Are you being invited to join Touchstone Crystal but want to do some research first before deciding to join? Well, look no further because, in this Touchstone Crystal Review, I’ll tell you if this company is a scam, and give you everything else you need to know before deciding whether or not to start your Touchstone Crystal business.
What Is Touchstone Crystal?
Quick Facts:
Company Name: Touchstone Crystal, Inc.
Incorporation Date: March 6, 2006
Company Type: Domestic Profit Corporation
Registered Address: One Kennedy Drive, Legal Department, Cranston, RI
02920, USA
Industry Codes: 454390: Other Direct Selling Establishments (North
American Industry Classification System 2017)
Previous Names: Crystal Facets Holdings Inc.
Business Classification Text: Direct Selling Company Title: 7-1.2-1701
Registry Page: http://business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/Co…
Company Description:
Touchstone Crystal, which can be found online at TouchstoneCrystal.com, is a company that provides customers with high-quality Swarovski crystal jewelry as well as the ability to start their own enterprise
Swarovski is a crystal jeweler that has been around for decades and is often regarded as one of the most influential pioneers in crystal formation, cuts, color, and techniques. Swarovski crystals and their century-long history inspire and design Touchstone Crystal’s jewelry collections.
Touchstone Crystal promotes the concept of hosting home celebrations. You invite your family and friends over and spend the evening talking about and browsing your jewelry collection. If a company employs this style of marketing, you can’t help but ask, “Is Touchstone Crystal a scam?”.
Product Review
Jewelry is the largest product line in the Touchstone Crystal portfolio. These one-of-a-kind products are only accessible from Touchstone Crystal and are not available anywhere else. This distinguishes their products and makes them marketable.
The Swarovski Crystal Touchstone brand appears on all of the products and jewelry sold, serving as the world benchmark by which all other crystal jewelry is compared.
Each piece of jewelry sparkles with Swarovski crystals of various sizes and is of the finest quality and craftsmanship. The cut, transparency, color, and contour of these crystals are all graded, and only the best are used in the jewelry.
The great thing about Touchstone Crystal jewelry is that the consumer knows that each piece is made entirely of authentic Swarovski Crystals. The items are also surprisingly inexpensive, with over half of the catalog costing less than $50. These products are a versatile choice for anyone because of their wide range and variety of offerings.
The Swarovski brand is the vital selling asset that has contributed to Touchstone Crystal’s growth. For over a century and a half of experience as a pioneer in jewelry, especially crystal, it is a name that nearly everyone knows.
These crystals can be seen on the most opulent pieces from the world’s most prestigious luxury houses and brands. Their jewelry is also known for its meticulous craftsmanship and for being at the forefront of fashion and quality creativity on almost every basis. Using this brand to build successful Touchstone Crystal businesses has proven to be a powerful force.
Is Touchstone Crystal A Pyramid Scheme?
What is a pyramid scheme?
The structure of a pyramid scheme is based on that of a natural pyramid. At the bottom, it’s very wide, but there’s just enough space for one person at the top. To become a member, the newcomer must pay a fee. The fee is often exorbitant, and you get little to no product in exchange for promoting your new enterprise. You may be able to get a website or any books, but products are rare.
As more recruits are taken in, they descend to the bottom of the pyramid, and money rises up the corporate ladder before it reaches the CEO. When he hits the agreed-upon dollar number, he breaks off, and the pyramid begins to move again. The people at the lowest of the chain do not make money for a long time, if at all. The system would finally come to an end when the structure crumbles. It’s all about attracting more buyers at the bottom of the pyramid and ensuring that money continues to flow upward.
How to spot a Pyramid scheme?
In this review, we want to warn you that one of the main red flags to spot a scam or a pyramid scheme is a large cash outlay before purchasing some commodity, or a disproportionate amount of cash for the product. This is also a red flag if there are no products sold to clients or if the company’s main focus is to make money on recruiting workers. Some schemes will have a product, but the cost will be prohibitively high, or the recruit will be expected to buy large quantities of the product, which is definitely a scam alert.
In contrast to a pyramid scheme, how does a direct sales company structure look in comparison?
The products that are sold are what mainly defines a good and stable direct sales business. The recruit does not have to spend a huge sum of money to start a company, and what they do pay is returned to them in the form of a variety of products and business supplies. The recruit is encouraged to make money by selling products to consumers and is not obligated to purchase vast quantities of merchandise that they may not be able to use or sell in a fair period of time. While direct sales companies enjoy hiring, it is not a prerequisite to join their business.
Conclusion:
You will see, pyramid schemes and legitimate direct sales companies are not the same things. And based on the strong product being carried by Touchstone Crystals, and the relatively cheap starter kit required to join, Touchstone Crystals is clearly not one.
Touchstone Crystal Business Model Reviews: Is it MLM?
Yes, they are. The company’s business model is multi-level marketing with direct sales. The corporation sells its jewelry at a reduced selling price to its network of consultants, who then market it to their customers at a fixed price.
Direct selling entails two main business models: single-level marketing and multi-level marketing. The single-level marketing business model is where the direct seller makes money through product purchases from a parent company and then sells directly to their customers.
An MLM business model, also known as person-to-person marketing or network marketing, is where the direct seller makes money from either direct sales or sponsorship method, where they will recruit another direct seller and then can earn a commission from the sales of their own recruits.
