Should You Become a Justine Consultant?

We all know that consultants from MLM companies have arguably one of the worst reputations out there. If you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered how anyone could get sucked into one of those things.

But maybe you came upon (or were introduced to) some actually good skincare products from a company called Justine. You like their products, you like what they stand for, and you genuinely want to share it with others. Why not make a little extra money while you’re at it?

Regardless of how you got to this point, you’re considering becoming a consultant for Justine. So, in this article we’ll be telling you what their products are all about, how you can get involved, how you can make money, and if it’s worth it.

Justine Overview

Justine is a multi-level marketing company owned by the mega-brand Avon. They sell products related to beauty, household, and personal care.

While Avon Products, Inc. might be the fifth-largest beauty company and the second largest direct-selling enterprise in the world (with annual sales topping $5.5 billion), Justine is a much smaller company located in South Africa.

Currently, Justine has over 30,000 consultants in the country, but they’re available in a variety of other places – including Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. 

Unfortunately, they aren’t available in places like the U.S. or Australia, so if you’re in those (or other) locations, you might want to check out similar companies, such as Scentsy or Monat.

If you are lucky enough to be in the southern African area, then you’ll have the opportunity to sell a bunch of high-quality products that was made especially for African skin.

Justine offers over 650 products, selling things such as:

• Tissue oil
• Skincare products
• Makeup
• Bath & Body products
• Fragrances
• Accessories (like bags and sunglasses)
• Other essentials

Overall, Justine’s goal is to make money by enlisting consultants – potentially, you – to sell their products directly to customers, all while combining that with their goal to fight issues like breast cancer, domestic violence, and poverty.

How To Become a Consultant

The process of becoming a Justine consultant is actually kind of confusing, so we’ve broken it down into a few, easy-to-follow steps:

1. Sign up
2. Understand your account type
3. Find customers
4. Place your orders
5. Receive your order
6. Pay

1. Sign up

The process of signing up is arguably one of the most odd (and confusing) processes out there.

Basically, you have four options:

• Sign up online using their chatbot
• Messaging them on WhatsApp
• Sending an SMS (which then sends you a link to their WhatsApp)
• Call and get signed up by one of their agents (the only option involving a real person)

The easiest way is to sign up online with their chatbot. It’s all automated, so you won’t be dealing with an actual person.

The bot will ask you questions, and all you’ll have to do is answer them. You’ll also need to have your ID book, ID card, driver’s license, or passport for verification purposes. You’ll also need to give them your phone number.

Once you get all signed up, you’ll receive a welcome guide to look over. It’s worth noting that your application will take up to four days to process. After it’s been processed, then you can move on to the next step!

2. Understand your account type

You’ll automatically be assigned an account type once your application has been processed and approved. There are three different types of accounts:

• Deposit to Buy: You put down a R250 deposit (equivalent to $17.35) that allows you to have R1000 ($69.39) credit. This helps you build credit while minimizing your upfront cost.
• Pay as You Go: Customers pay you upfront (or give you a deposit) before you place your order.
• 21-Day Credit: If you have a good enough credit score, you can receive a credit limit from the company that enables you to place orders and get products. You then have 21 days to pay Justine. 

The best type of account to have is the pay as you go option, as it involves no credit.

3. Find Customers

Finding customers is the name of the game – it’s the only way you earn money!

There are three ways to do this:

• Digital brochure
• Physical brochure
• Promoting your URL to your personal Justine store

One idea is that you’ll show brochures (detailing and showcasing different types of products) to your friends, family members, coworkers, and whoever else you can strike up a conversation with.

Along with brochures, you can also show off some samples. Not only is that a good way to encourage customers to purchase by showing them the quality of the product, but it’ll also help you take care of your first order, which has to be a minimum of R550 ($38.16).

Something worth noting is that you’ll be charged R11,80 ($0.82) each month for two physical brochures, which you will only receive in your first order of each month. And if you need more than two, you can always order more online.

Physical brochures are helpful because you can hand them to people you might not interact with on a digital platform – think the stranger who complimented you on your Justine handbag at the grocery store. You could turn that into an opportunity to hand her the brochure and possibly score a sale!

You can post the digital brochures on social media platforms or send them via SMS to encourage people to check out and browse Justine’s large array of products.

And, after you place your first order, you can open your own “My Justine Store” online, which allows customers to buy from you on Justine’s website. You’ll get a unique URL that you can share all over social media, directing customers to your store.

4. Place orders

If you’ve garnered the attention of some prospective buyers who aren’t using your online store, then the next step is to place your order. There are three ways to do this:

• Website: Log into your account and place an order online.
• SMS: You can order via your phone’s messaging system (just make sure your cell number is up-to-date).
• Justine App: Log onto the app with your consultant account number and password.

The easiest way seems to be using their app, because you can place orders from anywhere (great for on-the-spot buying) and you also get access to early digital brochures when you sign up for their app.

There are no minimum monetary requirements for your orders (aside from your first, as mentioned above). 

However, there is a R23 ($1.60) fee for administrative costs tacked onto each one. That fee is waived, though, if your order is above R2500 ($173.47).

5. Receive your order

This part might seem weird, but the orders get delivered to you directly. 

The only exception to this is if a customer is purchasing from your “My Justine Store” online. If that’s the case, they can enter in their own delivery address. It will bypass you and get shipped directly to them.

But for those sales you make in person, you’ll need to get the orders delivered to you first. So, you’ll want to make sure you have either a good work or home address for receiving shipments, or have it set up to send your box to a collection point so you can pick it up there.

In your box, you’ll get the following:

• Your products
• Your invoice
• Next month’s two printed brochures
• A copy of the following month’s “Just For You”
• Other important notices

Once you get the products, you’ll be responsible for delivering them to those who purchased from you directly.

6. Pay

If you don’t have the pay-as-you-go method, and your customers didn’t buy online from your store, you’ll need to settle your account.

If you have the 21-day Credit option, you’ll have three weeks to pay your invoice. If you have the Deposit to Buy option, you’ll have a payment due date.

There are three ways you can pay:

• At a variety of stores they’ve partnered with (see their welcome guide for a full list)
• Online by logging onto your account
• EFT payments

If you have either of the credit options, you’ll want to make sure you pay on time, or you’ll risk taking a hit on your credit score.

How Do You Earn Money?

By now, you’re probably wondering how in the world you earn money. This is the part where Justine really sets itself apart from the majority of the MLM crowd.

Instead of working on a traditional commission-based structure, you earn because of discounts!

Basically, the customer pays you full price for the item, and you pay Justine the discounted amount. The difference is your earnings!

So, even though it’s fundamentally no different than commission-based earning (you’re still just getting a percentage on what you sell), it feels less “pyramid scheme-ish.”

The percentage of discounts break down as follows:

• Skincare, tissue oil, and suncare products are available to you at a 25% discount (meaning you earn 25%)
• Makeup, fragrances, bath & body care, and baby tissue oil products are at a 22% discounted rate (you earn 22%)
• Handbags, watches, jewelry, accessories, brushes, and tools are at a 10% discounted rate (you earn 10%)

Conclusion

Overall, becoming a Justine consultant is a legitimate opportunity for making some extra income on the side – if you live in southern Africa.

Their online store and strong ability to market yourself on social media platforms, combined with their (slightly) unique pay structure, make this a viable opportunity for the business-savvy person looking to earn some extra cash.

That being said, there are better ways to make money, as this might not be right for everyone. If you have no connection to skincare products, you live in a different continent, or you’re not a tech-savvy salesperson, this might not be right for you.