Intro: Is Becoming a LuLaRoe Consultant Worth It? What You Need to Know Before Selling LuLaRoe
It’s worth venturing a guess that, at this point, just about everyone has heard of LuLaRoe and their fashionable, colorful, and comfortable clothing. LuLaRoe sales and ads dominate social media feeds, with new LuLaRoe consultants joining the company by the day.
In fact, in 2016, the company’s sales skyrocketed by an astonishing 600 percent, culminating in about $1 billion in shirts, skirts, dresses, and leggings sold.
With bright colors, unique patterns, fashionable styles, and a keen focus on comfort, the LuLaRoe clothing line has burst into the front and center of every social media feed—and, along with it, the push towards becoming a LuLaRoe consultant.
The thought of becoming a LuLaRoe consultant is on the minds of thousands of women—the latest estimates put the total number of LuLaRoe consultants at over 80,000, with thousands more waiting in the LuLaRoe onboard process.
After all, according to the company, becoming a LuLaRoe consultant “can be the way by which you overcome a setback or finally get beyond ‘just making ends meet.’ It can restore or improve confidence in both your appearance and your abilities and it will provide immense satisfaction as you help others to find such confidence in themselves.”
Being a LuLaRoe consultant and learning how to sell LuLaRoe means being a part of a corporate culture based heavily on positivity, growth, participation, and respect, as seen in their LuLaRoe Etiquette & Ethics.
Photo courtesy of: LuLaRoe
Before getting into the business of selling LuLaRoe for yourself, there are first a few important questions to answer:
- How does LuLaRoe work from a consultant’s point of view?
- Where can I learn about how to become a LuLaRoe consultant?
- What is the average LuLaRoe consultant cost?
- How much do LuLaRoe consultants make?
- Do LuLaRoe consultant reviews show that they are satisfied with their decision?
Our LuLaRoe consultant review will explore each of these questions in detail to help you determine whether selling LuLaRoe and becoming a LuLaRoe consultant is the right choice for you.
Using experiences from the past and present LuLaRoe consultant reviews, we’ll show you a first-hand look at what being a LuLaRoe consultant is really like, from your start-up costs to the overall success of the business model.
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Becoming a LuLaRoe Consultant | How Does LuLaRoe Work?
Before deciding to become a LuLaRoe consultant, it’s important for you to understand how the LuLaRoe business model works from a consultant’s point of view. First and foremost, LuLaRoe uses multi-level marketing (MLM) as a framework for their business model.
According to CBS News, these “are businesses that largely depend on selling their products through independent distributors, who are encouraged or required to recruit other sellers.” Recruiting other sellers is a big draw for these companies, since this creates a downline—a network of sellers from which you earn commission based on their monthly orders.
The convenience and easy integration into social media has made multi-level marketing increasingly popular as a means to help encourage women to create and manage their own businesses.
Chances are high that you’ve heard of MLM businesses before—a few of the most well-known ones are Mary Kay, Avon, Scentsy, Pampered Chef, and Herbalife.
Photo courtesy of: LuLaRoe
So—how does LuLaRoe work from a consultant’s perspective? Here is a quick review of what the LuLaRoe business model looks like for someone selling LuLaRoe:
- LuLaRoe dresses, skirts, shirts, and leggings are not sold in stores—they can only be purchased through finding a consultant who is selling LuLaRoe.
- Consultants do not order specific items from a catalog—inventory is purchased in styles, sizes, and quantities. Consultants selling LuLaRoe have no control over the colors or patterns that they receive.
- Inventory is purchased by the LuLaRoe consultant by either using out-of-pocket funds or income from the last round of sales.
- Part of learning how to sell LuLaRoe comes from utilizing Facebook albums, live video streaming, or in-person “pop-ups.” LuLaRoe consultants also have the option to create a website promoting their business, though they are restricted from selling LuLaRoe through this type of channel.
- Only 5,000 pieces are made from each fabric. This drives consumer demand and discourages heavy competition from multiple consultants selling LuLaRoe in the same geographical area.
Finally, if you sign up and decide that selling LuLaRoe is not for you, there are two ways to get rid of your inventory: you can either sell your remaining inventory to other LuLaRoe consultants or sell it back to LuLaRoe for a 15 percent restocking fee.
