Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
can someone explain this to me?
I know I've whined about stuff like this before, but probably not on this scale. So...
Tupperware parties have been around for a while.
And then there were makeup events like Mary Kay.
And then cookware and candle parties (which I personally hate because I don't like scented things, but moving on).
Then linen parties, with sheets and towels and whatnot. I attended one my MIL threw because we needed a new bedspread and she swore to me that the stuff was SO nice - I guess, if you call a cheap ass blanket with a panther print "nice" (even the upscale range of products was made with fairly cheap, scratchy feeling fabrics).
And now I'm seeing jewelery, recipe and greeting card parties everywhere.
What gives? Tupperware aside (since that's pretty good stuff!), I've never been to a party where the quality of the items were any nicer (or any cheaper!) than I could find in a store. I mean - greeting card parties? Why would I want to buy greeting cards at a party, especially when I've seen the catalog and it's full of overpriced, unattractive cards (if they were handmade I could get it, but they're just cheap, badly illustrated, run-of-the-mill greeting cards). I'm not being snarky - I genuinely do not understand this, and I'm getting tired of turning down invitations to this stuff.
Does anyone here like attending these things? Can you explain the draw to me? Is it the social aspect, or do you really like the products? Why are there so many???
Re: can someone explain this to me?
I've never been to one so I can't really comment but I was under the impression that these parties had stuff around that wasn't available in stores.
My mom went to a Tupperware party and came home with all this stuff she couldn't find in stores and other ladies ooh and ahh over them when she takes them places.
I thought the whole candle/card/other such products were the same thing (stuff that's hard to find in stores) so the fact that they're not is news to me.
Based on my experience with Tupperware (which was a lot like your mom's!), that's what I assumed too. Which is why I was so surprised at the linen party, and confused when flipping through the card catalog. They were just...regular stuff. Sure, maybe those exact designs weren't available in stores, but they weren't different/special/unusual enough to warrant the parties (at least in my opinion). I'm confused by it all.
THANKFULLY I don't seem to know anyone that does this, and I've never been invited to one of these "come over so you can buy stuff from me" parties.
I think it's all marketing - Mariko is right it's all waaay overpriced and you find cheaper/better stuff elsewhere, but if the company can get you into a social situation in the living room you know with a bunch of your peers of course you will buy something. It's an easy sell.
This is the only kind of party I enjoy...and ironically, the only one that none of my friends seem to be interested in throwing!
I have coworkers who sell Pampered Chef and Tupperware; they usually just leave the catalogs out for people who want to order. One of my girlfriends sells Mary Kay and sometimes I buy stuff from her, but I've never gone to a dang party for it.
I have other coworkers who sell Avon, candles, and Longaberger baskets. Yep, a party for BASKETS (lined with fabric). And people here looooove Longaberger, they get so excited when their baskets come in. I can hear them down the hall oooh-ing and aaah-ing over their stuff on Basket Day. It is just way beyond my comprehension.
Once I was invited to a friend's house once for a Gold Party - you bring your gold jewelry, and sell it to the rep from the gold-buying company. Sorry, but no amount of free food will get me to attend this weird party where I sell my stuff to a total stranger. Why are you even letting this person in your house?!
My MIL & SILs have a collection of Longaberger baskets. I didn't know what the big deal is for baskets. They pay almost $100 for each basket and yeah, they also get excited talking about their new Longaberger purchase. Umm seriously?
I've never liked these kinds of parties too. MY ILs have invited to me to a few. TG we live too far fromt hem (about an hour away) so I got good excuse not to go :-). They say there is no pressure to buy but really there is!!
I will approach this from a different aspect. A lot of the people selling this stuff are mom's who want an income that allows them to be home with their (usually) LOs during the day and can work at night so their husband can be home with the kids - saves on daycare costs and still allows her to get out at night and have social interaction with adults while making money. Others are retired folks trying to make a little money to supplement their social security. Others are people that have been laid off or taken a pay cut and need a second job to make ends meet. THIS is how I view it.
I have owned my own business (granted not home parties) for years, and I will ALWAYS support the individual business owner - home based or not - if/when I can, even if the product may be more expensive. You will find that a lot of the people doing these home parties fit into one of the categories above, and I'm inclined to support that. As an example, I will always buy Pampered Chef cookware. I love it - great quality, great return policy. It may be a little pricey, but worth it IMO.
These parties, depending on what circle of friends you are in, can be a TON of fun. Food, drinks, friends....and a little shopping. You should never feel obligated to buy anything, just look at it as going to have a good time. I never feel pressure to buy anything, and because I know that the host usually understands first hand, I tell her if I can't afford to buy anything and will usually leave with a catalog.
