Where is this business? After last night I am assuming she hands catalogues out to people she knows, they order stuff from it and that i she makes some commission.
Is Susan's business an Avon type business
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Her write up says she started on a market stall - where she still is isn't said
But she did seem to struggle selling - commenting that no-one seemed to have any money. Perhaps she's used to pitching in a very affluent area?
But she did seem to struggle selling - commenting that no-one seemed to have any money. Perhaps she's used to pitching in a very affluent area?
Originally Posted by DUNDEEBOY:
“Where is this business? After last night I am assuming she hands catalogues out to people she knows, they order stuff from it and that i she makes some commission.”
“Where is this business? After last night I am assuming she hands catalogues out to people she knows, they order stuff from it and that i she makes some commission.”
http://www.tropicskincare.com/static/About_Tropic
It's a line of products, not a home selling scheme.
Originally Posted by Shrike:
“Her write up says she started on a market stall - where she still is isn't said
But she did seem to struggle selling - commenting that no-one seemed to have any money. Perhaps she's used to pitching in a very affluent area?”
“Her write up says she started on a market stall - where she still is isn't said
But she did seem to struggle selling - commenting that no-one seemed to have any money. Perhaps she's used to pitching in a very affluent area?”
Maybe she sells stuff to her mum and dads well off mates.
Originally Posted by Cherrybomber:
“Maybe she sells stuff to her mum and dads well off mates.”
“Maybe she sells stuff to her mum and dads well off mates.”
I don't think her dad is on the scene. She has mentioned that she paid off her mums mortgage herself so I doubt mum is rich. Its possible mum has rich mates - but thats not usually the way is it?
Originally Posted by DUNDEEBOY:
“I forgot to say I doubt she ever sold stuff to the general public going by last night”
“I forgot to say I doubt she ever sold stuff to the general public going by last night”
She sold well in the first task, and seemed to have a good sales manner last night. I don't know why it wasn't working, but she does seem to be a good saleswoman.
Originally Posted by DavetheScot:
“She sold well in the first task, and seemed to have a good sales manner last night. I don't know why it wasn't working, but she does seem to be a good saleswoman.”
“She sold well in the first task, and seemed to have a good sales manner last night. I don't know why it wasn't working, but she does seem to be a good saleswoman.”
I thought Susan looked like an amateur. She didn't open with the right type of questions, her voice was jarring and her tone and body language were too pleading.
Originally Posted by -Sid-:
“I thought Susan looked like an amateur. She didn't open with the right type of questions, her voice was jarring and her tone and body language were too pleading.”
“I thought Susan looked like an amateur. She didn't open with the right type of questions, her voice was jarring and her tone and body language were too pleading.”
Well, it looked OK to me. But then I'm not a salesman.
Originally Posted by Miriam_R:
“Paace just put the link on another thread of her website.
http://www.tropicskincare.com/”
“Paace just put the link on another thread of her website.
http://www.tropicskincare.com/”
Looks like an amateur set up. Is the business even registered for VAT? No company registration on website - just unprofessional.
Originally Posted by Jo09:
“Looks like an amateur set up. Is the business even registered for VAT? No company registration on website - just unprofessional.”
“Looks like an amateur set up. Is the business even registered for VAT? No company registration on website - just unprofessional.”
What do you mean by amateur set up?
For someone purchasing the products from her on a retail basis whether she is registered for VAT or not is irrelevant as they are not aiming to claim the VAT back on the purchase. Many major online retailers don't say whether they are registered for VAT or not on the site.
It says it is a limited company but it is not necessary to have your company registration details on a retail website.
All the relevant information is there for purchasers including terms and conditions, privacy details and shipping and return information.
I think you are being unduly harsh for some reason.
The business was only registered on 27th January this year, both the .com and the .co.uk were registered the previous day, and the whois for the .co.uk shows a domestic property.
She's toast, ladies & gents!
She's toast, ladies & gents!
Originally Posted by Jo09:
“Looks like an amateur set up. Is the business even registered for VAT? No company registration on website - just unprofessional.”
“Looks like an amateur set up. Is the business even registered for VAT? No company registration on website - just unprofessional.”
There is no law that says you have to display your VAT number anywhere, other than on accounting paperwork. In fact it's more something smaller. less established companies do (they ned the reassure people they are real etc.).
If you read the company history, it started from a stall and developed under another name from 2007-2010. The current website is a rebrand/relaunch.
Originally Posted by BelligerentBoss:
“The business was only registered on 27th January this year, both the .com and the .co.uk were registered the previous day, and the whois for the .co.uk shows a domestic property.
She's toast, ladies & gents!”
“The business was only registered on 27th January this year, both the .com and the .co.uk were registered the previous day, and the whois for the .co.uk shows a domestic property.
