J. Hilburn Review: Is Men’s Apparel Company a Scam or Legitimate MLM?
If you’re on the hunt for a new MLM to join, J. Hilburn may have crossed your path. J. Hilburn is a men’s apparel company that founded in 2006. Your first question may be, “Is J. Hilburn still in business?” The company is still in business, despite filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 during the pandemic. Your next question, “So, is J. Hilburn a legitimate multi-level marketing company or a scam?” In this definitive J. Hilburn review, we’ll let you know what we think. You’ll learn who launched men’s apparel company and when, how J. Hilburn works and the products it sells, how you can join J. Hilburn and the company’s compensation plan, whether the company has faced any complaints or lawsuits, what we like about J. Hilburn and what we don’t like, and alternatives to J. Hilburn.
History of J. Hilburn
J. Hilburn was founded in 2007 by two friends, Veeral Rathod and Hil Davis. The company is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Rathod and Davis set out to create a company that would provide high-quality, custom-made clothing at an affordable price point. J. Hilburn is named after Hil Davis. The company launched with just two shirt styles. Today, J. Hilburn offers a full line of men’s clothing, including shirts, pants, jeans, outerwear, and accessories.
Rathod was an investment banker. Davis was in the software industry. Neither had any experience in the fashion industry. Rathod has said that they started J. Hilburn because they were “frustrated with the status quo” of the men’s clothing industry. The two men had a shared vision to create a better way to shop for men’s clothing.
J. Hilburn entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August 2020. The company listed assets of $50 million to $100 million and liabilities of $100 million to $500 million. J. Hilburn’s primary lender is Silver Point Finance, which is owed $44.75 million.
J. Hilburn has faced several challenges in recent years, including the loss of its CEO, a failed attempt to go public, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
What products does J. Hilburn sell?
J. Hilburn sells a wide range of men’s clothing and accessories. The company offers everything from casual wear to business attire. J. Hilburn’s clothing is made-to-measure and custom-made. The company offers a full line of men’s clothing, including shirts, pants, jeans, outerwear, and accessories. J. Hilburn also sells grooming products and gift items.
J. Hilburn’s most popular items include its dress shirts, custom suits, and jeans. The company’s dress shirts are made from 100% Egyptian cotton and are available in a wide range of sizes, fits, and styles. J. Hilburn’s custom suits are made-to-measure and start at $595. The company’s jeans are available in three different fits: slim, regular, and relaxed. J. Hilburn’s jeans start at $145.
How does J. Hilburn work?
J. Hilburn is a multi-level marketing company that sells its products through a network of independent sales consultants, who are also known as stylists. J. Hilburn stylists sell the company’s products through in-home trunk shows, personal appointments, and online. J. Hilburn does not have any brick-and-mortar stores.
To join J. Hilburn, you must be sponsored by a J. Hilburn stylist. There is no membership fee to join J. Hilburn. However, J. Hilburn stylists are required to purchase a starter kit, which costs $495. The starter kit includes samples of J. Hilburn’s most popular products, as well as sales and marketing materials.
What is J. Hilburn’s compensation plan?
J. Hilburn stylists earn a commission on the sales of J. Hilburn products that they make. Stylists also earn overrides on the sales of other stylists that they recruit to J. Hilburn. J. Hilburn stylists can earn up to 30% commission on personal sales, and up to 12% override commission on the sales of their downline.
J. Hilburn also offers a number of bonuses and incentives to its stylists, including trips, cars, and cash bonuses. J. Hilburn stylists can also earn a percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
To be eligible for J. Hilburn’s compensation plan, stylists must maintain a minimum monthly sales volume of $250. J. Hilburn also has a number of rank advancement requirements that stylists must meet to earn higher commissions and bonuses.
Here are the ranks and how they work:
- J. Hilburn Stylist: To qualify as a J. Hilburn Stylist, you must have a minimum monthly sales volume of $250. J. Hilburn Stylists earn a 20% commission on personal sales, and a override commission on the sales of their downline. J. Hilburn Stylists also earn a percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
- Senior J. Hilburn Stylist: To qualify as a Senior J. Hilburn Stylist, you must have a minimum monthly sales volume of $500 and sponsor two new J. Hilburn Stylists. Senior J. Hilburn Stylists earn a 25% commission on personal sales, and a override commission on the sales of their downline. Senior J. Hilburn Stylists also earn a higher percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
- Director: To qualify as a Director, you must have a minimum monthly sales volume of $1,000 and sponsor four new J. Hilburn Stylists. Directors earn a 30% commission on personal sales, and a override commission on the sales of their downline. Directors also earn a higher percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
- Executive Director: To qualify as an Executive Director, you must have a minimum monthly sales volume of $12,500 and sponsor eight new J. Hilburn Stylists. Executive Directors earn a override commission on the sales of their downline. Executive Directors also earn a higher percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
- Presidential Director: To qualify as a Presidential Director, you must have a minimum monthly sales volume of $25,000 and sponsor 16 new J. Hilburn Stylists. Presidential Directors earn a override commission on the sales of their downline. Presidential Directors also earn a higher percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
J. Hilburn has a number of other requirements that stylists must meet to maintain their rank, including personal purchase requirements and minimum downline sales requirements. J. Hilburn also offers a number of other bonuses and incentives, which are available to stylists who meet certain rank and sales volume requirements.
