What is Clever Container?

If there's one type of product that has mass appeal and universal practicality, it's stuff to put your stuff in. Clever Container capitalizes on the ever-growing issue of people having too much stuff. Let's take a look at this company, the product, and of course the income-earning potential and how it all works.

The Product

We're starting with the product this time, because this is what drives the entire show. Really- it takes a special personality to get people excited about organizing their stuff and being tidy.

Here's a sampling of the kinds of things you would be selling if you were a Clever Container hostess or Distributor:

1. For the bedroom:
   • hanging toiletry kit for traveling
   • hanging flexible sweater shelves
   • hanging shoe pocket organizer
   • cosmetics organizers
   • drawer organizers
2. For the office:
   • magazine caddies
   • pen & pencil caddies
   • hanging gift bag organizer
3. For the craft room:
   • craft organizers of all sizes & shapes
4. For the kitchen:
   • pantry organizers
   • refrigerator soda can racks
   • drawer organizers
   • dish shelves

You get the picture! The products are low-cost, so selling them to just about anyone isn't that difficult as far as affordability goes.

However, the items are all things you can get at a big box store or online (Amazon) for the same or less. For example the Clever Container iron & ironing board hangar costs $10 but you can get one on Amazon for $5.

So, what's the attraction of the Clever Container items? Two things:

1. Of course the shipping you pay with Amazon might bring the price up to the level of Clever Container.
2. You can purchase Clever Container items which go together…matching patterns like paisley or dots, for example

The key to selling these items is throwing good party and being extremely happy about getting organized so it becomes contagious…makes people want to change their lives.

The Company & Founders

The company was founded by two women (surprise!) named Karen Eschebach and Jennifer Weaver. One was a professional organizer and the other was a stay at home mom.

They morphed their lives together and came up with Clever Container, a way for stay at home moms to earn money by helping people organize their lives.

This was back in 2006 and they're still pushing forward with new catalogs each year and gaining distributors for their network.

The interesting thing about the way the business was started is that their first step after coming up with the concept was to head to Washington, D.C. for training.

D.C. is where the Direct Selling Association (DSA) held its training for start ups. On a side note, this made me wonder: if you pay for DSA training, is your company a shoe-in for DSA membership?)
Perhaps not, since Clever Container didn't actually attain DSA membership until 2008, two years after they took the training.

The Clever Container Compensation Plan

This your typical “tupperware party” setup, where someone may host a party and make a few bucks selling to her friends. You can be a host or you can be a consultant.

Host Benefits:

• half price items for yourself – the more you sell, the more you get
• sell $150 at your party, make $10
• bonus: when guest sales reach $500, host gets free shipping
• buy the starter kit for $149 and you're ready to go

Consultant Rewards

• base commission: 20% paid weekly
• retail commission: + 5% (total all-time PV > $1,000)
• fast start party bonus: +5% (PV > $500/month)
• Power Seller Bonus 1: +3% (PV > $2,500/month)
• Power Seller Bonus 2: +5% (PV> $4,000/month)
• Power Seller Bonus 3: +8% (PV >$6,000/month)

The Verdict

With a fair comp plan, DSA membership and 9 years in business, this is a safe bet. Not sure about the product? This may reassure you:

While I was on the DSA website looking for training info, I stumbled across their fascinating stats page. I found something relevant to Clever Container which indicated that maybe they're onto something with their products.

You see, if you break down total direct marketing sales for the year 2013 into product groups, the “Home & family care/home durables” category is the second highest (number one was “Wellness”). I guess don't laugh at these super-organized ladies- they might know what they're doing!