In this Matilda Jane MLM Review, we will look at what is Matilda Jane and see if this company’s unique approach targets a segment of society most MLM companies usually avoid. Those other companies normally focus on healthy, beauty, and home products and forget the market for doll clothes.
Of course, Matilda does not just focus on doll clothes. It also has clothing items for young girls and women. This makes it a unique company to work with and a business strategy to use.
This strategy helps women meet their shopping needs through non-traditional methods. It uses the Tupperware home party as inspiration to sell the clothing lines this company produces.
Their sales strategy helps Jane overcome direct sales stress by removing direct sales and redesigning it as a social gathering. This friendly way of doing business is one way to get that sales guard dropped, making it easier to make sales.
What is Matilda Jane Clothing?
Matilda Jane clothing is designed for children from ages 2 years old up to 12 years old. The clothing line includes dresses, tops, pants, skirts, shorts, coats, jackets, and even pajamas.
The clothes are made from 100% cotton and come in sizes 0 – 4T. They have an average retail price of $19.99 per item.
The clothes are available in more than 25 colors and patterns. These include polka dots, stripes, plaids, florals, and many others.
The clothes can be purchased online or at any of the Matilda Jane stores. There are currently over 50 locations across North America.
Who Is Matilda Jane?
Jane is the founder of Matilda Jane. She was born in England but moved to Canada when she was 13 years old.
Jane grew up working in her family’s toy store. She learned about how toys were sold and decided to try selling them herself. Her first success came after selling her own dolls.
She then started selling Tupperware and became very successful at it. After 10 years of selling Tupperware, she left to start her own company called Matilda Jane.
How Does Matilda Jane Work?
Matilda Jane works like any other MLM. You join the company and purchase starter kits. Each kit comes with a t-shirt, hat, and bag.
You then recruit people into your downline who you want to help sell the product. Once they become members, they receive a free starter kit.
You earn commissions based on the number of people you sign up with. Your commission rate starts out at 5%. As you build your team and grow your organization, your commission rates increase.
Your income potential depends on how much time you spend recruiting new members and how well you manage your team.
This multi-level marketing company uses sales associates called Janes to market their clothing lines throughout the year. New clothing options are released twice a year so that the Janes have interesting and unique clothing items to sell.
The company doesn’t stop marketing clothes for dolls, girls, and women. They also have bedding lines, apron lines, sleeping bag liners and other clothing or fabric items.
If you have a problem with the company, that problem won’t be due to any of the founder’s fault. It is said that Denise DeMArchis started the company in 2005, but some people have that date as 2006.
As we said, any problems you have won’t be due to her personality or rules etc., Ms. DeMarchis died in 2015. You will not find this information on the company’s website, but that is par for the course. A lot of information is missing from that website, normally found on other similar companies’ websites.
If you sign up, you do your selling through what are called Trunk Keeper parties. You find women who want to host one. The host will receive a gift, and all merchandise sold at the party is sent directly to the customer.
You are not allowed to market your wares through ads on Facebook or other places, and you cannot create your own ads. So you have a tough marketing road when you sell their products.
How are Matilda Jane Trunk Keepers paid??
This may be hard to do as the company does not post its compensation plan on its website. It is known that it is quite expensive to join and quite expensive to buy the different Trunks each half year.
The commission split is 20% on those products that qualify. Then there is a 5% commission on good luck trunk products and another 5% on platinum sales. You also get a 1 to 9% commission on your downline sales up to 4 levels.
However, there is a cost to play. The starter kit, a mandatory purchase, ranges between $50 to $200, and you have to meet monthly sales limits set between $1500 and $4000.
Then you are required to pay for a seasonal trunk which is priced at $1600. Other requirements make it difficult for the typical Jane to make any money.
The hosts do not get any commissions. They get discounts and gifts as long as they or their minimum of 3 guests make a certain amount of purchases.
Those discounts start at 50%, and the gifts start at $25 if the sales reach a minimum of $300 and $500 respectively. The problem here is that even if you get a motivated person to host a trunk party, they can only do it one time.
The other difficulty is that you will have competition. It is not the other Janes that have to worry about. The clothes you are marketing for the company can be found in places like Amazon, eBay, and other internet sites, including the company’s website.
What Is A Jane?
If you sign up to work for the company marketing their clothesline through these trunk parties, you will be called a trunk keeper, not a Jane. The reason behind that label is that the company sells its trunks of clothes to those women who want to work for them.
A Jane label is applied to the person who agrees to host the party. While the label may make the host feel special, it rewards them for hosting difficulties.
At least 3 other people must be present at the party. The only way the host gets any compensation is if the party records about $300 in sales. At that point, they get one item at 50% off.
To make the hosting duties more rewarding, Jane would need lots of women to show up for the party.
