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Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
I purchased the starter kit from Disciple's Cross after reading about them on several websites. The general consensus was that the nails were easy to bend and the necklaces weren't too terribly difficult to make. Most people claimed that they were able to make money making the necklaces. However, those making decent money weren't actually selling the necklaces back to Disciple's Cross but instead selling them locally (which Disciple's Cross allows you to do). Now, if you have a market for that kind of thing in your area then I guess it might be a reasonable choice, however only because you can purchase pre-bent nails. If you sign up with Disciple's Cross and are hoping to sell the necklaces back to them, be prepared for a tough road. The nails are NOT easy to bend. I have carpal tunnel in both my wrists and could not get the nails to bend correctly. The instructional video that came along with the kit was confusing at times, he'd skip entire steps and you'd go from having several pieces laid out in front of you to the pieces suddenly put together with very little to no explanation.
At the end of the day, I wouldn't really recommend them. I still plan on trying out one of the kits from New England Crafters to see if that's any easier and if they do pay.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
Is this the web site, Lisa?
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
Ya it is... I should probably start posting that huh? Lol sorry.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
Well, since I'm not a Christian or interested in crafts, I probably have no business responding, but that top banner leaves me... speechless.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
Lol, I'm agnostic. I wasn't trying to glorify Christ by making necklaces, I was trying to see if it was a real way to make a few dollars.
I am into crafting a bit. I'm not nearly as hardcore as some people, but I don't mind making the occasional little things for around the house. I loooove to scrapbook though.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
If you're looking for craft assembly companies Lisa, New England Crafters and The Ideal Craft Company in Michigen Ideal Craft Home Page seem to be the most reputable. Home craft assembly is also a pretty scammy industry, as I'm sure you know.
Wow did the Disciples Cross site look yucky lol (I'm not calling them a scam)
If you feel brave enough to find your own markets, you'll find a heap of craft kits on the Craft Site Directory web, Craft Site Directory - Your guide to arts and crafts on the Internet
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Wow did the Disciples Cross site look yucky lol
Since Lisa was discussing nails, the word that came to my mind was tacky. :RpS_wink:
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
alasycia
If you're looking for craft assembly companies Lisa, New England Crafters and The Ideal Craft Company in Michigen
Ideal Craft Home Page seem to be the most reputable. Home craft assembly is also a pretty scammy industry, as I'm sure you know.
Wow did the Disciples Cross site look yucky lol (I'm not calling them a scam)
If you feel brave enough to find your own markets, you'll find a heap of craft kits on the Craft Site Directory web,
Craft Site Directory - Your guide to arts and crafts on the Internet
I'm not brave enough to find my own markets lol. I've never heard of The Ideal Craft Company, but I like their prices. They seem to be a bit cheaper than New England Crafters.
I've done a few different work at home things (kgb, OnPoint Advocacy, Associated Content and I'm currently trying out emergingcast.com as well as a webcam model recruiting thing - I know the model one pays).
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Grrrrrrrrrrrr. lol
Sorry, but I spent a little time at the JREF forums, where puns were a staple of many threads--whether you wanted to hammer in a point or not.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j2...lies/groan.gif
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
Found this link on the 2 Work-at-home forum. They ran a test, buying a kit, making the crosses and then selling them back to the company and here is the conclusion
Quote:
The Bottom Line
I feel that while this is not an outright scam, the company's advertising is very misleading. They lure you in with the idea that you can make the crosses, send them in and get paid.
Let's take another look at the ad:
Make Disciple's Crosses™
Work from home. Make up to $2000
a month. No Selling Required!
It becomes clear later (after your crosses have been rejected) that the company really only wants to sell the kits. They actually encourage you to sell the crosses on your own. So, in reality it's all about selling.
If you're interested in starting a business where you're making the crosses and then you sell them at craft fairs, etc. then it may be a way to make some extra money. I think that until you got really good at making the crosses though, it would hardly be worth the time and effort it would take.
