Watkins Review – Scam Or Legitimate MLM Business?
Welcome to my Watkins Review!!
Watkins is on a mission to be the most trusted natural products company in the market place, and they aim to accomplish this by meeting their customer’s needs and exceeding their expectations.
In this Watkins Review, I will be examining their company and products in relation to the MLM Home Business Opportunity that they offer as an Independent Watkins Associate.
This Watkins Review will answer one key question: Does Watkins offer a legitimate MLM business opportunity, or should this be considered a scam or pyramid scheme? This is my unbiased Watkins Review.
Company Details & History
Watkins has been in existence since 1868, and was founded by a gentleman named J.R. Watkins in the kitchen of his home in Plainview, Minnesota. Throughout the 1890s and the early 1900s, Watkins experienced a tremendous growth phase, opening branches around the country, including their very first international branch in Winnipeg, Canada.
Available Markets
Today, Watkins continues their international operations with products sold in:
- U.S.
- Canada
- U.K.
- Philippines
For the first 110 years of their existence, Watkins was family owned and operated. It wasn’t until 1978 that Watkins was purchased by entrepreneur Irwin L. Jacobs. To this day, the Jacobs family has continued the Watkins tradition of manufacturing high-quality products, and providing outstanding service that exceeds expectations.
Product Line
Throughout the years, the Watkins product line has grown to offer a wide array of products related to:
- Natural Gourmet
- Personal Care
- Home Remedies
- Home Care
- Gifts
MLM Business – Getting started and how it works
As an Independent Watkins Associate, you will have four options to market your business, including:
1. Living Naturally
This includes activities such as group events, and presentations where you will present Watkins products and their business opportunity in a group setting.
2. Public Events
This includes showcasing products in Trade Shows, Public Displays, and Fairs. Any setting that brings the public to you.
3. Online
Includes a website where you will drive visitors to learn more about Watkins products, and their MLM business opportunity.
4. One-on-One
Present Watkins products and/or their business opportunity to individuals any time and in any setting.
The cost of getting started
The cost to begin your Watkins Home Business as an Associate will be an annual $39.95 fee for your Watkins Membership Package. This will provide you with minimal literature and training as a starting point for all new Associates.
Possible Upgrades
Depending on which of the four methods that you choose to grow your business, you will be highly encouraged to upgrade your membership by adding their Upgrade Assortment packages. There are three to choose from depending on your goals and how you wish to grow your business.
1. CN Living Naturally Upgrade Assortment for $69.95 USD.
Intended for those who are going to share their products in a home party setting.
2. CN Gift Certificate Assortment for $129 USD.
3. CN Watkinize Your Home Assortment for $349 USD.
Intended for serious business builders who wish to have a large inventory of products to have on hand to begin sharing with others.
This will also include three months of free web maintenance for your E-Associate Website. After this three month time period, this will be an additional monthly expense.
Questions that must be asked…
Now, it is imperative that you learn some important facts before you place your initial order and decide on which of the three packages you are going to purchase. Typically in MLM companies like Watkins, when there are various product packs to choose from, the pack that you decide to purchase will directly affect your placement and qualification for earnings within that company’s compensation plan.
Generally speaking in businesses like these, the more that you are willing to spend, the higher the earnings you are qualified to receive. I highly recommend that you complete your due diligence to see if this applies to the Watkins business opportunity before you enroll and place your order.
Watkins Review Conclusion
In my opinion after conducting this Watkins Review, Watkins is a legitimate business opportunity. For the fact that they have been growing and operating for more than 140 years proves that they are not a scam.
If you possess the desire to share their high-quality product line with others by the means of home parties, trade shows, fairs, and other public events, I believe that Watkins offers a legitimate and solid business opportunity.
This concludes my Watkins Review! If you have found this Watkins Review to be helpful, or have anything to add, please provide your feedback below!
Category: MLM Company Reviews
About the Author (Author Profile)
Dave Fennell is the founder and editor of Marketing Methods Online and BloggerGo. Learn more about him here. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.Subscribe
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i just saw your comment this is really important to me
Dave Fennell wrote this Watkins Review for those who are researching the J.R. Watkins Business Opportunity. I would love your feedback. If you have any experiences with this company, whether good or bad, please share them here to assist others in their research efforts.
I greatly appreciate your feedback and expertise, and others will too!
