Mary Kay - Watch Out!

laura ryan · #1 02-21-2006, 08:11 AM

I was a former director in Mary Kay and since I have left (only after a year) - I have done an enormous amount of research, started Yahoo groups, for survivors of Mary Kay, and a website at [link removed, no longer working]

I made it my mission to find out the ins and outs of direct selling companies and I have a ton of articles. If anyone is thinking about it, read my sites.

It's not what it all seems and as far as a viable business opportunity goes (to replace your job with it) stay with your job. The essence of success in Mary Kay is to recruit perpetually. Selling the make up may get you some money, but not alot. The big checks are those who recruit and get the large inventories out of the new recruits - in fact, now they are giving bonuses for recruiting alone, which is making them cross the pyramid line, in my opinion.

KNOW-wun · #2 02-23-2006, 12:28 PM

This company has gone down hill since MK died.

sageofages · #3 02-23-2006, 12:49 PM

I went to one MK meeting as a favor to a Phi Mu sister who was involved with this.

Whoa Nelly....it was such a sham, I couldn't believe those that didn't see through it in a heart beat...

Mary Kay...Amway....different names, same scam

Anything that builds your income by bringing in "recruits" to work under you by ordering "products" is a pyramid...plain and simple.

laura ryan · #4 02-23-2006, 09:57 PM

Yup, I think you are right about the pyramid thing. I had no clue what a pyramid was before MK - knew about Amway, but no knowledge about the business model that they all are. When presented w/the marketing plan, MK insisted it wasn't a pyramid. I'm like, OK, so? Whatever.

BUT, now I know better and I am wondering why they had to make a point of stating they weren't when clearly they are becoming more and more just that. I am going to add information about "product based pyramid scheme" to my site. They've given MK people raises and what those include are more bonuses for recruiting - gee how much more like a pyramid can they get?

People NEED to understand the business model before plunging into this.

AchtungBaby80 · #5 02-23-2006, 10:01 PM

Wow, I had no clue that's how Mary Kay worked. One of my sorority sisters used to do the parties at the house all the time, but I don't think she ever sold much. I'm not a big fan myself.

UKDaisy · #6 02-23-2006, 10:26 PM

I sell Mary Kay. And I'm a lil' confused on how its a pyramid scam. I thought that it was a pyramid scam if the money someone else got came out of your money. In mary kay that doesn't happen. Like if I signed you up today you wouldn't be paying anything, the company would.

My director makes over 150,000.00 a year and its mostly off of makeup sells. We are a lil' unit.

There are a lot of good mary kay things that go on. SO I dont' think its a scam.

GeekyPenguin · #7 02-23-2006, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UKDaisy
I sell Mary Kay. And I'm a lil' confused on how its a pyramid scam. I thought that it was a pyramid scam if the money someone else got came out of your money. In mary kay that doesn't happen. Like if I signed you up today you wouldn't be paying anything, the company would.

My director makes over 150,000.00 a year and its mostly off of makeup sells. We are a lil' unit.

There are a lot of good mary kay things that go on. SO I dont' think its a scam.

It is not a pyramid scam, it is a multi-level marketing program. If you signed me up, who would pay for the product I sell?

UKDaisy · #8 02-24-2006, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
It is not a pyramid scam, it is a multi-level marketing program. If you signed me up, who would pay for the product I sell?

You buy your product from the company. And then the company takes what you bought and gives a small percentage to the recruiter. But the recruitee (is that even a word?) pays nothing to the recruiter. The recruitee just pays for the makeup they buy and plan to sell.

GeekyPenguin · #9 02-24-2006, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by UKDaisy
You buy your product from the company. And then the company takes what you bought and gives a small percentage to the recruiter. But the recruitee (is that even a word?) pays nothing to the recruiter. The recruitee just pays for the makeup they buy and plan to sell.

Right, but I have to "buy in" to join.

UKDaisy · #10 02-24-2006, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
Right, but I have to "buy in" to join.

You buy a starter kit with over 500.00 worth of product -for a 100.00. It has facial cases, regular sized fondation bottles to use as samples, both cleansers and mois, etc. But you dont' buy to join to sell it......you just sign up and buy a starter kit. But you can take your time to buy the starter kit. I dont' know if you have to buy one. But it has all of your stuff that you'll need for beauty and skin care classes in it.

Beanblossom1 · #11 02-24-2006, 02:53 AM

Outside of selling, any idea on what its like working for their corporate headquarters? I live in Dallas and pass by there every so often.

texas*princess · #12 02-24-2006, 08:38 AM

Wow.. that profit margin stinks.

HOw does Avon give you the money? ("They give you 20% of what you sell")

You get a 50% profit for every MK product, which I think is pretty awesome. The products are great too, which keeps people coming back for more.

As far as MK's HQ goes, I've never been there, but their warehouse in Carrolton looks like fun. When I went to pick up my initial order, everyone was all smiles.

summer_gphib · #13 02-24-2006, 10:03 AM

The one thing I REALLY didn't like about MK when I was selling it, was that you had to purchase a certain amount in order to get the discount. If I only needed one or two things, and hadn't purchased a big amount recently, I ended up losing money on the sell. I think that's incredibly unfair. Also the push to recruit and those cheesy CD's made me crazy.

I also felt like some people worshiped Mary Kay (who was herself a Christian). That made me very uncomfortable.

CutiePie2000 · #14 02-24-2006, 01:05 PM

With regards to companies like Mary Kay, AVON, Partylite, that scrapbooking company (I forget the name), AMWAY, Pampered Chef and Market America.....

IF THE PRODUCTS ARE SO WONDERFUL, WHY DON'T THEY SELL THEM IN STORES?

Xylochick216 · #15 02-24-2006, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
With regards to companies like Mary Kay, AVON, Partylite, that scrapbooking company (I forget the name), AMWAY and Market America.....

IF THE PRODUCTS ARE SO WONDERFUL, WHY DON'T THEY SELL THEM IN STORES?

Because they're more elite

(sorry, I couldn't resist)