If you’re wondering whether Norwex is a scam, pyramid scheme or a good business opportunity, this Norwex review was written for you.
Norwex in a Nutshell
I want to start by explicitly stating that the objective of this review is to talk in-depth about the business opportunity Norwex presents. I have not tried the products yet but I feel there are enough reviews, written by current and former Norwex consultants, online about the products sold by the company.
Even though we will be talking a little bit about the products, this is a review of Norwex’s business opportunity rather than individual products.
I can completely understand some people not being able to sit through this long review due to time or patience constraints. If you are one of such people, I urge you to sit tight for a minute and read a point-form summary of some important things to know about the company:
- Norwex is a legit company that sells cleaning products
- Even though they are quite flexible about this, the price of the starter kit to become a consultant of the company is $200
- Consultants get a 35% discount on personal retail purchases
- If you are able to sell $2000 worth of products within 90 days, you won’t have to pay for the starter kit
- To remain active, you must be selling at least $250 worth of products every 3 months
- If you are unable to make $250 worth of sales, you can purchase the products yourself
- If you fail to make any sales within 12 months, you will be kicked out of the company
- They operate using a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) business model
- You could participate in this opportunity from home through a replicated website. However, the website won’t be any good if you do not know how to get leads.
- Based on the extent of the training they offer, this is not a work-from-home opportunity.
- If you would like to earn money from the comfort of your home, click on the link below.
I find Norwex to be a pretty good MLM company. However, one big problem is they don’t offer proper training on how to get leads and as you’d expect, this definitely inhibits your chances of being successful as a consultant.
Fortunately, you can follow the exact system I follow to get consistent leads promoting any product you want, including Norwex products. Best part is it’s FREE too. 🙂
What is Norwex?
Norwex is an MLM-based company that sells personal care and home cleaning products. The company was founded by Bjørn Nicolaisen in 1994.
The Products
I’m not the biggest fan of MLMs at all but if you must join one, it’s important to take an in-depth look at the products to determine if you have a chance at all.
The things I look for to test the strength of the products are how unique they are, if they are reasonably priced and, if they are trustworthy. If any of these is missing, you will have a really tough time selling the products.
In addition to the above metrics, my golden rule is: Only consider joining an MLM opportunity if you truly believe in the value of the products. What this means is you should only opt-in if you would buy the products yourself if someone else offered them to you.
I did some research on the products and I could barely find any negative reviews. Norwex offers a variety of products but their most popular products are their Microfiber cleaning cloths.
Even though I’m still not convinced how these are different from other standard cleaning cloths, the general consensus is that Norwex’s Microfiber cloths do what they are expected to do.
This is a good thing and it takes care of the “trustworthy” metric we talked about earlier when it comes to testing product strength.
Now, we have to look at the price and uniqueness of the products.
Personally, I think the products are expensive. I have chatted with and read comments from a few Norwex consultants saying they joined the company to get the 35% discount on retail purchases because they thought the products were pricey.
Let’s put this into perspective: A consultant is required to make sales of products worth up $250 within 3 months to remain active and if they fail to, they will have to cover this cost themselves. With the 35% discount consultants get, this amounts to $162.50. This means those consultants think it’s a better investment to pay $162.50 every 3 months than it is to purchase the products as regular customers.
For a consultant to be willing to spend an average of $54 per month on cleaning products without trying to make money off it, it tells me two things: (1) the products are expensive and (2) the consultant must truly believe in the quality of the product.
Based on how the company teaches you to promote the product, you will probably be able to make a few sales here and there but I think it would be extremely difficult to make something substantial and consistent using their methods.
The Business Opportunity
In all MLMs, you earn the big bucks when you recruit people to join the company. Norwex is no different. Even though the promoting the product could make you some money, recruiting is where you make big money.
The branding of Norwex is largely different than most MLMs. This company is pretty big on its products in their promotion and they do not lure people in by making huge income claims. This is always a good sign of a legit company. This principle is passed down to Sales Consultants as well. You will only hear them talk about how awesome the products are.
Another stand-out thing about Norwex is their flexibility on the starter kit investment. You could choose to pay the $200 to get a starter kit or you could get away with just paying the shipping fee for the starter kit and if you are able to sell $2000 worth of products within 3 months, you won’t have to pay for the starter kit.
To be honest, this is one of the few companies I have seen that let you become a consultant/distributor without actually paying a lump sum first. When it comes to how they treat their consultants, I think Norwex is up there with the best MLM companies. They also offer other incentives, like free products, depending on results.
