Here’s How Much It Costs To Get A Free Mary Kay Cadillac
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Some may have seen a pink Mary Kay Cadillac plying the roads at one point or another, wondering what the story behind the vehicle really was. As it turns out, these pink Caddys are offered as incentives to participants in the Mary Kay program, framed as a company car for elite salespeople. In the end, however, the true cost of a Mary Kay Cadillac might be surprising.
For those readers who may be unaware, Mary Kay is multi-level marketing company that sells cosmetics and skin care products. The promise of a multi-level marketing program is income generation by working from home, on your own schedule. Meanwhile, the pink Cadillac stands out as a particularly desirable goal in the multi-level marketing industry. However, a new report suggest that the pink Mary Kay Cadillac is anything but free.
Citing a document uploaded by Pinktruth, Car Bibles states that participants must meet a number of qualifications before they have a shot at driving a Mary Kay Cadillac, including recruiting a large team of marketing representatives and maintaining a steady drumbeat of product purchases.
Qualifying for a pink Cadillac involves purchasing $102,000 worth of Mary Kay goods per calendar year, and maintaining that qualification requires the team to continually purchase at least $50,000 per quarter of May kay products. Put another way, the team needs to move at least $16,700 worth of May Kay items on a monthly basis.
All of that would get one into a leased Cadillac XT5. To note, the actual monetary gains for the consultant don’t actually matter here, since it’s all about purchasing the product from Mary Kay. Whether or not that product is moved past the consultant and into the hands of actual consumers is irrelevant.
Put it all together, and it doesn’t seem like a very good deal, especially when the entire lease cost of a new 2021 Cadillac XT5 is roughly half of what it takes to get in a Mary Kay Cadillac. Even so, it still might be a worthwhile perk for those who excel at selling Mary Kay product.
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“…To note, the actual monetary gains for the consultant don’t actually matter here, since it’s all about purchasing the product from Mary Kay. Whether or not that product is moved past the consultant and into the hands of actual consumers is irrelevant.”
Not defending MaryKay or any other MLM – it’s not how I choose to earn a living – but that’s typically how most retail operations work in one form or another.
You go into an independently owned retail business…and they have already paid for (or promised to pay for) the items on those shelves. If those items don’t sell…they are still out the $$$.
From web searches, Mary Kay is like many businesses where inventory that is unsold or expired can be returned/repurchased by the manufacturer. This is common in many industries, a common one being magazines, newspapers and books, where the seller rips the cover off and sends it back. The brand-name stuff in dollar and liquidation stores (Ollies) are basically unsold and returned from retail.
Yep. There are many different ways and marketing strategies used to get products brought to customers in stores and in MLM.
I suspect that your returned goods don’t count towards your pink Cadillac, though.
The paragraph as written didn’t really enhance the article and seems only there for some kind of hook or angle that just isn’t that sensational.
In MK, it’s not quite the same. You only have 1 year to return product for a 90% return of what you paid. You then don’t get to stay a consultant. When I worked in retail and we returned product to the manufacturer, we were not barred from purchasing at wholesale from them again. Supposedly, MK destroys returned product. However, there have been countless times consultants ordered new product only to receive product that had someone else’s sticker on it (me included).
Actually I worked for a big box book store. The ripping of covers off the books is so they CAN’T be resold by another liquidator. There is a paragraph written in most books that says something like “if you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware this book maybe stolen property.”. If the books are agreed to be resold to a liquidator by the author or publisher those books where actually inventoried as being sold back to the publisher and boxed up and shipped out.
So Johnathan you have just written an article cited by Pinktruth that hates all things Mary Kay? Then try to clean it up in the last sentence? I guess I’m confused because I thought this was a GM sponsored cited and it did nothing to support one of if not the top lease purchaser but mislead the public with misinformation. Very disappointed and will be forwarding this article to the GM Board of Directors.
I’ve seen the occasional pink caddy running around now and then. But in my 12+ years of working with Cadillac at the dealership level, I only recall one that we traded in. It was a lady who obviously worked for Mary Kay and purchased the car (1989 Cadillac DeVille 4 dr) from them when the lease was up. She then drove the car for a couple years and decided it was time to trade up. So now we had this pink DeVille with light gray CLOTH seats. Talk about something nobody wanted, but we took it in cheap. The car sat there for about a month and the dealership was thinking about paining the car when this guy comes in and makes an offer. Remember, we took it in cheap and had it listed for sale cheap. His offer was well below our asking price, but they sold it to him at what we had in the car. He never painted it and said that his wife loved driving it around.
I had to comment on this. I have earned 4 Cadillacs from Mary Kay and have sold all the products and taught/encouraged my team to do same. No one purchases $102,000 in wholesale products to get a car-that’s the most ridiculous thing ever stated on earth. It also diminishes the work out into a business-only people who teach amazing customer service, are helpful to their customers and consultants will reach that level. This is about people hating on direct sales in general-if any other business sold $208,000 retail in 6 months they’d be applauded. While I acknowledge there’s bad eggs in all companies who aren’t doing it the right way, be careful to diminish people working hard and teaching others the same. Also note that not a single person on the Pink Truth website would ever take personal responsibility for their own business. Mary Kay is not a sit at home and get rich quick scheme and I’ve never presented it that way. Enough said!
