One More Example of Learning by Experience--Long Rant!!

[Alajane]

This Saturday will be the third time I've co-hosted an open house with a Mary Kay dealer, running from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The first time, she was short on funds so I supplied all the food. The second time, she supplied the food because I had done the first one. So this time, since it is falling at a super busy time for me (I've been working on candles until 12-1 a.m. every morning and then getting up at 6 for my full-time job), I told her to just pick up whatever she wanted to serve at Sam's and I'd split the cost with her.

I just got the following e-mail from her: "Hey! I just wanted to let you know what I had gotten for the party. I got spinach dip, seafood cheese spread, crab & shrimp salad, spiral sandwiches, veggie tray, mini napoleons, and Hors D'oeuvres (20 of each Garlic potatoes in puff pastries, cocktail beef franks in puff pastry, spinach & potato in puff pastry, spicy beef turnover, and sausage & peppers in puff pastry). I will probably need to get something else sweet, what do you think? I also got apple cider and I already had mulling spices. Let me know what you think and if we need to get anything else."

Oh my gosh! The other two times, I would guess maybe 10 people total got anything to eat at all, and most of those were little ladies who put about 3 bites on their plates!! I'm absolutely dumbfounded--she must have spent at least $100 on food--and at both the previous open houses, my total sales ran about $200, so my half of the food will probably be most of my profit.

Well--another lesson learned! IF I do this again, I'll definitely do my share of the food instead of leaving it up to someone else!!

Sorry so long,

Jane

[Michi]

Geesh, sounds like more than $100 worth of food, what the heck is she thinking?????

I'm sorry that you're gonna have to fork over half the money for that, but man I'd be sure and eat up my fair share for that price. LOL

Some people just make you wonder- did you have a nasty fall as a child or what??? LOL

Well, nothing you can do about it now, so may as well stay postive and I'll keep my fingers crossed that this year you make a big haul with the $$$!

[sudsnwicks]

That is too bad, some people just don't know how to budget. You can have nice snacks without spending a lot of money.

[Alajane]

I know I just have to "bite the bullet" now--and, like Michi said, bite plenty of the food!! Good thing I decided to forget the diet for a while!! Since there's nothing that can be done now, I'll have to just chalk it up to experience. My problem is that I have such a natural tendency to be a cheapskate--I'm sure I embarrassed her with the food I provided the first time; just a couple of different kinds of cookies, fruit, crackers, and cheese along with pumpkin muffins, but I thought it was plenty. I don't think I spent $30 for all the food AND the plates/napkins/forks!!

[SheilaW]

Wow, now that's a lot of food!

[slow-burn]

Where are you located? We could all come and help you eat it while we look at your products

[Lorrie]

Geesh, sounds like more than $100 worth of food, what the heck is she thinking?????

She was probably thinking she could take home left overs!

I am so sorry to hear that she did that to you but I would be very angry if someone did that to me. I know what I would tell them. TAKE IT ALL BACK! I am not paying for it.

[Lorrie]

I know I just have to "bite the bullet" now--and, like Michi said, bite plenty of the food!! Good thing I decided to forget the diet for a while!! Since there's nothing that can be done now, I'll have to just chalk it up to experience. My problem is that I have such a natural tendency to be a cheapskate--I'm sure I embarrassed her with the food I provided the first time; just a couple of different kinds of cookies, fruit, crackers, and cheese along with pumpkin muffins, but I thought it was plenty. I don't think I spent $30 for all the food AND the plates/napkins/forks!!

Don't feel like a cheapskate because these are the type of parties I love. FINGER FOODS!!

[Alajane]

Seriously, if any of you are in the northwest Alabama area, I'd love to meet you in person instead of just online!!

Let me know and I'll give you the address!

Jane

[lindsaycb]

Well I'd make sure she puts all that out...maybe she's stocking herself for upcoming Christmas parties. LOL

I bet this year you'll have a bigger turnout, so you'll need the extra food!

[MuskokaMom]

Hey! I would come to that party just for the food. Most open houses I have been to there are a large # of friends there. We eat, visit and shop. But I have to admit the food is what makes me happiest and puts me in a shopping mood. Maybe that's why I am a few lbs overweight!!! Ok I'm hungry now. Gotta go.

