What's NEW for Fall 2012

[Intrepid_Chef]

Andrea,

My roommate holds frequent Partylite parties. At Partylite their products also are shipped to the host. They pay 10 percent. So if somebody spents $60 or more (which is often the case after they spend the amount required to BUY the guest special) they are paying more than us. The host also pays shipping and pays tax on the free products. If they get $100 in freebies and nothing else, they pay tax on $100.

When I sold jewelry 6 years ago, shipping was $5.95 no matter what you had shipped. Yes it was direct shipped to customers but it was light no matter what they ordered.

When the Alaska people leaked their shipping costs, I was very nervous and wondered if ours would be the same. If every customer had their products shipped to their homes, it would be a huge inconvenience for some of us who enjoy packaging the orders and add business cards and other things as a convenience.

The way I see it, $5.25 is still a bargain. I cannot send a host packet to my hosts for that much! And yet our customers can order a large bar pan, a Deep Covered Baker and a trifle bowl, and they can have all that shipped to their host for $5.25? Two people order $75 worth of product at a show, and that and the host's order can be shipped for $10.50? Deal!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I still use the receipts but since I don't have very many, I usually save them for orders at fairs. For customers, I like to print out the order forms from CC because they have the guest special on them and my information. I tell them the forms will go to their host and their host will give them the receipt when they get their products. She has no need for them (though I usually email her the receipts) after the products are handed out, and I have no need once they are in P3.

 

[wadesgirl]

Andrea,

My roommate holds frequent Partylite parties. At Partylite their products also are shipped to the host. They pay 10 percent. So if somebody spents $60 or more (which is often the case after they spend the amount required to BUY the guest special) they are paying more than us. The host also pays shipping and pays tax on the free products. If they get $100 in freebies and nothing else, they pay tax on $100.

When I sold jewelry 6 years ago, shipping was $5.95 no matter what you had shipped. Yes it was direct shipped to customers but it was light no matter what they ordered.

When the Alaska people leaked their shipping costs, I was very nervous and wondered if ours would be the same. If every customer had their products shipped to their homes, it would be a huge inconvenience for some of us who enjoy packaging the orders and add business cards and other things as a convenience.

The way I see it, $5.25 is still a bargain. I cannot send a host packet to my hosts for that much! And yet our customers can order a large bar pan, a Deep Covered Baker and a trifle bowl, and they can have all that shipped to their host for $5.25? Two people order $75 worth of product at a show, and that and the host's order can be shipped for $10.50? Deal!

Very well put!

So, some of you have NO clue who I am and some may remember me. I've been in the semi-active mode for the past 3 years and just doing shows here and there so remain active and to keep my stats, etc. I've been trying to decide whether to stay with PC or to say goodbye. I have to say, that the new products are not intriguing me like they used to and I am honestly quite miffed about the shipping increase. This really is getting BEYOND reasonable. Think about it: each order for a show is shipped in ONE shipment (typically) and I can guarantee you that the total shipping for that order is considerably lower than all of the individual shipping charges added together. THAT, on top of the fact that PC continues to increase the product prices makes me an unhappy consultant. I still love the products and always will. I just don't know that I can honestly "justify" to my customers the continual increases. I don't mean to start a war, just wanted to get that off my chest after reading about the new products.

It's all in how you look at it - if you think it's a negative, it will reflect negatively in your business. If you allow this to be the reason that you quit your business than that is your choice. When I was in line to see the new products at Fall Launch a consultant behind me was on the phone being completely negative about everything they had announced - new products, shipping prices, etc. It was a downer to me to hear her talk like that even with all the excitement around me.

Think of it this way - EVERYTHING is going up in price - gas, food, clothes, etc. That's the way the economy is, it's not just PC. If you look at a catalog from aways back, a lot of items are pretty close to the original prices. PC can't help it if they have to pay more for things. They try to not pass it onto the customers when they can help it but they are a business too - they have to make a profit some how. With gas continuing to rise, FedEx is charging more which means the end user has to pay more. Yes it sucks that we have to pass that along to our customer but in almost 6 years I've only had a couple people balk about the price of shipping. If you buy anything online, you are going to pay at least $6 in shipping at most places.

