Is Noonday Collection A Pyramid Scheme? A Comprehensive Review.

Today we’re taking a look at The Noonday Collection.

You probably came to this page because you wonder if The Noonday Collection MLM program is legit, a pyramid scheme, or any other sort of scam?

No need to worry you’re in the right place for the answers to these questions.

Over the last few years, I’ve been busy creating reviews about all kinds of online products.

Some turned out to be fake others were legit ways to make money online but in the process, I learned how to spot scams.

In this post, I’ll show you absolutely everything you need to know about The Noonday Collection and after reading it you’ll know exactly if you should give it a chance.

Noonday Collection MLM Review Overview


Name: Noon Collection
Website: noondaycollection.com
Founder: Jessica Honegger
Product Type: Jewelry MLM Program
Earning Potential: Low
Price: $89 +$9,99/month

Summary:
The Noonday Collection is a business that distributes apparel, jewelry, and other accessories that are hand-made by artisans. The Noonday Collection is not a pyramid scheme. It is a legit MLM program but unfortunately, the earning potential is very low.

Can you make money with The Noonday Collection MLM program? Yes but odds are most people that join will struggle to earn money or lose money trying to make this business model work.

There are only 2 groups I can imagine succeeding with this MLM program. Read the post to find out why I think this way.
Similar to:
Younique MLM programYoung Living essential oils MLM programMaryKay MLM programAmsoil MLM programSavvi MLM ProgramTrades of Hope MLM Program

Recommended: No


What is Noonday Collection?

Noonday Collection is a company that sells handmade apparel, jewelry, and other accessories. Jessica Honegger founded Noonday Collection in 2010 after she met 2 designers from Uganda named Jalia and Danial.

She partnered up with Travis Wilson who would become the co-CEO in the same year. In 2011 they decided to change their strategy for distribution and introduced the MLM model.

From this point, it became possible for people to become ambassadors and earn money selling the handmade products that the Noonday Collection provided.

The Noonday Collection has collaborated with 33 Artisan Businesses in 15 countries and is located at 1825 E. 38 1/2 Street, Austin, TX 78722.

How does Noonday Collection work?

In short, Noonday Collection is a company that distributes handmade apparel, jewelry, and other accessories. Instead of directly selling it to consumers they have chosen to use the MLM model which gives you the choice to earn money by:

  • Selling the products for a commission
  • Recruiting people to earn bonuses.

What is MLM?

MLM (a.k.a network marketing or direct selling) stands for multi-level marketing.

According to Wikipedia, multi-level marketing is a marketing strategy for the sale of products or services where the revenue is derived from a non-salaried workforce.

As a part of this workforce, you sell the products from the company, and/or you recruit people to do the same thing. This group of people you recruit will work under you and is referred to as your downline.

The bigger your downline is the more money you can earn passively (technically speaking) because you’re getting paid a percentage based on the performance of your downline.

This also means the person that recruited you which is called your upline is making money based on your performance.

The act of recruiting turns an MLM company into a pyramid-shaped organization where the first people to join make the most and are on the top of the pyramid and those last to join are at the bottom.

Multi-level_marketing structure

Source: Wikipedia

MLMs have been around for a long time. There are Multi-level marketing companies active today that were founded in the 1950s. MLM has a lot in common with pyramid schemes which is why scammers often use MLM programs to disguise their pyramid schemes.

Is it absolutely necessary to recruit people? No.

You can also stick to just selling products which you can order at wholesale price (25% discount) and re-sell to make a profit. This is easier said than done for multiple reasons which are why most members try to recruit others so they can earn more money.

How to join the Noonday Collection MLM Program

You can join the Noonday Collection MLM program as an ambassador.

Most people get introduced to The Noonday Collection by a partner which will become their sponsor but you can also sign up for both by visiting the Noonday Collection ambassador page.

Those that sign-up to become a partner by signing up will have a sponsor appointed to them by “Noonday Collection”.

You’ll also be asked to purchase one of their starter kits.

You’ll receive training after which you can resell products and recruit people to earn commissions and bonuses.

After that, partners will be paid monthly through your SkyWallet, which is located in the Partner Portal.

Where do the Noonday Collection products come from?

Noonday makes it possible for women (Noonday refers to this group as artisans) in mostly third world countries to earn money by making accessories, jewelry, and apparel ad selling it.

Noonday provides them with channels to help them sell their products and also finances basic necessities for these women and their families.

There are active artisans in:

Cambodia
Dominican Republic
Guatemala
Haiti
India
Jordan
Kenya
Mexico
Nepal
North Asia
Peru
The Philippines
Thailand
Uganda
The USA
Vietnam

Do you have to be a woman to become a Noonday Collection Ambassador?

No. you don’t have to be a woman.

It’s understandable after looking at their mission that you might think that the Noonday Collection business opportunity is only for women but it doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man.

That being said, not everyone is able to join.

So if you’re interested in joining Trades of Hope read the next paragraph.