J. Hilburn’s Leadership Bonuses are paid out monthly and include the following:
- Fast Start Bonus: J. Hilburn stylists can earn a Fast Start Bonus of up to $300 for each new stylist that they recruit to J. Hilburn in their first 30 days.
- Director’s Bonuses: J. Hilburn Directors can earn monthly bonuses of up to $500, based on the sales volume of their downline.
- Executive Director’s Bonuses: J. Hilburn Executive Directors can earn monthly bonuses of up to $1,000, based on the sales volume of their downline.
- National Director’s Bonuses: J. Hilburn National Directors can earn monthly bonuses of up to $2000, based on the sales volume of their downline.
- Presidential Director’s Bonuses: J. Hilburn Presidential Directors can earn monthly bonuses of up to $4000, based on the sales volume of their downline.
J. Hilburn also offers a number of other bonuses and incentives, including trips, cars, and cash bonuses. J. Hilburn stylists can also earn a percentage of the company’s global sales volume.
Is J. Hilburn a pyramid scheme?
No, J. Hilburn is not a pyramid scheme. J. Hilburn is a legitimate multi-level marketing company that sells men’s apparel. J. Hilburn stylists earn commissions on the sales of J. Hilburn products, and they can also earn overrides on the sales of their downline. J. Hilburn does not require stylists to purchase any inventory, and there are no sign-up fees or monthly membership fees. J. Hilburn is a member of the Direct Selling Association and abides by their Code of Ethics.
Under a pyramid scheme, participants only make money by recruiting new members into the scheme. J. Hilburn stylists make money by selling J. Hilburn products and by sponsoring new J. Hilburn stylists.
Any complaints or lawsuits?
J. Hilburn has faced a number of complaints and lawsuits over the years.
- In 2015, J. Hilburn was sued by a former stylist who alleged that the company was operating as a pyramid scheme. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed.
- In 2017, J. Hilburn agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that accused the company of misclassifying its stylists as independent contractors. J. Hilburn agreed to pay $700,000 to the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
- In 2019, J. Hilburn was sued by a former customer who alleged that the company charged him for products that were never delivered. The case is still pending.
J. Hilburn has also been the subject of a number of negative news articles:
- In 2015, J. Hilburn was featured in an article on Forbes that accused the company of being a pyramid scheme.
- In 2017, J. Hilburn was featured in an article on The Verge that accused the company of scamming its customers.
- In 2019, J. Hilburn was featured in an article on Yahoo Finance that accused the company of being a pyramid scheme.
What we like about J. Hilburn
- J. Hilburn is a legitimate multi-level marketing company that sells quality men’s apparel.
- J. Hilburn stylists can earn commissions on the sales of J. Hilburn products, and they can also earn overrides on the sales of their downline.
- J. Hilburn does not require stylists to purchase any inventory, and there are no sign-up fees or monthly membership fees.
- J. Hilburn is a member of the Direct Selling Association and abides by their Code of Ethics.
What we don’t like about J. Hilburn
- J. Hilburn has been the subject of a number of complaints and lawsuits over the years.
- J. Hilburn has also been featured in a number of negative news articles.
Are there alternative apparel MLM companies to J. Hilburn?
Yes, there are a number of alternative MLM companies to J. Hilburn. A few of the most popular alternatives include:
- Tailor Brands: Tailor Brands is an MLM company that sells branding and marketing services.
- Bombfell: Bombfell is an MLM company that sells men’s clothing.
- Trunk Club: Trunk Club is an MLM company that sells men’s and women’s clothing.
- Threadless: Threadless is an MLM company that sells T-shirts and other apparel.
- Teespring: Teespring is an MLM company that sells custom t-shirts and other apparel.
Our verdict
So, what’s our final verdict? Is J. Hilburn a scam or legitimate MLM? We believe that J. Hilburn is a legitimate multi-level marketing company. J. Hilburn has been in business for over a decade, sells quality men’s apparel, and is a member of the Direct Selling Association. J. Hilburn has faced some complaints and lawsuits over the years, but all companies face complaints and lawsuits at some point. If you’re interested in joining J. Hilburn, we recommend doing your research and speaking with a J. Hilburn stylist to learn more about the company. You may also want to consider some of the alternative MLM companies that we’ve listed above.
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