WineShop at Home Review: Can You Make Money With This MLM Opportunity?
If you’re considering joining WineShop at Home, then you probably want to know if it’s a good way to make money. The company’s wines are marketed exclusively through its community of Independent Wine Consultants across 40 states. In this review, we’ll take a close look at the compensation plan and see if it’s possible to make a decent income with this MLM opportunity. We’ll also discuss some of the other aspects of the business, so that you can decide if WineShop at Home is right for you.
When was WineShop at Home launched?
WineShop at Home was launched in 2005 and is headquartered in Napa, California. The winery is owned by the Fredrick family of Dallas, Texas, and produces award-winning artisan wines across 50 brands. The company started as an online wine retailer, but has since grown to become an MLM business selling exclusive wines from around the world directly to its customers.
John and Melissa Lynch are the Founders of WineShop at Home. John is a former corporate executive with over 25 years of experience in direct sales, while Melissa has been involved in the wine industry for over 15 years. Together, they have built a successful MLM business that offers opportunities to make money selling exclusive wines from around the world.
John and Melissa Lynch started the company because they wanted to create an opportunity for people to work from home, earn an income and make a difference in the lives of their customers. They believe that everyone should have the ability to share amazing wines with family and friends, and enjoy them as part of their lifestyle.
The company is called WineShop at Home because it was created with the goal of providing customers with an easy way to purchase great wines from around the world without having to leave their homes. The company provides exclusive wines that are only available through its Independent Wine Consultants, and makes it easy for customers to discover new wines and create memorable experiences with family and friends.
What does WineShop at Home sell?
WineShop at Home sells a wide range of California wines and limited-edition bottles from around the world. Each product is carefully selected to ensure quality, flavor and character are delivered in every bottle. The company also offers a selection of wine accessories such as glasses, corkscrews, decanters, chillers and more.
In addition to selling wines, WineShop at Home also provides its customers with a variety of educational materials and resources to help them learn more about wine. The company holds regular wine tastings and seminars, as well as exclusive events for their Independent Wine Consultants.
How does the WineShop at Home business model work?
The WineShop at Home business model is based on a multi-level marketing (MLM) system, where Independent Wine Consultants can earn commissions by selling the company’s products and recruiting new members.
Compensation structure:
- Retail Sales Bonus: Independent Wine Consultants receive a 20% commission for every bottle of wine that they sell.
- Residual Income: Independent Wine Consultants can earn additional commissions by building a network of customers and downline members who purchase the company’s products.
- Leadership Bonuses: As their team grows, Independent Wine Consultants are eligible to receive additional bonuses and rewards.
- Product Credits: Independent Wine Consultants can also earn product credits for every bottle of wine purchased, which can be used to purchase wine for personal use or as gifts.
WineShop at Home has a tiered rank system that rewards Independent Wine Consultants for reaching certain sales and recruiting goals. As you increase your sales and develop more downline members, you will be eligible to earn higher commissions, bonuses and product credits.
Ranks and how they work:
- Independent Wine Consultant: This is the first rank and it requires no minimum sales or recruiting.
- Senior Wine Consultant: To reach this rank, you must have recruited three active members in your downline, as well as achieved a minimum of $600 in retail sales volume (RSV).
- Executive Wine Consultant: In order to reach this rank, you must have recruited five active members in your downline, as well as achieved a minimum of $2,500 in RSV.
- Master Wine Consultant: This rank requires you to have recruited ten active members and have maintained at least $10,000 in RSV.
- Elite Wine Consultant: This is the highest rank attainable and requires you to maintain at least 25 active members in your downline and have achieved a minimum of $25,000 in RSV.
How to join WineShop at Home as an independent consultant
Joining WineShop at Home as an Independent Wine Consultant is simple and straightforward. You can sign up online by visiting their website and filling out the application form. You’ll need to provide your name, address, contact details and a payment method (credit card or PayPal). Once you have submitted your application, you’ll receive an email with your login details, which you can use to access the company’s training materials and other resources.
