- in The Good by Caroline So
Tastefully Simple Review — Legit MLM Opportunity Or A Scam?
Welcome to my Tastefully Simple Review!
You’re probably here because a friend invited you to join their opportunity or you’re just on the lookout for an extra income… because why not?
Whatever your reason is, it’s good to know that you are checking reviews first before you dive into a new offer -- that’s one way to avoid scams.
Tastefully Simple Review Summary
Name: Tastefully Simple
Website: www.tastefullysimple.com
Founders: Jill Blashack Strahan
Product Type: Multi-Level Marketing
Price: $39.95 For Join Kit + Business Kits Worth $69.95 To $200 + Shipping Fee + Others
Quick Summary: As the name suggests, this MLM company offers recipes and meal kits plus an opportunity to make money with them as a consultant. It’s legit and has been operating for more than 20 years but like other network marketing programs, there are more risks than opportunities and I’ll discuss more of this in the Tastefully Simple review below.
Overall Rating: 5/10
Recommended: No
So rest assured that I’ll do nothing but provide you an honest Tastefully Simple review.
What is it about? Is Tastefully Simple a scam? Can I really make money from this program?
P.S.
You can check out my FREE Step-By-Step Guide if you want to know how you can make money online even with a day job.
What Is Tastefully Simple About?
Tastefully Simple is multi-level marketing (MLM) people that promote recipes, kitchenware, and meal kits. At first glance, you might think of it as something unique but when you check the network marketing industry, you’ll find similar programs, such as the Pampered Chef.
It was founded in Minnesota, by Jill Blashack Strahan in 1995, who, according to its website, has started it with her own savings, a loan, and an investment from a co-founder named Joani Nielson. She’s also a restaurant owner, professional speaker, and author.
Jill also received awards and recognitions, such as Fast Company magazine’s 25 Top Women Business Builders, Inc. magazine’s list of "Inc. 500" CEO All-Stars, Minneapolis/St. Paul Women in Business Industry Leader Honoree, Ernst & Young® Entrepreneur of the Year National Finalist, and more.
Like other MLM companies in the United States, one way to promote their brand is to host a house party. Through this, they are able to showcase their kitchenware and other products and provide their catalog.
Their distributors or consultants also market their products by providing samples and through Facebook Live.
Tastefully Simple Product Line
On their website, their products are divided into:
Meal Kits
This includes 14-Day Meal Kit, 30-Meal Kits, 10-Meal Kits, 5-Meal Kits, Entertaining, TS To You, and Freezer Meal Kits.
Categories
This includes beverages, breads and muffins, desserts, dips, kitchenware and more, kosher, no gluten, ingredients, oils, vinegars, and dressings, sauces, salsas, and spreads, seasonings, snacks, soups, sales, and specials, what’s new, while supplies last, TS EatWell, product assortments, and lifestyle assortments.
Gifts
This includes Under $30, All Gifts, and Specialty Gift Boxes.
Catalogs
This includes Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter.
Basically, their products are recipes you can do at home. They also have meal kits, which are composed of seasonings and a recipe you can use to prepare a meal. Also, there are tools and kitchenware, such as a knife, kitchen scissors, ceramic baker, and more.
How To Make Money With Tastefully Simple
Like other MLM opportunities, there are two ways to earn with Tastefully Simple. One is by selling their products.
As a member, you have access to their wholesale prices so you can market their products and earn from retail sales.
You also need to recruit people since you’re joining an MLM opportunity. This allows you to earn more commissions, bonuses, and incentives. The good news is that the company does not put too much pressure on it. If you’re new to this, most MLM companies will really require their members to call their friends and families and tell them to join the platform.
The bad news, however, is that since this is an old company, you are at the bottom of the pyramid. Meaning, it would take time for you to earn bonuses from recruitment and climbing on top of the pyramid is challenging.
Tastefully Simple Compensation Plan
The MLM brand did not disclose their compensation plan to their public; however, I can provide you with the details I know through research.
