FAQ

What do I earn as a party consultant?
You will earn 50% of everything you sell. Have a $1,000 party and earn $500 in one night! Yes, 50% of everything you sell goes in your pocket. There are some small expenses associated with being a rep, such as a monthly web hosting fee, your car's gas, phone bill, stamps, etc. Each consultant's expenses will vary. If you decide to recruit and train others, you will receive 5% of their retail orders. This means if they have a $1,000 party, they'd earn $500 and you'd earn 5% of the retail order, or in this case, $50. We pay 5% three levels deep. We also offer payouts 6 levels deep for our Executive level consultants, car bonuses and a 10% matching bonus for Top Executives.

Will BBP take taxes out of my commission checks?
No. You are considered an independent representative of BBP and we will send you a 1099 form for your tax reporting purposes.

When do I get paid for the items I sell?
If you sell items at a home party, the customers pay you directly. If people purchase from your website, you will receive your commissions the following month, after the reporting period has closed.

Do I have to recruit people?
No. Some people prefer not to recruit and train people and it is not mandatory to be involved with BBP. The option is always there if you change your mind.

Do I charge customers sales tax during home parties?
Yes. Recent case law finds that if BBP has a rep in any state, a relationship with BBP and that particular state is formed, therefore allowing the states to collect sales tax. The states demand that every sale and shipping charges made by any of our sales reps in their states must be taxed.

How do I know what sales tax bracket to charge the customers?
Charge all the customers in attendance the current tax rate of the location of the party, even if some customers live in different cities, counties, or states. BBP has supplied a printed form for the entire US listing each state, county's and city's applicable tax rate. We will periodically update this listing, but cannot be held responsible for inaccurate information. The most current tax rates can be found on-line at your state's official website.

What do I do with the sales tax I collect from my customers?
Send it in with your order. BBP will file it with your state for you. This service is part of your monthly hosting fees you pay to BBP. Failure to submit this tax will result in your immediate removal from BBP and you may face penalties, fines and legal action by your local tax authorities.

What do I do with the shipping charges I collect from my customers?
Send it in with your order. BBP pays UPS directly for all shipments processed out of our corporate office.

Can I charge more for shipping and keep the difference?
No. This is unethical and anybody found overcharging for our services would be released from BBP. You may charge extra to cover any additional fees that you incur.

Can I charge shipping if I'm selling an item out of my inventory?
Yes. If you originally paid shipping on that item, you may decide to collect the same amount from the customer when you sell that item.

Do I have to charge the customer shipping?
Yes. But you can give them "Free Shipping" if you are willing to make a little less money on your sale. Essentially, you can drop your retail price to make up for the shipping charges, and put the actual shipping charges where necessary, therefore, giving the customer "Free Shipping."

What do I do if a customer calls me the next day and wants to cancel?
Find out why, as you may be able to save the sale by answering a few of the customers concerns. If your have already sent in your order, your first step is to contact BBP to cancel their order. Refund any money to the customer directly within 72 hours.

Can I accept credit cards at my home parties?
Yes, Visa & Mastercards. Brown Bag Party integrates this process in your Brown Bag Party software.

Do I have to sell BBP's entire product line?
No. It's your business; you decide what items you want to show at your home parties. Obviously, the more items you present, the greater your sales will be.

Do I have to carry inventory?
No. Keeping a variety of sample products on hand is highly suggested, the more you can show at your parties, the greater your sales will be. This does not mean you have to carry inventory though. Some reps carry extra inventory to sell right then and there, boosting the chances for impulse buys, but this is not required.

Can I advertise my sites on search engines, such as Google Adwords?
Yes. You may utilize such "pay per click" programs such as Google Adwords to promote your site. All costs associated with such programs are your responsibility. We also recommend free message boards and sites that list opportunities. We do allow postings on myspace and other networking sites as long as it is done in a professional manner.

How much are supplies?
Brown Bag Party makes every attempt to keep these costs low. Our catalogs cost approximately 40 cents each while our customer invoices cost approximately 10 cents each. We offer these in bulk as well as low quantities, so your costs may vary depending on the size of your order.

I need a particular form. Where can I order them?
Most of our forms can be obtained from your back office and are free of charge and are in a PDF format. Simply click the link of the form you need and print it out. Other forms or brochures we charge for, such as recruitment materials, order forms etc. These can be ordered through your back office.