WXYZ-TV:
Chatting up friends, while having a fabulous dinner and looking at shiny, new jewelry isn’t a night out for millions of women. It’s work! With these tough economic times and unemployment on the rise, ladies across the country are banking on selling products from home to boost their bottom line.
When mom, Shannon Bambara, was laid off earlier this year, she polished up her silver and her sales pitch. Shannon became a direct seller with Silpada designs, a jewelry manufacturer. She peddles the company’s products at house parties then takes a cut of the proceeds.
Shannon Bambara: “An average Silpada party retails about $950, which means I take home 30 percent of that, which would be around $285. And typically that’s only in a two hour period.”
Bambara says she’s sold on direct selling and she’s not alone. While there are no statistics for this recession, history shows that during bad economic times, more women turn to home parties as a way to help fill the income void. According to the direct selling association, these days it’s more than just jewelry and makeup.
Amy Robinson/Direct Selling Association: “Some of the things that are sold through direct selling that you might not initially think of include pet supplies, scrapbooking supplies, organic gardening.”
Screenshot From Silpada