Try viewing it from the perspective of this is just someone trying to make a living. Yes, there are some shady folks and companies out there, some with some shody products, but it's not all like that. I've met some wonderful people through my local Chamber of Commerce (in which I'm very involved as I try and push my OWN business) that host these parties that are all in the situations described above. If I can, I will support them.
I just learned of this type of stuff 2 weeks ago when a girl came to my dinner party with her stuff in a basket. Another girl ahhh'd over it. I thought maybe it was a midwest thing (leave it to MH to find probably the only 2 couples from IN in our town, haha) but now that ericka says she knows about it I'm just happy no one around here that I know has jumped on this bandwagon...
as for the parties... I agree - I never go except to pampered chef parties b/c I really like their stoneware (it's way better than the pizza stone I bought in a pinch at Crate and Barrel in college). I hate purse/jewelry parties - I would rather buy something that was quality at a dept. store.
I've actually never been to a party like this. So it's just a bunch of ppl getting together trying to sell stuff to each other? Or a sales rep selling stuff to you?
Honestly, with the internet, I don't see why these parties are necessary. I can buy practically everything I would ever need/want online
I haven't been to any except card-making parties (stamping; I guess it includes scrap book page-making too... is it called scrap books? All of the sudden it sounds terribly wrong. The word scrap. I mean those memory book thingies where you put embellishments around your photos on those 12x12 specialty papers).
You have to pay a fee in advance (it's been $20 usually) to go, but you come out after having made you cards, bookmarks, whatever, and take them home.
I think the company is called Stampin Up, and I think their quality of stuff is very good. But here in LA, I have never heard of those baskets, that does sound overpriced. And the bedsheets, etc., - I guess I'm in the wrong demographic or geographic area. Probably women in the suburbs or outskirts of LA know more about these.
I do have to say, I was conned into going to this Mary Kay "makeover" (not a party) - after filling something out at a bridal show. Although I didn't get anything, I really did like their microdermabrasion product.
oh, and they did make it sound appealing to become a MK rep... they had some people tell about how much money they make and how they enjoy it. It actually sort of tempted me, the idea of a little extra side income (OMG though, they have this incentive prize for top sellers - a MK-colored pink convertible!), but it sounded too intimidating to me, too stressful if I didn't sell enough.
I agree with the girl above though... it is important to see it from the side of small business owners too. Too bad they make it unpalateable if their product is not high-quality and/or overpriced.
How it generally works: one of your friends invites you and a bunch of people over to their house for one of these parties. A company rep (which, as pps have said, is often a mom working from home or whatever) then shows you the products, gives you a spiel, maybe a demonstration if the products require it (makeup parties usually have demos). You and everyone else then order stuff from a catalog, and the person who invited you gets a certain amount off their order depending on the amount of $$$ that everyone else spent (eg, they might get a $10 credit for every $150 that other people spend).
I completely understand the small business owner thing. I do. However, with a few exceptions, I also think that most of these products are shoddy.
I would absolutely support a small business owner (even at higher prices!) if the products were worthwhile - hence my Tupperware love, because it really is good stuff (and like a couple pps mentioned, Mary Kay does make a great microdermabrasion kit - the rest of their makeup doesn't do much for me, but that kit is excellent!). But the majority of things - jewelry, linen, cards, etc - are NOT high quality, and I'm not going to support someone who is charging exorbitant prices (and yes I do realize that the company sets the prices, not the individual) for lesser quality goods.
I also object to being treated like a money-making machine by friends - for most of these parties, I'm not being invited because the friend genuinely thinks it's something I would actually want/like/use, but because they want a higher headcount so more people buy stuff and they get a better discount on the things they want to purchase. Of course you always have the option not to buy something, but there is incredibly strong peer pressure, and you feel guilty if you don't because after all, this is your friend (hence the reason I turn down all invites these days).
Ugh. Sorry. I'll stop ranting now, I promise!!!
Yeah, a number of MH's friends' wives throw these things. I've been to a BUNCH of them, and I always end up feeling really awkward. The parties I've been to feature things I'm not really into (e.g. make up, perfumes) or things I'm really picky about (e.g. clothes, stationary, candles). I only go because I feel a sense of obligation to MH and/or his friends and/or their wives, depending on who is throwing the party.
Props to the small business owners, but BOO on the whole thing generally. Maybe I'd feel different about it if I actually liked the products -- I've never been to one of those naughty parties before
-- but as it is, I usually just end up making awkward chit chat with the hostess' aunts and coworkers and other peeps I don't know, and then buying something I don't really like and hardly ever use. 