To consider becoming a Stella & Dot Stylist?

[DriveMeMad]

Is it totally naff? Will I become a complete pest getting people to do trunk shows? Will people think I've been brainwashed/conned?

It seems like it would work well for us as a bit of extra income whilst I work PT in my "career" job. The upfront costs are ok, there seems to be a relatively easy exit strategy if you don't like it whereby you can recoup any investment, the support from other S&D members seems very positive and useful.

I've always thought direct/pyramid selling is a bit crap but there's something about this that ticks all my boxes. DH is supportive too. I'm on the verge of signing up. Yet I'm really unsure of what friends and family will say/think. My self-confidence is a bit low atm plus I'll need to rope them in to host parties so it does kind of matter what they think........

[DriveMeMad]

fastday what's MLM?

who it's funny because I think there's more silver tones on their website, so I don't think anyone is being ostracised... Eye of the beholder and all that.

kickassangel great tips, thank you. I'm working on the basis that my extended circles would still be fairly closeby, it's a densely populated area so I can't see there would be an immediate need to travel far.

[DriveMeMad]

Just read up on MLM.

Gah. I dunno.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

To be fair I've never looked at the website, just at my acquaintance's samples and catalogue (she was running a stall at a summer fair, not a party). I did ask her about silver and she couldn't show me much, maybe she personally had not got many samples.

[LieselVonTwat]

Is it MLM? Don't, if so, your friends will all hate you trying to tap them.

[littlefrenchonion]

To me, a lot of it looks like something you could pick up at Accessorize for a fraction of the price. And that kind of jewellery has a bit of a shelf life on it doesn't it? Most of it looks like it would only go with a few outfits at most, and only for a season at that. I'd rather go down the cheaper route if that's the case but then I'd look like a twat in most of it anyway.

I know someone who sells it, and her FB posts make me sad. She raves about how wonderful it all is and how much money she is making yet no one ever seems to comment or buy anything from what I can see. She's also tried to flog her 'samples' by knocking down the price a few times with limited success as they keep appearing a few weeks later with a new deal.

Just be aware that S&D's goal is not to help you make money but to make money out of you.

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole personally!

[theycallmemellojello]

If you have low self confidence, how are you going to feel if friends and family don't want to buy? Will you take it personally? Or if someone lets slip they were buying out of guilt? Tbh I think you have to be pretty hard headed to go for this, I'm not sure I could do it.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

If you have never heard of MLM then do some research before even considering signing up. Multi level marketing. pyramid selling

[Chrysanthemum5]

I went to a Stella and dot party I was assured the pieces were made by artisans in New York lofts and that they were absolutely suitable for me even though I have a nickel allergy - until I showed the 'stylist' the notes where nickel was listed as a component.

Personally I get sick of other mums 'inviting' friends to a party so we can buy over priced tat.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

That's interesting Chrysanthemum, I have recently been diagnosed with nickel allergy too. Presumably S&D conform to the EU Nickel directive though, which means it will be at an extremely low concentration. I think my recent flare-up was probably caused by wearing an old "silver" ring bought at a craft fair 30 years ago and predating this legislation.

[MoonSandwich]

I don't like this type of business. I find our local S and D reps are really pushy. I'm on a local email group and the S and D rep spams it all the time even though it's not meant to be for businesses.

[dancelikenooneiswatching]

I am one of the UK 300 S&D Founding Stylists. To be honest, apart from the first flurry of friends giving parties I have found it pretty much impossible to get anyone interested. I think there are so many people selling through MLM, candles, cookware, juices, diets etc., that everyone is thoroughly fed up with feeling they have to either give a party or attend one just to help a friend out.

The prices are pretty high compared to similar stuff on the High Street.

I made sure that the stock I bought were pieces that I personally liked and would want to wear. I haven't bought any new stock for 2 years. The only things I buy are the new season's Look Book's. I occasionally book a stand at local charity events or things like craft fairs and sell off the stock I have and sell new stuff from the Look Book.

On the plus side, there is no pressure whatsoever to sell anything or to recruit, it is entirely up to the stylist how much or little she does.

[Chrysanthemum5]

Whoknows- I'm don't know the concentration, the Stella and dot stylist couldn't tell me anything - she wasn't even aware that nickel could be a problem. To be honest, I thought it was over priced, and in the main, very ugly. I ended up buying a bracelet though as there was a lot of pressure. That's what I can't stand about these things - you invite people round,but actually you expect them to buy stuff so you get free gifts. It really abuses the spirit of interactions, and the guests feel obliged.

I refuse all invitations to these 'parties' now, it's much easier.

[scarlets]

I have an acquaintance who's involved with Phoenix. It's so tedious. I never attend the parties because I don't go to parties where someone is trying to flog stuff to me in order to avoid having to get a proper job. I can see why pyramid schemes seem more appealing than the 9-5 grind, I just don't want to be involved.

[dancelikenooneiswatching]

scarlets some of us have done the 9-5 grind for 45 years but now feel we can wind down a bit and try something else a bit less gruelling and stressful.

[fastdaytears]

scarlets some of us have done the 9-5 grind for 45 years but now feel we can wind down a bit and try something else a bit less gruelling and stressful.