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LuLaRoe Consultant Review | Where Can I Learn About How to Become a LuLaRoe Consultant & How to Sell LuLaRoe?
Those who are interesting in being a LuLaRoe consultant will have enormous difficulty finding information on becoming a LuLaRoe consultant—and how to sell LuLaRoe— through the LuLaRoe website itself.
This is because the only way to become a LuLaRoe consultant is to get in touch with another person who is selling LuLaRoe. Once this connection is established, they will also teach new consultants about how to sell LuLaRoe.
This not only creates a widespread environment of friendly, supportive consultants, but it also supports the multi-level marketing business model.
Recruiting and training new LuLaRoe sellers is how they sustain a network of downlines—once a LuLaRoe consultant helps someone else learn about how to become a consultant, they have created a downline, and are eligible to earn commissions.
If you don’t have a local source to help you learn how to become a LuLaRoe consultant, the company website provides a retailer map to help you find the closest consultant.
They will provide you with all of the necessary information and send you a link with the application form. Once your application is submitted, you will be in the “LuLaRoe Queue.”
From this point, new applicants can wait anywhere between 4-8 weeks to officially become a LuLaRoe consultant. Afterwards, you can place your first inventory order, and as soon as it arrives, you can begin selling LuLaRoe.
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Becoming a LuLaRoe Consultant | What is the Average LuLaRoe Consultant Cost?
One of the most common questions that prospective LuLaRoe consultants have is, “What is the LuLaRoe consultant cost?” All businesses cost money to begin and maintain, and becoming a LuLaRoe consultant is no different.
Because all key information about becoming a LuLaRoe consultant is restricted to in-company correspondence, LuLaRoe does not publicly advertise the LuLaRoe start up cost, which comes in the form of the LuLaRoe startup kit.
Thankfully, there have been plenty of women curious about their possible LuLaRoe consultant cost, and many current consultants have been very forthcoming about the initial cost of the LuLaRoe startup kit.
Before getting into the numbers, here’s the gist of how the LuLaRoe startup kit works:
- To begin selling LuLaRoe, new consultants must order one of three types of “initial order packages,” also called LuLaRoe startup kits.
- Each initial order package provides the consultant with top-selling items to help encourage success with selling LuLaRoe.
- The high costs of the LuLaRoe startup kit are meant to attract serious entrepreneurs and discourage those who only have a casual interest in running a business.
Photo courtesy of: LuLaRoe
Average LuLaRoe Startup Kit Cost
LuLaRoe consultant Kate Crump has a blog dedicated to detailing her experience selling LuLaRoe, called Kate’s Closet.
According to her, the pricing details for the three LuLaRoe startup kit options are as follows:
- Initial Inventory Order #1: 284 pieces for a total of $4,925.75
- Initial Inventory Order #2: 382 pieces for a total of $6,664.25
- Initial Inventory Order #3: 503 pieces for a total of $9,058.25
These “onboarding packages” are certainly anything but cheap, but the goal is to use your initial inventory to create a miniature store.
Along with the LuLaRoe startup kit, recommendations from the company are for each consultant to keep at least $20,000 worth of inventory on hand at all times, encouraging consultants to purchase more LuLaRoe merchandise and invest in their business.
Subsequent inventory orders must be done at minimum orders of 33 pieces at a time, meaning the price can vary depending on the chosen styles.
Additional LuLaRoe Consultant Costs
Aside from purchasing a LuLaRoe startup kit—and refreshing inventory once those items begin to sell—there are other costs of running a business that many new consultants only find out after they begin selling LuLaRoe.
Depending on the consultant, a few of these additional LuLaRoe start up costs may include:
- Clothing racks to store inventory
- No-slip hangers
- Business cards
- Return address labels
- Packaging supplies
- Identification tags for Facebook live sales
- High-definition camera
- Lighting equipment
- Tripod
In her LuLaRoe consultant review, Kristi Trimmer estimates that she started with around $7,000 in inventory. Within the first two weeks, she also had about $2,900 in additional expenses, making her initial LuLaRoe start up cost close to $10,000.