To Your Success,
Dave Fennell
I love Watkins products and the business! I had to stop my business a few years ago when my ex husband began having a problem with my selling the products and began sabotaging everything I did (jealous because I was having a thriving business and he didn’t want to see that! He was very abusive and controlling). Now that I am no longer with him, I will be signing back up next month when I can afford to get not only the start up kit, but the Living Naturally Upgrade kit and the gift certificate kit. I will start doing Living Naturally Home Parties to earn enough within the 1st three months to also get the Watkinize Your Home kit! The more products I can try (though I’ve tried most of the long time products already and in love with them), the better I will be able to describe them to potential customers as well as experiment with recipes with the food line. I have already started making out my wish lists of products to get, and home party themes and sales idea, lol. I am really excited to get started and I know I can grow my business like I did before if not better! I do recommend Watkins as a home business! One thing they don’t do is pressure new associates to buy upgrade kits. They are always optional. This will be my third time signing up. The first time, I didn’t put much effort into it. Second time, I did, but ex forced me to give it up. This time there is no stopping me!! Watkins offers a great deal of support for their associates as do the associates upline. This time, I am signing up with Sandy and Mark Jenkins, who are part of the Summit Group, one of Watkins’ biggest groups of associates. The key to being successful in the business is to align yourself with the right upline who will help guide you through any questions or inquiries. If you have a sponsor who you rarely ever hear from, or doesn’t reply to your phone calls or emails, then you won’t succeed. You also have to work the business, and not expect people to knock on your door looking for the products. Even with a small handful of their products in some stores, you can still have a thriving business. You just need to remember that not all products are in stores. People who have never heard of Watkins buy a product in the stores, try it, love it, look up the company on the JR Watkins website and see they have hundreds more products that are not available in stores, and contact the company about buying other products. The stores might sell the products, but the one thing they don’t do is sell the customer service! They can’t offer them recipes for food products, of give you details on other products. That’s where the Watkins Consultant comes in. I have loads of ideas on how to market my business and the products. I can’t wait to start!
You have many good insights. I like your website.
I was a past associate with Watkins and left to do another MLM. Watkins milks their members that are trying to do the business. Examples:
1. You pay $19.99 monthly for a website ( by choice you don’t get a personal website)
2. You have to pay a renewal fee every year even when you pay them for a website monthly.
3. If a new program is started which offers a new type bonus in order to get that you have to purchase the product kit even though you are on a monthly auto ship program using the products already.
4. They have to many programs for their associates to be in which cost each month.
a. PEP Program monthly fee
b. Watkinizie Your Home Program one time product kit to buy
c. Watkins Advantage Program monthly fee
All these are required to operate.
I was on an associates site checking it out, and she pays monthly for this site mind you $19.99. I know her she has customers all over the US. Guess what option is on HER site. A help tool for HER customers to find a associate closer to them and help in finding a retail store that they can buy from someone closer or a retail store instead of Her the owner of the website they are on. Now that’s Watkins support of their Associates trying to build a business. I am I the only one that thinks this is STUPID!!!
Way to undermine your faithful Watkins’s associates trying to build a business.
So now you decided if Watkins is really a business that helps their members I think not. They need to just call it a members only buying club like COSTO or something similar.
Feel free to correct me its been a while since I’ve been in the Watkins business. I buy my products online cheaper with free shipping than I could when I was a Watkins Associate.
Just saying do your homework great products but not so good biz opportunity.
KEEPING LOOKING
I agree with Deborah. My sister is a Watkins rep and she’s very discouraged every time she see’s the product in a retail location. A lotion she has to sell for $10 to make a profit is selling for $4.99 on the shelf because of the store’s “buying power”. She’s been in the business for many years, but since this started, she’s ready to jump ship. Why in the world would a company promote signing up consultants for home party sales, then turn around and sell the exact same products for less in a retail location?? Better question – why would anybody sign up to sell with these perimeters?
its not true its not 19.99 for a website u do get a personal website u r informed wrong or lazy and don’t want to work it
I loved Watkins and there products….
I bought from them myself, besides having customers….
Take for instance this product….
Watkins came out with a very nice Jam/jelly product, but butter fingers me, when I opened it, it slipped from my hands 🙁 I tried to save it but I did not want to take the chance of having glass in my throat.
There products are very good. Im still thinking of doing Watkins again in the very near future. There is nothing wrong with Watkins. I can always upgrade later. You don’t need to stalk your room or garage to begin a Watkins Business gees. Signing up between $40.00 to $ 129.00 is fine. The last kit yes is expensive I agree whole heartedly…$349.00 thats only if you want a full blown Watkins whole ball of wax Watkins Business, but the kits below that are just fine…..Damn I hate myself for dropping that jelly product…I really wanted to taste it so bad. But I would do Watkins again, Yes. Signed Warne I believe in Watkins Products I Believe.