Having the option to bypass the starter kit price is nice but let’s be realistic and honest here. If you are not an experienced marketer with an already established network, you probably would not sell $2000 worth of products in 3 months.
I would like to think I’m doing well with my online business right now but I did not make anything close to $2000 in my first 3 months. And trust me when I say that what I do is so much easier than any MLM!
With 35% commissions from retail sales, you should make enough to cover the cost of the starter kit by selling $575 worth of products. Getting $575 worth of sales is so much more achievable if you put in the required amount of work. If you are unable the achieve $575 worth of sales within 3 months, network marketing is probably not meant for you anyway.
As a sales consultant, Norwex gives you a duplicate website free of charge for the first 60 days. After 60 days, you will have to pay around $10 per month. For every purchase made through this website, you will earn a commission.
I think using a website is the most convenient way to make the most of this opportunity and we will talk about that shortly but first, let’s talk about how you will be asked to promote the products.
How You Will Be Taught To Promote Norwex
Much like Visalus, you will be reliant on making sales during Norwex “home parties”.
Basically, you host a party at your house or any venue, you set up a date and time, and then you invite as many people to the party as possible. 20 customer order forms come with the starter kit and you could purchase more if you wanted to.
As the consultant doing the demonstration of the products, you will make a 35% commission on every sale that happens during the party. You could also qualify for free gifts depending on the worth of products sold.
If the host of the party is not a sales consultant, they get discounts on products which grows depending on the worth of products sold during the party. They could also qualify for free gifts as well. However, they do not get any commissions.
How I Would Promote Norwex
If you were hosting a Norwex party, what kind of people do you think you would invite? Probably friends, family, neighbours and maybe, coworkers. This circle of people is called your “warm market”.
I would not feel comfortable exploiting my friends and family by coercing them to buy these expensive products just because I want to earn commissions and free gifts.
Even if you don’t mind doing that, it won’t be so long before you run out of friends and family members to invite to these parties. Your only chance of making significant income would be dependent on these friends and family members hosting their own parties and selling products and so on.
Personally, the idea of even hosting these parties is not appealing to me at all. If I were to promote the products/opportunity of this company, I would leverage the power of getting free traffic to a website.
Norwex gives you a website but it’s a duplicate website that will not get indexed by search engines. The only way you will be able to get traffic to that site is by word of mouth to friends and family or by spending money on Facebook ads.
I would use information on what people search for on search engines to lure them to my website and for any purchase they make, I will get a commission. You will not have to go out and look for them but instead, they will come and find you.
If you are reading this review, this article is probably in a good position on Google. Imagine if I wrote a glaringly positive review about this company and then put my referral link within this post. That is all I will have to do to promote this company without stress and from the comfort of my bed.
I could easily promote this company but I do not truly believe in the products and I am not a fan of any kind of MLMs. The fact is to have any kind of profitable business, you will need to have consistent leads every day. The now and then of relying on your warm market does not cut it.
I know how to get consistent leads every day, that’s why I’m so confident. If you want to learn how to get leads, check out the exact system I follow.
The Compensation Plan
Another thing I like about Norwex is how their compensation structure is so much easier than almost all the other MLMs I have seen. I usually dread describing the compensation plan of MLM companies because they flaunt income potential in your face but they hide how difficult it would be to achieve those earnings.
Instead of describing the compensation plan, I will just let a high-ranking member of the company describe it to you.
Disclaimer: I do NOT endorse this video. I am sharing this video solely for educational purposes.
There are 8 levels of rank within the company:
- Sales Consultant (SC): This is the level you buy into when you first join the opportunity. You earn 35% commission on your personal retail sales.
- Team Coordinator (TC): 35% commission on your personal retail sales + 3% commission from your personal recruit sales if at least 3 make $250 worth of sales.
- Sales Leader (SL): 35% commission on your personal retail sales + 5% commission from your group sales (excl. TC’s personal recruit sales) + 2% commission on TC’s personal recruit sales + 1% from SC sales
- Executive Sales Leader (ESL): Same as SL, except you’ll now get 2% from SC personal retail sales
- Senior Executive Sales Leader (SESL): Everything in ESL, plus 2% from TC personal retail sales
- VP Sales Leader (VPSL): Everything in SESL, plus 1% on SL personal retail sales and eligible for a $500 monthly car bonus
- Executive VP Sales Leader (EVPSL): Everything in VPSL, plus 0.5% on ESL personal retail sales
- Senior VP Sales Leader (SVPSL): Everything in EVPSL except you’ll now earn 1% on ESL personal retail sales and 0.5% on SESL personal retail sales
**I could not find this information on the website but I got this from a current Sales Consultant I was chatting with recently. If you are affiliated with Norwex and you spot an error, please let me know in the comments.
