To think sodding Sell-You-Stuff parties are a work of the Devil ...

[Fecklessdizzy]

Rant Alert ...

Seething (and stinking of garlic). Just got back from Stupidly-Overpriced-Cookware demo that I wasn't going to go to on account of having a foul cold and not being interested in podding out fifty quid for a casserole dish.

The friend who was hosting the thing was panicking about no-one turning up and guilt-tripped me into coming along to make up the numbers so I sat through the demo ( think shopping channel but much, much duller ) When the demonstrator handed round the stuff she'd cooked at the end I had a nibble or two then made my excuses and started to slink off when she says " Not buying anything, then?" My mate says " Oh, Feckless isn't feeling well, I made her come " and the bloody demonstrator whips back with " Shame, lucky it didn't affect your appitite, though! "

Snarl ...

YANBU I'm Billy no mates at the school gates until one of these comes along.
Suddenly it's Star would you like to come for coffee. Next time I'll remember Mr star makes better coffee and say no!

So why do people throw these things? Why did your friend throw it OP? I've never been to one or been invited so I don't really understand.

YANBU. My former neighbour used to do these and we were bullied into attending invited to parties about candles, cleaning stuff and sex toys. She used to remind us regularly that this was her living and that her friends and neighbours were the source of her livliehood.

She's not the only reason we moved away. I see her updates on FB now and she has also branched out into sweets. Now that's a party I would have attended.

IShouldHave the people who 'sell' the party to you are pretty relentless - it's a proper hard sell. I know, I've been on the receiving end of a JamieAtHome representative's sales technique.

It takes strong stuff to resist! They try and lure you in with promises of free gifts and commission, and if that doesn't work they just tell you how easy it will be, they do it all for you and you just get some of your friends round for a bit of a giggle and when you still say "no" try the "so what is it? Do you not like free stuff? Do you not like making easy money for having a laugh with your friends? Do you not have any friends?" line.

They're tough!

They throw them to make money. Except they all go to each others parties so they might as well all just give each other £40 once a month. I went to a Pampered chef one a while ago but only because there was an item that I actually wanted to buy but couldn't find elsewhere. They all sat there talking about the last three parties they'd all been to. All hosted by someone there. Very odd.

They also try to soften suckers up with initially saying you can raise money for the PTA with it. The PTA ends up with about 50p and the poor girl who hosted ends up with no friends left.

Search me IShould ( good name! ) she seems to do lots ... Costume jewellery, cards, chocolates, body shop gloop ... She seems to be a soft touch for anyone wanting a venue to sell tat to a captive audience. Thing is, her son recently started at a very posh private school and I think she's trying to make friends with t'other mums by being a doormat obliging so I was fairly sympathetic before last night! She was skivvying around washing up for the demonstrator and generally looking seriously twitchy and stressed so I'm not holding any grudges ... Just not going to anymore of her bloody parties!

Oh my God, you are so NBU. I detest those things with a passion. A friend of mine used to hold the damned things regularly - I just don't know how she never got the hint that everyone hates them.

I have yet to see a single thing at a party plan evening that cannot be bought the same/cheaper/better elsewhere. Emperor's new clothes syndrome every single time.

And that cheeky woman deserved a slap - guilt tripping you into feeling bad about not buying anything.

They can be a bloody nightmare. I never buy anything at these parties and make no apology.

It does depend on who's running them though, I've had some great nights in, but there is one woman who sells BLOODY JAMIE AT HOME who's party I'll never attend, she's too much... she'll harp on and on and keep asking why you're not buying something and I end up wanting to buy a pan just to whack her with it.

YANBU.

The only thing like this I go to is a friend's annual cream tea and selling stuff. I only go because what she sells (her own brand of organic skin care) is bloody fantastic and I stock up for the year while she has discounts on.

I don't mind going if its something I want or need, Phoenix card parties are great as the cards aren't expensive and its a great way to stock up. I have been to and hosted Pampered Chef ( and gave my hostess profits to Endometriosis UK because I think its shocking that anyone would want to benefit personally from their friends spending money) but have been disappointed with the quality of the stuff. I hate Jamie Oliver for some irrational reason so there is no bloody way I would go to a party with his ugly mug displayed on all the merchandise.

aldiwhore Nice idea ... Can't afford any of the pots but I could have walloped her with the catalogue!

In principle I rather like Pheonix cards, because store bought cards are an unebelievable rip-off (£3 +++ for something non-shite - what is that all about ) so it makes sense to sell 'em cheaply by doing away with the overheads of a store, which is completely unnecessary - a catalogue is a much better idea. And it's great to bulk buy them instead of having to sadh out every three weeks or so for someone's card.

My only problem with their business model is the cards. They are all a bit crap. Well, not all, but the are very samey, all those twee watercolours of cattoonish middle class people and cricket bats and so on. They need to diversify on style/genre.

