Wow - judging by the other reviews for Mini IQ, this company is contraversial. Here is my own independent, open and honest opinion. I am NOT a representative of Mini IQ.
Introduction
Mini IQ is a company selling childrens educational books and toys on a party-plan basis. Party-plan ... Read review
Advantages: No need to go to the shops Disadvantages: Overpriced, Need to host a party, delivery is SOOO slow, constantly being contacted by the Mini IQ Rep
Wow - judging by the other reviews for Mini IQ, this company is contraversial. Here is my own independent, open and honest opinion. I am NOT a representative of Mini IQ.
Introduction
==============
Mini IQ is a company selling childrens educational books and toys on a party-plan basis. Party-plan means that a Mini IQ representative books a "party" (really a sales-pitch) at a time and location convenient ... ...(normally friends, family and neighbours), perhaps some buffet food and the Mini IQ rep presents the books and toys available to the guests.
The representatives are pretty much just sales-people. The rep who presented at my Mini IQ party in November last year had 12 months experience and was a mother of three herself. She seemed to know what she was talking about and she was certainly had the 'gift of the gab'.
Wow - judging by the other reviews for Mini IQ, this company is contraversial. Here is my own independent, open and honest opinion. I am NOT a representative of Mini IQ.
Introduction ==============
Mini IQ is a company selling childrens educational books and toys on a party-plan basis. Party-plan means that a Mini IQ representative books a "party" (really a sales-pitch) at a time and location convenient to a Hostess (the customer). The hostess organises party guests (normally friends, family and neighbours), perhaps some buffet food and the Mini IQ rep presents the books and toys available to the guests.
The representatives are pretty much just sales-people. The rep who presented at my Mini IQ party in November last year had 12 months experience and was a mother of three herself. She seemed to know what she was talking about and she was certainly had the 'gift of the gab'.
Presumably the representatives earn a commission on the products they sell (though I don't know how much). They also seem to earn some sort of reward for recruiting new representatives because the rep at my party didn't stop pursuing each and every party guest exploring whether they would like to become a rep. If this is lucrative for a representative I can see why they do it, but it turns an otherwise pleasant party into something of a recruitment exercise and has a certain 'corseness' to it.
I don't invite my friends into my home to be 'recruited' into something I know little about, and they didn't appreciate it either. I remember overhearing the rep trying to convince each guest to join Mini IQ by saying "I think you would be good at it". This complement rather loses its effect when it is used on everyone like this! I suspect the representative was being rather shallow.
The Party ==========
My party started at 7:30 and was scheduled just in time for Christmas 2006. Actually, I had rescheduled the party 4 times since the Summer (and I only had the party because the representative kept calling me after she got my details - I find it too hard to say 'no'!).
I really struggled to convince friends and family to come to my party. Everyone seemed to have something better to do, and most of my friends were more than a little suspicious of party-plan anyway. In particular, one friend asked me why she should come to buy books from a rep at a party when she can get just about any book she wants from Amazon. I didn't have a good reason. (Later, the rep said that Mini IQ stock books not available on Amazon, so I suppose that's one reason).
In the end I got 4 acceptances from my party invites, but only three actually turned up. I bolstered the numbers by calling my mother and sister around, so that made 6 including me. I put on some nibbles and offered some wine, and put on a nice relaxing CD.
The guests were all quite happy chatting away so it was a bit uncomfortable when the representative interrupted us like a school teacher and asked us all to be quiet so we could hear her "presentation". And what a presentation it was!
It went on for over 2 hours and included playing silly little games. We all felt the games were completely unecessary (the products may be for children but the customers are quite adult!) and the 2 hour pitch far too long and boring. We completely lost interest after 15 minutes! We are, afterall, all capable of reading a catalogue.
The rep completely failed to identify that the guests were bored and just wanted to chat amongst themselves while browsing the catalogue.
The presentation didn't finish until 10pm. One of my friends did win a prize in one of the games though (a book for a baby, even though her kids are 7 and 9!). Just when we thought it was all over the rep asked me where my DVD player was. "Why?" I asked. "I want to play a DVD" she said. At this point I was rather losing my patience - I said something along the lines of "I think we are all very much aware of the products you have on offer after your presentation and from your catalogue and I don't feel a further sales pitch by DVD is necessary"!! Oh, but this was apparently a different sales pitch for a different product, so I let her put her DVD into the telly and we all sat and watched...
The DVD presented a maths tutoring system (I forget the precise name) which, whilst looking good, was phenomenally expensive (like over £200 and that only lasted for 12 months!).
By this time it was approaching 11pm and I could see that everyone was feeling particularly annoyed at having been kept out so late on what was a school night. I ordered one book (just to show willing) and my sister ordered 2 books but nobody else placed an order at all. I think they were protesting at the imposing sales techniques employed. Having said that, they could equally have been protesting at the cost of the products - they were astronomical! In fact, I have found most of the books I liked on Amazon at a fraction of the price.
Hostess Rewards =================
Part of the reason I bothered to have a party was because the representative kept selling the hostess rewards to me. I had visions of coming away with armfulls of books and toys. In fact, at an earlier visit by the representative to make arrangements she showed me an example of the soft of rewards I could expect - there was a box with about 8 or 9 books in it! I didn't get anything!!!!! Apparently the total sales at the party didn't qualify. Then it dawned on me - I should have been motivated to encourage my friends and family to buy more so that I received more rewards. But that made me feel a bit sick - why should I become a sales rep for Mini IQ? I don't personally think selling to friends and family is a particularly good thing to do (or they may not stay friends for long!) so I was quite pleased I didn't have enough sales really.
