Comments on: Putting The Best Face On A Bad Economy

CBS Evening News: In Midst Of Declines In Other Industries, Cosmetics Are Taking Off

[exaf74]

Gotta keep that booty lookin good ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tscribb]

It''s worth mentioning that if - according to Shaunerlynn - Mary Kay''s consultants are not their biggest customers, then why does the company track its numbers in terms of WHOLESALE amounts, not retail ones? Mary Kay''s contests, car, and promotion quotas are all based on the amount of product a consultant ORDERS, not sells. And that tends to make me wonder, "Why doesn''t Corporate track retail?"

I have a nagging feeling that it''s because MK''s retail numbers would be considerably lower than wholesale ones. Do a search for "Mary Kay" on almost any city on Craigslist and see how many listings come up for women trying to unload Mary Kay products - it''s not a small number.

[riley2009]

shaunerlynn, I appreciate your right to post anything you choose, I just get riled when people like you post lies. All of the products sold in the US by MK are NOT manufactured in the US! Also, the key word missing in the blurb on brandkeys is "randomly" drawn. Anyone can set up a survey and get the results skewed whichever way they want to satisfy the company that pays them to do the survey. You need to get in the game, girl! Get your facts before you blog a bunch of dribble that is full of holes.

[tscribb]

"Women who are interested in Mary Kay should look at the facts from both sides, successful and unsuccessful consultants."

I do agree with this. And Pink Truth''s owner has every right to present the side the recruiters aren''t giving - women can go to PT to get that angle. Directors and NSDs can continue to give the same fluffy, scripted speeches, and women can go to those sites to get THAT angle = both together, bingo, balanced look. But if you ran across an AA recovery board, I highly doubt that the board''s owner would permit Budweiser''s CEO to post about how magnificient and wonderful it is to get blasted on their raccoon whiz. See the similarity in the Pink Truth instance? If you want to gush about how many women''s hot buttons you pushed that week or how many times you used the line, "That''s exactly why you need Mary Kay!", PT is not the place for that. Go crow in your NSD''s guestbook.

There are more than a few active consultants and directors who post on PT - and you may be surprised to learn that I fully support the consultants that choose to sell only. Recruiting in Mary Kay, however, is a filthy game of manipulation that every consultant in the business needs to shun.

[shaunerlynn]

By the way--Pink Truth says it tells the "whole story". That would require fairness towards women who have had great experiences with Mary Kay. But we aren''t allowed to post on your site, which definitely prevents you from sharing the whole story! Those who love Mary Kay should be welcome to share it and those who hate Mary Kay should as well--THAT''s real information and balanced information. Honestly, pinktruth is for women who hate Mary Kay and that''s fine--but don''t make the mistake of calling it "the whole story." The site itself admits it can''t be considered "balanced".

Women who are interested in Mary Kay should look at the facts from both sides, successful and unsuccessful consultants. I think we all agree that would create the most balanced perspective.

And yes, many happy, successful consultants exist, such as the women in this news story. Mary Kay is a business just like any other, requires work, and is NOT get rich quick. I think we forget that very few women make 6 figures in corporate America--especially compared to those who make lesser incomes--and those who do work very hard. So it would be logical to assume that the same laws of reality would exist in Mary Kay. But the reality is that, just like in the real world, if you are willing to work hard you can make great money in Mary Kay--without having to get a master''s degree to do it (nice perk!).

[shaunerlynn]

That''s just false information. Brand Keys Loyalty Survey surveyed CONSUMERS, not consultants.
Results:
http://www.brandkeys.com/awards/leaders.cfm

Ans source:
From their site-- "The sample is made up of men and women 18 to 65 years of age drawn from the nine U.S. Census regions. Respondents (50:50 M/F and an even-age-spread representation) are screened according to category particulars, then asked to assess the brand for which they have been determined to be a "customer." The screening varies from category to category, but generally respondents fall into the top 20 percent of the customer base. Eighty-five percent of the interviews are conducted via telephone. The remaining 15 percent are collected via central-location intercepts among "cell phone only" respondents."

