At the end of the month, my total sales are added up and I'm assessed for bonus. I get the additional bonus commission paid into the paylution account, along with any team leader bonuses.
In practice, many of us are set up to take payments ourselves via izettle or PayPal here, and will group orders together for transshipment via ourselves to reduce the shipping costs or because we want to offer specials or bonus items. In that case we pay the whole order on our card, pay it off with the payments received, and then we get the 20% weekly and end of month bonus as above.
Our system allows for free product to be given to hostesses, based on the total sales from their event. If sales come from another source (social media, direct sale, gift fair etc) then the seller is also counted as the hostess, and earns the free jewellery. You're then free to sell that as sock at 100% profit, or use it to cut your Christmas present bill dramatically.
I demo stuff to my customer, they place an order through my web portal with their credit card. It then ships directly to the customer, SHD handle the card transaction.
I then get 20% of that sale weekly deposited into a paylution account.
At the end of the month, my total sales are added up and I'm assessed for bonus. I get the additional bonus commission paid into the paylution account, along with any team leader bonuses.
In practice, many of us are set up to take payments ourselves via izettle or PayPal here, and will group orders together for transshipment via ourselves to reduce the shipping costs or because we want to offer specials or bonus items. In that case we pay the whole order on our card, pay it off with the payments received, and then we get the 20% weekly and end of month bonus as above.
Our system allows for free product to be given to hostesses, based on the total sales from their event. If sales come from another source (social media, direct sale, gift fair etc) then the seller is also counted as the hostess, and earns the free jewellery. You're then free to sell that as sock at 100% profit, or use it to cut your Christmas present bill dramatically.
Hi
I signed up as a Juice Plus distributor in early May. I'm conscious that there's not many of us on here or at least none who are prepared to speak up.
I first saw mention of the product on Facebook and I began to research it as at the time I was pretty close to rock bottom in terms of health levels. I'm a busy Mum of two I was over exercising, marathon training, eating healthily but nowhere near the recommended fruit and veg portions. I ended up getting glandular fever for the third time which is when I decided to give the product a try. Within a month I started to see a difference in my energy levels and me and my husband started to get our evenings back as opposed to me crashing into bed at 8pm. When people started to notice the difference in how I looked and how I as that was when I realised I had a story to share and I decided to become involved in the business.
Within two weeks I had made my set up fee back and in my first proper month I earned approx 150 pounds in commission. This month now with two team members I will make at least double that maybe a bit more and one of my team members is starting to build her team and so it grows. Not mega bucks by any stretch of the imagination but the opportunity is there for people who want it and are willing to work hard.
I do not believe in flooding my Facebook page with JP spam. People are tired of hearing it. I speak about some of the benefits I've seen and people have messaged me for more information then they have spoken to their friends and so on.
I am a very sporty person and very health conscious and I think the reason why JP is getting a bad name is because of a lot of the distributors who have no knowledge of what they are selling and how to advise and mentor their customers. Also without being disrespectful a lot of the reps don't walk the walk and look the part of someone working in the health and wellness industry. I research all the time I read articles and I have just signed up to a nutrition course. I have seen the post on Facebook where a rep was drawn into a conversation and exposed as knowing nothing. If she had known her stuff she would have realised that some of the ingredients the pt was talking about are for a product that is actually being discontinued by Juice plus.
This business isn't for everyone and I think reps getting into it need to be responsible and do some background work rather then just flogging it as a magical weight loss product.
I signed up as a Juice Plus distributor in early May. I'm conscious that there's not many of us on here or at least none who are prepared to speak up.
I first saw mention of the product on Facebook and I began to research it as at the time I was pretty close to rock bottom in terms of health levels. I'm a busy Mum of two I was over exercising, marathon training, eating healthily but nowhere near the recommended fruit and veg portions. I ended up getting glandular fever for the third time which is when I decided to give the product a try. Within a month I started to see a difference in my energy levels and me and my husband started to get our evenings back as opposed to me crashing into bed at 8pm. When people started to notice the difference in how I looked and how I as that was when I realised I had a story to share and I decided to become involved in the business.
Within two weeks I had made my set up fee back and in my first proper month I earned approx 150 pounds in commission. This month now with two team members I will make at least double that maybe a bit more and one of my team members is starting to build her team and so it grows. Not mega bucks by any stretch of the imagination but the opportunity is there for people who want it and are willing to work hard.
I do not believe in flooding my Facebook page with JP spam. People are tired of hearing it. I speak about some of the benefits I've seen and people have messaged me for more information then they have spoken to their friends and so on.