I totally agree with Emily!! I have been a consultant/director for 45 years. I am currently driving a Pink Cadillac that me and my unit earned. Yes, we do sell that much in a month! The products are amazing and that is why they sell.
Thank u for straightening these myths and lies about mary kay. I’m a consultant and it offends me especially pink truth. Treating people with respect and love and kindness and sharing our products and helping others selflessly is what we are actually about. The pink Cadillacs come from that!
I think you are overreacting. What the author of this article says is correct. If you and your team have to produce around $16000 per month to first earn not own the pink Cadillac and then continue to produce the same amount every month to keep the car so they don’t take it away from you, is a lot. Just be honest here.
Thank you
The pi k cashier on top of your profit .some people like the so mal aspect of selling of Mary Kay . if you are not selling $16k wholesale softly goods a month you are waiting your time anyway .
My wife sells Mary Kay and sells real estate . she has a pink cady for years. The two jobs support each h other and she has so many more friends s / customers and is quite happy .
So, you never topped off ordering because your team didn’t buy enough wholesale? You actually sell every single item that you purchase from MK and don’t have a “whole store” sitting in your home or studio? You’ve never told an SD or consultant trying to earn a car to “find a way, make a way” when they were short of that car goal? You’ve never recruited someone to your team as a ploy to make the numbers or ordered for them perhaps putting that order on your card in order to reach a goal? Can you say that you never went dialing for dollars by asking your team to put in an order or a higher order so that you (or a team member) could reach a goal? Are you saying that all of the ordering on your team was needed and not to push up the numbers?
Let me get this straight, because I don’t know much about Mary Kay: you have a team that buys and sells product for you, and you get the car. So… your team is paying for your car? Sorry, y’all, but I’m in the weeds, here. I never worked anywhere expecting to be thrilled to buy my boss a car.
I’ve been w Mary Kay for 30 years and have earned the use of 10 company cars in my career. The car incentive program is fantastic. I’ve so appreciated this program. It is based on team and/or unit productivity. My base of working consultants is responsible for 90% of my car qualifications. Yes, nome new consultants just starting and ordering their initial orders will help, but my base- who all have stable customer bases– carry the weight! And MK is not a MLM. We are a direct sales company but are actually labeled a dual marketing system. We have earned the gold standard designation in the Direct Sellers Assoc. Please do your homework before publishing misleading jabbering!
Bless u for myth and lie busting.
Wow GM and how much money have you earned from Mary Kay and their commitment to you through the years to allow such a shot of an article to be written about the iconic pink caddy that team work and commitment earns by not even statistics from the actual company but disgruntled people such as the pink truth who probably would say the same thing if they couldn’t sell jewelry or candles the same way they dog Mary Kay. I think it’s time to earn Fords instead of GM products.
PLEASE GET ALL YOUR “FACTS STRAIGHT” WHICH YOU DON’T. STOP MAKING A FABULOUS COMPANY SOUND ILLEGAL. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS WORK HARD. I KNOW MANY PEOPLE PERSONALLY WHO HAVE EARNED A CAR. I STEPPED BACK FOR A WHILE DO TO ILL HEALTH, AND CAN RUN MY BUSINESS FROM HOME AND A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS.
Mary Kay has been around for over 50 years and they must be doing something correct to still be in business today.
There are a lot of untruths in this article. I have friends who have earned the pink Cadillac through this incentive program. This is a wonderful business who helps to empower people, build people up! The pink Cadillac is a great incentive but also the Mary Kay Foundation supports the fight against domestic violence and gives to agencies who fight Women’s cancers. I’m an Ovarian and Breast Cancer survivor and know people affected by both and would love this business because of what it stands for: God first, family second and career third! How refreshing in this season we are living in! Although I haven’t earned the pink Cadillac yet I’m just grateful for this direct sales business opportunity. Thank you!
I see those pink cars and all I can think of is the scam that is “multi-level-marketing.” That GM is tied to it via providing pink vehicles, is probably the worst image that GM can project. I’m not the head of GM but if I was, that ridiculous relationship would end today. GM certainly wouldn’t miss the small volume of associated product loss.
Marty you need to get your facts straight. Mary Kay is NOT I repeat NOT multi-level. It’s dual marketing. They have been in business They have been in business over 50 years. We have the largest fleet of cars on roadways. We have women that have worked hard and are millionaires. Mary Kay works to help stop cancers that effect women & to stop abuse of women and children. People need to get their information straight before putting junk out there. The Pink Truth is a bunch of garbage.
dual marketing = marketing virtually the same products to both consumers and business customers. So, both B2B as well as B2C.
I hate to disappoint you, but Mary Kay is one of the bigger lease purchasers from GM. They also supply MK with Malibu’s, Traverses, Equinox’s, Cadillacs and recently Cameros & Colorado trucks.
I can’t believe you sited your sources from “pink truth.” A site created by former consultants/ directors whose business failed (due to their own hand) and hate Mary Kay. If you want truth speak directly to the company who is very transparent, not from people who hate it. Truth: when I work my business I see production and benefits, when I don’t nothing happens.