Does JO endorse Pampered Chef now then? I went to one years ago and stupidly spent a fortune on a stone pizza plate that was supposed to withstand fantastically hot ovens for the perfect pizza base. It shattered the first time I used it, I never got around to returning it to the agent via my friend as it was too much of a faff, and then I saw it on sale in Debenhams for about five quid less.

I hate these things! Why would friends want to sell you tat you don't want or need? Why? If I want some soap or some eyeshadow or a whisk I'll go to Tesco or Asda or Boots. Stop making me buy stuff I don't need to for the sake of buying it because you then get some money...if you need money I'd rather just give you some. You'll only make about £10 for every £1000 of overpriced stuff you sell!

And breathe.

that 'sadh out' should say 'dash out'.

FolkGirl Thu 01-Dec-11 09:35:06

the people who 'sell' the party to you are pretty relentless - it's a proper hard sell.

I got invited to these LOADS. I live in a village, and we have Jamie, Pampered chef, usborne, candles, perfume and another Jamie doing the rounds.

I went to two. hated the concept. Not my idea of a "party" !

So I explained to my friends that I love meeting up with them for a coffee or a drink, but that I feel uncomfortable with the concept of pressure selling to your mates.

So now I don't get invited anymore, as everyone knows I am not into them. Result. I am not English, so people accept my "bluntness" as part of my ethnicity .

I get so cross they call it a "party", how dull can a party be?!

I've had the odd candle/jewellery/tupperware party in my time.....maybe once a year at the most.

In my case I am very very shy and would feel 'odd' inviting people round to my house for no reason. For example I only have 'soirees' on occasions such as DS birthday, royal wedding, eurovision etc.

So....these party plan things appeal to me because it means I can invite a cross section of friends round, provide LOTS of wine and food whilst the party planner does the part I find difficult....host/entertain.

I always tell people beforehand that I don't expect them to buy anything....and every time I have had a party there have always been people who take that advice and don't purchase. That does not bother me in the slightest. I also make sure the party planner doesn't use the 'hard sell'...have refused to book further party with one who did try to force the issue.

Oh and finally....at the end of the 'party' after the planner has packed up and gone home the real party carries on. Never has everybody gone home before midnight....I just woudn't have felt 'socially confident' to organise and invite people to my house for no reason and be able to keep the party going that length of time.

(I promise I don't work for any of them...

What makes me hoot is the way the companies try to sell the job to gullible potential new consultants as a great way to get out of the house and meet people, and make loads of money!!! Ha! Yeah right, once it gets around the playground/village that that's what you do for fun you'll start feeling like you must be wearing an invisibility cloak or summat, people will be all suddenly develop very poor eyesight when you walk towards them. And the only ones who make loads of money (or even any money worth the effort) are the ones right at the top of the pyramid. Get real.

I have never been to one of these parties. I just say no before the inviter gets to the end of the sentence.

Has anyone heard of selling aloe vera products (and honey possibly), as part of a multi-layered marketing 'model'? I was struck by one poster saying that the party-givers all attended each others' parties, so they might as well give each other £40 a month.

It seems that with its pyramid structure, the flogging aloe vera will only be financially rewarding if you get in at the beginning, and the same is true for these parties; an area will get saturated with, 'Pampered Chef' parties quickly.

Not having been to one of these parties, do you think the fact that everyone is having 'fun' and bonding and being nice to each other makes you feel more inclined to spend money on things you do not need than you otherwise would?

(I love reading the Lakeland Catalogue in the bath, but I wouldn't make an evening of it.)

I had a family member who sold Virgin V make up. I am alergic to most body products and make up brands including this one, yet she constantly tried to force me into purchasing items from her.

She used lines such as... that won't irritate your skin, it's fine on mine (IM NOT YOU!!!), get that for such and such as a gift, I can't believe you pay for that brand when mine is cheaper (but brings me out in a rash!) etc.

She then gave me some for my christmas with a tag attached saying she had got it for me as a special treat and when I realise how nice it is I can buy more from her

I remember Tupperwear!

Only ever went to one and that was because my sister was hosting it. One of the items for sale was an icelolly mould. The woman who bought it returned it the next week as it didn't work. She had put in the juice and left it on the worktop for two days...and it "DIDN'T WORK".

Ha ha - me too! Since arriving in Australia I've had my Selling you stuff cherry comprehensively popped.

Tupperware? tick
Usborne? tick
Enjo cleaning? tick
Lila linen? tick.

I'm astonished, quite frankly, that in a country as expensive as Australia the Sell you stuff parties manage to sell stuff that costs the same as the GDP of some small African countries.

$400 dollars for a duvet set (approx 260squid)? I'm sorry, did you see the word 'mug' tattooed across my forehead?

$150 (approx 100 pounds) for a fucking polycotton sheet (don't give me the 250 threadcount shit - it's polycotton).

No no no no no no.