Mary Kay - Watch Out!

[kddani]

Originally posted by staffies
MK isactually #1 sellingbrand of skin care and color cosmetics in the US for the past 12 years so it's being bought and I'm selling it!

citation, please?

according to Forbes magazine: http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2006...09feat_ls.html scroll down to the bottom and click where it says "To find out which are the world's best-selling cosmetic brands, click here. "
2004 Global market share:
Maybelline 7.4%
Avon 5.4%
L'oreal 5.3%
Lancome 4%
Clinique 3.6%
Revlon 3.3%
Estee Lauder 2.9%
Max Factor 2.8%
Cover Girl 2.7%
Shiseido 2.2%

No mention of Mary Kay, but Avon's on there.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kay_Cosmetics:
"Mary Kay claims to be the best-selling brand of skin care and color cosmetics in its home country of the United States. However, no sources or statistics are ever provided to support this claim. Despite FTC requirements, accurate information on retail sales, product returns, number of consultants at each level, or amount paid in commissions each year is not publicly available."

Seems that MK and it's reps like to make this claim that it's the best selling, but there's nothing to back it up.

[UKDaisy]

Originally posted by kddani
citation, please?

according to Forbes magazine: http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2006...09feat_ls.html scroll down to the bottom and click where it says "To find out which are the world's best-selling cosmetic brands, click here. "
2004 Global market share:
Maybelline 7.4%
Avon 5.4%
L'oreal 5.3%
Lancome 4%
Clinique 3.6%
Revlon 3.3%
Estee Lauder 2.9%
Max Factor 2.8%
Cover Girl 2.7%
Shiseido 2.2%

No mention of Mary Kay, but Avon's on there.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kay_Cosmetics:
"Mary Kay claims to be the best-selling brand of skin care and color cosmetics in its home country of the United States. However, no sources or statistics are ever provided to support this claim. Despite FTC requirements, accurate information on retail sales, product returns, number of consultants at each level, or amount paid in commissions each year is not publicly available."

Seems that MK and it's reps like to make this claim that it's the best selling, but there's nothing to back it up.

In staffies defense she is being told this, like I was being told this, so of course she was going to post this. She is just posting what she knew.

[kddani]

Originally posted by UKDaisy
In staffies defense she is being told this, like I was being told this, so of course she was going to post this. She is just posting what she knew.

Lol, staffies is a guy seller of MK, btw, at least according to his other post.

See, that's such a problem with companies like this. The underlings will believe and pass on as gospel truth anything that their higher-ups feed them, without any proof to back it up. The whole concept of MLM takes advantage of people who are gullible and who have low self esteem.

It's not a healthy way to go through life- believing everything someone who only has a business stake in you tells you. Do the research to make sure you're not getting screwed.

[laura ryan]

Originally posted by staffies
MK isactually #1 sellingbrand of skin care and color cosmetics in the US for the past 12 years so it's being bought and I'm selling it!

Oh, that's just an MK talking point - don't believe everything you hear without asking for proof about what they say. To whom do they compare that to and where is the proof? Who do they sell to? Distributors. PROVE how much of that goes to the public - you can't. Avon could because their product is sold to consumers BEFORE it's ordered, unlike MK where it is widespread that directors get to their positions by putting phony orders in to get consultants activated and/or spread their own money around to keep afloat and ruin their finances & marriages in the process.

The FTC requires 70% goes to the public and I would bet money that you could check basements, garages, unpacked boxes and closets full of unsold product!! On my MKSurvivors Yahoo group, there are pictures of a director's "store" - it's better stocked than any retail store I've been in. So how can they boast about what they've "sold" if it is only sold to distributors?

Now they boast of 2 Billion in sales and I've been waiting for that "increase from 1.8" - gee you think it could be from the recent doubling of many of their products and Nationals who are "working the numbers" to get to National Director status the fastest? It's almost a contest and if you knew what it took to get to National - you would be convinced they are cheating up a storm, mass recruiting and simply working the numbers to get what they want in record time. That's where the "sales" are - it's the value of what the distributors buy PLUS the value of BONUS product given freely, by the company, for the larger orders.

[UKDaisy]

Originally posted by laura ryan
Oh, that's just an MK talking point - don't believe everything you hear without asking for proof about what they say. To whom do they compare that to and where is the proof? Who do they sell to? Distributors. PROVE how much of that goes to the public - you can't. Avon could because their product is sold to consumers BEFORE it's ordered, unlike MK where it is widespread that directors get to their positions by putting phony orders in to get consultants activated and/or spread their own money around to keep afloat and ruin their finances & marriages in the process.

The FTC requires 70% goes to the public and I would bet money that you could check basements, garages, unpacked boxes and closets full of unsold product!! On my MKSurvivors Yahoo group, there are pictures of a director's "store" - it's better stocked than any retail store I've been in. So how can they boast about what they've "sold" if it is only sold to distributors?

