Selling Mary Kay Products May Not Be Your Path To Riches

July 20th, 2012 - By Tonya Garcia

Photo: Eyecandy Images

An article published in Harper’s goes behind the scenes at Mary Kay, revealing that joining the company’s sales force may not be all that you’d hoped. Customers might be satisfied with Mary Kay products. But for those women hoping to make extra money, or even earn a living, by selling the products, it’s a different story.

According to the author, Virginia Sole-Smith, the company does its very best to maximize its profits and foster a (false) sense of sisterhood among saleswomen. This success may come at the expense of its workforce’s income. While the company sold $3 billion worth of beauty items and makeup in 2011, the average saleswoman is struggling to make $25,000 per year, the magazine says.

The problem is much of the purchasing is done by the saleswomen themselves who are encouraged to make an “initial inventory investment” than can total more than $1,500 and to stay stocked up. Moreover, Sole-Smith says she was encouraged to make these purchases on a Chase Mary Kay Rewards Visa, which her mentor told her “is not a debt.” OK, but it is. Some women in the story say they got into huge financial trouble with the company and even had personal problems with their marriage over the issue.

So the moral of the story is do your homework and be prepared to make an “investment” if you intend to sell Mary Kay products. And get ready for some Stepford Wives-style weirdo behavior. Beauty consultants who are promoted to sales director get to take a trip to founder Mary Kay Ash’s Dallas home to snap a picture in her “heart-shaped pink bathtub, which originally occupied one of the eleven bathrooms in her thirty room pink mansion.”

 

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  • http://twitter.com/Cleverlychangin Elle

    In many ways Mary Kay is a pyramid scheme, but it is one that may start women in the path of entrepreneurship. Yes, as the saying goes “It takes money to make money;” this is especially true within Mary Kay. Sales jobs are not for everyone and if you are an introvert then the face-to-face sales contact that this business requires may not be right for you. So overall, within Mary Kay, some reps will thrive while others sink. The same goes with any business.

  • Sunshynz3001

    The only way to make money and advance with Mary Kay is by recruiting new sales reps and getting a percent of their sales. You don’t make money or get promoted from selling the products. The company Should be honest about this and stop misleading people to believe they can make significant profits from product sales and tax credits.

  • LillyP

    It’s obvious the author of this article is nothing more than a disgruntled former consultant of the company. Mary Kay is unlike any company in the way it supports, motivates and inspires its sales force to not only earn extra income, but thrive in a business that puts God first, family second and career third. How many companies can you find that base their culture on the Golden Rule? As Independent Beauty Consultants of the company, you own your own personal business…it is your choice whether you succeed or not. No one gives it to you — like anything else in life, success is not handed to you on a silver platter but earned through determination, drive and hard-work. Mary Kay Cosmetics goes above and beyond for their sales force in helping them to achieve whatever it is they set their sights on…you are never forced to purchase inventory nor a company credit card. Her accusations couldn’t be further from the truth and its clear she ran her business with no heart. As a writer myself I am appalled at the way she wrote this article– I believe there were no quotes from the executives or successful consultants and the quotes she did have were obviously edited to portray the only message she wanted to send. Disgraceful journalism.

    • realadulttalk

      I didn’t see anywhere in that article that someone was forced to do something-I did however see the word encouraged. I also didn’t get disgruntled from the writer-more like realistic. It actually sounds like YOU are the bitter one…so is it safe to assume you are a Mary Kay rep? While there will always be anomalies…I’m pretty sure this article refers to the vast majority–and every Mary Kay rep I know has a REAL job…so apparently it’s not all that fruitful a venture.

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