Pros
- Hardly any negative reviews about the products
- The products are eco-friendly
- They offer a 60-day money back guarantee
- They promote their company with the value in their products rather than the business opportunity
- You can choose to run your business online if you choose to
- They provide nice incentives and rewards to their consultants
Cons
- Relatively pricey for cleaning products
- Even though the company does not say this explicitly, consultants claim the EnviroCloth can kill bacteria and there is no evidence to back this claim
- Limited training on how to get leads
- No income disclosure statement or any details of the compensation plan on their website
Is Norwex a Pyramid Scheme?
The answer is no. The emphasis of this company and its consultants is on the products rather than recruiting. A pyramid scheme would always focus on recruiting because the products are usually not that good.
From all indications, this company offers good products. Many consultants joined the company solely to get discounts on the products and this says a lot about the strength and quality of these products. Based on this, I am compelled to think that if recruiting stopped today, the company will still remain in good shape.
Since the strength of the company is in the quality of the products instead of its compensation plan, I wouldn’t call Norwex a pyramid scheme.
Closing Thoughts
Norwex is a legit company and a lot of people seem to like their products. The company also treats its affiliates right, which is rare among MLM companies.
If you go ahead and join this company, it won’t be the end of the world but remember this is still an MLM company. Working extremely hard is necessary but not sufficient to be successful in MLM. To be successful, you have to work hard and everyone in your downline has to work hard as well. Also remember that you cannot sustain a long-term living off coercing your friends and family.
If you would love to build your own successful online business or learn how to get leads to another business (e.g Norwex) without having to recruit, check out the system I follow.
Thank you for reading my Norwex review. If you have any questions or thoughts, please leave them in the comments below. I will love to hear them. Cheers
Norwex Review
PRODUCT NAME: Norwex
Price: $200 for Starter Kit
Overall Ranking: 55/100
Owners: Bjørn Nicolaisen
It’s $250 worth of products every 6 months- not 3!
About your comment “If you are unable to make $250 worth of sales, you can purchase the products yourself” Or in other words, you can top up the order amount- I started as a VIP customer- which is signed up same as a consultant and got that kit for free. I personally have received over $500 in host gifts for 3 parties and spent just under half that amount I decided to present the parties after the 3 month fresh start period with the free incentives- However I had half the kit already and even earned their most expensive product through their hosting rewards. Nobody I’ve shown it to has been unimpressed – these products really do cut down the cleaning time by up to 75% – I’ve been a cleaner- I KNOW what I am talking about. My mum, who has also worked as a cleaner, is thrilled by how the products cut down the time jobs take, plus surprised and stoked that her daughter who hates house- cleaning is suddenly into cleaning, enjoying it and even presenting cleaning products! I can see the difference made, fast- even with jobs that should be very difficult such as grease or stuck on stuff… I can wash it off with water due to the superfine microfleece. This has microsilver built in, which is what kills the bacteria. Being sensitive or allergic to many chemicals, using water to clean is a boon for me! NOW I can breathe after mums had a cleaning blitz at her place and at mine, using water it doesn’t stink like vinegar and works much better than baking soda. (I have found the two together quite powerful cleaners at times when chemical cleaners weren’t even doing the job to shift stubborn stuff) Also, the average household spends between $400-$600 on cleaning products a year. Norwex guarantees their products for two years, but many consultants are still personally using the same cloths 8 or even 10 years down the line, which means the cloths are definitely working hard and the price is worth it- they save money on chemicals and plastics and help us get our chemical laden environments safe. This is a health saver. There are 800,000 chemicals out there being regularly used -200 have been studied for their effects on humans and the environment. More are being made all the time. Norwex literally helps you cut the chemical crap out of your personal life and space and cut down on all the packaging which would have been chucked out; What more could you ask?