She's toast, ladies & gents!”
It means she works from home as a lot of small business owners do.
Originally Posted by -Sid-:
“I thought Susan looked like an amateur. She didn't open with the right type of questions, her voice was jarring and her tone and body language were too pleading.”
“I thought Susan looked like an amateur. She didn't open with the right type of questions, her voice was jarring and her tone and body language were too pleading.”
She was probably the best seller, didn't even see Edna sell anything and the four of them made over £900, so she clearly sold. She even trains people to sell products:
http://www.tropicskincare.com/static/Video
Since that's how she makes a living, she must be good.
Originally Posted by diary_room:
“There is no law that says you have to display your VAT number anywhere, other than on accounting paperwork. In fact it's more something smaller. less established companies do (they ned the reassure people they are real etc.).
If you read the company history, it started from a stall and developed under another name from 2007-2010. The current website is a rebrand/relaunch.”
“There is no law that says you have to display your VAT number anywhere, other than on accounting paperwork. In fact it's more something smaller. less established companies do (they ned the reassure people they are real etc.).
If you read the company history, it started from a stall and developed under another name from 2007-2010. The current website is a rebrand/relaunch.”
Yep smaller businesses like John Lewis. If the business isn't tuning over 70k it doesn't need to be VAT registered. I don't care about the history.
Originally Posted by Jo09:
“Yep smaller businesses like John Lewis. If the business isn't tuning over 70k it doesn't need to be VAT registered. I don't care about the history.”
“Yep smaller businesses like John Lewis. If the business isn't tuning over 70k it doesn't need to be VAT registered. I don't care about the history.”
Jeez, give her a break, she's 21. Done bloody well for her age with a degree and business.
I think some of you are missing a key point here. The show was obviously filmed last autumn (The Savoy re-opened in October 2010, for example) and if this business/website was only registered in Jan 2011, I suspect it isn't the one to which she refers. Whatever it was called before the re-brand will be the one she's on about on the show.
Why all the stick? 
OK, she's hardly Boots, but she is starting out. Why must people carp at and criticise a youngster who has got off her backside and is making a go of a business? If there were more like her, maybe this country might be on a better financial footing!
Good grief!! Leave her alone!!
OK, she's hardly Boots, but she is starting out. Why must people carp at and criticise a youngster who has got off her backside and is making a go of a business? If there were more like her, maybe this country might be on a better financial footing!
Good grief!! Leave her alone!!
I thought i'd weigh in here, I was involved in doing a ppc campaign for a startup skincare company, and I had a lot of insight on how this works.
The skincare product was a "side project" for a pharmaceuticals sales rep, products are dirt cheap to buy wholesale, a few pence per tub and you can buy them by the truckload, usually it's the same stuff that's rebranded in different containers and with different perfume and "flavours", aloe vera, vitamin e, coca butter etc.
The wholesaler wlll even label and package the products to you with your own cutom branding on it.
That's skincare for you, the just moisturise and give temporary boose to you skin, and the rest is just hype an marketing.
So, has she got a thriving business? who knows, you can get into the skincare business for a couple of grand and grow from there, but if you ask me, it didn't strike me as though she knew how to sell, and her team were right to be annoyed with he because she talked herself up so much and didn't deliver.
The skincare product was a "side project" for a pharmaceuticals sales rep, products are dirt cheap to buy wholesale, a few pence per tub and you can buy them by the truckload, usually it's the same stuff that's rebranded in different containers and with different perfume and "flavours", aloe vera, vitamin e, coca butter etc.
The wholesaler wlll even label and package the products to you with your own cutom branding on it.
That's skincare for you, the just moisturise and give temporary boose to you skin, and the rest is just hype an marketing.
So, has she got a thriving business? who knows, you can get into the skincare business for a couple of grand and grow from there, but if you ask me, it didn't strike me as though she knew how to sell, and her team were right to be annoyed with he because she talked herself up so much and didn't deliver.
I wondered how genuine a business this is, ditto Edna the HR and business psychologist. Her website is full of management speak twaddle but not a lot of depth.
Originally Posted by Dragonlady 25:
“Why all the stick?
OK, she's hardly Boots, but she is starting out. Why must people carp at and criticise a youngster who has got off her backside and is making a go of a business? If there were more like her, maybe this country might be on a better financial footing!
Good grief!! Leave her alone!!”
“Why all the stick?
OK, she's hardly Boots, but she is starting out. Why must people carp at and criticise a youngster who has got off her backside and is making a go of a business? If there were more like her, maybe this country might be on a better financial footing!
Good grief!! Leave her alone!!”
I agree. We should be praising anyone who has the guts to start and try to run any business.
I wonder how difficult it is to get your products on a Home shopping channel like QVC? Any stuff they have sells well.
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