First, you’ll earn around 30% from retail commissions. This is big enough since most MLM companies only provide 20% to 25% to their members.
As you grow your sales and downline, you are entitled to have more bonuses and incentives so if you’re planning to join this platform, make sure that you have enough skills and expertise in doing this. Although Tastefully Simple does not force its consultants to recruit, inviting people to join them is the only way to earn massive commissions.
To learn more about Tastefully Simple, you can watch the video below:
Is Tastefully Simple A Scam?
No, Tastefully Simple is a legit multi-level marketing company. It’s also a member of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) and it’s even accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating.
They also have tangible, quality products to sell and make money from, therefore, it’s not a pyramid scheme. Yes, you are required to recruit people but this is normal for all MLM companies. The good thing is that the company’s not putting heavy attention on recruitment, unlike other network marketing companies.
Nonetheless, recruitment is crucial when you want to earn more bonuses and commissions.
If you’re not into bothering people just to earn commissions, I got a better offer -- affiliate marketing!
If you’re new to this, affiliate marketing is a legit business model that lets you promote products and services you actually believe in and earn commissions, without buying anything. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme though since like other businesses, you have to spend time and effort learning how to grow it.
But if you’re a newbie or you’ve been doing affiliate marketing for quite some time with no results, Wealthy Affiliate can help you. It’s free and you can sign up with no credit card required.
Price
To become a consultant of Tastefully Simple, you need to pay $39.95 first for the Join Kit. You also have two options to choose from:
- Purchase 30-Meal Kit worth $200
- Purchase 10-Meal Kit or Entertaining Kit worth $69.95 each
You will also shoulder the following:
- Catalog $11.95 (optional)
- Preview Invites $2.95 (optional)
- Party Food Kit $8.95 (optional)
- Shipping Fee
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Pros/Cons
PROS
No Bold Claims
I’m not really a fan of multi-level marketing companies but I’m quite impressed with Tastefully Simple. It’s not like the usual MLM brands with bold claims. They don’t promise life-changing opportunities, a luxury car, or even thousands of dollars in earnings.
They just laid out their offers, such as the quality kitchen tools and recipes, and basically, the success is up to the consultant, which is true. No matter how legit or lucrative the company is, if the distributor is not skilled and consistent, the opportunity is useless.
Also, I must commend the fact that they don’t put too much attention on recruitment.
Legit MLM Company
Tastefully Simple is accredited by the BBB and a member of DSA, which is coveted by many network marketing companies. It has been in the industry for more than 20 years and it only shows how stable and genuine it is otherwise, it must have been shut down.
CONS
No Income Disclosure Statement
The brand has been operating for more than 20 years so I guess they had enough time to gather the information from their consultants about their earnings. However, Tastefully Simple failed to do this.
I’m not sure why they did not share their Income Disclosure Statement though. Are they hiding anything? What is the guarantee that you’ll earn from this program if they cannot even share their consultant’s annual income?
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Who Is It For?
It’s ideal for anyone who has purchased their products personally. This way, you can confidently promote the brand, which can help in making sales.
It’s also good for those who are into food and have experience with network marketing. This way, you know how to recruit people and sell products that are slightly more expensive than the ones found in the market.
Final Opinion/Verdict
Overall, Tastefully Simple is an impressive MLM opportunity with a solid offer. Yes, there are tons of brands in the market sold at a cheaper price; however, this company has made a name already, so more or less, you have a chance to make money from it.
Also, it’s good to know that they are not focused on recruitment alone rather, on selling their products. This only shows that the company really cares about their consultants.
Nevertheless, recruitment can give higher commissions so unless you are skilled to do this, getting a decent income from this opportunity might take a long time.
What's Next?
Whether you’re planning to join Tastefully Simple or not, I suggest that you have an additional source of income to become financially stable.
And if you're willing to take action to become financially free, I suggest that you sign up with my top-recommended program and get these tools and support:
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Thank you for reading my Tastefully Simple review and I hope I have enlightened you with this. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to share it below.