I am a very sporty person and very health conscious and I think the reason why JP is getting a bad name is because of a lot of the distributors who have no knowledge of what they are selling and how to advise and mentor their customers. Also without being disrespectful a lot of the reps don't walk the walk and look the part of someone working in the health and wellness industry. I research all the time I read articles and I have just signed up to a nutrition course. I have seen the post on Facebook where a rep was drawn into a conversation and exposed as knowing nothing. If she had known her stuff she would have realised that some of the ingredients the pt was talking about are for a product that is actually being discontinued by Juice plus.
This business isn't for everyone and I think reps getting into it need to be responsible and do some background work rather then just flogging it as a magical weight loss product.
Hi Kim
I think you are right. Selling books is one thing but selling a health product like Juice+ to people and not knowing all the facts is a dangerous game to get into.
How many hours do you have put into all this to get your £300 a month from it then?
one thing confuses me though
at the start of your post you say
' I was pretty close to rock bottom in terms of health levels.'
and then a bit later you say
'I am a very sporty person and very health conscious'
so I can't work out if you have copy and pasted a bit of your sales pitch into your post or something doesn't quite add up
I think you are right. Selling books is one thing but selling a health product like Juice+ to people and not knowing all the facts is a dangerous game to get into.
How many hours do you have put into all this to get your £300 a month from it then?
one thing confuses me though
at the start of your post you say
' I was pretty close to rock bottom in terms of health levels.'
and then a bit later you say
'I am a very sporty person and very health conscious'
so I can't work out if you have copy and pasted a bit of your sales pitch into your post or something doesn't quite add up
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Jon@TheMoneyShed said:
I suspect that she meant normally healthy, but suffered the Glandular Fever problems etc. I didn't see any contradiction there.
I have to say that my FB Feed has managed to escape without being bombarded by Juice+ and I'm not even sure what it is [checking it out now].
I can certainly see that selling these sorts of "health supplements" is far more likely to be profitable in 2014 than "Avon perfume". So, I congratulate you for finding a trending market rather than a declining one!
The problem that I have with the whole concept is that it promotes the "take a magic pill" to stay healthy ethos rather than just telling people to eat more fruit and vegetables. Any health benefits are likely to be lost if you then go out and eat burgers every day. If you actually eat the fruit and vegetable in their natural state, you are more likely to be full and less likely to hunt around for more unhealthy food to supplement the supplements.
Having said that, I don't have a problem with this stuff being on the market - people have to make their own minds up provided the "research" isn't misrepresented. I haven't got time to go through the the academic papers on the website to consider their validity (they may be perfectly sound - I just don't know). But, I am never impressed by the "we asked the parents" type of studies that appear on the site. I remember the dodgy "Durham Fish Oil" study that was being widely circulated but which was based on very flimsy evidence when you actually looked at it properly. There have actually been quite a few recent studies suggesting that taking vitamin pills is either ineffective or positively harmful. So, I am openminded, but sceptical.
I also wonder how much real fruit and vegetables are being processed to make this stuff. If massive quantities are being pulped in order to concentrate vitamins etc into these pills so that well-off people can buy them, does this not have a negative impact on the world food market for poorer countries?
No sales pitch. I consider myself to be a sporty person and health conscious but that doesn't mean I avoid all illness god I wish. I was exercising daily, marathon training busy at work and something had to give. Unfortunately although eating healthily I wasn't giving my body enough nutrients. Nothing to hide that's the truth.
In terms of hours most of my work has been done while going about my normal life. I talk to people on the school run, at work and I also have a Facebook group which I update with motivational tips, meals I've cooked exercise ideas etc. Amazing how many times in just day to day conversations you speak to people about health or how they are feeling. I probably spend an hour sometimes more a day just responding to enquiries helping customers with questions etc
In terms of hours most of my work has been done while going about my normal life. I talk to people on the school run, at work and I also have a Facebook group which I update with motivational tips, meals I've cooked exercise ideas etc. Amazing how many times in just day to day conversations you speak to people about health or how they are feeling. I probably spend an hour sometimes more a day just responding to enquiries helping customers with questions etc
Hi
In terms of fruit and veg I never encourage people to replace them with the capsules. Quite the opposite. I try now to cook and eat clean. Plenty of meat, fish fruit and vegetables but avoiding any processed foods low far sugar free products etc. There is absolutely no substitute for fresh fruit and veg but the capsules ca offer a supplement for people who struggle to meet the recommended portions.
