Houseparty.com - Question for You Who Have Hosted

[susanr613]

Hi-

I have been selected for the French Cocktail Hour Houseparty. The party pack mentions things like a CD, wine bottle opener, and an apron, but not the food/drink of the sponsors.

Do I have to buy all that stuff myself?

Also, what did you do to make your Houseparty fun and successful?

TIA -

 

[ButterflyVioletta]

Susan you are reading my mind...seriously! I just got chosen as well and it's my first but I quickly noted it's up to ME to provide the French food and drink...they do mention coupons but I hope they are good!

 

[PamperedDor]

ok - whatever they mention comes in the party pack - I have been lucky to been selected for a few of the partys - YOU invite guests - YOU supply refreshments - the website will give you guidelines etc -

Sue and Michelle - take it lightly and have fun with it - YOU aren't selling anything - you are marketing their stuff - enjoy it and have fun! Message me if you have questions -

 

[susanr613]

it just seems kind of wierd that the sponsors are not providing the food/drink. if they want to promote their brand, they can do better than a small discount.

well, we'll see how the rsvps go.....

 

[PamperedDor]

Susan - did you just get selected or get your party pack?

 

[PamperedDor]

Only because I have to go to bed -there is a difference between selected and having it - basically you have been selected, then they send you a party pack - then you host the show - I have done it as a get together - it depends on what you are hosting - it is really quite simple - they provide a bunch of freebies - I love doing them -

 

[susanr613]

I was just selected today. I poked around the website after sending the invites. It mentions the party pack items, which do not include the wines and foods being marketed. The discount is pretty small. The party pack includes a CD, wine bottle opener and apron.

I'm glad you enjoy doing them, and I think it's a fun reason to get together. It's not till June 4, so there's time for me to see if I even will have enough people interested in coming over. I made it clear in my invite that it's not a sales party.

I know I'm kinda stuck on it, but you'd think that the brands they are trying to market would throw at least one of their products to you for free.

 

[susan g]

I am hosting the Domino's Houseparty and they sent a $40 gift card to cover the cost of the food. I did the Orville/Maybelline party a few months ago and got loads and loads of popcorn and also mascara and lipstick for 15 guests. It does sound surprising that you wouldn't get some free food or wine. Maybe when the pack arrives, there will be more to it than you think.

I will say this- Domino's party pack is very skimpy compared to the previous 3 parties I have had. The whole pack arrived in a small box the size of a flat rate priority box (the others were in huge boxes) and their "party favors" for the guests were 10% off a card game only available to buy online. Maybe houseparty is also affected by the economy?

 

[letscook04]

Make some pampered chef recipes

I did the sex and city one, which was fun making cosmo's in the apline lace glasses. Now I am getting ready for my American Idol party.:love:

 

[ButterflyVioletta]

I was surprised too, Susan because they keep thanking their sponsors who are these wine and cocktail makers...I thought that meant they gave each party something to sample (otherwise I'm not sure how it promotes their product because I could and will likely just buy any ole French wine)

 

[DessertDivaFL]

I will say this- Domino's party pack is very skimpy compared to the previous 3 parties I have had. The whole pack arrived in a small box the size of a flat rate priority box (the others were in huge boxes) and their "party favors" for the guests were 10% off a card game only available to buy online. Maybe houseparty is also affected by the economy?

I am doing the Domino Pizza one too. This is my first so I don't have anything to compare it to but I agree that I thought there would be more in there. The $40 gift card makes up for it.

 

[ButterflyVioletta]

Last nite I explained to hubby what a Houseparty is and that we had been selected for one.

He asked me to find a Miller Lite Houseparty

 

[susanr613]

LOL Michelle! Somehow I don't see Houseparty.com reaching out to beer lovers ;-)

 

[julia.poe]

How did your party go? I have been selected for the Oscar Meyer Hotdog party...

