Hi! My name is Mauren Sparrow and I originally signed up to sell LuLaRoe in November of 2016. Back in the day, signing up meant you joined a waitlist and waited your turn until LuLaRoe was ready to bring you onboard.
After a six-week wait (it felt like forever!!) in the new retailer onboarding queue, I received my onboarding call in late January 2017, placed my initial order, and have been proudly selling LuLaRoe ever since!
It's been over five years since I decided to onboard and begin my LuLaRoe boutique journey, and things have changed a LOT since then -- especially when it comes to the sign-up process. I'm here to give you a simplified explanation of how much it costs to sign up and sell LuLaRoe in 2021, as well as additional costs & things to consider when setting up your own shop.
When I originally signed up to sell LuLaRoe, we were required to purchase one of several starter kits that came with a pre-set amount of sizes and styles. These starter kits were intended to set new retailers up for success with a fully shoppable, in-person boutique that would allow anyone to try a full range of sizes in the available LuLaRoe styles. These initial starter kits started at just $4999 and went up in price from there, depending on if you added on other styles or kits.
However, as LuLaRoe has evolved--so has its onboarding process, and the onboarding cost!
In 2021, anyone who would like to onboard will spend just $499 to become an official LuLaRoe retailer. That $499 cost includes complete access to the BUILD & BLESS ordering and sales platforms, a mostly customizable inventory website, as well as 65 pieces of your choice from the LuLaRoe warehouse. No matter what 65 pieces you choose to onboard with, you are receiving a significant discount from regular LuLaRoe wholesale costs--yet another way LuLaRoe now sets up retailers for initial success. Onboarding retailers have specific inventory set aside for them to ensure that they are able to order from the full (and current) LuLaRoe lineup and that no sizes are missing in any order-able style.
There are several things other things you should also consider when you want to begin your LuLaRoe business.
This is a BUSINESS, and owning a business means HARD WORK.
Being in business for this many years, I have seen lots of LuLaRoe retailers come and go. The one thing I ALWAYS tell anyone who wants to sign up to sell LuLaRoe, especially in 2021, is to be prepared to work... and work hard. I was never promised an easy paycheck, and will never promise you that either. But what I will promise you is that your success is dependent on your willingness to work this business like an actual business. It can be done, but only by those willing to do all the things, try and fail, and get back up again every single day and do it again.
You do NOT have to build a team to be "successful" with LuLaRoe.
Success is whatever you want it to be. Maybe you want an extra $500 a month. Maybe you're a stay at home parent and want to try your hand at something new. Maybe you have a passion for fashion and this seems like a great option for you. Whatever you're wanting to accomplish in this life, LuLaRoe can make it happen--as long as you're willing to work your business like a business.
And although LuLaRoe does financially compensate its team leaders with bonuses (paid for by LuLaRoe, not by retailers), you are absolutely not required to sign up a single person in order to make money with LuLaRoe. That is one of the many reasons I personally decided to start my LuLaRoe business--I do not believe in recruiting for recruiting's sake. I am always happy to share my personal LuLaRoe experience, and always willing to bring people aboard who really want to make it work, but at the end of the day, I make my income by selling clothing to customers, and not because I have people "under" me.
Pick a sponsor you vibe with.
In order to sell LuLaRoe, you must pick a sponsor to sign up under. As someone who had an INCREDIBLE sponsor, I urge you to find someone who is willing to answer any questions you may have whenever you have them. Sponsors do not exist to run your business for you, but they are intended to be business mentors. Sponsors also receive compensation (a very small percentage, paid for by LuLaroe, not you) when you are on their team, so keep that in mind as well. LuLaRoe does not allow you to switch sponsors, either, and if your sponsor is to go out of business, you will roll up to the next active retailer--who you may or may not know. A local sponsor is not a necessity at all, but can be helpful when it comes to sharing inventory and doing LuLaRoom takeovers. Look around, ask questions, and find a sponsor you truly vibe with.
Storage
You will absolutely need a space to store your shiny new LuLaRoe clothes! For example, my shop is currently the master bedroom of my house. Designate a room or specific space in which you can hang your clothes, and make sure you give yourself enough room so you can move around freely.
