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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

266 replies

Fecklessdizzy · 30/11/2011 22:25

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 ... BlushBlushAngry

OP posts:
TeWiharaMeriKirihimete · 01/12/2011 10:40

I've only been to one, an Ann Summers one (no I don't know why I went) it was kind of fun, but I doubt they made much money, half the guests were visibly pregnant - not really sexy underwear buying state of mind there.

Although one of my friends and I managed to freak everyone out with our extensive sex knowledge... she used to work for a 'sexy' mag and I have spent 10years being friends with people who write gay porn for a living.

heliumballoon · 01/12/2011 10:41

These things aren't parties. They are sales pitches. It's an insult to the word "party".

Alliwantisaroomsomewhere · 01/12/2011 10:56

I have hosted, been to a few and even was a sales person for another book company (not usborne), but my stock answer now is NO. I do not go to those parties anymore. I detest them with a passion!

(The book company I mentioned above have beautiful books and toys, but for me to earn any money out of it I had to put in an inordinate amount of extremely hard core selling work and I am just not that type of person. Besides, I loved the books but DS was not interested in them! )

SeasonsGripings · 01/12/2011 11:10

You are definitely not being unreasonable. I hate these bloody parties too. I hate friends trying to sell me stuff I don't want so they can get some free crap they don't really want either.

The Pampered Chef parties are particularly bad, with all the ladies screaming "we love it" everytime the Sales consultant picks up a over-priced piece of crap. If you need to return something as faulty you'll experience shockingly poor service that will have you dreaming of John Lewis.

I felt very sorry for a local Mum who invested quite a bit of money in the set up of a Bright Minds Educational Toys venture - she was in need of a job that fitted in with having kids but she was onto a loser, her limited friendship group would never be enough for her to earn back her investment nevermind make any income.

ahhyesiseeyouvepooedonyourfoot · 01/12/2011 11:14

Anytime I get invited to one I say "Ooh a party! Will there be ecstasy?!' ..works a treat

housemum · 01/12/2011 11:31

I hosted a Jamie party recently, but only because I knew some people who wanted to buy stuff anyway, so figured that if they weren't going to host it and get the discount, I would! Normally hate them, I used to always buy the cheapest thing there out of guilt, but have hardened recently so if I'm invited I either decline politely, or tell the host that I don't need any make-up/cookware/whatever but am happy to come and boost her numbers if she needs me to.

Don't mind Phoenix as they are cheap and pretty cards, although they do all look the same. Usborne OK too as it's the sort of party to stock up on nice reliable books, but I have a small library's worth so refuse those now too!

I guess these parties worked in the past when it was a fag to get to the nearest big town, and no internet access. Or as an excuse to get to know people and meet up.

MrsHankey · 01/12/2011 11:32

YANBU, but would agree with some others who've mentioned Phoenix cards, they are quite reasonable and much better quality than anything we could buy locally.

aldi Grin at buying the pan so you can whack the salesperson with it!

MrsKwaziipanFruits · 01/12/2011 11:34

I like Usborne parties mainly because they mean I get to pick up beautiful books for sod all at car boot sales Wink

YANBU OP - overpriced gear that you feel obliged to buy. Can't be doing with it anymore.

KatAndKit · 01/12/2011 11:37

I avoid these things like the plague. The invites are all dressed up as a fun girlie evening with wine and nibbles etc.

So why not just invite me round for wine and snacks then? I'll even bring a bottle myself. If I wanted candles/cookware/vibrators/xmas tat I can order it myself off the internet without wasting an entire evening looking at the stuff. And I don't want it anyway.

fishandlilacs · 01/12/2011 11:40

I narrowly got away with having a pampered chef party the other week, I had to cancel because i got a chest infection and I was 30 weeks preg at the time. I have subsequently been to one and I am so glad I didn't bother. Massively overpriced.

I did used to do parties for lush-but the format was totally different. Not pyramid structure, everyone got loads of freebies and the stuff was sold at a small discount. It was just a way of out sourcing the shop stuff.

WhereYouLeftIt · 01/12/2011 11:42

My sister used to host loads of these, years ago. Not particularly for the "free gifts", which would have come nowhere near recouping what she spent on food/drinks - but she basically liked to have an excuse to entertain her friends. And because we all knew that was her motivation, we felt under no great compulsion to buy. Although I did get some beautiful wine glasses once.

That's probably why she stopped doing them, come to think of it - not enough money was made for it to be worth the demonstrator's time, so they didn't press her to host another.

WhereYouLeftIt · 01/12/2011 11:44

"The invites are all dressed up as a fun girlie evening with wine and nibbles etc. So why not just invite me round for wine and snacks then?"

Isn't that 'book club' territory? Grin

Miette · 01/12/2011 11:52

YANBU. I bloody hate those parties. The stuff is so overpriced and they try and guilt you into buying stuff. You feel really manipulated. The second to last one i went to (overpriced kitchenware) the seller woman began it by holding up a portrait photo of her boys and saying "This is why i do this. So I can be there for my boys." I cringed for her. I won't go to any more. The only exception I make is Body Shop as i love smelly stuff and their stuff costs the same as in the shops so you know what you are in for. An evening of sitting sniffing lovely smells and eating crisps. What's not to like?
That woman was incredibly rude to you OP! Unbelievable!

