What Do You Do? Short Catalog Show

[Pedey]

I have a catalog show that came up about $3.75 short of $150 so I figured I'd just tack on a few Season's Best cookbooks to bring it up to $150. But then when I tried to submit it it told me the GUEST sales needed to hit $150. Well, I can't buy $25 of stuff to bump it up... so I though about just making the host a 'guest' and paying the shipping - but then I'm looking at spending $5 to make $30.... Hmmm. What do you guys normally do? And this is a host that I cannot just ask to go get another order - or to order one more thing. She was such a snotty "Well, with my MK, we do it *this* way..." "I can't believe you charge shipping. With my MK we don't..." "People won't order anything because you tax the shipping..." One thing after another... I just want to close this out & be done.

Thanks!

 

[wadesgirl]

I would seriously just tell tell her that she needs to order something. Don't eat the cost for her.

 

[wadesgirl]

All shows have to be at least $150 in guest sales not including tax and shipping, just tell her that and how far away she is. If she's not happy with it then tell you can submit it as an individual order and she won't get anything out of it.

 

[DebbieJ]

You could just add it to one of the guest orders or tell her what is going on and ask if there was anyone who might have another item or two on their wish list.I had a catalog show recently where the host was like $10 away from the next level of benefits and her mom ended up adding the APCS and stand--WAY more than $10, so sometimes it does pay to ask. But since she is being snotty, I would probably add the things and be done.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

Nope, I'm a b**ch, :grumpy:if she's being that snotty, why in the world would you go out of your way to get her free stuff... Tell her the deal and let her decide if she wants to earn anything free or not. I would do like wadesgirl said... it's not like you've misled her, the facts are right there in black and white for her to read and I'm sure you told her that in the beginning. I would not take money out of my pocket to help her, if she were a nice sweet thing that really tried but just didn't come through, I'd probably be willing to help her out if I could, but not someone that is that negative to you...

 

[ShellBeach]

Well, I can't buy $25 of stuff to bump it up...

Does she need another $25 in guest sales, or $3.75? I'm confused.If you need this show to stay active, and $8 is worth it to you, add yourself as a guest and order $3.75 worth of items.
You could get a quickcut paring knife for 1.75 and 2 season's best.
Or pan scrapers for 2.75 and a season's best.
With shipping, it will come to $8.If you DON'T need the show that badly, just point out MK & PC are different, and PC does it this way....she needs $150 in guest sales to qualify as a catalog show.

 

[Pedey]

Does she need another $25 in guest sales, or $3.75? I'm confused.

I thought it was only $3.75 - but that was to bring the show total to $150 - to get the guest totals there it was about $25.

Thanks for all the replies! I ended up getting a small order from my aunt to put me there. So now I'm shipping it here & will have to deliver it to her. I was looking forward to being rid of her but at least it's all square now!

I'm still new & too timid. I need to find a happy-medium with being bold vs. being pushy. In my mind right now, bold = pushy, and I need to get over that!

Thanks, again.

 

[BethanyN]

Could you add one Season's Best cookbook to each guest's order (or to the top four guests with the highest sales), count it as a consultant gift, then email or call each guest and tell them it's a gift from you? Obviously it's not ideal for you to have to pay extra for your show, but if you could give one each to four guests, you garner goodwill with them, even if the host is snotty.

 

[BethanyN]

I thought it was only $3.75 - but that was to bring the show total to $150 - to get the guest totals there it was about $25.
QUOTE]

Ohh... nevermind, then. My idea doesn't work.

 

[cheflorraine]

What are you doing with her free product then?? There isn't much, since it's only a minimum level catalog show.
But I'd say since she didn't get to the minimum herself, I wouldn't offer the free product...But that's easy to write here, and much harder to do in practice!!

 

[Pedey]

She doesn't have anything coming, Lorraine. Just the 15% off - so she saved an impressive $2 off her order! Yay for her! LOLAnd she only had 2 guests ordering - each between $60-$70. She didn't say anything about them wanting the bar board as their free guest special, but I put it on there anyway. I contemplated tacking them on & then just keeping them myself to give out as prizes, but I just know that if I do that she'll call up all pissy asking why her friends didn't get it with their stuff. I know that technically they didn't ask for it so I don't have to do it... but as awful as she was, I don't want to burn her friends.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Maybe I'm a bad, bad person, but I always put $150 shows down as cooking shows ... it costs me nothing and builds customer good will. But if this is a high maintainance host, then whatever.You'll have to put it down as a cooking show or P3 won't take it, I believe.

 

[Lisa/ChefBear]

I know that technically they didn't ask for it so I don't have to do it..

Actually I don't think the guest should ask for it, if PC says, spend $60.00 in product, get this free, to me that's my job to make sure it's added on there for them. But that's just my humble opinion,

Your hostess sounds like a PIB!! I would also check into why MK doesn't tax S&H, as in PA and also in NY, it's a State Law, that S&H is taxed. Food is not in PA, so even if someone orders ONLY pantry, they still have to pay Tax on the S&H.

I say, just be glad you're done with this hostess and move on,

Lisa

 

[cactus_flower]

Michele, you just gave me a good laugh! My sister also sells MK, and I recently did a show for her. I had to listen to the same complaints! If, I didn't know better, I would think you had my sister as your host!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Couple things:

I believe MK requires that consultants carry inventory so that would be why they don't charge customers shipping.

Tax on shipping is a state law that we don't have a choice about.

Customers who spend $60 are entitled to the free product. They should not have to ask for it.

I disagree about putting a catalog show down as a cooking show. The extra free product is for inviting friends over and giving us the opportunity to grow our businesses by direct contact. It is a perk and if someone only does a catalog show they didn't earn it. Giving them the benefit is undermining yourself.


Pedey: Glad you got an order to meet the requirements. That's what I would have suggested. That, or putting it on another show. If the catty host just isn't caring about trying at all I put all orders including hers as guests on that other show but if the catty host appears to truly have tried or has unusual circumstances I have added a small catalog show orders to a cooking show and put the catalog host as co-host. When I've done that both hosts are aware and okay with it and the cooking show host gets any extra benefit it might create. The catalog host just gets the discount (which she wouldn't otherwise have had) and the 10% for a year so it's win-win for both.

 

[Sheila]

I agree with Beth on how to enter shows. Cooking show hosts do more to deserve the extra $15. I don't think it's fair to them or to HO to give that extra perk to Catalog Show hosts.

 

[beepampered]

This host is one of the reasons I don't push catalog shows. My catty hosts raley get to $150 and then there is always a push to do more and the host benefits are so minimal. Talk about shipping....I was going to order a token order on an acquaintances Tastefully Simple show. $6.99 shipping for anything under $50. Well, I had a $7.99 item and couldn't see doubling my price so I am just not ordering anything.