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Matilda Jane MLM Review Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Lots of opportunities for gift bonuses
- The commission split is high
- Work at home
- Clothes are made in America
- Clothes are durable and not cheaply made
- Variety of products to sell
- Free training
- Two ways to make money
Cons:
- Pay to play, and it is not cheap
- Unknown compensation plan
- Must maintain monthly quotas to be paid
- Support is lacking
- The company is not very transparent
- No ads can be used
- You pay to quit the company
- Pay a $300 non-refundable deposit on trunks
- Lose commissions on returned items
Have to be a resident of Canada or America only to qualify to sell their products
Is Matilda Jane Legal?
As far as we have been able to find out, there has been only one lawsuit filed against the company. You can read about the case and her complaint here. It was filed late last year, so there is no news on the results of her efforts at this time.
It may be clear to some that Matilda Jane is an MLM corporation, and all who sign up are listed as independent contractors, which means a different set of rules apply to your employment.
Whenever you sign up for an MLM corporation, keep in mind those companies know the law that applies to their business strategies. They will make sure their instructions, rules, and employment opportunities fall under those laws.
When you sign up at these companies, you have both eyes open and be prepared to face a lot of competition when working for them.
Is Matilda Jane Legitimate?
As MLM corporations go, yes, the company is very legitimate. Their product line is not made cheap, and they seem to have many delighted customers. What makes it hard to see them as legitimate is that they compete with their own salespeople.
That makes it tough to make any sales as women can stay at home and not attend those parties you must give. Also, what makes it difficult to see the company as legitimate is the complicated compensation plan.
Any worker not meeting targets will feel cheated as their hard work is wasted. No one feels good when that takes place.
That is the nature of the business. You should investigate the MM companies with both eyes on the details and keep your eyes off the hype.
Too many people make the mistake in seeing the possibility and not the reality of what they are getting themselves into
More On Legal
As I stated earlier, so far, all we have been able to come up with is that one lawsuit by that one worker. It seems that Matilda Jane MLM keeps its corporate nose clean. They follow those laws affecting their industry and business strategy to the letter.
While there is a lot of competition in the clothing industry, its competitors have not had any issues with their products. No charges of theft or other illegal activities have been filed against the company.
Matilda Jane MLM Review: Final Thoughts
This is a unique business opportunity as not many MLM corporations target dolls, girls, and women’s clothing to make a lot of money. At least those that do not supplement those lines with beauty and health aids.
The clothing is brightly coloured, and the designs are upbeat as well as fashion-forward. You are not selling the 1950s or 1960s clothes even though the company uses a 1950s and 60s sales format to market their products.
The strategy may be old-fashioned, but it helps women who have difficulty selling make many sales. As far as the uniqueness goes, Matilda Jane’s business structure is pure MLM style that doesn’t bode well for the independent Trunk Keepers.
Just enter the business knowing what you are getting into so you have no surprises. That way, you won’t be shocked when something goes wrong. Need to know how to get started by building your website and becoming an affiliate marketer?
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Your review about this company has really put me in the middle right now because I am not really a big fan of MLM programs but looking at your review here, I find it really hard to take my eyes off this one. It seems like it can really work and I can really make some money from selling the different products they have. What I really like is that what is being sold is good in the demand market. I’d like to try this business.
Although MLM is not for everyone, and only the seasoned marketer went on to build a full-time income, you can take a chance if you like the products and feel you can be successful with it. There are a few people who are having success despite the high cost of joining the business. wish you all the best.
Quite a well-detailed review you have up here and thank you so much for sharing the details out here. I am a big-time lover of social MLM but this particular one eludes me and I don’t think I want to join them for the fear of losing my money without regaining it back. To be honest, this is great and thank you so much for sharing this post. Thumbs up to you for sharing out here
Hi Angela, thank you for the feedback and you made the right choice by not wanting to join this program because of the high start-up fee and guarantees that you get a return on your investment.
In as much as I tried to look at the good side of this Matilda Jane MLM program, there just seem to be a lot more bad sides popping up without me looking in its way. Its product may be okay and everyone would want to buy, but first, an MLM company is a bad choice to make money because not everyone is good at bringing down line. Secondly, the idea of not being able to sell using your own ads but rather taking to the market is a complete turn-off.
Benson,
You hit the nail on the head. most of my team members come to me about these MLM companies and that is my first advice to them, stay away because of their business model.
Promoting any business where you have to build a downline is not good practice for having success online especially when you now starting out. Affiliate marketing is your best bet and a faster way to see some returns on your investment.
While I am not the biggest MLM fan, it’s good to know that Matilda Jane MLM offers a high commission that is geared toward products that you don’t otherwise come across in MLMs such as dolls and clothing. At the end of the day, products are what make a company sustainable, so it’s good to see that Matilda Jane MLM scores highest in this department. I have to agree that this product is not cheap, so it’s good to know what you’re getting into beforehand especially with an MLM.