Miette · 01/12/2011 11:53

If someone only wants to see me when they can sell me stuff. (I know a few people like that.) Then they can get stuffed.

Miette · 01/12/2011 11:56

When they say that they do it so they can be around for their kids maybe i should say "Well I'll spend as much as i can then as it doesn't matter to me whether or not i am around for my girls." Hmm

Miette · 01/12/2011 12:00

Oh and don't buy one of the oil spray things from Pampered Chef. They are absolute rubbish. Angry

lucjam · 01/12/2011 12:00

I host a party every year where my two friends who own a gift shop bring over a lot of their stuff, kids bits, jewellery, smellies, xmas decs etc really nice stuff.

I invite people,they come and have mince pies and mulled wine or fizz, or a cuppa if that's what they want. I always hold it in mid November, I get a good turn out. I don't do it to make money for myself but rather to help out my two friends. I spend money on drinks and nibbles and spend one day clearing out my living room and dining room so they can display everything so for me its quite a lot of effort. Lots of people come, was circa 20 this year and £800 worth of stuff was bought.

So not all of these types of parties are horrible, my 2 friends don't do any type of hard sell or speech or anything, people just wander in between 8 and 10pm, have a drink, a natter and buy some stuff if they want. I always invite people but say there is no pressure to buy and not everyone does buy.

I have been to a Jamie Oliver at home party, you seem to be able to get the same stuff much cheaper in his sainsburys range. I bought a milk jug that gets so hot in the microwave it burnt my hand and a butter dish I never use, both a great expense.

Miette · 01/12/2011 12:03

I went to a candle one once and my dh and I were hooting with laughter at the price of some of the stuff in the catalogue. A glass bowl with floating fake sunflowers and candles. £80. This was 12 years ago so seemed even worse then.

SusanneLinder · 01/12/2011 12:14

I hate most of them, but I do happen to like Partylite.Blush. I have tried every candle on the planet and I love them the best.I know they are dearer,but they do last longer. I am not a fan of yankee cos the smell is too pungent and makes me feel sick.

I have had a couple of parties,but I don't enjoy having them. I will be however, your perfect guest cos I do buy the candles.Not the other stuff through, most of it is VERY expensive.

I am a candle whore, so if anyone is having one,I'll come.:o

Not a fan of bodyshop cos I also have the card. And Anne Summers is overpriced rubbish.

redredruby · 01/12/2011 12:18

I have been to one of these parties and it was rubbish! I arrived with a bottle of wine as a gift to the 'host' and then noticed that everyone was just drinking their own alcholol and nothing had been provided......at which point I hissed at my boyfriend who had dropped me and my sister off to go and get us another bottle!

We then sat there all evening, drinking our own wine, being shown stuff and when it came to ordering the goods the seller kept a running total just so the guests all knew how much more they had to buy in order for the host to get their discount.

And to make it even worse their were absolutely no nibbles provided! I couldn't believe it! Shock Basically we had sat in someones living room, drinking our own alcholol without so much as a bowl of crisps being offered just so the ahem 'host' could get her free gifts. Party my arse.

cocoachannel · 01/12/2011 12:21

My Mum held Pampered Chef parties for a while in aid of a charity. When she retired, she turned her hand to making things to sell at village fetes and things instead (she's amazing with textiles, I missed that gene), to continue her fundraising. The Pampered Chef people made it near impossible for her to leave. She said it was like being in the clutches of a cult Shock

Consequently, she has a garage full of their crap stuff and I have a kitchen full of pretty useless things like a soap dispenser which allows you to add water to soap ready for use Hmm

Disclaimer: they have a manual chopping gadget, which has proved amazing for stage three weaning.

sherbetpips · 01/12/2011 12:21

even worse are the clothes parties - crap quality french stuff in weird designs with a name that sounds like a womans private parts (sorry cant remember what the brand was called I just know it was rude). The clothes where really thin and nasty and everyone is there cooing over something they wouldnt look twice at in M&S - cheapest thing was £50! Jamie Oliver parties equally as pointless as again nothing at a normal price.

KatAndKit · 01/12/2011 12:24

I have a soap dispenser that allows you to add water. It is called a half empty bottle of Asda handwash! Doesn't every one do this anyway to eke out the bit at the end?

However I have yet to find a garlic press that actually presses garlic properly so I would actually endure the horrors of a party if anyone could inform me reliably that I could get one from Jamie or Pampered Chef. I'd have to get pissed on gin to endure the party, but I am prepared to suffer for this purpose.

Alouisee · 01/12/2011 12:28

Watch out for Temple Spa parties. "Come and have a free facial" which you perform on yourself. Then get suckered into buying skincare products, candles and a whole load of crap that you'd never buy.

In fact i might show "the consultant" this thread.

OhdearNigel · 01/12/2011 12:30

I did Body Shop at Home last year. It was awful, I hated how you were expected to push, push, push the stuff at the parties. I just couldn't do it. It ended up costing me a fortune and I would have to be feeding DD cat food and living in a box before I did it again.

Being a consultant is also a nightmare, there is so much pressure on you to rebook parties and get new customers. When I (foolishly) signed up they made it sound like they had loads of work and didn't have enough consultants to staff the parties. Oh how wrong I was