"The annual Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Winners are those brands best able to engage consumers and create loyal customers." "The Brand Keys data paints a detailed picture of the category drivers that engage customers, engender loyalty and drive real profits."

[tscribb]

A question, Shaunerlynn: would you call Mary Kay "balanced?" If were to go to a director or NSD website, would I find both sides of the story presented? I didn''t think so.

That''s why Pink Truth exists. If directors and NSDs won''t tell women the whole story, someone else will, and recruiters have no right getting their big girl panties in a wad when that happens.

And FYI, the reason Mary Kay is #1 in customer loyalty in Cosmetics Companies is because its own CONSULTANTS are the CUSTOMERS. THEY - as new recruits - are the ones being deceived into making the 2400 and 3600 inventory purchases and being hailed as "successes" when they haven''t even held their first "class."

[shaunerlynn]

I would advise people to do their research before they look into any company; but Mary Kay is a good one. No company can exist long-term "running on inventories" only. There is a reason Mary Kay is #1 in customer loyalty in Cosmetics Companies (Brandkeys Customer Loyalty Survey 2008), and #3 nationwide next to Google (#1) and Avis (#2). Customers love the product! As for people who criticize carrying inventory, ask any consumer if she wants her cleanser today or next week. Consultants choose to carry inventory, they choose to carry a little, a lot, or none, and they can choose to return it to the company within 1 year of purchase for 90% of the investment. If I sink my money into opening up a coffee shop and it fails, I''m out everything. Mary Kay offers a nice option on your investment recovery.

As for pinktruth.com--take that with a grain of salt. Directly from their website-- "Pink Truth does not offer what some may call a %u201Cbalanced%u201D view of Mary Kay." On another page--"Comments that are openly hostile to our mission or our friends will not be allowed. Opposing viewpoints that are presented in a respectful fashion will be considered for publication, but may not necessarily be ultimately published... Those wishing to extol the virtues of these types of companies should not participate on Pink Truth." So, women who have had a great experience with MK will not be allowed to post on pinktruth.

[icpink]

You get what you put into it!! People go into Mary Kay, some with the expectation of instantly becoming successful! It is like any other JOB- you must WORK! Mary Kay works if you do! If you don''t it won''t.... So when it doesn''t work, instead of taking responsibility you blame your failure on Mary Kay! And as far as the comment on foreign made cosmetics, yes MK has manufacturing plants in other countries.. to supply the MANY Consultants and Directors over there, All of our Cosmetics that we purchase and sell are manufactured here in the USA. Mary Kay has been enriching Women''s lives for 45 years, Mary Kay the Company has donated Millions to charities for Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence, and pays commissions to their Consultants through Company profits! I am proud to be a part of this organization and I am proud of the fact that what I do makes an impact on women one face at a time! So if it makes you feel good to bash a Company who has done so much for so many, then go to that site previously mentioned with all the other women who choose to blame others for their failure at success!!!

[icpink]

You get what you put into it!! People go into Mary Kay, some with the expectation of instantly becoming successful! It is like any other JOB- you must WORK! Mary Kay works if you do! If you don''t it won''t.... So when it doesn''t work, instead of taking responsibility you blame your failure on Mary Kay! And as far as the comment on foreign made cosmetics, yes MK has manufacturing plants in other countries.. to supply the MANY Consultants and Directors over there, All of our Cosmetics that we purchase and sell are manufactured here in the USA. Mary Kay has been enriching Women''s lives for 45 years, Mary Kay the Company has donated Millions to charities for Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence, and pays commissions to their Consultants through Company profits! I am proud to be a part of this organization and I am proud of the fact that what I do makes an impact on women one face at a time! So if it makes you feel good to bash a Company who has done so much for so many, then go to that site previously mentioned with all the other women who choose to blame others for their failure at success!!!