Is this the worst ever home business

[BenandBolly]

Friend has started one of those selling from home businesses, you know where they host a 'party' and invite friends over to make a profit from.

This particular one though has to be the worst style yet. She has sent an email asking if any of us would like to host one and invite our friends and we will receive "free merchandise".

I would never entertain the idea of doing one but AIBU to be utterly at the audacity of the request.

Any ideas for replies would be welcome.

what do you mean "worst style"?

That's how they all work though isn't it?

I was approached by a Jamie at Home representative and asked if I wanted to host a Jamie at Home party with pretty much the same parameters as you're describing.

I didn't!

But surely the 'representative' role is the one your friend has taken. And she's looking for party hosts.

Really, it's standard.

So I would put on a party on her behalf, all the attendees would be friends of mine and she would take commission on sales and I would get a free book or two?

I thought it was up to the business owner to find clients?

Isn't that how these things work? If it is like a tupperware / Ann Summers / Virgin Vie type selling system?
I know that when my SIL hosts these events in her house the woman comes in to sell whatever it is and SIL gets a discount off anything she buys.

I don't see anything wrong with it. If you don't want to do it, decline.

So really you are doing a favour for a friend so they can make some cash from your friends?

I can't say I call that a business.

I really don't understand the problem. You only have to say no.

I didn't look into it to find out whether the party hosts would also get commission because I wasn't interested but my understanding is that they would.

But yes, the representatives business is getting party hosts to hold the parties and they take commission from that, the party host's 'job' is to have a 'fun' evening with their friends and take home a couple of free items.

It's crap. That's why no one does it!

Well thank you for enlightening me that that is how these home businesses work.

I have never been to one but I just presumed the host, bearing in mind all the potential customers are her friends, would get some sort of financial reward.

But that is how they operate. Have you never been to one of these selling at home parties before? At the party the seller then tries to recruit another host for the next party and so on.

If you don't want to do it just say no. A friend of mine did Pampered Chef for a while, but once she had exhausted all her friends she stopped because no-one else wanted to book any more parties and my friend found it extremely tiring.

Isn't that the norm?

I know a woman who does Pampered Chef and she will get someone else to host the party ( Invite friends, do the coats, nibbles, wine etc) and Pampered Chef woman comes and does her stuff. The host gets commission for being the host.

It's not worst style. It might not be your thing but get a lovely mix people people and it can be a good giggle.

This is the norm. I have done it for my friends. Usually an excuse for wine and nibbles and if people want to buy, they do and if they don't, they don't.Simples.

If you don't want to do it-say no.

But what does the business owner actually do other than ask friends to host parties and take the stock round?

They don't make anything, they don't get the customers, they basically order stuff from a catalogue and take it the friend holding the party?

The pampered chef ones tend to make a couple of dishes.

They have the stock and pay out up front for demo stuff.

They go to others houses because they hope that host will bring in people who haven't been to a party like that before and buy lots of goodies.

I know our Pamper Chef person holds open mornings at her own home twice a year where you can pop in, eat yummy food, have a chat with friends and buy something if you want.

I am on the fence with this a bit.

I have friends who are Stella and Dot 'Stylists'.

I have hosted a couple of parties for them both.

On one hand it is a fun evening where I get to have some girlfriends around and we have a laugh and try on some pretty jewellery. It is relatively stress free catering wise as the Stylists encourage you only to offer light nibbles [as they don't want the food to distract from the shopping iyswim].
As host I get a percentage of what is sold in jewellery. So at one party £300 odd pounds of jewellery was bought and I think I got about £30 credit towards Stella and Dot jewellery and also 40% another item of my choice.
Another party they had a £50 bonus on whatever was sold and I think I ended up with about £120 of free jewellery and 40% three additional items!

However on the other hand I always feel uncomfortable about inviting people and them feeling obliged to buy something [which I know is the purpose of the party really ] I always overcompensate and tell everyone that it's just a giggle and a chance to catch up and try on stuff BUT PLEASE DON'T FEEL YOU HAVE TO BUY ANYTHING!!! But then I feel bad if the Stylist doesn't make much for her effort and I feel as if I have let her down...

I actually had one Stylist tell me that £300 of jewellery sold at a party is a pretty poor result and thus I started to feel anxious that not enough was being bought but also nervous that guests customers were feeling obliged to buy....

Luckily my friends have both started winding down their S & D operations now [they ultimately found it too much hard work for not enough reward] and so I no longer get asked to host parties

The business owner is still the one to do the selling though. If you want people to buy the cookery stuff, the candles or whatever else you need to sell it to them, make it look really nice and irresistible.

And people who are happy to organise a party are usually the ones that really like said products (a friend of mines loves candles for example and another one loves cooking) so the more people are there, the more 'goodies' they get. Tbh, I have seen the total amount they get being over £100 worth, and they normally get to choose what they want so it's quite good for them too.

That's how all these things work!!!! You have a night in with friends, wine and food, buy some books or make up or whatever, you get some free books as a thank you - pretty standard!!!