One big thing I don’t care for with MLMs is that you have maintained monthly quotas, so it’s good to know that this is the case with Matilda Jane MLM as well. Your alternative in affiliate marketing through Wealthy Affiliate is outstanding, much less risky than an MLM, and a lot more fulfilling to boot. Readers would do well to follow your link to see what it’s all about. Great post and thanks for the info on Matilda Jane MLM Review!
Yes, I am not a big fan of MLM as well, because if you are doing well, it is unfair to the newbies who have to pay to learn as they go through the process. This is why I always recommend Wealthy Affiliate, cause you can learn so much for free, and decide if this business is a good fit for you before you make any initial investment.
To make money with the Matilda Jane MLM program, you have to know what you doing and you have to have some money put aside as you develop the skills to market their products because their products are great and there is a great need for them with a certain audience.
Thank you for this detailed and insightful review. I have never heard of this company. Their marketing plan is weird with all the restrictions and undisclosed compensation plan. I have tried a few MLM and realized I wasted my money and time. Selling doll clothes is ingenious but this looks like a unique niche for mostly mothers. Although, l like clothes I can’t see myself selling clothes. Thank you for this great review.
Matilda Jane MLM started in 2005 and the person who started that business, s Denise DeMArchis, died in 2015. As far as their marketing plan, the company does not post its compensation plan on its website as I have started. What is known is that it is quite expensive to join and quite expensive to buy the different Trunks each half year.
I myself have had trouble with MLM companies in the past because most of them focus on recruiting people to earn a passive income from home. This business attracts women because their clothing line is catered to dolls, girls and women. There are more attractive businesses I can see women having success with other than Matilda Jane MLM.
Very good job with this review. I am not really into MLM and after reading this I can see why. I have always been leery about MLM businesses, even though I have seen some good ones. But here the cons seem to outweigh the pros. I really like the concept because I have granddaughters that play with dolls and are always wanting to get clothes for them. And the fact that they also offer girls clothing is nice too. But I’d need to weigh the costs to get into it against the compensation plan very seriously before jumping in here. You did a nice job of giving us the information though.
Their products and target market are great, but they need to change their business aspect for their distributor to succeed. And in today’s online world, it is very difficult to build a business if you do not have a personal website to take your products to the market place.
This is my second time reading a detailed review of the Matilda Jane MLM which means this company is getting popular. Compared to the review I read earlier, it is revealed here how much is the cost to join and how much is required for a distributor to keep earning commissions from the sales done by your downline team. I am quite wary of companies that are imposing such a requirement because when the rep fails to produce sales, the rep is forced to buy the required sales volume for personal use only.
So, with that scenario, it looks like the rep is the customer of the company. That is the subtle way of the company to squeeze money from its sales force. If a Matilda Jane recruiter approaches you saying, “Hey, this company wants to partner up with you. Would you like to be our newest business partner?”. The truth is, you are not being targeted as a business partner but rather as a customer to squeeze money from.
Here’s another thing…
In modern MLMs today, most companies provide their distributors with referral websites and online tools. I wonder if Matilda Jane is also providing their own distributors’ such online marketing tools or are they just focusing on offline direct sales like the way Tupperware and Avon are doing their things?
Any worker not meeting targets will feel cheated as their hard work is wasted. No one feels good when that takes place. That is the nature of the business. You should investigate the MM companies with both eyes on the details and keep your eyes off the hype. Too many people make their mistake in seeing the possibility and not the reality of what they are getting themselves into. The company is focused on making a sale as opposed to helping their distributor.
The company provides no website and you cannot run ads. What makes it hard is that they compete with their own salespeople. That makes it tough to make any sales as women have the option to stay at home and not attend those parties you are required to give. Also, what makes it difficult to see the company as legit is the complicated compensation plan they use. it is a totally different strategy than Tupperware and Avon are the way they do things?
Thanks for your post. It is useful for me. My wife just started an online business and she is looking for money-making opportunities. Her niche is women’s clothes. Matilda Jane MLM sounds a good target for her.
Your review of this opportunity is extensive and has all info we need. I particularly like your pros and cons analyses on this MLM business. There are a lot of disadvantages, which sound like bad business to start with. How comfortable could we be with an MLM without support? Transparency is also a big concern for me.
Looks that this is not the business I would like to pursue. I have so many good business opportunities and this one is on my bottom list.
Female clothing is a huge target market and would be a good niche for women who is interesting in affiliate marketing.
Matilda jane MLM business model is not the one I would recommend because of lack of support and if you decided to quit, you have to pay to get out. Very rare in any business. Plus you have no idea of their compensation plan before you join. That is a red flag when looking to join a business.
You made the right choice on not wanting to follow along with that business model.