Norwex even have a test they do where you put a raw bit of chicken on the bench and use food grade swabs to show the before and after difference of how the cloths remove 99.9% of the bacteria. When it comes to Microfiber cloths many low grade ones are upwards of 1/6th of a human hair- norwex however is a 200th, which is how it picks up and removes bacteria. Then it is rinsed away down the sink. Cloths can be boiled after messy jobs to deep clean if required- this loosens the dirt from the fibers as it swells in heat. I really suggest you try the product before you knock it. Like anything in life, you get out what you put in in effort. When people see this product in action, the stuff actually sells itself. I’ve had leads from strangers who hear of it’s capabilities or see it in action and get excited!
It’s $250 in 3 months. Consult the general section of their FAQ.
Most times when I review MLM companies, I try to stay away from talking too much about the products themselves. I’m really only interested in how distributors can promote the products. You’ve been a cleaner before, so I can assume you’re familiar with cleaning products. If you say Norwex products are good, I don’t have any basis to dispute that.
I have never been a cleaner and I would say, as a distributor walking from street to street, you’re likely to find way more people like me than ones who have been cleaners. How likely are you to convince people like me to purchase expensive cleaning products, even if they’re top quality? For me, not a chance!
Is there a market for people looking for these cleaning products? Hell yeah! The products might be awesome but there still isn’t a real strategy to help consultants succeed. If consultants aren’t provided proper training on how to target that narrow audience already looking for these products, they are set up for failure.
Most of your comment is talking about the quality of the products. I can’t dispute your claims because I don’t know better. However, what I can say is I don’t think it’s enough to make a uninterested person interested in getting the product.
Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth.
I actually made the $2000 in the first 60 days of being a consultant and I have absolutely no experience in MLM’s or sales. So actually you are quite wrong in stating that it would be difficult it to do. I found it was quite easy. So, you should talk to some consultants about their experience first before you review.
Okay Kathy. So just because you were able to make $2000 in the first two months means it’s not difficult to do?
Can you present stats that show that most consultants make $2000 in the first 2 months, since it’s so easy to do?
And by the way, I never said it was impossible to do.
Damn Kathy is a firecracker
This is a very balanced article. I think the major selling point of this company comes from the fact that the consultant can offer any % of their income in private settings, because the products themselves are worth having in the home. I bought into it and upgraded because i had a budget for new cleaning supplies and wanted a healthier environment. i did not intend on selling anything because i considered it an investment that i would have made back in the long run anyway. I thought, ok, so sell $2000 and be done? GREAT! I am now completely amazed at how well Norwex works as a company, how well it treats its employees, how well it treats its consultants, and how good its products have been for our household. Norwex products are indeed more expensive than others, but behind that is higher quality products, better follow-ups, worthwhile warantee/return safety net, EXCELLENT training (this is my experience), high quality work environment & pay on the production side, among other things.
Under cons “Even though the company does not say this explicitly, consultants claim the EnviroCloth can kill bacteria and there is no evidence to back this claim”
The EnviroCloth mechanically removes bacteria when used properly. It does not kill it. Norwex never makes this claim. If and when consultants do, they are mistakenly or unknowingly claiming this.
Great article. I am a regular user of norwex. excellent firm very good business opportunity. please share the latest norwex products catalog
I have an online acquaintance whos been pushing Norwex stuff and so I came here to see a little about the company.
All I can say is everything is way too expensive. If I tried selling this to family and friends theyd say no thank you. I care about the environment but Id be eating out of garbage cans if I bought this stuff. $20 for cloths? $30 for washing detergent?
He probably makes decent money selling and Im sure theres happy customers. Not this guy though
Yes it is pricey but the cloth has a two year guarantee. Think of how much you spend on paper towels and cleaning supplies in two years. Norwex offers quality product that are also good for the environment and our homes. They are also very fair to their consultants and their workers. They are not in the slave labor buisnes which I appreciate. I would rather know I am buying from a company that cares about its workers and environment versus a company that couldn’t care less and does not pat its employees a living wage.