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Becoming a LuLaRoe Consultant | How Much Do LuLaRoe Consultants Make?
Anyone considering becoming a LuLaRoe consultant and selling LuLaRoe clothing should know the financial benefits and risks that come along with starting a business.
So—let’s talk about numbers. Exactly how much do LuLaRoe consultants make? Is the initial LuLaRoe consultant cost and the high price of the LuLaRoe startup kit worth it?
These are hard questions to answer, since succeeding at selling LuLaRoe largely depends on mastering the business model and all the risks and challenges that come from learning how to become a LuLaRoe consultant. This includes:
- Social media outreach and networking
- Branding yourself as an individual consultant and LuLaRoe store
- Building a strong customer base
- Integrating in-person and social media selling events
- Marketing, displaying, and photographing your products
- Balancing inventory and LuLaRoe startup kit costs
When it comes to becoming a LuLaRoe consultant, there are tons of variables and moving parts that can make or break a consultant’s success, making for wide ranges in LuLaRoe consultant income figures.
LuLaRoe does not publicly post the average income gained from becoming a LuLaRoe consultant. Thus, our LuLaRoe consultant review will look at a few consultants who have openly answered the question of “How much do LuLaRoe consultants make?” for themselves.
Becoming a LuLaRoe Consultant—The Successful Salaries
LuLaRoe consultant Tiffany Cook says that she earns around $34,000 each month selling LuLaRoe. She also mentions having friends that have earned monthly bonus checks between $9,000 and $20,000 with the company (bonuses come through having large downlines).
In an interview with Business Insider, LuLaRoe consultant Alexandra Laigle says that she is able to sell roughly $80,000 worth of clothes each month through selling LuLaRoe.
Aside from simply selling LuLaRoe, many women find that becoming leaders and mentors for new consultants is the best way to earn an income, since this is what generates bonuses. In 2016, the average annual bonus was $2,064.77
Roughly 3 percent of LuLaRoe consultants took home a bonus between $7,500 and $50,000—which means that, while it is possible to have a high LuLaRoe consultant income, this only applies to a small segment of the population.
(It’s worth mentioning here that the average LuLaRoe consultant income from commission alone averages to about $85 a year).
Photo courtesy of: Business Insider
Becoming a LuLaRoe Consultant—The Not-so-Successful Salaries
Search the phrase “I failed at LuLaRoe” and you’ll find a wealth of former consultants admitting that selling LuLaRoe generated far too much investment cost and not nearly enough in profits, ultimately putting them further into debt.
For example, former LuLaRoe consultant Jenn Ventures posted a YouTube video detailing her 8-month experience with selling LuLaRoe.
After analyzing at her LuLaRoe startup kit cost, shipping fees, and additional costs like inventory management software and tax withholding, Ventures had about $400 in recurring monthly expenses.
Add continual inventory refreshment to the mix and she was constantly hovering around $5-$6,000 in credit card debt. Although she spent between 40-60 hours each week being a LuLaRoe consultant, her net profit was only $600-$700 a month.
According to CBS MoneyWatch, over 70 percent of LuLaRoe consultants (roughly 55,500 business owners) reported their monthly LuLaRoe consultant income as less than $5,000 in February 2017. Less than 5 percent (roughly 3,700) reported over $10,000 as their LuLaRoe consultant income.
Granted, making $5,000 a month is certainly a respectable accomplishment—but what often gets ignored is that many consultants selling LuLaRoe sincerely struggle to make a decent LuLaRoe consultant income, especially when juggling a full-time job alongside selling LuLaRoe clothing.
To reflect this, the same survey found that 8 percent of LuLaRoe consultants ordered nothing and had a LuLaRoe consultant income of $0 for the month of February.
An additional challenge when calculating income is that it’s difficult to determine whether individuals making a high LuLaRoe consultant income are taking this home as profit or repurposing it to purchase new inventory.
This is a concern commonly voiced by critics of the multi-level marketing model, since MML companies encourage continual reinvestment in the business.
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LuLaRoe Consultant Review | What Do LuLaRoe Consultant Reviews Have to Say?