Heading off into the cold fog this morning to sit at my desk and be irritated by people I can appreciate this!

I'd be fine with the selling (once enough of a thick skin has developed which I guess it does). It's recruiting my friends that I would struggle with as most of them wouldn't be right for this.

But from what you say, S&D don't put on the pressure like some other MLM companies of MN fame, and that can only be a good thing.

[trinitybleu]

I'm with Younique and just wanted to say you don't have to tap your friends and family. I don't post on my personal fb etc. and don't do in home parties. It's totally possible to be successful and not loose friends

[Archer26]

My friend signed up to be a S&D stylist and had a fair bit of initial outlay. You have to purchase the stock (though I assume at a discounted price) and a fair bit is needed to make a trunk show impressive. People want to see/touch the jewellery.

My friend did it for about a year but she really struggled to drum up interest. (Though I think she could have done more, she wasn't very social media friendly which I think is v important for S&D). She often threw parties where only 1 or 2 people would show up and the set up was quite lengthy for little return

I do like their stuff, in fact I'm wearing a piece now but I suffer from eczema and unfortunately if I wear some pieces too long my skin starts to flare up.

It's a fun job, I like the idea of it but after my friends experience I can see it is a LOT of hard work at the beginning for little return.

[Duckdeamon]

There are quite a lot of these kinds of selling "parties" near me, which most people seem to try to avoid! Almost always hosted by a kind friend wanting to help out a seller.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

Please don't do this.

I have a good friend who sells Younique and I'm actually finding the whole thing quite pushy

I think that she thinks it is all being done in a very low key way and - to be fair - she doesn't go on about it all the time when we meet in person but I'm fed up being invited every two weeks to a party or having to see updates on Facebook etc

I'm a lawyer and generally lawyers will never act for family and friends. It's ultimately to do with conflicts of interest but it's also to avoid the cringe factor of trying to flog services constantly to family and friends.

Everyone I know is thoroughly fed up of being invited to these types of parties and I actually think you need a bit of a brass neck to invite family and friends to a party and look to make a profit out of them. Because, let's be honest, they're not there because they love Younique or Jamie Oliver or Stella & Dot. They're there because they feel they should support you - so you're ease finally taking advantage of their good will

If Stella & Dot stuff is so fab, why don't you just recommend they look on the website? Oh - because there would be no commission for the host. I'd actually admire people more who openly said please come to my party so I can make £10 from you. I'd say, here's a £5 and let's save both of us the bother. I'd rather just bung someone the cash

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

No trinity - I'm sure you don't post in your personal Facebook. You've probably set up a Facebook group though with a name with the appropriate cringe-factor like "lashes and lipgloss" though?

[Chchchchangeabout]

I think it depends how and whether you approach your friends to sell stuff. I wouldn't think less of a friend for selling jewellery but I would not want to be put under pressure to buy or host a party because I was their friend.

[DriveMeMad]

The "9-5, proper job" thing? That's really offensive. I do that 3 days a week and my employee won't let me go FT so it's not for want of trying.

Further research has shown me that it's possible to borrow items from other stylists for the first few trunk shows. Samples are heavily discounted, and it seems you can often sell them on to other stylists if you decide the whole thing isn't for you.

A few more thoughts on how I'd approach this...

Trunk shows would be just one revenue stream. I would expect a low response/attendance rate and ironically I've previously been the one to totally avoid these kinds of things but then I'm a bit stingy but have friends who really like them. Overall I'd hope that people would mainly attend to be supportive and be semi-intending to buy something, otherwise why bother going? I'd hope to go to local gift fairs, school fetes, pamper evenings etc. Pop up shops do really well locally to me so I'll explore that too. Online "events" is another way, but I suspect is all about the build up/marketing. I hate desperate fb pleas so would aim to avoid that too.

One of my first jobs was a sales role and I very quickly learnt that being pushy wasn't conducive to success.

I'm thinking worst case is that I spend a chunk on a load of nice accessories that I can either keep or flog at a later date.

[whois]

I think it works if you have a very large and divergent group of friends - ie you know lots of people in many different groups. If all your friends are in the same circle, it won't work.

I like S&D stuff, one of my favourite necklaces is from there. I would go to another party.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

A pop up shop and a school fete are completely different kettles of fish to inviting your friends and family to an intimate gathering at your house (or some other poor friends) with the intention of flogging them very expensive (for what they are) accessories or make up.

What I find interesting is that the vast majority of my friends don't do this kind of selling. All of them - bar none - are totally fed up of being invited to these kinds of parties. I've never met a single person who looks forward to one and I think I know a wide and diverse range of people

[DriveMeMad]

It hardly exploitative - they would be fully aware that commission is to be made. They have the choice as to whether to go or not. If they feel obligated, then that's their issue, surely? They also have the choice as to whether to buy something or not, whether to buy it at the trunk show or whether to buy it online. I have a friend who organizes events for a living. When she started out she asked friends and family if there was anything she could help organise, I thought it would be supportive to ask her to help me with a relative's party. I paid her for her time. We had a great party. No one got exploited.

As I mentioned up thread, I think overall I would find it easier once I'd broken out past my circle of immediate friends for the reasons you mention above but I think that's more to do with the fact that the whole business model gets bad press.