In terms of fruit and veg I never encourage people to replace them with the capsules. Quite the opposite. I try now to cook and eat clean. Plenty of meat, fish fruit and vegetables but avoiding any processed foods low far sugar free products etc. There is absolutely no substitute for fresh fruit and veg but the capsules ca offer a supplement for people who struggle to meet the recommended portions.
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Sounds like you are doing well out of it - good for you.
I could imagine loads of busy parents at the school gates jumping at the chance to use this stuff.
The problem I have with the Parent Study though is:
1. No control sample
2. Depending upon what age the child started on the process, isn't it normal for them to increase their fruit and vegetable repertoire (and overall consumption) as they get older and "braver" anyway?
I could imagine loads of busy parents at the school gates jumping at the chance to use this stuff.
The problem I have with the Parent Study though is:
1. No control sample
2. Depending upon what age the child started on the process, isn't it normal for them to increase their fruit and vegetable repertoire (and overall consumption) as they get older and "braver" anyway?
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kimmscott said:
My wife is getting into the "clean" eating thing and I can absolutely see the sense in this lifestyle choice. Some of the stuff that goes into our food is a scandal.
Since most of the people buying Juice+ will be committing to these other lifestyle changes, how can you measure whether or not the J+ is actually having any positive benefit over and above the benefits of normal clean eating and healthy living? Are there any studies comparing these permutations? So, comparing "clean living" vs "clean living + J+" ?
I take that on board.
There are no official studies I know of that I can point to but I know from customers that have taken the product and then run out or not taken it on holiday etc that they have noticed the difference. My husband was using the capsules and then stopped basically because he was too rubbish at remembering to take them and he noticed a big difference in his energy levels. Needles to say he is back on them now.
I agree with your comments regarding clean eating. After my two children were born I followed Slimming World for a while and a lot of the food I was eating was low fat and processed. Light cereal bars low fat yoghurts etc full of sweetener and not something I could do again.
This for me has worked for me and my family and is starting to come together as a business opportunity.
It isn't for everyone I know that and I can also see some of the questions people have ie the control studies etc and I take the point.
There are no official studies I know of that I can point to but I know from customers that have taken the product and then run out or not taken it on holiday etc that they have noticed the difference. My husband was using the capsules and then stopped basically because he was too rubbish at remembering to take them and he noticed a big difference in his energy levels. Needles to say he is back on them now.
I agree with your comments regarding clean eating. After my two children were born I followed Slimming World for a while and a lot of the food I was eating was low fat and processed. Light cereal bars low fat yoghurts etc full of sweetener and not something I could do again.
This for me has worked for me and my family and is starting to come together as a business opportunity.
It isn't for everyone I know that and I can also see some of the questions people have ie the control studies etc and I take the point.
Hi again you have misread my post I did not say there were no official studies I said there were no studies in relation to what Reward guy asked. There are 31 gold standard clinical reviews in place
Hiya
Could you link me through to these studies (just 2 or 3 will do)
sorry if it seems I am coming across like giving you a hard time (I think you may have been warned before you came here that it's about standing your ground a bit and showing us why your franchise works , It's just I see these franchises shilled all day everyday in my facebook page and places I frequent and every new product is the new best product ever
I do wonder if the guys at the top go 'let make apyramid scheme, we just need a good product to hook people in'
then then the product arrives like Juice+ or Ann Summers or Avon and it no longer gets viewed as a scheme
Did you have to pay upfront at all to sign up?
Could you link me through to these studies (just 2 or 3 will do)
sorry if it seems I am coming across like giving you a hard time (I think you may have been warned before you came here that it's about standing your ground a bit and showing us why your franchise works
, It's just I see these franchises shilled all day everyday in my facebook page and places I frequent and every new product is the new best product everI do wonder if the guys at the top go 'let make a
then then the product arrives like Juice+ or Ann Summers or Avon and it no longer gets viewed as a scheme
Did you have to pay upfront at all to sign up?
Of course. Here's a link which may help http://www.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/clinical-research/juice-plus-clinical-research.html#.U8-TXhlwbqA
You don't have to apologise I come across negativity quite a lot. I think the thing that always surprises me the most is that people who work at say McDonald's or coca cola seem to escape it watch people every day go into the supermarket and fill their baskets with absolute rubbish. At the end of the day I am sharing something that has helped me and my family.
You don't have to apologise I come across negativity quite a lot. I think the thing that always surprises me the most is that people who work at say McDonald's or coca cola seem to escape it
watch people every day go into the supermarket and fill their baskets with absolute rubbish. At the end of the day I am sharing something that has helped me and my family.In terms of payments I was a customer first so paid for the product. I then paid 49.99 upfront to become a distributor