Pampered Chef MLM Review: What You Need to Know Before Joining
Multi-level marketing (MLM) companies are a dime a dozen, but Pampered Chef is one of the most well-known and popular. If you’re thinking about joining Pampered Chef as a distributor, you’ll want to read our complete Pampered Chef MLM review first. We’ll cover everything from the company’s history and products to how distributors make money and whether or not it’s a good opportunity. We’ll also discuss complaints and lawsuits against Pampered Chef, as well as what we like and don’t like about the company. So whether you’re just curious about Pampered Chef or are seriously considering joining, read on for all the details.
History of Pampered Chef
Pampered Chef was founded in 1980 by Doris Christopher, who started the company out of her home in Chicago. Pampered Chef sells kitchen tools, accessories, and cookware through a network of independent consultants, who host Pampered Chef parties to showcase and sell products. Pampered Chef has been a direct selling pioneer, and is one of the largest direct selling companies in the world, with over $500 million in sales in 2017. Pampered Chef is a member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Pampered Chef was acquired by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2002. It is currently headquartered in Addison, Texas.
Products Pampered Chef sells
Pampered Chef’s product line includes over 400 kitchen tools, accessories, and cookware items. Pampered Chef products are available through independent Pampered Chef consultants or online at PamperedChef.com. Some popular Pampered Chef products include:
- Bakeware: Pampered Chef offers a variety of bakeware products, including baking sheets, cake pans, muffin tins, and more.
- Cookware: Pampered Chef’s cookware line includes pots, pans, skillets, Dutch ovens, and more. Pampered Chef also offers a line of nonstick cookware.
- Cutlery: Pampered Chef offers a wide selection of knives, including paring knives, Santoku knives, bread knives, and more. Pampered Chef also sells knife sets.
- Kitchen tools: Pampered Chef’s kitchen tool line includes items like spatulas, tongs, whisks, cutting boards, and more.
- Food prep: Pampered Chef offers a variety of food prep items, including food processors, choppers, mixers, and more.
- Mixing and prep bowls: Pampered Chef offers a variety of mixing and prep bowls, including glass, ceramic, and metal bowls. Pampered Chef also sells bowl sets.
- Storage: Pampered Chef’s storage line includes items like food storage containers, cookie jars, bread boxes, and more.
- Tabletop: Pampered Chef’s tabletop line includes items like serving platters, serving bowls, drinkware, and more.
- Serving ware: Pampered Chef’s serving ware line includes items like serving utensils, salad servers, gravy boats, and more.
- Stone cookware: Pampered Chef’s stone cookware is oven-, microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe. Pampered Chef also offers a line of nonstick cookware.
- Pampered Chef also offers a number of Pampered Chef recipes on its website.
Pampered Chef offers a satisfaction guarantee: if you’re not satisfied with a Pampered Chef product, you can return it within 60 days for a refund or exchange. Pampered Chef products can also be returned after 60 days if they’re damaged or defective.
How does Pampered Chef work?
Pampered Chef is a multi-level marketing (MLM) company, meaning Pampered Chef distributors, or “consultants,” earn commission on Pampered Chef products they sell, as well as on Pampered Chef products sold by consultants they recruit to join their team. Pampered Chef consultants also earn commission on Pampered Chef product sales made by consultants they recruit, as well as on Pampered Chef product sales made by consultants recruited by those consultants, and so on down the line. Pampered Chef is a “unilevel” MLM company, meaning there’s no limit to how many levels of commission you can earn.
How do Pampered Chef consultants earn income?
Pampered Chef consultants can earn income in a few different ways:
- Party sales: Pampered Chef consultants earn a percentage of sales from parties they host. The percentage varies depending on the consultant’s Sales Performance Rank (SPR), which is Pampered Chef’s way of ranking consultants based on sales volume. Pampered Chef also offers party incentives, like free products, for consultants who meet certain sales goals.
- Personal sales: Pampered Chef consultants earn a percentage of personal sales, which are Pampered Chef product sales made outside of parties. The percentage varies depending on the consultant’s Sales Performance Rank (SPR). Pampered Chef also offers personal sales incentives, like free products, for consultants who meet certain sales goals.