 

[lt1jane]

Ceramic cookware does not fill just the "cheaper" gap. The reason so many folks use ceramic, is because of the dangers of non stick cookware. The greener way to cook is use stainless or ceramic. If you go to high end cooking stores you will notice that ceramic is everywhere. As much as I loved my professional cookware, I gave it up for both health and environmental concerns. I use exclusively stainless and ceramic with a piece of cast iron here and there. Good for PC for recognizing. I get a lot of questions at shows about the safety of our non stick. Now they have an alternative.

I see your point and I agree, but I think PC came out with this to address the concerns of some people like you and to fill the gap. This product will do both. It's ingenious really to introduce one line that fills a gap for several different reasons, all valid.

 

[ChefPeg]

When the Alaska people leaked their shipping costs,

We didn't "leak" our shipping costs. "Leaking" implies it was a huge secret we already knew and weren't allowed to tell. Aimee was simply sharing the fact that our shipping went up from 15%+$2 for ship-to-host (2-3 days) to 15%+$3 direct shipping (2-3 weeks).

 

[c00p]

I'm not trying to be a Negative Nellie or Debbie Downer, but when I think of shipping costs, I factor in a LOT of things. Party Lite's shipping costs are exactly why I stopped buying their products about 7 years ago. And when I do on-line ordering, I wait for a special to save on shipping or google for discount codes, etc. And please understand this: HERE, on this site, I am "airing" my thoughts/feelings, etc. about the shipping costs. To my hosts and guests, they will never know how I feel about it b/c I never let it show. I do still think PC has the best products around and our prices are fairly competitive. However, when every dollar counts, as it does oh so more for me since becoming a single mom, I do view things differently and drill down into prices more diligently. When the DCB increased so dramatically, I was totally floored. I LOVE that piece and promoted the heck out of it. Now, in my area, that is a mighty hefty price to pay. I understand as a host they could get it for free or 1/2 price, but that was a HUGE increase. And one more thing: I've had more than just a handful of people across my years of doing PC gripe about the shipping prices. It is an item that comes up at every single show. I'm not making this up either!

 

[wadesgirl]

I'm not trying to be a Negative Nellie or Debbie Downer, but when I think of shipping costs, I factor in a LOT of things. Party Lite's shipping costs are exactly why I stopped buying their products about 7 years ago. And when I do on-line ordering, I wait for a special to save on shipping or google for discount codes, etc. And please understand this: HERE, on this site, I am "airing" my thoughts/feelings, etc. about the shipping costs. To my hosts and guests, they will never know how I feel about it b/c I never let it show. I do still think PC has the best products around and our prices are fairly competitive. However, when every dollar counts, as it does oh so more for me since becoming a single mom, I do view things differently and drill down into prices more diligently. When the DCB increased so dramatically, I was totally floored. I LOVE that piece and promoted the heck out of it. Now, in my area, that is a mighty hefty price to pay. I understand as a host they could get it for free or 1/2 price, but that was a HUGE increase. And one more thing: I've had more than just a handful of people across my years of doing PC gripe about the shipping prices. It is an item that comes up at every single show. I'm not making this up either!

It's okay - vent away. I too was shocked by the huge increase in price of the DCB but if you make it worth their dollar by showing them how they can make time saving, low cost recipes in it you can still get people to buy it at full price.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I'm not talking about anybody specific, but I saw people talking about it before the second launch. It just made me worry that the next day at launch, they would announce that our shipping had gone up and everything was direct.

We didn't "leak" our shipping costs. "Leaking" implies it was a huge secret we already knew and weren't allowed to tell. Aimee was simply sharing the fact that our shipping went up from 15%+$2 for ship-to-host (2-3 days) to 15%+$3 direct shipping (2-3 weeks).

 

[Devin]

You guys should see the shipping changes made For us in Hawaii and Alaska! Before we had to pay 15% of the order in shipping, but the up-side was that it arrived in about 3 days. NOW we have to pay 15% plus $3 and the items will take 2-3 WEEKS to arrive! This is going to hurt my business - I'm thinking of quitting! I WISH we could pay what your guests pay in shipping!