I have never heard of Matilda Jane before and to sell dolls clothes and girls and women clothing is indeed a different field thatn the standard MLM. I am not a great fan of MLM as most of them seem to be a pyramid scheme in disguise. This plan certainly sounds very expensive to join and you even have to pay to leave them. This is not a scheme that I would join.
You mention that the products are not cheaply made, but I would be curious to know if organic fibers or sustainable practices are used in the production process.
MLM does have a bad name although there are reputable ones like Amway and Mary Kay that in a different league by themselves. The audience that Matilda Jane is targetting makes it a very unique company to work with and a business strategy that is different than the norm.
Not certain that they use organic fibers in their products, but their clothing line is known for being whimsical and completely charming!
Hi! This sounded like a cool company to join at first. But I’m glad I decided to read your entire Matilda Jane review before I come to a conclusion. Although it’s a legitimate company and not a scam, I now learned that there are better ways to generate income online than the business model they present
I don’t like that we have to pay to join, pay to retire and the compensation plan is unknown. In any business, one needs to know what they are getting into before making a decision, especially when the cost is high. I’ll give them a pass. Thanks for this hjonest review.
Matilda Jane MLM business has its own heart at stake than the heart of its distributors. Any company that is not focused on building an income for its members will eventually lose their distributor’s faith in promoting their products. The idea of having to pay to play is not a good business model.
Recently I stayed at home too, which resulted in a decrease in income and there were too many places where I needed to spend money, for example: repayment of credit card. I am thinking about more online business opportunities. I found that you introduced Matilda Jane MLM. I am very interested. I am ready to take action and register an account to experience it.
If you see the good in this business and may work for you, then go for it. There is a small percentage that had find success, and you can definitely be part of that elite group if you put in the work. All the best.
Hi there
I find it an interesting company from the point of view of the products it manufactures and sells.
However, basically analyzing the cons of this company, I would not even try to join it.
The basic reasons for this opinion are:
The condition of being a resident of the USA or Canada, which makes it very exclusive.
The condition that an amount must be paid to leave the company.
It does not seem correct to me to have to pay to leave an independent company of the reasons that one has to do it.
Apart from what has been mentioned, there are other limitations such as the lack of transparency and the lack of support that make the idea of being an affiliate of this company less attractive.
Marco Roldan
I agree with you, and many reading your comment would feel the same. your exact points are what motivated me to write this review on Matilda Jane MLM business. Although the products may be of high-quality. the business aspect of it would not work for the masses, this is why their success rate is so very low.
Hi Dave, thank you for your great review.
I was fascinated to learn about this unique style of MLM company in an even more unique niche.
Goodness me, I can see the monthly sales limit requirements are very high – at $1,500 and upwards. Also that fact that you are REQUIRED to pay for a seasonal trunk priced at $1,600 so there is a huge risk you’ll be stuck with stock that you can’t sell.
Thanks again for the great review and video summary, I will stay away from this company for sure.
Yes, John, the price is very high to maintain especially when you now starting out and looking to earn an income. Here you can clearly see that the distributors and the company is battling amongst each other.
When you have a company that is focusing on receiving revenue from their associate it makes it difficult to grow any business for the average distributor, that bis why their success rate is so low and next to none.
Hi – This is a really interesting article. I am always a touch skeptical about MLM programs. I have been attracted by some in the past but have never taken part in anything that is an MLM type system.
I am sure for the right people and those with time the Matilda Jane system could work but I was very surprised at the initial and ongoing costs involved for new “Janes”.
One of my close friends is part of a global MLM system that is based around beauty and well being. She is making a success of it BUT it is not easy and she has to work really hard to make serious money, she also tells me that the pressure is unrelenting as once you have reached a certain level there is pressure to stay there!
I would never say never to MLM but I would always need to read quality reviews like yours before jumping in.
Kind Regards – Mike
Thank you for your kind words and thoughts about MLM. I have been involved in a few, and a few of them left me rather than I leave them. When they had gathered sufficient money they closed their doors and open again months after with a different name. Then there are some that were shut down by the government because of non-legality issues.
I refrain from any business that I do not earn personally, that is the reason I advise people to buy a domain and build your own website then think about marketing any product that you wish so that if anything goes wrong, you are still the owner of your website and is able to market something else with that very same website.
This MLM program really had a different twist as you indicated. I don’t have an issue with MLM systems because it’s not a bad avenue given that we ‘slave’ behind MLM systems called a job lol. The point is sometimes when you get into these programs there are people who promote just for the commissions thus would give MLM a bad name. Furthermore, sometimes the cost of these programs is high. How can you promote wanting people to become financially free when sometimes these charges are high? Nevertheless a good review.
Yes, with that said, they do tend to take their focus away from the value of the product with that approach, and that is the main reason MLM has a bad name. Too much focus is based on building a team so you can earn more. Thank you for your input here.