One of the best ways to determine whether selling LuLaRoe is the right decision for you is to look at LuLaRoe consultant reviews from women who have experienced the process for themselves.
In this section, we’ll highlight a few LuLaRoe consultant reviews to get a better idea of what you can expect from becoming a LuLaRoe consultant.
Positive LuLaRoe Consultant Reviews
Although selling LuLaRoe has only 2.6 stars out of 5 on GlassDoor, there are plenty of positive aspects in these LuLaRoe consultant reviews. Common praise for the company includes:
- Working from home allows you to truly own your own business
- Dedicating full-time hours is the best way to succeed
- Clothes are comfortable, fun, colorful, and suited to a range of body shapes
- With patience and dedication, anyone can succeed through selling LuLaRoe
In an earlier section, when discussing the average LuLaRoe consultant income, we mentioned Alexandra Laigle, who sells roughly $80,000 worth of clothes each month. Laigle is a great example of a positive LuLaRoe consultant review: in fact, her business is so successful that her husband quit his job at the Department of Defense to help sell LuLaRoe.
As Laigle told Business Insider, “It has completely changed my life…My entire family is outfitted in the product. All my friends have heard me go on about it. It’s my life.”
Photo courtesy of: LuLaRoe
Negative LuLaRoe Consultant Reviews
In a piece published by Inquisitr, former LuLaRoe consultant Amy Schafer provides her own honest, straightforward account of her experience selling LuLaRoe.
For Schafer, two of the biggest issues in her LuLaRoe consultant review were the lack of control over inventory and the money it took to refresh her stock of LuLaRoe. She says,
I soon realized you have to reinvest a lot of money every month to keep a good inventory of cute clothes. For every cute item you receive, you may get two ugly ones. They don’t sell. They sit in your home, and it no longer looks like hopes and dreams — it looks like an exploded closet of really matronly clothes.
So, you’re falling deeper into debt, but the CEO is assuring you that if you stay positive and bless lives, these ugly prints will sell.
Schafer also expressed discomfort at having to constantly talk about her business on social media, since she felt as though she was harassing and annoying her friends. Ultimately, she decided to quit selling LuLaRoe, and her LuLaRoe consultant review comes to this conclusion:
With the massive amount of consultants LuLaRoe now onboards every day and the inconsistent inventory and quality problems, the average consultant just can’t make it work.
Schafer’s sentiments are echoed by a large group of consultants who have quit selling LuLaRoe:
- “My first attempt at becoming a LuLaRoe consultant, and why it was the single most negative experience of my life”
- “Why Not LuLa? 7 Reasons I Quit Selling LuLaRoe”
- “3 Reasons Why I Decided Not to Sell LuLaRoe”
- “Disabilities, Dreams, and Deceit: My LuLaRoe Story”
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Conclusion: LuLaRoe Consultant Review | Is it Worth it to Become a LuLaRoe Consultant?
If the thought of selling LuLaRoe clothing inspires and motivates you, becoming a LuLaRoe consultant may be a great fit.
With strong company values based on positivity, growth, acceptance, and fashion, it’s no wonder that women are jumping at the opportunity to join the ever-growing ranks of LuLaRoe fashion consultants.
Based on our review and LuLaRoe consultant reviews, however, being a LuLaRoe consultant should not be taken lightly, as it comes with the following stipulations regarding the overall LuLaRoe consultant cost:
- Contrary to what LuLaRoe advertises, many consultants find that successfully selling LuLaRoe requires full-time attention, not part-time as the company suggests.
- Selling LuLaRoe comes with high LuLaRoe consultant costs, including the LuLaRoe startup kit and continuously refreshing inventory each month.
- Monthly maintenance expenses—like shipping, postage, and inventory orders—must be carefully balanced and regulated to turn a profit.
If you have the passion, people skills, energy, and more importantly, the cash flow to support a new business, learning how to become a LuLaRoe consultant may be exactly what you’re looking for.
On the other hand, based on LuLaRoe consultant reviews, if you are looking for a steady, secure source of part-time income, you might be better off choosing not to start selling LuLaRoe and avoiding the financial risk of becoming a LuLaRoe consultant.
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