Friday, May 27, 2016

Premier Designs is jewelry network marketing at its best

Premier Designs is a direct marketing company that sells jewelry.

Husband and wife Andy and Joan Horner founded the company in 1985 with the intent of giving stay-at-home moms an opportunity to make money while they care for their children. The company has deep Christian roots that influence its culture.

Andy and Joan Horner are not shy about the company striving to honor god and using revenues to support ministries throughout the world (1).

Premier Designs has survived for more than 30 years and has built a presence from coast to coast. Based on that history of success and the fact that jewelry isn’t a fad that’s likely to go out of style anytime soon, it’s safe to say the company’s outlook is quite promising.

Sign-Up Cost: $199

Global Revenue: Unknown

The Good: Glowing reviews from employees; high rating from Better Business Bureau; generous compensation plan.

The Bad: Overtly religious company; no product listing on website; product quality called into question.

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Products

The Premier Designs catalog boasts more than 500 different pieces of jewelry, including necklaces, watches, bracelets, rings, earrings, etc. The company has several distinct lines of jewelry with names such as Girl’s Best Friend, Pop of Polish, Unforgettable Romantics, and Hello Sunshine, and Premier Designs frequently adds additional lines of jewelry.

Unfortunately, the company’s website does not display every piece of jewelry the company sells. In order to view the company’s full catalog of products, you must contact one of their independent distributors, who the company aptly calls “Jewelers.”

Opportunity

Premier Designs relies on its contingent of Jewelers for all of its sales. Like any other MLM firm, Premier Designs’ distributors can sell products in any manner they like, but they encourage their Jewelers to host “Home Shows” in order to reach a large audience.

Anyone interested in becoming a Jeweler with Premier Designs must sign up through an existing member. There is a one-time startup fee of $199 that gives a new member a startup kit, basic training, and several pieces of jewelry, as well as the right to buy products from the company with a 50% discount.

When it comes to Jewelers making money, Premier Designs tries to simplify things as much as possible with two basic forms of income. The first is by earning 50% commission on all personal sales. The second is by earning 10% commission on the sales of each of the jewelers you recruit into the company for the first three levels.

The Good

One of the most appealing aspects of Premier Designs is that its compensation plan is both simple and generous, which is conducive to both MLM veterans and newcomers. The sign-up cost to become a Jeweler is higher than most would prefer, but a 50% commission rate will help to offset that cost after your first few sales. If you can recruit a few new distributors to the company, the 10% commission from all of their sales becomes a nice residual income.

The way the compensation system is set up creates a good balance between sales and recruiting, so distributors can choose to focus on one or the other, depending on their personal strengths. There is also no quota to meet in order to stay active and receive commissions, making it great for someone looking to pursue an MLM venture part time.

Not surprisingly, the company’s policies and compensation plan have led to a wealth of positive reviews from employees and distributors. Many of Premier Designs’ Jewelers speak highly of both the company’s compensation plan and the support they’ve received from the company. Most distributors are satisfied with the training the company offers and the dedicated hotline that allows distributors to have their questions and concerns addressed as soon as possible.

The glowing reviews from employees and distributors are backed up the A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Premier Designs has been accredited by the BBB since 1990, just a few years after it was founded. The number of complaints filed against the company in recent years has been minimal, and the few that have been filed have been resolved, indicating a responsible and trustworthy business.

The Bad

Several of Premier Designs’ weaknesses involve the company’s products. The first issue, as mentioned earlier, is that the company does not display its product line on its website. Obviously, it may be difficult to showcase hundreds of pieces of jewelry while also providing detailed information and pricing about each piece, but there should be a way for potential customers to view the company’s entire product line before contacting a distributor.

There have also been concerns raised about the quality of the jewelry the company sells. There are a myriad of complaints online claiming that the company’s jewelry is not durable or manufactured to a high standard. The Premier Designs website states that any jewelry with a manufacturer’s defect will be replaced for free within 60 days, and that after 60 days they can be replaced for a $5 fee. However, this does not cover basic wear and tear on the jewelry, calling into question the production quality of Premier Designs’ jewelry.

One more potential problem with Premier Designs is the company’s religious affiliation. This is a double-edged sword, as their overt support of Christianity can attract certain people to the business, but at the same time it can also be polarizing and alienate people who would otherwise be potential distributors or customers. There is certainly no malice intent on the part of Premier Designs, but any religious endorsement by a company can make people uncomfortable, which is something anyone considering a partnership with Premier Designs should be aware of.

Recap

All things considered, Premier Designs is one of the best companies for someone who’s new to multi-level marketing and willing to give it a try. The compensation plan is easy to follow and potentially lucrative if you can find a balance between sales and recruiting. The lack of sales quotas also makes it a great option if you’re only looking for a part-time MLM venture to produce a little extra pocket change.

Of course, there are some potential drawbacks. There isn’t universal agreement on the quality of the company’s jewelry, so if customers aren’t satisfied it can be difficult to gain repeat business, which can limit your income potential. Selling jewelry also limits the market to primarily female customers, although that may not be a huge issue for many distributors. But, as long as you are satisfied with the products being sold and not turned off by the company’s religious stance, you should feel confident in joining Premier Designs as a distributor.


via http://mlmcompanies.org/premier-designs/

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