Personally, I find it reprehensible that someone who is supposed to be a "man of God" is operating in this underhanded way to make money. Did I mention that he was on Survivor? I guess that explains the autographed picture that is included with the starter kit...
Remember in the FAQ's at the website he says, "This is much more than a business to us, it is first and foremost a ministry." I don't see it that way. He's out to make money, period.
To follow the whole test click on the link
The Work At Home Reporter :: Unbiased work at home reviews
There are some pretty unhappy bunnies writing on RipOff Report as well
Disciples Cross - John Raymond Review | Rip-off Report #149992
And it seems that John Raymond has the set up registered as a non-profit!
And you said you shouldnt have posted this thread Lisa? Looks like you might already have saved a few people a few dollars.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
John Raymond was on Survivor? I consider myself a hard core Survivor fan and couldn't for the life me remember that. So turned to my friend Google.. and sure enough!. I can be forgiven for not remembering him. He was on Survivor Thailand back in 2002 and was the first one voted off LOL
:RpS_laugh:
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
I have been a cross producer since 07. I have made kits and sold them back to Disciples Cross and have sold hundreds to people. I have never had a problem with them and it is not a scam. In fact, I just ordered another two kits. Maybe it just wasn't for you.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
jj76634
I have been a cross producer since 07. I have made kits and sold them back to Disciples Cross and have sold hundreds to people. I have never had a problem with them and it is not a scam. In fact, I just ordered another two kits. Maybe it just wasn't for you.
Any certification on that, like numbers on paper = profit made? Need a little more proof of that.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
Lil Ol' Radical Me
The Bottom Line there says just about what the truth of this is and most of the craft-maker kit companies. There is little, if any money to be made unless you have a local or perhaps an online market, as in Yardseller (which I believe is closing shop). Some ladies this past Sunday were showing off their new Nail crosses and said there was a pastor in town who made them and gives them away free!! They were actually nice looking also, not like those on that website.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
This site is NOT a scam. My husband bought the $25 kit from them and they work out great. You can sell them for $10. You can make 25 crosses for $25 and if you add up the money, you're making $250. You're making a profit of around $225! I'm going to start making them to make some extra money since I'm a stay at home wife and mother. You say it's a scam because you have a hard time bending the nails. They're NAILS. What do you expect?? Don't blame the fact that you can't bend them, on the site. They didn't give you carpal tunnel. Use a special tool or something like that to bend them. You're literally making over a 200% profit. Stop complaining. Also, yes, if you know the right people, you can sell more than enough of them. Since I'm a Christian, almost all of my friends are Christians as well. Almost every single one of them will buy one and I can sell more in the area because I live in West Virginia, which is over run with Christians. My point is, knowing the right people will get you plenty of money. For me, I've got a whole state possibly willing to buy the necklaces and key chains. (Btw, I hope I didn't come off sounding harsh. I don't care what your religion is. I wasn't trying to rub Christianity in anyone's face). The final price of everything is around $30. $25 for the kit, $5 clear gloss acrylic so it doesn't rust, and around $3 for the key chain rings (if you make key chains as well). It's almost $35 which is good, when, like I said, you make around $250 for selling $25 necklaces.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
dmj312
This site is NOT a scam. My husband bought the $25 kit from them and they work out great. You can sell them for $10. You can make 25 crosses for $25 and if you add up the money, you're making $250. You're making a profit of around $225! I'm going to start making them to make some extra money since I'm a stay at home wife and mother. You say it's a scam because you have a hard time bending the nails. They're NAILS. What do you expect?? Don't blame the fact that you can't bend them, on the site. They didn't give you carpal tunnel. Use a special tool or something like that to bend them. You're literally making over a 200% profit. Stop complaining.
And how much of a market is there for kitsch that has been trying to flood their limited market for decades?
Put mind in gear before opening wallet.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
ProfHenryHiggins
And how much of a market is there for kitsch that has been trying to flood their limited market for decades?
Put mind in gear before opening wallet.