 

[susanr613]

My party is next Thursday and I have about a half-dozen people coming, but who knows how many will make up their minds this week? I decided that I will literally sample the sponsors' products, so I ordered a three-cheese sampler and a few bottles of the wine. I am going to make PC recipes (thank you everyone who responded to my thread on that) and maybe pick up a game to play. The people who are coming are from different areas of my life, so I think we need an activity to get them talking with each other.

I'm sure, despite my party pessimism, it will be fine and everyone will have a good time.

 

[elizabethfox]

How did your party go? I have been selected for the Oscar Meyer Hotdog party...

I was selected for that one too!

 

[julia.poe]

My friends think it is hilarious to have a hotdog party....I am excite and curious because I here people talking about it on here.

 

[susanr613]

I should send DS to your hotdog party....he thinks hot dogs should be the secret ingredient on Iron Chef.

I'm sure it will be a lot of fun!

 

[julia.poe]

Come on down, I am 5 minutes from Kings Island! Or I can send one up. My husband has been doing quite a bit of work in Lake County.

When my husband was growing up my MIL would tell him they were having tube steak for dinner. My husband would get all excited thinking they were actually having steak. Much to his dismay when it was served, it was just a hotdog. So, to me this party is rather humorous. Poor guy is having a tube steak party at his house..

 

[susanr613]

Oh my! Well, at least he won't be misled this time!

 

[ButterflyVioletta]

Susan I'm on the fence about even holding mine...sending the invites through their website seem to have had a lot of folks not receive them (went to spam) and the challenge of having a weeknite party makes this not super popular. I'm hesitant to throw $100 into food and wine (since only decor and the cd came in the pack) without a bigger attendance. I may just let mine die a slow death....

 

[elizabethfox]

You don't have to have your party on the date houseparty states. You can change the date and time on the invites for whenever you want. So if you would rather hold it on a weekend you can do so. I had to change the date on my party because of a PC show.

 

[julia.poe]

Woohoo!! Got my party kit!!! Weenee whistles in the Oscar Mayer party kits....

 

[susanr613]

Checking in.....my French houseparty was a lot of fun but it would have been without the Houseparty stuff. First, the wines were not very good. I bought the lower-priced ones, and I could have gotten better quality for the same price if I had not tried to buy the sponsor's wines. Second, the cheeses were OK....but my guests loved the Pampered Chef recipes I made, including the brown sugar/dijon brie with almonds, quiche tarts, and chocolate velvet cake. A half-dozen people showed up from different parts of my life, and everyone meshed well. It got so loud at one point that my greyhound went upstairs to get away.

I don't entertain much, so it was nice to have friends over without a "catch."

My verdict on Houseparty is that if you really like the product and are in the mood for a party, go for it! If not, just have a party when you're ready.

 

[momoftwins]

How do you get into doing these parties??

 

[NooraK]

Check out the website: http://www.houseparty.com

 

[elizabethfox]

I just got my oscar meyer houseparty kit... 20 coupons for FREE packages of hot dogs!!

I took 5 of the coupons in to my local grocery store along with 2 other free coupons they sent in the party pack ( free ranch dressing and free grey poupon mustard) and the cashier rang it up and it was $30! So then i hand her all my coupons and she was speechless... rofl! She was like... wow... really?? omg seriously?? hey so and so come here and look at this... this lady is getting all this stuff for FREE! So I walked out of there with $30 in free groceries!:love: I love getting stuff for free!!

After I got home and jokingly told my DH I should have taken all 20 coupons in and used them... but I think the cashier would have had a heart attack!

 

[momoftwins]

I got picked for the Splenda party. I got my pack last week while on vacation - thinking about just making something and sending it to work with DH as not having a good response for the party. Has anyone ever done that before??? This is my first one.

 

[susanr613]

Too cool, Elizabeth! I was expecting free stuff for mine, but I guess it's more expensive to give away wine and cheese than hot dogs and mustard. Have fun!!