- Recruiting: Pampered Chef consultants earn a percentage of Pampered Chef product sales made by consultants they recruit to join their team. The percentage varies depending on the consultant’s Recruiter Performance Rank (RPR), which is Pampered Chef’s way of ranking consultants based on their recruiting efforts. Pampered Chef also offers recruiting incentives, like free products, for consultants who meet certain recruiting goals.
How do you join Pampered Chef?
Pampered Chef has a few requirements for consultants who want to join the company:
- Purchase a Pampered Chef starter kit: Pampered Chef starter kits cost between $99 and $279, depending on the kit.
- Pay a $30 annual fee: Pampered Chef consultants must pay a $30 annual fee. The fee is waived for the first year for new Pampered Chef consultants.
- Attend Pampered Chef training: New Pampered Chef consultants must attend Pampered Chef training, which is conducted by Pampered Chef directors. Pampered Chef training typically lasts two days and costs about $200, which includes the cost of a Pampered Chef training manual.
Pampered Chef also has a few requirements for consultants who want to maintain their active status:
- Sell at least $250 worth of Pampered Chef products every three months.
- Have at least one personally enrolled Pampered Chef consultant.
Pampered Chef consultants are considered “inactive” if they don’t meet these requirements. Inactive Pampered Chef consultants can reactivate their Pampered Chef consultant account by paying a $30 reactivation fee and meeting the sales and recruiting requirements.
Pampered Chef consultants who haven’t reactivated their Pampered Chef consultant account within 12 months are considered “terminated” and can no longer sell Pampered Chef products.
Any complaints or lawsuits?
Pampered Chef has been the subject of a few complaints and lawsuits over the years. The most common Pampered Chef complaints relate to Pampered Chef’s starter kit, recruitment tactics, and income potential.
Pampered Chef’s starter kit is one of the most expensive MLM starter kits on the market, with prices ranging from $99 to $279. Pampered Chef also requires consultants to purchase a Pampered Chef training manual for $200, which is an additional expense.
Pampered Chef has been accused of being a pyramid scheme because its compensation plan encourages consultants to recruit other consultants rather than focus on selling products. Pampered Chef has also been accused of using deceptive recruitment tactics, like promising potential consultants they’ll earn a certain amount of money per month.
We don’t consider Pampered Chef to be a pyramid scheme. It is a multi-level marketing company. Pampered Chef consultants earn a commission from Pampered Chef product sales, as well as Pampered Chef product sales made by consultants they recruit to join their team. With a pyramid scheme, consultants only earn money from recruiting other consultants.
The Pampered Chef income disclosure statement shows that the average Pampered Chef consultant earns $200 per year. Only about 20% of Pampered Chef consultants earn more than $500 per year, and less than 0.01% of Pampered Chef consultants earn more than $36,000 per year.
What we like about Pampered Chef
- Pampered Chef has been in business for over 30 years and is a well-established company.
- Pampered Chef products are available in over 80 countries.
- Pampered Chef has a team of full-time employees who provide support to Pampered Chef consultants.
- Pampered Chef has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
- Pampered Chef is a member of the Direct Selling Association.
- Pampered Chef also offers a few unique kitchen products, like the Rockcrok Dutch Oven and the Quick Cooker.
What we don’t like about Pampered Chef
- Pampered Chef starter kits are expensive, with prices ranging from $99 to $279.
- The Pampered Chef training manual costs an additional $200.
- Pampered Chef has a lot of rules and regulations consultants must follow.
- The Pampered Chef income disclosure statement shows that the average Pampered Chef consultant only earns $200 per year.
- Pampered Chef’s compensation plan encourages consultants to recruit other consultants rather than focus on selling products.
- Pampered Chef has been accused of using deceptive recruitment tactics.
Our verdict
Pampered Chef is a legitimate MLM opportunity, but it’s not for everyone. Pampered Chef is a good fit for people who are passionate about cooking, enjoy hosting Pampered Chef parties, and don’t mind spending a lot of money on Pampered Chef products. Pampered Chef is not a good fit for people who are looking to make a full-time income, who don’t like rules and regulations, and who don’t like to sell products or recruit other consultants.
It’s important to do your research before joining any MLM opportunity, and Pampered Chef is no exception. An important source of information is I Buy I Review. We review a variety of money-making opportunities and offer our unbiased opinions on whether they’re legitimate or a scam.
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