The Hostess with the Mostess: Party Planning Sales Quiz

Answer: Brownie Wise

Brownie Wise, a former sales representative for Stanley Home Products, convinced the owner of the Tupperware brand to sell his products through 'parties' held in the homes of housewives. This led to a dramatic increase in sales resulting in Tupperware being taken off the store shelves and only sold using a party plan marketing system.
Earl Tupper was the inventor of Tupperware, Mila Pond held the first Tupperware party in the UK, and Anita Roddick was the founder of The Body Shop (as we know it today).

Answer: A method of selling products through a social event, usually in the home

The reason for selling through party plan in the home is to demonstrate the product to a (usually) small group of people, to educate them as to why they 'need' this product and therefore encouraging them to purchase it. It also relies on other users of the product telling all their friends how great it is, therefore ensuring high levels of product sales and future parties for the person demonstrating the product.

Answer: Direct selling

Direct selling is defined as "a form of selling which bypasses traditional retail outlets by dealing with consumers through telemarketing, direct mail or other such measures." Party plan, door-to-door selling and tele-selling all fall under the umbrella of direct selling.
Non-shop selling is not a type of selling I could find any reference to, I just made it up for the purposes of a plausible wrong answer for this question!

Answer: Animals

Selling animals through party plan would probably be considered immoral and unethical by most of the population. However, almost anything can be sold using the party plan selling strategy including plastic containers, jewellery, cosmetics, toys, linen, kitchenware, etc.

Answer: To date future parties

For a party plan business to be successful, there needs to be a constant supply of future parties. Demonstrating the product well and offering free gifts work well in encouraging people to spend more money and maybe host a party themselves, but without dating those parties, a product demonstrator will have no future business.

Therefore the demonstrator won't be selling anything, demonstrating anything, or have the opportunity to offer anyone 'free stuff'.

Answer: Tupperware

Although all these companies sell plastic containers, only Tupperware use the party plan method to sell their products. Tupperware's main 'claim to fame' is their lifetime guarantee on their products (although in some countries a similar guarantee is offered due to particular laws in these countries). Tupperware is also a lot more expensive than the other brands mentioned but personal service and the lifetime guarantee can make all the difference when deciding which brand to go with.

Answer: Amway

Raymond and Julia Vitor founded Emma Page Jewellery in 1970. Amway has exclusive distributorship rights to the products throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Answer: The Body Shop

30 years after founding the Body Shop, Anita and Gordon Roddick agreed to a takeover by L'Oreal (2006). The Body Shop products are sold both through shopfronts and party plan selling.

Answer: Nutrimetics (cosmetics)

Emma Page, Artistry and E. Funkhouser are all brands owned and distributed through Amway using the party plan selling method. The Nutrimetics brand of products, through the Nutrimetics Group was sold to the Sara Lee Corporation in 1997, then to Tupperware Brands Corporation in 2006.

Answer: Shoes and handbags

According to the Hello, Imelda website, shoes and handbags sold by Hello, Imelda are made of cowhide sourced and processed by their own tannery and processing centre. All designs are unique and items are handmade.