Home Products

Monday, June 02, 2008  by Gregory Gronbacher
Category: Selling Home Products

Here's a question for Quixtar Independent Business Owners: How do the home products figure in your business?

With the growing emphasis on retailing, have the home products -- LOC, SA8, iCook, Dishdrops, Pursue, and eSpring played a role in your sales efforts?

I am extremely interested to hear what you have to say about the challenges, advantages, and your experiences, selling and using these products.

Comments

# CJ said on June 2, 2008 6:16 PM:

I talked about this a bit in Susan's blog just recently (http://salesspeak.opportunityzone.com/2008/05/07/Letting-go-of-life-as-we-know-it-.aspx#32331). In today's market because of the economic situation, our concentrated homecare products are exactly what the public will be demanding on a broadscale that can almost be the actual lead-in product these days outside of XS and Ribbon. Of course focusing on client sales of buying concentrated homecare products offers the opportunity for an IBO to sell clients other items such as the toothpaste,deodorant,lipstick, food bars, energy drinks, etc so that a client can get their order up to $75 for free shipping/delivery. Add to that ditto delivery and it makes for a real compelling case why a client would want to continue to burn gas to go to the grocery store 3-4 times a week when they can get a bulk of their things through an IBO, at a lower price per concentration along with their other consumables, and have it delivered to their house for free once or twice a month.

# CJ said on June 2, 2008 6:26 PM:

Oh yea, Happy Belated Birthday!

EDITORS NOTE: Thanks!

# Diamond Diva Runner said on June 2, 2008 7:26 PM:

Well for a while I was not really focusing on the home products when it comes to retailing; however, I have recently shifted my thinking.  

Will all the press about "going green", our home care products are "sexy" now.  For example, L.O.C. was the first ever organic product. After all it stands for Liquid Organic Cleaner... I have been using this product as well as SA8 and Dishdrops (along with many others) as a great in with customers.  They are not only the best when it comes to performance, but they save people money too.  Because they are highly concentrated you don't have to get new product as often, and everything is delivered to the door.  Customers save on gas as well, with it reaching $4.39 out here in Cali!

Lastly, talking to people that have used these trademark Amway products in the past... the home care items are things that everyone needs and will use all their life!

# visioneer said on June 2, 2008 10:47 PM:

Gregory,

Home products are important in the overall strategy of selling at retail. I usually like to lead with the Health and Beauty, and especially the edibles like Perfect Water. However, I'll always mention that we have some of the best in Home care on the market.

If they are in the over 35 age bracket then they've invariably heard about SA8 and LOC and always have either heard great things about the products or have tried them personally.

I met with a couple to show them the plan last night who are in their late 40's and when I mentioned SA8 and LOC they immediately said that they were familiar with the quality of the products. They said that at the very least they would be a customer of mine.

The challenge with these products is the same as always. Explaining that the cost per use is usually equal to or less than a store bought product.

It also seems to me that Pursue and Dishdrops need to have a lower retail price in order to be competitive. I know they are higher in quality and have some advantages over the competition, i.e. Dishdrops has Alpha Hydroxy. But the retail price needs to be lowered.

If Quixtar/Amway Global could bring retail pricing similar to Artistry Essentials to the Home care line, I think we would see definitely more retailing from IBO's.

Thanks Gregory!

# Joe Hilliker said on June 3, 2008 3:35 AM:

With the economy the way it is right now I have been telling my customers how much money they can save by switching over to the Amway concentrated products.

# Jeffrey said on June 3, 2008 3:52 PM:

Home Care products play a very prominent role in our business. We know from over 33 years of self-use that they are the best. In our early days, we specialized in home care and that was our lead-in. To this day, I do head-to-head cost-per-use comparisons with the most popular brands, and show them to customers and potential customers. When I do demos, I have the competitor's products with me and I cover up the name with "Brand-X." They know what they are, so it usually gets a chuckle. Anyway, people still have to clean their homes and wash their clothes. Even if my customers buy XS Energy Drinks or Artistry Cosmetics, I don't ever consider them a "real" customer until they are on the SA8 products for six months. When I get someone on the SA8, I am pretty sure they are going to be a customer for life.

As far as the cost of our products, such as Pursue Disinfectant Cleaner: I don't think people (even IBOs) know how concentrated this product is. I would encourage IBOs to order a 4-liter (1.04 gal.) of it and write the purchase date on the container. I think they'll be amazed how long it lasts. Plus it kills a lot more viruses, fungi, and bacteria than Lysol. Why not buy a better product that is more economical to use?

I think if IBOs would really do their research, I think the company would see a large surge in home care product volume. And the promotional article in the current Achieve magazine on LOC/SA8/Dish Drops was great. I sure don't think being known as a "home care" company is anything to be ashamed of.

# visioneer said on June 4, 2008 9:15 PM:

Jeffrey,

Thanks for the info on Pursue, I appreciate that!

However, my point was simply that if we don't have to start a conversation about a product with "the reason it's more expensive is..." then we should see an increase in retailing from IBO's.

An example is the Simply Nutrilite Vitamin pack. When you can show the competitive comparison that's available on the website, it's much easier to promote because people can see that its a higher quality product for 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the competition.

We don't have to be the lowest price in everything, just more competitive.

Another great point that Diamond Diva Runner brought up is because of the name change to Amway Global, it's a lot easier to bring up the history of our company and how we've been selling highly concentrated, biodegradeable, "green" products for almost 50 years!

# Bridgett said on June 4, 2008 10:45 PM:

One of the selling points of the Pursue Disinfectant Cleaner is that you can use it to sanitize food contact surfaces. Most other disinfectants need to be rinsed off as a sanitizer.

This is nice feature for your kitchen counter-tops when you want to give them a quick spray (again: when the product is used as a sanitizer, not as a disinfectant).

And a particularly great selling point for churches/daycares/etc. where they need to spray the toys and such, that kids put in their mouths.

# Bridgett said on June 4, 2008 10:54 PM:

There was a time when the Amway products were unique--earth-friendly and concentrated.

But now, there are many products on the market which are earth-friendly and concentrated.

So charging what we do for these products cannot be b/c they are unique.

Why my customers continue to buy these Home Care products is convenience and because I tell them what they need to get out their stains (I provided customer service)--and because they are used to them.

Smashing White was a spectacular steal compared to Calgon. And the Corp discontinued it. The name was misleading. People thought it was a bleach, rather than a water softener. Wonder how well that product would've sold if people actually knew what it was.

# Ciao Bella said on June 18, 2008 12:06 AM:

Home Care products are the products people will use whether they are rich or poor, live in a 10,000 sq ft house or a mobile home and they'll use them until the day they die. Necessities. I talk to people on how they are the ORIGINAL GREEN Products, and will definitely save them $ over the Leading Brands in the stores. We have price comparisons to prove it. Plus I love to encourage the Ditto Program for these products. Who wants to go to the store to get Laundry detergent? I'd rather go to Nordys.

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