Multi-level marketing companies like Mary Kay, Avon and Tupperware, are still doing brisk business, but the in-home parties that these companies have helped start are now attracting professional women, as well as the stay-at-home mothers. A lot more choices of products are becoming more available through the years, but one thing that has remained constant: The women who are hostesses at these parties, serving beverages and and snacks as their friends socialize, and look through the catalogs/displays that have been carefully arranged on the dining room tables. These kinds of parties are generating more sales than ever. They are also providing extra income and an adjustable working schedule for women, like Lynn Riddick, who runs her own marketing and PR firm from her home in Alamo Heights. She has a job as a part-time worker for Silpada Designs, a Kansas-based jewelry company which has over 16,000 representaitives all over the country.
According to Lynn Riddick, she would never have imagined herself doing tupperware parties, or the like. But she really has had a fun time doing it. Lynn Riddick makes about $1,500 dollars each month from the these parties, selling jewelry like rose quartz sterling silver necklaces, turquoise bracelets, and black onyx earrings. In about 18 months, Lynn Riddick and her group have been able to sell a total of $45,000 dollars worth of jewelry, which is enough to get them an all-expenses-paid trip to the country of Aruba.
Another MLM distributor, Rachel Hernandez, earns about $100,000-a- year from selling tupperware, and has received 20 free trips as a result of her selling ability. She resigned from her job at the Bexar’s County Tax Assessor’s Office almost 26 years ago, after her fourth child was born. She is now a top executive for Tupperware in the the San Antonio region, with about 250 sales associates working under her. According to her, its been a great journey and experience, because she has been able to raise her children herself, while at the same time working from home and earning good money.
Both Lynn Riddick and Hernandez are a part of a growing community. Already, there is an estimated 13.6 million people in direct-marketing in the country, of which 71.9% percent is female, selling products to interested consumers, like cookware, cosmetics, toys, and even pet accessories. The total sales from this totalled to up to $29.7 billion back in 2004. According to Amy Robinson (from the Washington, D.C. Trade Group), one of the trends that they have noticed over the years is the the expansion of the variety of products that are being sold in the multi-level marketing world.
Even well-known traditional marketers have launched their own direct-sales lines. The makers of Crayola (Binney & Smith) sell “The Big Yellow Box”, which is filled with craft projects that are really suited for little kids, and are now doing direct marketing. Body Shop International sells lotions and cosmetics through their “Body Shop at Home” scheme. Underwear giant Jockey International has in-home underwear gatherings. Kim Gentile, the sales vice-president for Jockey International’s “Person to Person Inc.” (which is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin), said that this is one way that they can literally get closer to their patrons. Jocky International launched “Person to Person” almost 16 months ago, and already has 500 distributors in 35 states in the U.S.
During a “Person to Person” party by Jockey, a representative of the company displays a rack filled with Jockey products (like underwear for both men and women, scarves, blankets and pillows) which cost from $12 dollars to $130 dollars. Crayola launched their “Big Yellow Box” in the multi-level market some years ago. As of today, it has already 1,000 distributors all over the country. Crayola’s products sell from $12.95 dollars up to $59.95 dollars, depending on the product.
Sue Rusch, the general manager of Crayola’s “The Big Yellow Box”, which is based in Easton PA., said that the main reason Crayola wanted to join the multi-level market is that it is one of the best ways to sell their products - right in people’s homes. During one of Crayola’s in-home parties, the distributors do a craft presentation with the party guests, and talk about using the “Big Yellow Box” as a tool for family bonding.
Silpada’s co-founders, the company where Lynn Riddick works (they are Bonnie Kelly and Teresa Walsh), are big time personalities in the direct-sales market. Almost a decade ago, the partners started their business with $25 for capital, now they are multimillionaires.
According to Rachel Hernandez, one of the noticeable changes over the years is that there has been a significant increase in competition with their in-home parties. It’s definitely a growing industry.
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