To hate myself for putting up with emails from mums flogging stuff? Tupperware or cards

[BonnyDay]

You know the "mummy jobs" (cringe )

You once bought a card / tub / pair of earrings and they keep emailing you crap.
This one was about 5 years ago. Im top scared to say fuck off.

This reminds me that my mum used to attend Pippa Dee parties in the 70s. As I remember it the 'signature' product was a frilly nylon nightie. We ended up with several - not ideal in a house with no central heating. Just one of the many reasons I have never been to one of these types of parties.

Three thousand pounds on pans?
Fuck me, I like kitchen stuff, but even I'm not that stupid!

I like Phoenix card parties - but no-one seems to hold them round here - I know I could hold one, but I'm not the type to go round asking folks to come....

Decent cards for a quid! - and wrapping paper

they also do fantastic paper chains for parties and Christmas - £1 for enough to go across my living room...

And they do those colouring in posters/crowns/tiaras with lots of fairies and stuff....

just sayin.....

You're right about the "no obligation to buy" line

I told my friend (politely) I didn't want to go to her Ann summers party because it wasn't my thing. She begged and begged and when I said "but I won't buy anything!" She said "it doesn't matter"

I stuck to my guns and didn't buy anything

She lied

It did matter

I always decline all parties but I don't see how you can block emails/texts. I have one very persistent friend who sells a product I have never ever bought from her. I get umpteen texts a year about them but I also occasionally share school runs with her so have to keep her in my contacts.

I have done several of these jobs, and currently do Avon.

All i do with telling my friends is post on facebook once every three weeks to tell them the link to the new brochure and when it will be delivered. Quite a few order from me and are very happy. If they don't want to order... That's fine by me. Most of my sales come from my territory anyway.

If someone is pestering you, they aren't doing well. The only time i have verged on to pestering (ie posted more than once a week) is when. Ave either been starting a new business or i've needed a push to a target (and i always say that is what it is)

My Avon facebook page gets spammed to high heaven, but people can unlike that if they like.

I get contacted far more by friends, or friends of friends, wanting to order than i ever contact them.

I don't see my friends as money makers . Obviously, if they buy from me that is good, because i have kids to feed, but if they don't want to, it is them missing out

i texted people once, just to say i had started Avon, and that was it.

Ime, and Avon is my third direct sales job, friends and family are more likly to buy anyway if you just let them come to you.

I have a seperate email address I give out for emails I dont really want to read.

I think Avon is a bit different, tbh. Not that I buy their products either!

But the people I know who have done/do Avon seem to avoid the true ghastliness of pressurised party selling altogether. Like you, Britta they post on FB about availability of catalogues and seem to get their orders from willing customers!

Worst of all was Amway though. I lost a really good friend to this pyramid-selling pile of shyte. It started with an enigmatic call asking me if I was interested in a "new opportunity" and ended with an appalling evening watching people do experiments with inky handkerchiefs and "wondrous" cleaning products. It's difficult to see, bar an night out with Scientologists, how much more pressure could have been put on an unwilling audience.

Amway was evil.

Oh god yes there is a venn diagram somewhere with Amway nutcases and scientologists together.

Frightening.

So how exactly do you get out of them politely? Have one quite good friend who has one every few months and inwardly groan when she has another one. She knows my social life isn't exactly rammed so hard to do the "I'm busy" line. I know - I need to grow a backbone!

I am actually quite scared of the Forever Living people. I think they are a cult to be honest, all happy, glazed faces and the sharpest sales techniques.

The Stella and Dot "stylist" shite makes me laugh. As if using the word "stylist" raises it above selling expensive stuff to your friends.

What's Forever Living?

It's all Stella and Dot round my way.

The jewellery is very nice and I have had a couple of parties and gotten a few free/reduced price pieces. A couple of friends are Stylists.

But I am suspicious of the pyramid scheme part of it. It seems that the Stylists are pushed to achieve targets and a percentage of their sales go to their 'Mentors' [people who brought them into the business].

And the Mentors have Mentors, etc, etc.

So there are people at the top of the chain who are making money off the hard work of the people below them.

And people get roped in with promises of holidays in exotic places [if they meet massive sales targets which they are told are perfectly achievable].

Yes, perfectly achievable if you are pushy with your sales technique and live, breathe and shit Stella and Dot

Or also I guess if you have a lot of friends/acquaintances with high disposable incomes who love to buy jewellery and update their accessory wardrobes every season!

I am known to be a grumpy pants about these things, and my friends know I don't do them.

How hard is it to say " no thanks"?!

Very hard apparently.

I have been to two, and ever since avoided them like the plague.

My best friend sells Jamie at Home, and once told me she was sad as I was really missing out on some lovely stuff. I said I can always get it on line at 40% off.... She was a bit put out but has forgiven me.

Reply to all emails with 'please remove me from the mailing list' each time. Bound to irritate them eventually. Especially if others start doing the same. With regards to actual parties, I repeatedly use the excuse that I've no babysitter (no one will suggest bringing all 4 children) or, in the case of a persistent offender who would not take no for an answer and hosted every type of party going, I would ring up shortly before the start time and apologise profusely that I/dc appeared to be ill/dh was late home/sitter had let me down. I got accused of being boring eventually and was never invited again. Result

I feel quite bereft that I've never been to (or invited to) and such parties! Are my friends a higher class of people? Or is it me?

Gotten klaxon.
It's got. Not gotten

Just delete and ask them not to send you anymore mails, I have a few friends who make cards pretty things for weddings and sell make up the make up consultant is a new 1 and she is bombarding people with posts on facebook , buy my make up it will change your life BUY IT NOW

oh yes the facebook posts, why do they always post the same post about 6 times all together. It doesn't make me want to buy it more because you posted it on repeat!!

I went to an Ann Summers party years ago and Dave Spikey from Phoenix Nights was there taking notes.

He wrote the Ann Summers episode from Phoenix Nights based on our party. I must just clarify and say that the barmaid did not use love eggs on herself while pulling pints, unlike Holy Mary in the programme.

And I also got pressured into buying something, so I bought one of the chepaest things which was some "banana dick lick". I really hate banana.

oh yes the facebook posts, why do they always post the same post about 6 times all together. It doesn't make me want to buy it more because you posted it on repeat!!

god knows but apparently she wil give me a brochure the next time she sees me

I have a fireplace full of bloody party lite candles I was very weak

I took pity on a couple of friends who were doing jamie oliver cookware parties, they were begging for friends to go,

warning the products are total crap, so shoddy and over priced the two items I bought were just rubbish, casserole dish that cracked just going in a moderate oven and a pepper grinder that just doesn't work

Run away if anyone tries to get you to buy some.