Aftercare ==========
So we only ordered a couple of books but you would still expect the Mini IQ rep to treat us with care. She didn't. It took over a month for our books to arrive (Amazon offers next day delivery) and they nearly didn't arrive in time for Christmas!
In fact, the rep called me frequently (it seemed like weekly) but these calls weren't customer care calls to apologise for the delayed order - they were scouting calls to see if I wanted another party and to see if I wanted to join Mini IQ. I said no each time, but she seemed to forget and called again over and over. She also called all of my guests (she sneekily got their contact details during one of the games we played at my party - quite clever really) and one of my friends ended up getting quite cross with her and had to ask her not to call again - only to receive another call from the rep in the new year!!!
When the books did finally arrive they were ok. Nothing spectacular though - just OK.
Conclusion ============
In conclusion, the good points about Mini IQ are: nice range of products; conveniently presented in your own home; home delivery.
The not-so-good points about Mini IQ are: it is a burden from start to finish - arranging the party; having the party; following up after the party, the products seem to be hugely overpriced, the presentation at the party seemed to go on FOREVER and we all lost interest, the representative was extremely persistent to the point of being coarse, the party was not an enjoyable gathering of friends because we could not talk over the Mini IQ rep.
I have thus rated as poor. I will not use them again (I have become stronger at saying 'no'!).
Advantages: none Disadvantages: Expensive, potentially very damaging as a business opportunity, misleading
I read with interest the existing reviews of Mini IQ posted here on CIAO and I notice that there is some disagreement between those who love Mini IQ and those who hate it so I thought I throw my 2 penneth into the pot.
Mini IQ is a network marketing (also known as a Multi-Level Marketing - MLM) business in the United Kingdom. The business profits from the sale of products to and by self-employed contracted associates. All network marketing businesses ... ...are recruited to sell products and earn a commission on each sale. Recruiters of the associates also receive rewards on their own sales plus the sales of their recruits (known as their 'downline'). In this way the business model motivates people to both sell products and to recruit a downline. Examples of businesses built on this model include Anne Summers, Bettaware, Kleeneeze and Body Shop At Home.
The public face of Mini IQ presents a business ...
ElaineRodgers 13.02.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mini-IQ - Fun, Educational Children
Advantages: none I can think of Disadvantages: The whole scheme
I am very pleased that Mini IQ has been reviewed on Ciao because there is a lot to be said about it and this is a good way to say it.
As has been commented on in other reviews, Mini IQ is a party style sales company retailing in books for children. The company itself is a very small operation which buys, stocks, and supplies books. The books are supplied to independent associates who are self employed and sell them on directly to customers.
To ... ...products and also pays sales bonuses to individual associates in relation to personal and team sales volumes. Associates are therefore rewarded for having a large number of personal sales, and a large number of team sales, which correspondingly reflects a large team.
The company has been operating for around 2 years.
I was an associate for Mini IQ for 18 months from the early days to quite recently. I am no longer affiliated with Mini IQ and have ...
jacksonsuffolk 28.02.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mini-IQ - Fun, Educational Children
My opinion of this company changed so I decided to remove my positive review.
If you want books for your own children aged 0-12 it's a great company to work for or host a party with. Whilst your own kids are that age, you'll get cheap books.
If you want to earn money however, not so great as the figures (from August 2008) no longer stacked up for associates and leaders and my willingness to recruit people and expect them to pay out more than they ... ...the business which was to give women a flexible way to earn good money. The money wasn't good even when I was in the top 5 leaders in the company. I walked away.
You gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. I knew when to walk away.
Nice people, nice product, shame about the company ethos to rip off the people who do all the work selling the books and recruiting more nice people. In my opinion.
Post Aug 2008, a lot of penny pinching ...
GiantPea 11.05.2007 (10.11.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Mini-IQ - Fun, Educational Children
Advantages: profitable for those who got in early enough Disadvantages: its MLM, what more is there to say?
more than you need Mini IQ.
If you are ever approached by a Mini IQ associate to hold a book party, read on. Equally, if you are ever approached by a Mini IQ associate to join Mini IQ as an associate, read on....
Why not to host a Mini IQ party?
1. because most of the products available in the Mini IQ catalogue are cheaper elsewhere. Those products that are not available elsewhere (so-called "exclusives") are overpriced by virtue of the fact that ... ...Waterstones, Blackwells, Amazon or booksfirst.co.uk
2. because, without knowing it, you will be allowing the Mini IQ company to take advantage of the Mini IQ associate who presents at the party. Yes - that's right - taking advantage. For more information on this, see "Why not to become a Mini IQ Associate" below.
3. because you may wait weeks or even months for your books to arrive.
4. because you can rest assured that the commissions taken by ...
cljacobs 14.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Mini-IQ - Fun, Educational Children
Advantages: nice books Disadvantages: too expensive and too pushy and (as a job) not profitable
My first review so please be kind!
I attended a miniiq party at a friends house last week. My friend invited five of us and the miniiq lady was the sister of my friend. They sell books for children. They are supposed to be educational, and some of them are quite good, but they were quite pricey.
At the party the lady from miniiq was polite and tried to give us information but she obviosly wasn't an education expert or anything. When asked about ... ...her box to be able to talk about it and I don't think she had ever read many of the books. She also sometimes just read the words off the back of the book which was pointless really.
She was keen to get us all to book our own parties and I did at the time, but Ive cancelled mine now because its just too much hassle. She also tried to get me to join miniiq but when I asked her what the earnings potential was she was said she had to be honest. She ...
marianne_pretty 28.02.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Mini-IQ - Fun, Educational Children
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