A reader named Marie sent this message describing her experience as a guest at a Mary Kay meeting.
I appreciate your website as well as others who feel the same as I do. I was invited to a MK meeting/skin care. Was made to take off personal makeup to try MK products. I looked terrible/like a stuffed pig, colors were not for me. When the meeting leader showed me a huge case of products that she unrolled,retail to me over $200, I guess I gave her the impression I was not interested, she slammed it on the table.
I was told the next step was to have a personal meeting with the consultant who invited me there. I did meet at her home. She gave me a makeover, much like the one at the meeting. This lasted 2 hrs, when applying the makeup was only supposed to take 15 mins. Needless to say I never purchased MK products & ran as fast as I could from there. It was all very CREEPY!
P.S. There was a story in my local paper this week about a lady who was picking up her pink cadillac. She had been getting a new one every few yrs for 30 years. I guess it is possible to do that, although I wonder what the numbers actually say, & at what expense to others.
Thanks,
Marie
Marie,
Unfortunately your “experience” is not the exception. You were supposed to ‘fall in love with the product’ purchase the roll up bag and then realize that you couldn’t pay full price for everything so you would sign up as a consultant! Had that happened, you would have been pressured to BUY, BUY, BUY inventory out the wazoo – only after you had signed up, they don’t mention inventory until then.
Be glad that you ran!
That is too bad that you had such a bad experience with that particular director and consultant who weren’t operating their businesses in true Mary Kay fashion. It is interesting that I see people mention being pressured into inventory they can’t afford, I have been with Mary Kay for 3 years and just recently placed my 1st inventory order, and to be honest it wasn’t even that large. Don’t let a few bad apples ruin your impression of the company.
I also had the same Mary Kay experience regarding inventory. I have had my eye on Mary Kay for about three years and have a very outgoing personality so I believed that this will be a great opportunity so I signed up about a month ago. Unfortunatley I was told I need to buy about $5000.00 in inventory. I just lost my job which the consultant was aware of. I am considering changing my director. I really beleive in Mary Kay product I just need the right people to work with.
I am shocked at your consultant’s behavior. I have never had an experience such as yours and don’t think I would like to! I am a consultant myself and attribute poor behavior like your consultant’s to greed, possibly even an air that she thinks she is better than other people, and it is certainly not right. Just don’t let that fog your view of Mary Kay as a company or the other consultants/directors. I mean, I’m not that crazy!
ps – do NOT buy $5000 in inventory!! Are they INSANE?!
I had your same experience, only..i didn’t run..They suckered me into buying over 800 dollars in inventory…so there i was 18 years old, right out of high school and already in debt..which was impossible to get out of because i had to buy more inventory to keep my business going…it’s all a scam, plus the product is horrible!!
maybe the product (which one?) was horrible for you, but that doesn’t warrant a blanket, “plus the product is horrible.” it’s also not a scam – unfortunately, there are consultants/directors that only think of the inventory purchase for the quick (and usually not much) money. i started selling mary kay when i was 19 and am now 47 and have never been talked into huge inventory. maybe not in your case, but certainly in some, women buy product for a prize or recognition within the unit, then complain later they were “forced” or “talked into it”, when really they knew they would not be selling the purchased product/inventory – attention in some manner was the fleeting reward. i’ve heard it all and then some in 28 years and it really saddens me to hear of ladies who had bad experiences and then “hate” mary kay and anyone associated with it. i could give countless examples of times when the selling of my mary kay products paid an electric bill, or my rent, or put food on the table for my 5 children; i know women can make extra money with it.
“i could give countless examples of times when the selling of my mary kay products paid an electric bill, or my rent, or put food on the table for my 5 children;”
Because you got the money out of the product. You then had cash in hand.
of course i had cash in hand, and then some. i had twice what i put into it. i had something right then to sell, double my money and pay a bill.
“of course i had cash in hand, and then some. i had twice what i put into it. i had something right then to sell, double my money and pay a bill.”
Lisa, if I understand your post correctly you are making money because you charge 2 x the suggested retail price. That’s the only way you could have cash in hand, product already paid for and double the money to pay your bills.
You are either lying or a scam artist with really stupid customers who are willing to pay double for MK without any hostess or PCP gifts either! You are a “Genius” maybe you could teach your business plan at Harvard or at least be CEO of MKC!
Not very Golden Rule IMO!
i meant the money i paid for it, plus that again. double my money – i paid $15, got it back and then had another $15 for the retail price.
I bought the foundation and conclear and had to go to the emergancy room the same day my eye and face swole up like a baloon.
OMG – Angelia! I hope you are better!