Home sales parties are one big racket

[Seabird]

I don't know how many of you have heard of these or got stuck with them. They are like Tupperware parties, but I hesitate to use that as an example because people actually like Tupperware and the stuff I'm talking about is almost always bought out of obligation. There are Home Interior parties, Lingerie parties, arts and crafts parties, toy parties, that type of thing. They are aimed at women, usually young women, with boyfriends or husband, and even with little kids. What happens is this: somebody, usually a neighbor or a friend at work invites you to one at their house. There is a presentation of the goods and most people end up buying something they don't really want to help their friend. But then, she must book 3 more parties! So 3 people agree to help her out, and have parties too. Then they have them and each person has to book 3 too! But guess what? Who are they going to invite? These women usually all work together, or hang out together or are neighbors, or a combination of both. So it's a vicious circle of obligation, everybody buys off everybody to help them out because they helped you out, but NOBODY really wants any of the stuff, it's way overpriced, and who gets the profits? Only the person who is the manager of booking parties in that area, and she gets her money off the guilt of friends helping friends. None of them gain anything because whatever they earned they spent keeping up with their friend's parties!

Has anybody else here ever got trapped into this, or have you even heard of it? Do you agree with me it's a racket?

 

[tiny dancer]

This is the extract reason I stopped going to these parties. I hate these things with a passion.

 

[Bono's shades]

I hate it when the invitation is from someone who would never invite you to a party under any other circumstances. I find it insulting and refuse to go.

It's different when a real friend invites you. I went to a Mary Kay party once when a good friend was hosting it and we all had a lot of fun. The makeup IS kind of expensive, but I thought it was OK to splurge on a quality product just for once. And I wasn't pressured in any way to hold a party of my own.

 

[zoney!]

Gorilla Marketing!

I really like how they sex toy parties now for women!

 

[Mr. BAW]

So true, a vicious circle of never-ending obligation...

I compare it to all the idiots who send emails that reads...
If you want "this or that" send this to 10 friends including the one who sent it....blah blah blah...That chain email stops here!

And when the sender pushes the guilt by having a prayer enclosed with said email....I just want to and then hit something....