Now they boast of 2 Billion in sales and I've been waiting for that "increase from 1.8" - gee you think it could be from the recent doubling of many of their products and Nationals who are "working the numbers" to get to National Director status the fastest? It's almost a contest and if you knew what it took to get to National - you would be convinced they are cheating up a storm, mass recruiting and simply working the numbers to get what they want in record time. That's where the "sales" are - it's the value of what the distributors buy PLUS the value of BONUS product given freely, by the company, for the larger orders.

Seriously, you know way too much about this! lol

[laura ryan]

If you are gonna lead groups and have a website about it, you gotta know what's going on. It's surely been interesting for me to seek all this info on the net about it. I am thinking the best that you weren't attacking me -

[honeychile]

Oh, so many comments, and so little time...

-I don't mind buying Tupperware, Pampered Chef or whatever at a mall kiosk. I truly mean that "no soliciting" sign at the street!

-Someone's buying MaryKay, as there's a woman about 1/2 a mile down the road who's on her third (or fourth) pink cadillac. I think she's a professional hypnotist. I tried the stuff and while I never, ever break out, I looked like a pepperoni pizza for days!

-I have changed flights to avoid these "party racket" sales! ("Darn! And I won't be there until the next day...")

-I wouldn't mind going to ONE Creative Memories Scrapbooking Party, as I have a ton of the stuff (why, I don't know!), and wouldn't mind putting it together. So far, I've decided to do a genealogical send-up on the black sheep of the family, in celebration of his being shot in the groin three times!

-I have a waste basket at my door, with a sign to leave any brochures there. I feel that should give the proper hint.

-While I've never been to any of these parties, I don't mind looking at a catalog at work or wherever. I just don't like the pressure of "buy, buy, buy!" I can do that all on my own, thank you!

-My brother & sil were going to sell Amway (she's a sucker for that nonsense, and the worst salesperson in the world!). I told them that the Moonies ran it, and they backed down. Evil, I know.

-I like Longaberger baskets, but as they were gifts, I didn't realize how expensive they are!

[UKDaisy]

Originally posted by laura ryan
If you are gonna lead groups and have a website about it, you gotta know what's going on. It's surely been interesting for me to seek all this info on the net about it. I am thinking the best that you weren't attacking me -

I wrote lol.....if I was attacking I wouldn't have written lol.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by UKDaisy
Seriously, you know way too much about this! lol

I'm starting to think that same thing. But I'm not laughing.....

[laura ryan]

I thought research and information was good.

[James]

Its fine. But why do you hate MARY kAY? If you were a director you were obviously making money . . so why despise Mary Kay now?

Originally posted by laura ryan
I thought research and information was good.

[Beryana]

And the fact that NO ONE asked her to share her opinion!

[laura ryan]

To James - Well, being a director in MK doesn't necessarily mean you make money. Most directors are broke. A very, very small percentage make real money as a director.

I don't "hate" MK and as I said before, I still use some of the products because I like them. It's the sales force and what the company condones with regard to cheating and pushing women into big inventories and "working the numbers" rather than focusing on really selling product to the public and recognizing consultants for those sales.

They don't tell you necessary information to make an informed decision about going DIQ (director in qualification) and you learn, after the fact, about so many things.

[Sister Havana]

Originally posted by laura ryan

The FTC requires 70% goes to the public and I would bet money that you could check basements, garages, unpacked boxes and closets full of unsold product!! On my MKSurvivors Yahoo group, there are pictures of a director's "store" - it's better stocked than any retail store I've been in.

My friend has loads and loads of unsold product in her room...it takes up quite a bit of her shelves! She was told she had to order so much to become a star consultant, order so much more to be able to get a seat inside the arena at national convention in Dallas, etc. etc. It didn't matter if she sold it or kept it all, as long as she ordered it. She did sell some things, but not nearly as much as she had to order.

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by Sister Havana
My friend has loads and loads of unsold product in her room...it takes up quite a bit of her shelves! She was told she had to order so much to become a star consultant, order so much more to be able to get a seat inside the arena at national convention in Dallas, etc. etc. It didn't matter if she sold it or kept it all, as long as she ordered it. She did sell some things, but not nearly as much as she had to order.

It is true that for arena seating and to be a star consultant you do need to order certain amounts of product =HOWEVER= if you don't have the customer base to sell that product to, or don't work at growing the business, don't order it.

It's not a wise decision to buy something you don't have the capacity to sell. It honestly makes no sense and is pretty dumb.

No one HAS to be a star consultant, or HAS to have arena seating. If someone really wants it, it's wise to work towards it and grow the business so you don't just order and order just to have everythign sit on your shelves. The only reason the company uses those things as incentives is because they want their consultants/directors/whoever to grow their businesses... not so they can just order stuff and have it sit in a closet.