WineShop at Home offers starter kits for their Independent Wine Consultants. Starter kits, what they include and cost:
- Basic Starter Kit ($99): Includes wine samples, product brochures, promotional materials and access to the company’s online training portal.
- Deluxe Starter Kit ($199): This kit includes everything in the Basic Starter Kit plus additional wine samples and marketing materials.
- Premium Starter Kit ($499): This kit includes everything from the Deluxe Starter Kit plus additional wine samples, marketing materials and access to the company’s premium training portal.
What kind of support does the company offer?
WineShop at Home offers a range of support services to their Independent Wine Consultants. They have an extensive online training portal that provides videos and tutorials to help you learn how to best promote and sell the company’s products. They provide personalized coaching from experienced consultants who can offer advice on marketing strategies, product knowledge, sales techniques and more.
WineShop at Home also offers an online community of Independent Wine Consultants where you can interact with other consultants, share tips and advice on how to increase sales, and even make new friends.
Is WineShop at Home a pyramid scheme?
No, WineShop at Home is not a pyramid scheme. The company offers legitimate products and services, and Independent Wine Consultants earn commissions based on sales they make to customers and not from recruiting other consultants. The company also has clear guidelines and rules that must be followed in order to remain an active consultant, including minimum retail sales volumes and recruiting requirements. Independent Wine Consultants are also not required to purchase a starter kit or other products in order to join the company.
Under a pyramid scheme, payments are made solely on the basis of recruiting new members. With WineShop at Home, Independent Wine Consultants earn money through retail sales and incentives such as commissions, bonuses and product credits. This clearly differentiates it from a pyramid scheme.
How about complaints or lawsuits?
WineShop at Home has been involved in a couple of complaints and lawsuits:
- In 2019, the company was sued by a former Independent Wine Consultant who alleged that they had withheld commission payments due to her. The lawsuit was later dismissed with prejudice after both parties reached an out-of-court settlement.
- In 2020, there were several complaints about the company’s online training portal not being updated or working properly. The company quickly resolved the issue and updated the portal.
What we like about WineShop at Home
- Easy to join and start selling wine.
- Extensive training materials and resources.
- Retail sales commissions and incentives.
- Access to an online community of consultants.
- Clear guidelines to remain an active consultant.
- No requirement to purchase starter kits or other products in order to join the company.
What we don’t like about WineShop at Home
- Complaints of withheld commission payments.
- Issues with the online training portal not being updated or working properly in one instance.
Are there alternatives to WineShop at Home?
Yes, there are a number of alternative companies that offer similar services to WineShop at Home. These include:
- Cellar Angels: offers online wine tastings, events and retail sales commissions.
- Wine Awesomeness: provides individualized recommendations and access to exclusive wines.
- Vinovest: customizes portfolios of wines and provides storage solutions.
- Vinebox: delivers curated wine collections to customers each month.
Our verdict on WineShop at Home
WineShop at Home is a legitimate business opportunity with the potential to earn retail sales commissions as an Independent Wine Consultant. The company provides extensive training materials and resources, access to an online community of consultants, and clear guidelines to remain an active consultant. However, there have been complaints of withheld commission payments and issues with the online training portal in one instance. If you are looking for an opportunity to sell wine, WineShop at Home may be the right fit for you.
It’s important that you weigh your options before committing to any business venture. While researching potential opportunities, an essential source of information is I Buy I Review. We provide honest and unbiased reviews of MLM companies and other online programs and courses to determine whether they’re legitimate or a waste of your time and investment. Check us out before making your final decision.
I buy and review courses so you don’t have to. Sometimes, I even find courses that are legitimate and worthwhile; and that’s how I accidentally came across one that led me to building a 6-figure business in a little under 5 years. Now, I still review courses because it’s my favorite hobby. 🙂 Learn more about me here.