I to wish people would get their facts right we e a r n the use of a free car I personally join Mary Kay in 1981 and now 40 years later have earned 21 cars because of my work ethics and my training ability to help others earn income and free cars
Not free please. The source may not what you like and I am not associated to them but the car is not free.
Mary Kay is horrible. I signed up and my consultant lied to me, and was insanely pushy. The funny thing is I was going in for surgery and she knew I was on pain killers for about a week, and tried to get my to steal my husbands credit cards, and open up credit cards for “inventory”. All thes psycho Mary kay ladies saying it’s your fault if you fail. The whole company is corrupt and fake and they have terribly unethical practices. Just buy your caddy.
Lets put it in perspective. If its about $ 100,000 k at distributor cost and there is a markup. then the retail is another 100,000… But if the MK distributor is getting as commission. then they are making about $ 20,000 ???..
But therelaity is the lease is worth about $ 5,000 – 7,500 per year and I’d rather have THAT in my pocket.
This makes no sense. $102k a year to “qualify” then you have to sustain $200k a year after that?
Its not free if you pay a lease on it. Last I checked no one time is free either. The amount of time & efforts it is needed to have the chance to lease a pink MK Cadillac you can get a loan to buy a Cadillac & paint it pink without the worries of MK taking back because your didn’t sale enough products. 😂
After 21 years with Mary Kay I am humbled to be apart of this God fearing company. I have been able to keep my priorities in order which when I was in Corporate America I was unable to do so. They just wanted me to work work and work some more and my pay stayed the same. Here I get back what I put into it. They trained us to work when you can because when you can’t it’ll still pay you. I’ve been hospitalized multiple times with multiple surgeries and because I worked when I could I never lost my business ,my car or all I had learned along the way but most of all I never lost the best friends in the world! Or myself or my values. These amazing women came to my home helped me with my children, delivered by product , kept food on our table because I was unable to cook. You do not get that in a multi-level marketing company. We are a duel marketing company. Always have been and always will be. Money only changes hands twice. I purchase it from the company and my amazing customers purchase it from me. Plain and simple. You obviously did not fact check. They also taught me that hard work, integrity and taking personal responsibility for my business would be the cornerstone of my success. And they were right. I am lifting you up in prayer that the Lord would guide you and that you would ask Jesus into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior so you would be set free and have a true future and a hope and true joy.
While I no longer drive a Mary Kay car I am still an active beauty consultant 36 years strong. I earned my first free car (not a caddy) back in 1987. It was my first car and at 22 years old I got myself off welfare in the process! The products continue to be exceptional, sell themselves, and the dual marketing plan is just as exceptional.
I have been a consultant since 1994. I have worked (remember this word) my business and i have slacked. When I work I make money. When i slack I dont make money, but sometimes when slacking I get website orders.
Thing is…if YOU make the decision to join and YOU decide to get inventory and YOU decide to do nothing…how is that MKs fault? If you have a job and decide to take a day off and dont get paid…do you blame your job? No…you knew the consequences…no work no pay. When you go to work…are you expected to do certain things to get paid? Same concept….if you want the car…you find out the details before making a commitment.
MK is a business where you WORK… just like any business… your pay is based on your work. I hear “but it didnt work for me” yes you’re right because it doesnt work for you…YOU WORK FOR IT!
Oh and those saying MK is a mln….you just showed your ignorance and dont know what you are talking about. Its dual marketing…look it up…at least have an educated opinion.
I have been in the Direct Sales/Network Marketing arena full-time since ’90 and “MK” (who I’ve never been affiliated with) has a stellar reputation and is one of the largest cosmetic/beauty companies on earth. As you’ve seen in the other comments, many reps and customers have been with “MK” for decades. Like any incentive car or vacation program regardless of company, incentives take consistent and diligent efforts and not every individual will attain those incentives, but the ones deserving do.
Btw a shameless plug, I’m with L’Occitane En Provence, yes that world renowned forty five year old French Beauty/Lifestyle Powerhouse with the decadent stores & magnificent spas in 90+ nations along with its sterling environmental/humanitarian reputation, is finally opening their doors to Entrepreneurs and those that want to be, via a referral based sales channel. Reach out to me for zero obligation information (dspartners @ yahoo . com)
When women work smart and ethically they can earn a great income offering for sale the Mary Kay Cosmetics, based on their own performance however if a woman desires to lead and offer the opportunity to like minded women then as a team products sales are calculated the leader can qualify for a free car based on production. All consultants buy their products from the company and not each other. Mary Kay is more of like a franchise than multi-level marketing. Each consultant works and earns income based on how well they run their “franchise”. I love the products and though I have run into a few consultants who shouldn’t be because of the attitudes I believe most consultants are eager to not only help customers but look out for each other with the “Go Give Rule” . The author of this story needs to get “InTouch” 😁 with Mary Kay Corp for accurate info..very biased article.
How dare you speak about this wonderful mark kay multi level marketing opportunity. I love everyone who uses Mary Kay products and if you speak in a negative way about the MK YOU SUCK!