[SatinDucky]

Oh, oh! Me, me! I'm in north Alabama I suppose it's on a Saturday

[JudyN]

I would e-mail her back and tell her your shocked at how much she bought and that it will eat into your profit (hahaha) I wouldn't just let her get away with this. I would tell her nicely, but this is not fair to you and I wouldn't just let it go. This amount of food is not necessary. I wonder if she makes more on her stuff??? That really doesn't matter. She went overboard and you should not have to pay for it. I think next time if you do split something you should set a $ limit. I hope you have lots of sales.

[Alajane]

Satin, come on down (or up--since I'm in the northwest corner of the state). Seriously, I'd love to meet you. But you made a sad face about Saturday so that must mean you have other plans??? If you're really interested in coming, PM me and I'll give you the address--would love to see you there (and wouldn't even expect you to buy anything--just help me eat up the food!!!)

Judy, I'm going to be gracious about it this time but I won't let it happen again--next time I'll just agree to bring a certain amount of food and get my normal cheaper stuff!!

Jane

[sockmonkey]

How many people are you expecting at the open house? It sounds like a lot of food, and EXPENSIVE food at that! Watch her have a bunch of her relatives and friends show up for the banquet you're having.

[The_Dallas_Texas_Dean]

To give you any indication, did she lay out this kind of spread when she did it all by herself that time????

There is a reason and purpose that you both are doing this, and that is to MAKE money and build a client base. It is poor judgement and a bad business decision to "over-spend" in order to "make"....duh!

I believe that I would have to tell her that Sams Club accepts returns and in your opinion, all your time and effort would be wasted if you spent all your profit before you even make it!

Its Crazy!

[sockmonkey]

Sam's will take crab & shrimp salad back? Remind me not to get crab & shrimp salad at Sam's.

[Alajane]

Yes, there was a lot of her family there and yes, she did do that kind of spread when she did it alone. I didn't remember because I was dieting at the time, but my daughter told me it was about the same, so she wasn't doing it to take advantage of me.

Anyway, I'm just chalking it up to a lesson learned.

Thanks so much for all the comments and commiseration!!

Jane

[lindsaycb]

How did it go?

[Alajane]

Well, a classic case of the good news or the bad news first?

First of all, I didn't really want to do this show--I let myself get talked into it by the Mary Kay rep who said this is usually her biggest show of the year--she usually takes in around $2,000-$3,000! So I told her while we were setting up that if I didn't do more than in the two previous ones (about $200 each), that this was my last one.

So the good news is that I don't feel obligated to do any more since (now the bad news--drum roll, please...) my total receipts added up to $68.23!!!! And my share of the food was $39, leaving me with a "profit" of $29.23. Of course, when you subtract the cost I actually had in my product I would be doing good to break even!

I don't know why, but I didn't even feel bad about it. I'm just glad it's over and I packed up all the stuff in my car and am going after work this afternoon to a school to set up for an all-day event tomorrow.

But I believe the setup was the prettiest we've ever done, so if anyone's interested, I'll post the pictures.

By the way, almost everyone who came in did buy something from me--it was just that almost nobody came to it except Kristina's family. And I may have "shot myself in the foot" because her MIL said she hated not to buy any candles but she had just bought 6 from a fundraiser that her granddaughter sold for (my candles). So that may be the case with several of the local people.

Sorry I babbled on so long--it's just good to have people who can understand to "talk" with.

Jane

[DeeB]

I'm moving to where you live! I have had a couple of home parties and have been to many here, Mary Kay, Candlelite, Home Interiors, Pampered Chef and the list goes on. Not once has the dealer ever provided the food. If the hostess wants to have food at the party it is her responsibility to provide it. But I live in PA and maybe the dealer providing the food is customary where you live. But no one has ever complained and lots of hostesses book repeat parties and I don't know of anyone who has ever said they would have a party because the dealer didn't provide food. I wouldn't even expect the dealer to provide food, I get freebies for hosting the party and getting bookings from other people.

I hope you took lots of ziploc containers with you and took your fair share of the leftovers home! You paid for them.

Dee

[Alajane]

Dee, we WERE the hostesses. It was an open house that a Mary Kay dealer and I held together. Man, you're right--it would really be something if the dealer provided the food for a party where a hostess got the free goodies!!

This is the only type of thing this particular Mary Kay dealer does--she said she doesn't do home parties, just a few of these open houses every year (plus, of course, people calling her for re-orders). She said she usually does a couple of thousand at every party, but evidently I bring her bad luck because she hasn't done nearly that well at any of the three we've done together!