Is Paparazzi Jewelry a legitimate way to make money, or is it some sort of MLM scam?
I’ve been hearing a lot about Paparazzi Jewelry lately and today; I will try to uncover the truth about it to see if it’s a legitimate opportunity for you to start your own business.
NB: Please note I’m not reviewing the actual products Paparazzi Jewelry sells here, but rather the business opportunity itself. My aim with this Paparazzi Jewelry review is to see if this is a worthwhile opportunity for you to make money.
If that’s what you are interested in, keep reading as I am about to tell you (& show you) everything you need to know, including:
- What Paparazzi Jewelry is
- How it all works
- How to become a Paparazzi Jewelry re-seller
- How to make money with Paparazzi Jewellery – and;
- A few pros (& cons) which I think you should know about.
Let’s get started…
What Is Paparazzi Jewelry?
Paparazzi Jewelry (now rebranded to Paparazzi Accessories) is an online store that sells custom jewelry with their biggest selling point being that most of their items cost $5 or less (with some exceptions).
Of course, that is nothing out of the ordinary, but it is quite a smart angle to pitch yourself as.
The thing about Paparazzi Accessories, and where this all starts sounding a bit weird to me, is the fact that they seem to push the “Consultant” packages more than they push the actual products they sell. This makes Paparazzi Jewelry a classic MLM (multi-level-marketing) business.
Unlike a pyramid scheme (which is illegal), an MLM company is a company that makes money solely from its ability to get people to buy their products in bulk and then have their customers re-sell the “accessories” for a profit.
If this sounds complicated, it’s because it is. Allow me to explain…
How Does Paparazzi Jewelry Work?
The “business opportunity” they push is this:
- You buy one of their “accessories kits” from their website,
- You find a consultant in your area that will help you get set up and:
- You then sell the various items in your kit to others with the hopes of making back the initial investment (and hopefully some profit on top of that).
While this sounds like a good idea, what many do not realize is that with this twist in the business model, it makes you a customer of the company rather than a “business owner”.
Before I go on, I must stress the importance of understanding the fundamental differences between MLM (multi-level marketing) and affiliate marketing.
One major difference is that with affiliate marketing, you do not have to pay to become an affiliate.
I guess the best way I can explain this is with an example, so here goes.
- Affiliate Marketing: I send people to the Paparazzi Jewelry website, they buy and I get a commission off that sale.
- MLM: I need to buy items from Paparazzi Jewelry and then resell them for a profit by doing workshops and “home jewelry parties”.
As you can see, with one method (affiliate marketing) there is really no risk involved as I did not have to buy the product in bulk first. I simply had to send people to the Paparazzi website and if they purchase an item, I make money.
However; with the MLM structure Paparazzi Jewelry is currently operating with, I first have to buy up a bunch of products and then hustle to sell them (or else I’m losing money).
As I see it – and this is just my personal opinion – it really is nothing more than having to pay to promote a company!
Of course; the premise here is that since the jewelry is cheap, you’d be able to sell it quickly, recoup your investments and continue growing your business that way.
While this sounds amazing in theory, it simply doesn’t work like that.
If it did, you’d start hearing how everyone is just getting rich selling $5 items to their friends and family.
If the products did sell well enough for you to make a decent income, the company would sell the actual product directly to customers and not sell them as an “investment opportunity”.
As you can see, I’m really not a fan of this way of doing business – and I would advise you to find alternative ways to start a business – but if you’re dead set on becoming a “Paparazzi Associate”, here’s what you need to get started:
How To Get Started With Paparazzi Jewelry
Step 01: You need to first find a consultant in your area:
This alone is very confusing – but apparently, you can’t deal with the company from the get-go, you have to first find a consultant in your area which will help you get started.
Step 02: Choose A Kit To Buy (For Your Starter Package)
The next step is the bite – this is where you become a customer.
You need to pick the kit you will be starting your career with Paparazzi Jewelry with and there are packages starting from $99 to $499, these are:
- The Preview Pack – $99
- The Small Home Party Kit – $299
- Large Home Party Kit – $499
You can read more about these different packages and what you get inside each of them on this page here but, you’ll also get access to a few promotional materials that you can use to help you promote these products better.
Step 03: Pay For Your Order
Once you have picked your kit, you just need to pay the chosen fee and you’re all set – just wait for your shipment of products to arrive.
Congratulations, you’ve just become a Paparazzi Jewelry customer.
Let’s now see if that was a good decision to make…
Can You Make Money With Paparazzi Jewelry?
Honestly, I doubt it.
You might make some sales, but unless you plan on grinding it out to the max annoying not only all your friends and family but your entire neighborhood; I doubt you will get far with it.
This is simply because of all the limitations Paparazzi Jewelry have:
- You are stuck to one geographic location.
- You have to sell one specific type of product.
- You are selling $5 trinkets with a tiny profit margin (not nearly enough to make a considerable income).
Again remember;
If the actual products were profitable, the focus of the company would be on selling the products, not signing up “consultants” – which sounds a bit too prestigious for me for someone selling a $5 plastic gold ring.
Is Paparazzi Jewelry A Scam?
No, it’s definitely not a scam – it’s an MLM company (which some may argue equals a scam and I’d agree – but not in legal terms).
My problem with this business model is that it takes away all the benefits of affiliate marketing and does not provide any other benefit in exchange.
In other words, it’s a lose-lose.
With affiliate marketing (which is my favorite way to make money online):
- I am free to start a business in any industry I want,
- I can pick and choose the products I want to sell -and most importantly;
- I do not have risk money buying up inventory.
With that said, let me show you a few better ways to make money from home…
A Few Better Ways To Make Money From Home
If you want to go down this MLM route with Paparazzi Jewelry, then go right ahead. You can purchase your first kit from the Paparazzi Associates website here.
I’m not writing this guide/review to change your mind. However; it’d be highly irresponsible of me to not share with you a few better ways to make money from home. Here are some of my favorites:
✔️ Become A Jewelry Affiliate:
The first option you have is affiliate marketing itself – this will allow you to promote any product under the sun and make money off it without having to buy up the inventory first.
Want to sell jewelry? Great! Start a jewelry blog and sell products from the many jewelry affiliate programs that exist already.
✔️ Start A Dropshipping Business:
Another great way to make money is you can outsource custom jewelry from China and ship it directly to your customers with the dropshipping business model.
Coincidentally I also run an e-com dropshipping store that sells jewelry and all I have to do is find products on AliExpress, list them on my store – and I set my own profit margin.
If this is confusing, don’t worry, my “get started with dropshipping” guide answers all of your questions.
✔️ Import Your Own Products:
If you really want to hold inventory and start selling jewelry to your friends, all you have to do is buy the same type of custom jewelry Paparazzi Accessories offers in bulk from a source like Alibaba.
Most probably you will get a better price and you’d be able to sell at the profit margin you want, rather than being forced to sell for just $5.
Paparazzi Accessories Review: Final Words
This is just my opinion, but I would stay far away from Paparazzi Jewelry as I do not see this as a viable business option.
There are plenty of ways you can make money from home and trust me; Paparazzi Jewelry is not one of them.
My advice would be to stay away from this as it’s just way too complicated and as I’ve explained above, there are far better ways you can create your own “jewelry business”.
I’ll leave you to it.