Chances are you’re a Tupperware representative and want to figure out if it’s really possible to sell these products online, instead of just at-home parties.
Maybe you’re not affiliated with the company and just want to know about selling this kind of product on the Internet to make some extra money.
Whatever the case, this article will help you figure out the best way to get started selling Tupperware products online.
A Brief Look At The Company
First off, if you don’t already know this company uses the multi-level marketing (MLM) business model to distribute its products and I’ve already published a full review of the Tupperware business opportunity that you may want to check out first.
Basically, you’ll need to pay a $99 joining fee to get started with the company and be able to sell their products, you also need to maintain a sales quota which is $250 every 4 months to remain commission qualified. This bumps up to $500 in a given 4 month period if you advance to the “manager” rank.
The training the company gives you is to sell the products at home parties by inviting your friends and family which is great for the first couple of months and for those who are keen on the face to face ‘party selling’ model. Chances are you aren’t very keen on that idea since you are reading this, so I’ll help you work out your options for selling these products online.
Tupperware vs Competitors
If you are thinking of selling your products online then you are on the right track. The Internet is full of opportunities and you are expanding your customer base dramatically by doing this. Since you will be trying to sell these online you’ll want to know how they stack up against the competition. This is very important.
Let’s take a look at the actual products themselves and compare them to what is on the market as well as the tools the company is giving reps to sell online. I’m going to randomly pick 3 different Tupperware branded (TB) products and compare them to other competing brands to give you an idea of the competition.
TB cereal container- Almost 10 cup capacity for $17
SnapWare Container- Over 15 cup capacity for only $8.99 at Amazon with a lot of great reviews and is BPA free. It also seems to be a high-quality product and has silicone gaskets which from my understanding are better than rubber seals. I am not an expert when it comes to the details of these kinds of products though so don’t quote me on that.
TB ‘Classic Bowl Set’- This is one of the main products the company is offering and costs $35 for 6 plastic bowls.
SnapWare bowl set- This comes with 10 different plastic bowls of various sizes and is only $23.54 on Amazon. That’s more bowls for less money and the quality and reviews are good.
TB Water Pitcher- This is just the basic 2 litre water jug for $19.
Takeya Water Pitcher- This can be used for hot and cold drinks and is also made from BPA-free material. It has good reviews and looks really nice. It costs $16.80 from Amazon.
There are many examples of comparable alternatives for people to choose without compromising on quality and oftentimes for less money. This means it could prove to be a tough sell.
When you are competing against quality products with good reviews that cost less, it may be difficult to convince people that it’s worth paying so much extra money for TB containers.
That is one of the key reasons they distribute their products through the direct selling approach because it’s more of a social event where people buy from you because they like you and because they enjoyed the demonstration. No doubt, this is a powerful approach because people can see and feel the product, and likely trust you as the distributor.
That being said, there is still some good potential for selling online for those willing to learn and put the effort in.
Update: One distributor informed me of something I forgot to mention, Tupperware provides a lifetime warranty against breaking, cracking, chipping, or peeling. No doubt this will have a bearing on your ability to promote these products online (and offline) successfully and is something you will probably want to emphasize.
Hosting An Online Party
The company does recognize the need for an online presence for its consultants which is why they provide the option to hold an online party.
This is where you can host a virtual conference and sell products online in a non-location-dependent way. You also get a replicated website that is coded to you for selling the product range so when people buy you get a commission.
I like this and I think it’s potentially a good avenue to explore.
While these online parties are good and essential if you want to sell TB products online, there is one major thing missing with all of this that is absolutely critical to your online selling success – getting people to VISIT your parties and stores.
Tupperware doesn’t provide much in the way of internet marketing training since that’s not their specialty, so you need to learn how to actually get people visiting your store.
I cannot overstate how important this is. Just like a brick-and-mortar store, no customers means no revenue. With the training they provide to you, you may get visitors, but in my opinion, you are not maximizing your chances of success with their training alone.
How To Get Started Selling Online
The first thing you need to do is build a website.
This will allow you to attract targeted prospects and invite them to your online party.
Your website would be about all things relating to this niche. For example, storage solutions, kitchen products, homewares, cooking, and whatever else is related to your target audience.
The idea is to create a simple website with relevant content to help people learn about you, your products, and your niche in general. People are looking for answers to questions and want information about these things every single day.
By creating good content people are looking for you will start to rank in the search engines like Google for free. Once you have visitors you can then promote your TB products and start hosting online parties, which will lead to you making money.
The best place to learn how to build a website, attract visitors, and leverage this process is called Wealthy Affiliate.
An Alternative Approach
As I mentioned earlier, there are high-quality alternative products available on Amazon. You can learn exactly how to promote these products or other related kitchenware products yourself and it doesn’t require you to stay qualified or buy anything yourself.
This is called affiliate marketing and it’s a very attractive business model. And I created an in-depth affiliate marketing training that shows you what it’s about and how to get started.
Final Thoughts
It is possible to make money selling Tupperware products online. And with the combination of your own unique website and the online parties that Tupperware provides, you could potentially grow your business in a lucrative way.
It may not happen quickly, but if you are committed you can definitely learn this approach and grow your Tupperware business.
And either way, in my opinion, it’s a better option than approaching family and friends.
Great article. And as of 2015, it’s even harder to make money in Tupperware: https://tupperlight.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/tupperware-compensation-raise
Tupperware products have lifetime warranty, most are dishwasher safe and can be use in microwave. Prices are a little higher than the other products you show because of these reasons. Anyone can still shop online at a Tupperware site and can earn these products for free or half price for hosting a party. Parties don’t have to just be at home. There’s catalog, online, home and Facebook parties that can been done. So lots to choose from. Usually if you get 6 people to place an order you will reach a goal of free gift and half off item. Pretty easy to accomplish these days with all the great new products that are out and makes cooking half the time plus kids can use them.
If your selling tupperware will you get paid or you only recieve a profit when your selling.
Hi Enny, you only make money if you are selling products yes.
When it comes to the logistics of selling, I believe there are 2 ways this works.
1) Hold a ‘party’ and collect the orders + money from attendees who wish to purchase Tupperware. You then send the order and payment to head office who fulfils the orders. Since you are paying head office the wholesale rate for those products and the attendees have paid you retail, you pocket the difference. In other words, you make your money straight away and you don’t even need to stock any product other than samples to show people.
2) Send people to your replicated website and when they make a purchase, the company will send you a commission.
To learn more about the specific commissions etc check out my Tupperware business review.
Hope this helps!
There’s on thing you didn’t factor in when it comes to price and that is Tupperware’s lifetime warranty against breaking, cracking, chipping or peeling. You can buy fakeware cheaper and similar, but you won’t ever get the same quality. Tupperware really saves you money in the long run.
Ah ok, good point Julia and thanks for sharing. I’ll update this now. Cheers
I sell tupperware and half this information you are giving out is incorrect. Just thought you should know.
Hello Starla,
Companies do change prices, policies etc from time to time. Would you mind pointing out which part you think is inaccurate? I really would appreciate this. Either way, I will go back through and update anything that may have changed since publishing this but I can assure you, when In publish an article, I base it on the facts provided by the company so I have only gone off what I have been provided with.
Anyway, thanks for commenting.
Update: I have updated this post and my official Tupperware opportunity review to reflect the latest details.