Sorry, I added more, so you didn't get to finish reading what I had to say.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
I still think that your market is much, much smaller than you are imagining, taking real world factors into account.
How many of those people do you think already have necklaces just like what you are trying to sell, from prior Disciples' Cross affiliates? What makes yours stand out from the crowd of other people with dollar signs in their eyes trying to market the same product?
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
ProfHenryHiggins
I still think that your market is much, much smaller than you are imagining, taking real world factors into account.
How many of those people do you think already have necklaces just like what you are trying to sell, from prior Disciples' Cross affiliates? What makes yours stand out from the crowd of other people with dollar signs in their eyes trying to market the same product?
Many of them don't have one. Actually, I don't know a single one of them that does have one. I could also advertise on Craigslist, widening my range of customers. Also, you can sell them back to the site. I already know people that want to buy.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
dmj312
Many of them don't have one. Actually, I don't know a single one of them that does have one. I could also advertise on Craigslist, widening my range of customers. Also, you can sell them back to the site. I already know people that want to buy.
Sell them back to the site?
That triggers a red flag for "assembly scams."
Have a bit of reading on that subject:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/busines...siness/1073972
http://www.wahm.com/articles/are-wor...bs-a-scam.html
http://www.sbcmag.com/technology/sma...igation-series
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/m...-stings-ov.htm
http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/27/wor...ting-scam.html
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
ProfHenryHiggins
Go up and read what jj76634 said. That person has made plenty of sales to the site and to other people.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
littleroundman
When you buy the kit off of the site, the kit comes with a little booklet. The booklet says you can sell them to make money for yourself. It says to sell them for $10. I already KNOW all about this site. My husband still has some of his kit left. I know you can find them for cheaper. The site itself, sells finished cross necklaces for $3. But I'm going to do what the creator of the crosses said and sell them for $10. He's wants you to be able to profit off of them. Like I said, I've already got people that will buy for that price and I'm sure jj76634 sells them for around the same price. Btw, that's ebay, I don't trust ebay. Amazon is the site I trust.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
dmj312
Go up and read what jj76634 said. That person has made plenty of sales to the site and to other people.
Seriously? Almost every thread on every topic on every scam site has some random poster that shows up and claims it is working for them.
Here is the thing, if it works for you then great, come back in 6 months and give us an update on how it is going. But also if you are handy/crafty why not just go to a craft store and buy your own supplies and make things on your own and sell them? If something is selling on EBAY for $4 that is probably the price, regardless of what the company says it should sell for. According to the screen shot the EBAY seller sold 76, shipping costs what $1? According to your numbers material is $1 per cross. So you are left with $2 profit before time invested. One advantage I see is you can make these when you are watching TV or during idle time, but you could cut out the middle man and make original items that may command a little more premium.
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Re: Disciples Cross, why I wouldn't recommend them
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Originally Posted by
dmj312
The site itself, sells finished cross necklaces for $3.
I did some poking on one of the links LORM posted last page, according to the company it should take 5 minutes to make a cross, or 12 per hour. A few claimed to be able to do this, others not so much. The ones claiming the most proficiency said they had been doing it a while. So depending on how fast someone could make them, purchasing for $3 may actually make more sense.
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Originally Posted by
dmj312
Amazon is the site I trust.
The below screen shots are from Amazon.
This is the bulk seller with nice little wrapped crosses.
Attachment 5532
The low cost seller:
Attachment 5533
Attachment 5534
Higher cost seller.
Attachment 5535
Attachment 5536
Those are the prices people are getting for them. If you can get more great, but what does catch my eye is the buyer feedback. While not 1 to 1 if you look at other Amazon or Ebay stores there are people with 1000s of comments. That tells me they are moving a lot of stuff. I believe on Amazon the better listing rates start around 30 sales per month (but that is gossip from someone who I spoke with that sells some stuff) so give or take on that.
At any rate would be interested in hearing how you are progressing and what you come up with.