Is Touchstone Crystal Accredited By The Better Business Bureau?
The Better Business Bureau has given Touchstone Crystal no accreditation or ranking.
Is Touchstone Crystal A Good Business Opportunity?
Touchstone Crystal is a one-of-a-kind MLM business. It’s interesting in that they were founded by the Swarovski company, which is a highly reputable and well-respected brand.
However, Touchstone Crystal is an MLM firm, and many MLMs have a bad reputation because they depend on you recruiting others to expand.
As a result, you will be selling jewelry directly at first, normally by home parties. You will also be encouraged to grow your market by recruiting people to become Touchstone Crystal representatives. After that, you’ll be paid a fraction of what your recruits receive.
Therefore, in order to successfully develop your company, you’ll have to focus on your recruits making good sales as well as recruiting others yourself.
If you are not excited at the thought of recruiting others, you can sell jewelry directly and forget the MLM factor. However, in most situations, this will only result in a part-time income rather than a substantial one.
My Touchstone Crystal Review
WHAT I LIKE
- Swarovski stands behind it, a business with a long and illustrious history and prestige. This distinguishes Touchstone Crystal and makes it easier to promote to your friends and family. You won’t have to waste any time describing the brand and everyone will be familiar with it.
- They have more or less than 500 high-quality brands to pick from, with prices ranging from $30 to $150.
WHAT I DO NOT LIKE
- People don’t buy jewelry every week or month, particularly costly, high-end jewelry. Consider this: when was the last time you purchased Swarovski jewelry or jewelry of that caliber and design two or three months in a row?
- A lot of people are already burned from the MLM business model. You need to hold house parties and invite family or friends over with the intention of selling them something. Consider this: How many days are you going to organize? Would this action frighten people and lead them to back away from you?
- To be called an active consultant, you must generate an average of $300 per month over a three-month span.
- The house party system is a relic of the past. It is so outdated. It’s what mothers and friends did when they held Tupperware parties in the 1980s and 1990s. We’re almost into the twenty-first century, and the internet is where everything is at in marketing and selling. The organization does allow you to have a website, but you must pay $12 per month for it – although, it’s a very simple website without the potential to incorporate landing pages, blogging, and other features to draw online buyers.
Touchstone Crystal Reviews from Customers
Let us take a look at some online reviews from an online website of a wedding planning business called Adele’s Shiny Gems . . .
Julie G.:
Exquisite jewelry at the right price. I didn’t realize that just by having a jewelry party I would get such beautiful pieces and the prices lowered so much! Plus one for free! Adele has been so helpful. It’s so worth it from a company like Swarovski with a long history. These pieces will be treasured and passed on to my daughter.
Kayla:
Pleasure to deal with. I met Adele through my makeup business & we immediately hit it off. When I heard she sold jewelry featuring Swarovski Crystals, I looked at her website & was hooked! I recently ordered two items…a necklace for myself & a bracelet as a gift for my daughter & they are gorgeous & of excellent quality. Shipping was quick & Adele made sure everything went smoothly. I will definitely purchase from her again!
Kathleen K.:
Very charming. I enjoy my time there. Product was great and so was the price.
Here’s another review from the site of another consultant named Griselle:
Ongoing Client
I had a crystal party with Griselle and it was a really fun time for all of my guests. The jewelry is beautiful and Griselle was the perfect consultant. Everything before, during, and after the event was so well-handled and Griselle, extremely helpful. She spoiled me! I am already married but if I weren’t, I would absolutely want to get my accessories and gifts from my maidens through Griselle and touchstone/Swarovski. I bought stuff for everyday instead;)
Compensation Plan: How Much Does It Cost To Get Started?
One element I despise about MLMs is attempting to decipher their ridiculously complicated compensation plans! Instead of a simplistic, “you get this much commission on anything you sell,” your fees are tiered, differ by product, and so on. Thankfully, Touchstone Crystal’s seems to be a bit less complicated than most.
Continue reading to see more details on how consultants of this jewelry company can earn from selling its pieces of jewelry, from recruiting new consultants, as well as the commissions from the sales of their downlines.
The commissions are easy to understand:
1. The usual 25%-40% fee on all sales
2. You get free jewelry in return for holding parties at which you can win up to 30% on all purchases.
3. You will get a 9% commission on the profits of the direct recruits.
Basically, based on your seller status, you can receive anywhere from 25% to 40% commission on anything you sell. In this company, it seems that you will become a Leader with as little as a three-person team, resulting in higher commissions. On top of that, you’ll get an additional 9% commission for all your downline sales.
According to the company, most people make about $225 from one party, which means that depending on the starter kit you purchased, you will get any or all of your starter kit costs back from your first party.
Other options to get rewarded or win great prizes for performing well are available at Touchstone Crystal. Some consultants, for example, can win Swarovski products, and others can get up to a 70% discount. Every year, Touchstone Crystal provides its best sellers with incentives such as vacations and vehicles.
My Recommendation
Touchstone Crystal is, without a doubt, a legitimate direct sales company. Some consultants love it and have had great success in it, although others have had little success. However, this is true of every MLM. You get what you put into it, because for some people, sometimes what they put into it isn’t enough. Direct selling is not for everybody. Selling jewelry, no matter how good they are, comes with its own set of challenges. With a minimum investment of $139 to get started, you’ll want to think long and hard about whether this is the right business for you before joining.