Additional Supplies
When you sign up to sell LuLaRoe, and regardless of what anyone may tell you, you are starting your own small business from the ground up. As such, there are several supplies you will need to acquire in order to make sure your business runs smoothly -- and they are not included in your initial onboarding costs. Supplies you will likely want to order:
- Clothing racks. Your initial 65 pieces will easily fill a double standing hanging rack.
- Velvet hangers. I strongly recommend investing in velvet hangers on the front-end, as they keep garments from slipping and look extremely professional.
- A label printer, a package scale, shipping supplies, and a shipping program. Although you may not be shipping a ton of packages at first, you do not want to have to continuously drive to the post office to ship your LuLaRoe packages. I use the Zensales shipping platform to cheaply and efficiently ship my orders. I package each order in a clear plastic bag, and use fun and colorful poly mailers from UPakNShip. I currently use the Dymo 4XL label printer, but have heard great things about the newer Rollo printer. Then I use these thermal labels for shipping labels! Grab any package scale off of Amazon, but I do recommend grabbing one that can weigh a package at least up to 50 pounds.
- Ring light. Whether you plan on going live on Facebook to sell LuLaRoe or would rather post photos instead, a ring light will give you great, bright lighting for whatever you'd like to achieve. I have this Neewer 18-inch ring light that I use almost everyday.
- Marketing materials. You may want to wait to invest in marketing materials, but it's important to consider this cost if you decide to continue and grow your LuLaRoe business. VistaPrint often has discounts and promo codes, so I strongly recommend using them to make package inserts, promo code coupons, business cards, and more.
As your LuLaRoe business evolves, there are more supplies you'll likely want to add on. However, this is a great starting checklist, and gives you a good idea of additional costs you will need to consider when starting your LuLaRoe business.
Social Media
2020 was undoubtedly the year of COVID-19, so a lot of LuLaRoe retailers were not able to run the in-person businesses that they once used to. I personally have always been a primarily online seller, and must to be willing to grow and adapt in order to find and serve my audience. Even if you plan on running your LuLaRoe business in-home, social media is without a doubt one of the best, free, organic ways to promote yourself.
Despite its shortcomings, Facebook is the hands-down largest social media platform with over 2 billion global users. Although LuLaRoe is a United States-only company (for now), Facebook is one of the best places to find new customers and serve existing ones. Many retailers utilize a private (or closed) Facebook VIP group as well as a public-facing Facebook business page to advertise their business and grow their community.
TikTok has taken the social media world by storm, catapulting people into instant stardom overnight with its viral algorithm. Many people still don't use TikTok, which means it's a great platform to gain customers who are new to LuLaRoe.
Instagram is likely the second most-populated platform, but is far more visual and requires daily content creation. LuLaRoe retailers use Instagram to share how they style new styles, connect with new customers, and spread their own personal brand message.
YouTube is important for creating longterm content such as sizing videos, styling videos, and even live sales when you hit a certain number of subscribers. YouTube is important because it is owned by Google, and makes your content much more easily searchable by people who use that search engine. Which is a lot :D
Pinterest is a highly-targeted search content engine, and a great place to post styling resources, blogs, and other shareable content. There are many LuLaRoe retailers who are on this platform, but few who use it efficiently for their business.
You are most certainly not required to use social media to share your LuLaRoe business, but I will always and without a doubt recommend it. With more and more more brick and mortar stores shutting their doors, social media is becoming even more important in the growth of small businesses.
The LuLaRoe business opportunity changed my life, and is still changing lives. At the end of the day, LuLaRoe is ENTIRELY what you are willing to put into it, and you must be willing to try and fail. A lot. No small business is instantly successful, and most of them do not make it. And keep in mind, this is not exclusive to the world of direct sales.
"According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 20% of U.S. small businesses fail within the first year. By the end of their fifth year, roughly 50% have faltered. After 10 years, only around a third of businesses have survived."
I know that's, like, kind of a grim statistic to end with, but it's important to note when considering literally starting your own business. But if the LuLaRoe opportunity is something that interests you, please don't hesitate to reach out and let me know. The $499 onboarding cost is so much more accessible than it used to be, so the LuLaRoe opportunity can be yours. If you want it. :) My email is maurensparrow.style@gmail.com -- message me anytime.
For the year 2020, the average Retailer gross profit was $10,073.41 while the median gross profit was $1,444.65. For more information, please read the official LuLaRoe income disclosure statement here: https://www.lularoe.com/lularoe-income-disclosure-statement
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