Forgot to add … if you are someone who is looking for a get rich quick business … this is not the business for you! You must work the business to earn the income. One main goal I want to achieve by Black Friday is doing Super Parties! Where to rent an area, get 5-10 hosts to host parties, and have all of the individual parties in one location, like a fire hall, hotel convention room, community room, etc. I snagged this idea from a former Princess House Party Consultant. That is the only way she did her business and was hugely successful with it! Granted, Watkins products aren’t as expensive as Princess House, but the same concept will work. Why do I want to do it by Black Friday? The holiday shopping season! Also by adding gift baskets of products will help increase sales. Ok, I gave two of my ideas away for anyone wanting to start their Watkins business. For those of you who would like to sign up for a Watkins business of your own, and would like a sponsor who will be there for their downline associates, once I am signed up, feel free to contact me on Twitter at @WatkinsLadybeth and let me know you saw my reply on here (I’m also a music promoter so you’ll see music promotions on that account right now, until I sign up and set up a Watkins exclusive twitter account). I would put my email as well, but not sure if it would post. I have a great deal of ideas to share to help consultants grow their business. Plus, I know I will learn new ones from The Summit Group! So stay tuned! 🙂
Wanted to also respond to Deborah Moore’s comment.
1) Regarding the $19.99 monthly website fee: Yes, there is a fee … it’s called a Web host fee. Most wesite hosts do require a monthly fee, so this is normal. Granted some companies will give you a free website with no monthly fees, you end up making up for it with higher product and/or samples prices. A good example is Avon. Though Avon is a good company and has been around for many years, I recently gave up my Avon business because of the prices of their samples. A great deal more than they used to be. Watkins samples aren’t cheap either, but you get way more samples than you do with Avon per package.
2) Paying the renewal fee is pretty much an industry standard no matter what the company. That’s at least what I’ve found. Not really any different than any business license. You pay the fee to be a licensed consultant for the company, just like you would pay a business license to your city for a retail store.
3) The different programs Watkins offers are ALL optional. They are not required to run your business. The last time, I started out small by just paying for the start up kit. I worked the business and earned enough money to buy the Watkinsize Your Home Kit, and sign up for the PEP program. Also, since many of the programs are also business builders, many of them can be claimed on income tax as business expenses. The business builder programs are a good idea to do, as long as you plan on really putting in the work to promote and market your business, but they are not required.
4) The option on consultant’s website to find store and consultants may seem stupid, but, what it does do is if someone would rather have a consultant nearby to come to their home or want to host a home party in their home, or if they are uncomfortable with ordering online, they would want someone nearby to buy from. So I can understand that part. As for finding stores which sells Watkins, remember, stores only sell a very limited selection of products. Maybe they would like to try a certain product out before committing to ordering online or just don’t feel comfortable ordering online. One great thing once I start is I can go into stores that I know sell the product and if I see someone looking at the products, I can carry catalogs and business cards with me and talk to them about the products. This will give me a lead way into giving the potential customer a catalog with a sample or two, business card, and a special offer coupon. If they really need the product right there and then, encourage them to buy it from the store, but ask them for their contact info and if you could contact them to offer the home party opportunity to earn free products. Not too many people will turn down an offer to earn free products and have friends over for a great party!
Do they milk their consultants out of money. No. They do nothing more than any other business. You know the old saying, “You have to spend money to earn money”. Most of the the business expenses can be written off on taxes as well. But, I found that spending that money gradually works the best way. Especially if you are on a limited income. You don’t want to invest nearly $1000 if you can’t recoup the amount within a few months. One plan I will offer is if a person is interested in becoming a Watkins Consultant, but can’t afford to sign up, I will offer them a chance to earn the start up and upgrade kits. By giving them catalogs, and samples, and encouraging them to get orders. The more orders they get, the bigger the start up kit they can earn. By doing this, this will help you see who will be your hard working consultants, and who will need extra help with getting their businesses going. Also lets your soon to be downline know you want them to succeed and are there to work with them to do just that.
You rock beth! Excellent answers and I love your approach! I think #1 important is helping others find the products (I run into people who have forgotten about watkins because they haven’t seen it in sometime…and helping others by reaching out to them is going to grow my business!
My own conclusion of this review…Time well spent sharing this info. The summit group is now “timeless integrity” I’m a member of one of thee greatest groups representing independant associates for jr watkins products, we have the experience behind us and represent a well known company that’s time tested ~ generation after generation agree…go for it, become a member and be proud of what your doing…put a smile on your happy face and enjoy every bit of the jr watkins products! We have something for everyone, all ages! RRobby
Please use Code 638862 to join. Please check us out before you decide. Thank You
I am a new Independent Watkins Consultant. I have little money at the moment. That does not matter with Watkins. I only paid $20 to join and was sent a $20 gift certificate! You are given everything you need to begin your business free to print, brochures, catalogs, printable business cards, training, etc. Free Respected Home Business Website. You are encouraged NOT to spend what you cannot afford. I love the products and what they stand for. Yes you can upgrade if you can but not an obstacle for anyone to get started who can’t. If you want to be a consultant who only wants to buy your own products and get the benefits from that you can do that too. at some point you will build momentum and as long as you are passionate about the products like me It will be successful however you choose to do that which is a personal choice as well. meaning what works best for you and your situation.