Things to take into account if you want to become a Noonday Collection ambassador

  • The minimum age for joining The Noonday Collection is 18 years old
  • You need to be a US citizen or permanent resident that resides in the 50 states, with a valid Social Security Number or Green Card (The only exception are the US, military spouses).
  • As a Partner, you must actively sell Noonday Collection products and have a minimum of one commissionable order

Can you sell Noonday Collection products online?

Multi-level marketing or Network marketing is often associated with parties where you recruit people by hosting parties and talking to them face-to-face.

Corona makes it hard to host these types of parties. This is why Noonday Collection gives you the opportunity to sell products online through a personal website.

Noonday Collection doesn’t allow you to sell products on Etsy, eBay, Poshmark, or websites similar to those three. You also aren’t allowed to use search engine optimization or Google Adwords to promote your business but they can set you up with a personal website that connects to social media.

The Noonday Collection sets you up with:

  • A Personal website
  • Unique links for your hostesses and parties.
  • An online back office for managing the numbers.

Is Noonday Collection a pyramid scheme?

To answer this question we need to know what a pyramid scheme is.

What is a pyramid scheme?

A pyramid scheme is a type of scam where people are promised money for joining the scheme and recruiting other people. No selling of a product or service is involved whatsoever.

So you might be wondering where the money comes from?

The people that join are expected to pay a one-time fee and in exchange for that, they get a percentage of the fee of everyone they recruit after that.

The problem is from a mathematical standpoint it’s impossible for everyone to make money because you simply run out of people.

Take a look at this picture below showing how it’s impossible for everyone to earn money.

A Pyramid_scheme

Source: Wikipedia

As you can see, in this pyramid model it’s required to recruit 6 people. You’ll notice from the 12th level and further, it’s not possible anymore for everyone to earn money.

The 2.2 Billion people on the 12th level need 13.1 billion recruits in total for them all to make money which is more people than there are currently on Earth.

Looking at the description of what a pyramid scheme is, The Noonday Collection can’t be classified as a pyramid scheme from a legal perspective. The Noonday Collection sells products and has given people a method to make money without recruiting people.

That being said, there definitely are definitely a few unanswered questions that make me worry. Read further to find out what I mean.

Who can benefit from Noonday Collection?

Who would benefit from joining The Noonday Collection MLM program:

  • Expert salesmen
  • Expert recruiters
  • People that want to use Trades of Hope products for themselves.
  • People that believe in the cause.

Who shouldn’t join The Noonday Collection MLM Program:

  • People that hate sales jobs.
  • People that hate recruiting
  • People that want to earn a full-time income
  • People that expect to earn passive income

Noonday Collection products

A good MLM should have quality products that you can sell so I thought it was appropriate to look at what they offer.

Noonday Collection works with artisans that make hand-made products that they sell to Noonday Collection and get sold by Noonday Collection Ambassadors. Noonday provides the artisans with information about what type of products  They have products in categories like:

  • Jewelry
  • Necklaces
  • Bracelets
  • Rings
  • Earrings
  • Bags

The price range on some of these products is insanely high compared to other non-MLM companies. $62 for a necklace is a bit much in my opinion but understandable since it’s handmade.


Noonday Collection products return policy

Noonday Collection has a good return policy which I think is a good thing because it shows they have faith in the quality of their products.

The Noonday Collection has a 30-day policy that states that if you aren’t completely satisfied with the product you purchased and you have the receipt you may exchange it or get a refund (shipping costs not included).

They also have a 90-day policy for products that are damaged with exception of products damaged through normal wear, accident, or misuse.

You just need to notify the partner you have bought it from and they’ll take care of the rest.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • You contribute to a great cause
  • 30-day Refund Policy
  • Multiple methods to earn money
  • Can be done online

Cons

  • Lack of transparency when it comes to earnings
  • Hand-made products are hard to scale
  • SEO isn’t allowed to market products
  • You have to pay to play

Noonday Collection Compensation Plan

The Noonday Collection program can be considered a traditional MLM when you look at their compensation plan. You either re-sell their products for a commission or you can recruit people and receive residual income, climb up the ranks, and earn bonuses.

In total there are 9 ranks that all come with their benefits such as getting a higher commission percentage of all your sales starting at 25% (this used to be 20% but according to the Ambassador Policy document they changed this) to a max of 40%

  • Ambassador
  • Senior Ambassador
  • Team Leader
  • Senior Team Leader
  • Manager
  • Senior Manager
  • Director
  • Senior Director
  • Executive Director

Below is a screenshot of the Noonday Compensation Plan:

Noonday Ambassador Compensaation plan


How much does it cost to start a Noonday Collection “business”?

The compensation plan is very confusing at first sight because a lot of information isn’t visible for non-members but these are the most important things to know when it comes to the cost of maintaining your business.

1. Every ambassador after signing up has to purchase a starters kit. 
The Noonday Collections provides its members with 3 starters kits.