I just came across this, and first, this is all just your opinion. Clearly, you didn’t do all the research. There is so much training provided it is crazy! You can’t help but succeed if you follow the plan. The issue of course with sales, any sales, direct or otherwise, you have to work at it just like any other job. You have to hear lots of nos. Not everyone does well wtih that, but for those that do, direct sales is very lucrative! As for Norwex, I have been a consultant for 2 years and I am doing well. I love the company and the products. Again, you have to see the value, see the mission and understand the story. By the way, yes there is 3rd party independent testing that proves our claims! I don’t know about you, but I also work hard at my day job and I do not get the support, training, encouragment and swag I get with my Norwex side gig. I love our leaders, they are fully engaged, there for you anytime and provide so many resources to help us in every way they can. I earn free products, all kinds of incentives and if I were doing this full time, I could easily make the trips as well. I’m hanging on to my day job until a I retire in a few years and then plan to do Norwex full time! Again, we sell ourselves one way or another every day of lives. It really is about mindset. The problem with direct sales in large part, is that people don’t treat it like a business, they don’t understand business. Actually, the stats on direct sales are not horrible. By the way, 50% of all resturants close the first year. How many small businesses last through 5 years? How many people can literally start their own business for free???? Business, business, business! Look me up! I’ll show you the way. 🙂
Please share the 3rd party info on the enviro cloth testing. We have not found that info yet, thank you.
Google Norwex Andy will it work ?
Very interesting chat….thank you for putting it up. I’ve been using the products for 5 years and actually still have cloths from then and the mop. I decided to become a consultant because I care about the environment in people’s homes. I have never had a party in my house but I do have customers who really appreciate the quality of these products. There really is no comparison between the cheaper ones where you can buy a bundle for the price of one Norwex cloth. However I would prefer not having to dispose of a bundle of cloths when one cloth does the job. Also paper towels….I never have to go down the cleaning aisle in the stores….are such a detriment to the environment. Granted I buy ONE just for really messy jobs like bacon grease in my pan but I hide it in a cupboard so members of my family dont just automatically grab one. About the Bacloc silver. This is acknowledged to work when used correctly. It is activated when wet. When the cloth is rinsed and hung up to dry the bacteria is gradually choked and prevented from multiplying and thereby dies. The nose test tells you that the cloth is clean. They require very little laundering (in my experience). I use two in my kitchen. While one is drying I use the other and vice versa. If a cloth gets really dirty after a particular job then I pour boiling water over it with a little Microfiber cleaner and its good to go. The silky window and mirror cloth replaces newspaper and vinegar in cleaning windows and mirrors everywhere. No more black fingers from print and as I don’t buy newspapers I can recycle the free ones I get instead of destroying them and having to trash them. I could go on and on but you get my drift. Try a body cloth….. no need for soap, no need for shower gel and the kicker…..no more soap scum. My skin feels really clean. Ok. I’ll stop. PS They also treat their consultants VERY well.
I want to thank everyone for their comments. I have been using these cloths for 2 years (love them!), and am now considering becoming a consultant. I was concerned with the whole pyramid scheme, and this article has definitely helped.
My first party was a hostess ,was 1000. In sales I received 500 in free product. I am signing up to be a consultant this next Monday. At that time I will get 50. shopping spree. I am 72 years old with a pending knee replacement. I love the products. My skin feels amazing. I have seen the chicken test. That takes away any debate. I have the mop, and even though my mobility is challenged I can still clean with a passion .
Thanks for the info and insight to assist in my decision.
I must say Amedu, I enjoyed your review of the business side of Norwex as an MLM and in regards to the question of pyramid. Especially for a young man you are quite a talented and insightful person.
It appears that most people here that are replying have missed the point Amedu was making. My wife just became a consultant 3 days ago after using the products for over 5 years.
He was reviewing the business side of Norwex, not the products. Pointedly, he actually gave “kudos” to the product, not because of personal experience but based on so many good comments.
I am 65. I have been involved with many MLMs since I was 19 (another words, I bought into and participated in). As Amedu correctly states, most all promote and stress the money making oppurtunity rather than the product quality.
For all of you that felt you had to defend Norwex, read his closing thoughts, and pros and cons. His review is quite favorable!
For you Amedu:
1. Enviro cloth and many other products have a 2 year guarentee. Many other products carry a 1 year guarentee. Our first one is on it’s fifth year.
2. Monica Chin’s comment is correct.
3. If I am not mistaken, in a pyramid scheme, the person inviting the new distributor/consultant into the business will always make more money and or rank because they have to buy that product thru the upchain. So either an increase of wholesale price or some % stipend in return based on total business volume. There is no “break-away” point.
So you are correct, this does not happen in Norwex’s current business model. It is not a pyramid.
4. They have extensive online sales training available, in fact more then one would want.
So it is a true home based business. You can do everything online, even hosting.
It’s too bad you could not have interviewed a Senior VP level Sales Leader/Consultant to perhaps get a more experienced opiniin on the business side.