Are you thinking about joining the over six million Americans who own a direct selling business? Do you want to make money from home talking about books you love?
If so, then you're in the right place. So, keep reading to learn all about Usborne Books and their business opportunity. Plus we'll show you an alternative way to make even more money from home suggesting books to your friends.
What Is an Usborne Books Business?
Usborne Books is a division of its parent company, Usborne Publishing. The publishing company creates educational and entertaining books for kids of all ages. Their popular books cover a range of topics and have been a favorite among families for years.
In 1981 the publishing company founded their offshoot MLM company, Usborne Books at Home. Direct selling consultants sell books to friends, families, schools, churches, and more. Consultants are invited to begin their business by other consultants who then become their downline team members.
There are currently over 35,000 consultants selling over 110 million dollars worth of kids' books each year. The Usborne Publishing company has its own in-house team of writers, editors, and designers creating their own line of books. This complete control over their product allows them to continue to create quality products each year.
Additionally, Usborne allows some consultants to earn an additional certification as Education Consultant. This certification allows these consultants to sell Usborne books to schools. The commission earned on these school orders is lower than in-home parties, but it allows consultants to sell in bulk.
How Much Does It Cost to Start Selling Usborne Books?
The usual cost to purchase your new business kit is $99. With that investment, you will receive ten beautiful books your kids will love. You will also get five mini-books and some of the business supplies you'll need to start your own Usborne business.
Usborne does regularly runs special deals that allow consultants to start their business at a lower cost. If you can start during one of these deals, you can start your own business at a lower cost; the last one was $30. Their website also boasts a mini-business kit for $30, which comes with fewer books than their regular starter kit.
How Much Can You Make Selling Usborne Books?
Since you own your own business, you can work as much or as little as you want. Some of our consultants are busy moms who can only hold one party a week. And you'll receive an average of about 25% of everything you sold in the previous week.
As you build your team and sell more inventory, your commissions will increase accordingly. But remember, there aren't any minimums. You are only limited by how many customers and team members you can build.
How Do Usborne Consultants Get Paid?
Usborne consultants are paid directly by Usborne books. Your commissions are paid out weekly on Wednesdays by direct deposit. If you choose not to set up a direct deposit, a check will be mailed out each week.
This is different from some MLM companies that require you to purchase your inventory in advance and then earn it back by selling that product.
Pros of Starting an Usborne Business
Usborne Books has been in business for many years and is a quality company to be affiliated with. The biggest pros of starting your Usborne business are:
- It's a well-established and reputable company
- They only sell quality kids books you can trust
- Because they write and publish their own books, they are in control of the quality of their books
- If you have kids, this is a product you'll buy anyway, so you might as well share them with friends
As you can see, if you're looking for a way to make money from home, this is a great option. However, there are some downsides so let's jump into those next.
Cons of Starting an Usborne Business
Just as there are some pros to starting your own Usborne business, there are some cons as well. Some of these drawbacks include:
- Books aren't a renewable resource, so your friends won't need to keep purchasing more after their initial purchase
- Depending on how large or small your circle of family or friends are, you might run out of people to sell to quickly
- While the quality is good, their price point is high, making competition with cheaper books online steep
If you love buying books and have kids who love to read, this could be a great business for you. However, be sure to think about these stumbling blocks before you invest your hard-earned money. You might be better off starting a business that uses a different business model, making money suggesting books to friends, such as affiliate marketing.
Is Usborne Books a Pyramid Scheme?
No, Usborne books isn't a pyramid scheme. Instead, it is a multi-level marketing business. The main difference between an MLM and pyramid marketing is that consultants are encouraged to sell the products more than their encouraged to recruit new team members.
Companies can get into trouble when the lines become hazy, and they stop focusing on selling their products. Usborne, however, delivers a great product and their consultants join to help spread the word about these amazing books.
But, if you want to make money sharing amazing books with your friends and family, there is another way to make money online. You should try affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is similar in that you recommend amazing products that you love and receive a small commission anytime someone purchases that product.
The biggest difference is that you're not limited to your immediate circle of friends and family. Because the majority of affiliate marketing is done online, your customers are anyone with an internet connection.
Are You Ready to Start Your Business Today?
If you're ready to start a business, but you're still unsure about Usborne books, then you should consider an alternative. You can still suggest your favorite books, but you're not limited to selling only to your family and friends. And you'll never have to have people over to your house again.
With affiliate marketing, you can still work from your living room, but your business is online. And you can sell to anyone else with an internet connection, regardless of where they live.
In order for you to develop your skills, you should consider taking a free or paid marketing course. There are a variety of digital marketing courses you can take from businesses that can help you enhance your skills. As of writing this, over 80,000 new marketers have taken the Online Business Builder Challenge (only $7), and that might be a good starting place for you as well.
