£40 for a night I don't want

emay

It's best to tell her in advance than come up with an excuse on the night, a few years ago I hosted a virgin vie party for a friend just starting out, invited loads of people from work, who all said they'd attend, then on the night only 3 did, everyone else cried offf at the last minute (or worse still told me the next time I saw them a day or two later sorry they'r missed it) if I'd known in advance no-one was interested would of cancelled instead of been highly embarrassed waiting for everyone to turn up

BitterAndTwisted

I loathe these sorts of things personally, it feels like the most ruthless kind of blackmail to me. If you had any spare money and you wanted to put some of it in a mate's pocket you could just give them a tenner and be done with it. You've listed a fairly compelling number of reasons why you won't be going so I'd be direct and tell her the truth. Don't even let her get a hint that you could go if certain conditions were different, some people will go to any lengths to talk you out of your decision. The issue is that you don't want to not that you can't

madnessandmayhem

I went to one of these a couple of years ago and I did feel obliged to buy something-I spent £16 and that was lookng for something 'cheap' in the catalogue!!! I enjoyed the evening-maybe because I hadn't been out for a while-DS 2 was 3months old! Don't think I would go again unless it was something that I would be likely to buy anyway! £40 could pay for a really good day out for you and your son, and I personally would prefer to do something with my kids! If you don't want to go, I would be tempted just to call sick on the day!

mwa

Can I add a different perspective here - I am an ex-consultant (not for Partylite!) and trust me, it is a job and we do it to earn money as much as anything and there is nothing more frustrating than turning up to a party to have all the host's friends cry off last minute. Your friend will be being 'coached' (or groomed LOL) by the consultant to try and get as many people there as possible which is why she's pressurising you.

If you don't intend to go then tell her honestly as it's not fair on her or the consultant - I have just given up my job doing this (for Body Shop) as parties were turning into jokes with 2 or 3 people turning up - a sign of the times obviously.

Gizmosgal

jess1974

I'm afraid i don't have much sympathy for any consultants who have partys where only 2 or 3 people turn up, as Bitter and Twisted said above it is verging on blackmail.

Anyway after reading this thread, if i'm invited to any more, i'm going to be direct and say 'no thanks i'm not interested in the products being sold'....

MrsE_2

mwa wrote: »

Can I add a different perspective here - I am an ex-consultant (not for Partylite!) and trust me, it is a job and we do it to earn money as much as anything and there is nothing more frustrating than turning up to a party to have all the host's friends cry off last minute. Your friend will be being 'coached' (or groomed LOL) by the consultant to try and get as many people there as possible which is why she's pressurising you.

If you don't intend to go then tell her honestly as it's not fair on her or the consultant - I have just given up my job doing this (for Body Shop) as parties were turning into jokes with 2 or 3 people turning up - a sign of the times obviously.

Gizmosgal

If people don't want to go, then they don't want to go, they can't (or shouldn't be) forced.

I'm of the opinion that most of this stuff is over priced rubbish anyway, if it were sny good & people wanted it, shops or websites would stock it & sell it that way.

OP I think you should be honest & say you don't want to buy anything & don't want to spend £20 to go & look at stuff you know you don't want to buy.

Craftyscholar

Mrs.D wrote: »

The other week we were at her daughter's Christening. One of these 'friends' came up to her and I overheard the conversation... "sorry you missed the party... I know you'd want to buy something, so I've brought you the catalogue". She then bought some candles for £30.

To add insult to injury the same 'friend' later handed out invitations for another of the same party for next month, stating "it went so well last time" :rotfl:

At a friend's daughter's Christening :eek::eek::eek:
That is so out of order.

This is not a friend - this is a businesswoman taking any opportunity to network.

Yes you can go and not buy anything, but it takes a thick skin to do it and if your skin is thick enough to be the only one accepting the hostess's hospitality and not buying you would have been able to just say no in the first place.

I love an outing and might be tempted for the company, but it is not a social gathering - it's a selling 'party'

galvanizersbaby

mwa wrote: »

Can I add a different perspective here - I am an ex-consultant (not for Partylite!) and trust me, it is a job and we do it to earn money as much as anything and there is nothing more frustrating than turning up to a party to have all the host's friends cry off last minute. Your friend will be being 'coached' (or groomed LOL) by the consultant to try and get as many people there as possible which is why she's pressurising you.

If you don't intend to go then tell her honestly as it's not fair on her or the consultant - I have just given up my job doing this (for Body Shop) as parties were turning into jokes with 2 or 3 people turning up - a sign of the times obviously.

Gizmosgal

I think it's a sign that people don't want to have to feel pressured in to buying something they don't want/wouldn't normally buy at top price at these parties

My sister did Body Shop for a while and you could buy the products cheaper online with discount codes etc
I don't think she earned much money out of it - I realise people go in for hosting these parties to earn a bit of extra cash but I don't think it could be considered a job - perhaps I'm wrong and there are people who have made a living out of it?

OP - just explain to your friend you had planned a night in with your son and you can't afford any unnecessary expenditure at the moment - if she is a best friend then she will understand

frugallass

thatgirlsam wrote: »

i think you should go



sometimes it is good to support our mates - you never know when you will need them!!

!!!!!! she's having a partylite party not a major operation

frugallass

mwa wrote: »

I am an ex-consultant (not for Partylite!) and trust me, it is a job and we do it to earn money as much as anything and there is nothing more frustrating than turning up to a party to have all the host's friends cry off last minute. Your friend will be being 'coached' (or groomed LOL) by the consultant to try and get as many people there as possible which is why she's pressurising you.

If you don't intend to go then tell her honestly as it's not fair on her or the consultant - I have just given up my job doing this (for Body Shop) as parties were turning into jokes with 2 or 3 people turning up - a sign of the times obviously.

Gizmosgal

well maybe the friend should have asked around before booking with the [STRIKE]groomers [/STRIKE] or [STRIKE]consultant[/STRIKE] (a word I would personally use for professionals such as surgeons) salesperson

another problem is that someone in attendance always gets bullied into having their own party, which means that if you know them too you'll end up getting invited and so on and so on

since reading this thread I have made a promise to myself never to attend another one of these home parties