The Essentials, $89
The Essentials Plus, $189
The Essentials Premium, $289

2. Every rank that makes it able to recruit (a rank above ambassador) requires monthly qualification
Here’s a screenshot of the qualifications of every rank.

Noonday Collections Qualification

The bare minimum for earning money (personal sales commission) is $89 excluding the costs for ordering the products that are sold.

How much can you earn with the Noonday Collection?

The Noonday Collection has multiple bonuses that members can take advantage of.

  • Personal Sales commission on Retail sales
    A 25% – 40% commission is granted to ambassadors based on how many products they sell in a month and lifetime sales.
  • Coaching Commissions
    An additional  6% – 20% commission based on personal sales and team sales.
  • Leadership bonuses
    A fixed bonus between $250 and $500 based on generational performance.

Technically, the sky is the limit but in reality, we know because of factors such as your ability to recruit, your competition, and the performance of your downlines there’s is often a limit.

Unfortunately, Atomy hasn’t published an income disclosure to see what current members are earning but I do see it shares the same “handicaps” most MLM companies have which prevents members from earning decent money.

Why aren’t people earning decent money with MLM companies like the Noonday Collection?

I have summed up the reasons why it’s hard to make money with Noonday Collection and MLM companies in general into 3 points.

1. MLMs are often associated with pyramid schemes
MLMs have a pyramid recruiting structure that you often have to join to be able to make decent money or at the very least not lose money. The problem is a lot of pyramid schemes disguise themselves as MLM programs making it difficult to differentiate the two.

This is the biggest problem why most distributors have a difficult time recruiting people. The moment people hear about how you can make money by recruiting people red flags appear in most people’s minds.

2. You have to consistently invest your money to earn commissions
You’re only eligible for bonuses and commissions if you buy their products. The bigger the bonuses the more product you have to buy. You do get discounts but if you can’t sell the products I can see you easily fall into a financial deficit (which happens to the majority of MLMs).

3. The price of the product often isn’t aligned with the market

It’s hard for a multi-level marketer to sell products because most MLM products tend to be a lot more expensive than similar products sold by non-MLM companies. This means even if you’re really good at recruiting your downline still needs to sell those same expensive products for you to make decent money.

You can see that translate in these statistics I found about Multi-level Marketing.

  • Nearly half (47%) of MLM participants reported that they lost money.
  • One in four (27%) MLM participants reported that they broke even (made no money).
  • MLM participants are 7% more likely to declare bankruptcy during their lifetime.
  • Direct sales have risen 79% in the last decade, but MLM participants continue to lose money.
  • 90 – 99% of distributors in multilevel marketing only receive a couple of hundred dollars commission per year.
  • Out of 33,000 interviewed, 90 people made enough money to cover costs in building their business.
  • 50% of the people who start a network marketing enterprise abandoned it in the first year.

Sources:
FTC

AARP
Jobsinmarketing.io

My Personal Take

The Noonday Collection is a legitimate MLM but I personally have my doubts about how great this business opportunity is.

I think it’s great that they provide people with the opportunity to earn commissions on personal sales without having crazy qualifications.

The only problem is that even though the commission rate is high the products aren’t that expensive so as a result, you’d have to sell an unrealistic amount to make it work.

To earn a decent income you’d have to start recruiting but the moment you rise in rank the financial risk becomes higher.

While the sky should be the limit with this MLM program the fact that the products are handmade makes it hard to scale the business.

I wouldn’t recommend this MLM program to people that are trying to earn money online. There are in my opinion better methods with higher earning potential and less financial risk that would be smarter to invest your time in.

Verdict

Is Noonday Collection A Pyramid scheme? No. The Noonday Collection isn’t a pyramid scheme. They have an actual product that they sell which pyramid schemes don’t have. I wouldn’t call it a great business opportunity though.

The earning potential is low because it’s hard to scale handmade products and they severely limit how you can market the product.

Noonday Collection Alternative

The Noonday Collection might not be the ideal opportunity for people that aren’t interested in recruiting and want to earn more but that doesn’t mean methods like that don’t exist.

If you want to make money online from anywhere including your own home I recommend looking into affiliate marketing.

Unlike a lot of other methods, affiliate marketing doesn’t require you to manage inventory, do customer service, recruit people, resell or create products.

You can start cheap, don’t need any prior experience, and if done right can become the closest thing to earning passive income.

I learned how to create simple affiliate marketing websites that bring in +$100/day with the help of a step-by-step beginners course on an affiliate marketing training platform called Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate commission

Interested in doing the same? Learn more about the training platform and try out their FREE starters course.

Information about Wealthy Affiliate

>>Click here to read my wealthy affiliate review

That’s all for today. If you have any questions or you just want to show some love don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

See you at my next post!

FacebookTwitterEmailDeel

Photo of author

About Rogier

I’m an Affiliate Marketing and SEO veteran, Blogger, and Pinterest Marketer based in The Netherlands. On this website, I share my learnings about online entrepreneurship, and digital resources while enjoying life to the fullest.

Leave a Comment