# Hosting a wine-tasting party -- with strings attached! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445 "2012-09-12T00:13:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/61 "2012-09-14T15:33:04Z")
Plus, a wine bottle can be used as an, er, emergency dildo. Maybe _backup_ would be a better term. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/62 "2012-09-14T15:48:21Z")
Every [del]rip off[/del] free party like this - be it for Tupperware or Sex Toys or whatever, always allows the host(ess) of the night to get a percentage of the profits! That is the sole point of hosting one of these events, and everyone who goes knows that is why the event is being hosted. This is perhaps the stupidest business plan I have ever heard of, and I doubt many others are going to leap into this concept and fork out money (even if it isn’t a huge amount) to sit back and let someone else profit! Would you pay her one month’s rent if she opened a new wine store? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/63 "2012-09-14T16:22:02Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > And thirdly, although these parties are common enough, I have NEVER met anyone with a pleasant story about attending one. I have one. And I’m a guy! :eek: At one time artwork seemed to be a big thing for MLM parties. Not sure if it still is. Anyway one of my female coworkers hosted an art party, at the exact time that I had just gotten my first apartment and needed some cheap stuff for the walls. Some of the art was cheesy, and we had fun laughing at it, but some of it was OK and I bought a nice landscape that looked better than bare walls. So everybody was happy. I think I was the only guy there. God, I feel so unmanly for admitting this. Excuse me while I go work on my car. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/64 "2012-09-14T18:02:59Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > But **this place** does not have free shipping, nor does it say how much shipping costs, so that leads me to believe it’s probably not cheap. > > I believe you that you’ve found places where it’s reasonable, but I’ve looked around at some shops and it was always expensive enough to make it not worth it. I just assume this wine isn’t worth the money anyway since it’s obviously not geared toward wine connoisseurs who are likely to know the difference, and the business seems sketchy. > > But I buy Franzia so what do I know? 🆒 Bolding mine. Blackberry, from what I can tell, there are several wine-tasting ventures like this on the Internet. I will not be sharing which one my friend is involved with, but one of the perks of hosting and buying the wine is discounted shipping. ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/65 "2012-09-14T18:05:50Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I have an alternate solution. Find a woman that hosts those “fun parties” (yeah, you know what I’m talking about!) and schedule her to make an appearance at your party. Its been my experience that wine and dildos make very good ice breakers when paired together. Plus the horrified look on your friend’s face will be priceless. This would be the most fun ever! ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/66 "2012-09-14T19:09:37Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > Bolding mine. > > Blackberry, from what I can tell, there are several wine-tasting ventures like this on the Internet. I will not be sharing which one my friend is involved with, but one of the perks of hosting and buying the wine is discounted shipping. Wasn’t hard to figure out 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/67 "2012-09-14T22:30:47Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Every [del]rip off[/del] free party like this - be it for Tupperware or Sex Toys or whatever, always allows the host(ess) of the night to get a percentage of the profits! Sort of. You get a percentage of sales as a store credit to defray whatever you wind up buying. If you wind up not wanting any of the merch, you don’t get that back in cash or anything, the rep just winds up with a better profit margin. And you usually get some sort small gift (often something the rep is having trouble moving, ime), maybe a percentage off your purchase on top of that. I don’t know that the OP’s really getting a particularly raw deal. I mean, if she was having a shoe or jewelry or Tupperware or Schtupperware party (or a birthday party or a girls’ night in) she’d be springing for the food and drink. What would she normally spend entertaining 10 people who like wine enough to attend a sales party? The true cost of having this particular party is really only whatever extra she’s spending over and above _that_. ---
**Author:** ![duchessofdork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@duchessofdork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duchessofdork)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/68 "2012-09-15T21:38:20Z")
Also, is your liablity as a host re: drunk driving different if wine is being sold any different than if you were just having a regular party? I mean, probably not, but the possibility alone would make me hesitant to host one. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/69 "2012-09-16T13:30:57Z")
So, smaje1–how did the wine party go? IIRC, you had the party last night. Or did I get that wrong? ---
**Author:** ![smaje1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@smaje1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smaje1)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/70 "2012-09-17T17:08:40Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > So, smaje1–how did the wine party go? > > IIRC, you had the party last night. Or did I get that wrong? Nope, I’m not having the party until October. But I did see my friend this weekend and I got a chance to try some of the wine – and it was reallllly good. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to really talk to my friend about things. I was hanging out with her and her husband, who seems to have changed his tune on the whole dealio. He’s now really enthusiastic about the wine and the enterprise altogether. My friend’s done 3 or 4 wine tastings in the past month and has earned a little bit of money, plus a case of wine. It seems to be working out well for her. However, she talked about the wine non-stop for a while there, and it was really making me roll my eyes. Like, “You don’t have to be a salesman all the time, hon! Let’s just appreciate this glass and move on with our lives!” I remember when my mom first started her jewelry business, and she wouldn’t shut the f\*\*\* up about it for YEARS. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/71 "2012-09-17T19:32:59Z")
> [@Vihaga](#): > > I’d chalk it up to a lesson about multilevel marketing schemes; they’re pretty much designed to extract as much money and goodwill from the “salesperson’s” friends and family as possible. Providing you with something in exchange for hosting the party would not be consistent with that. Concur. Essentially, MLM or market-by party equates to: “Cash in your friendships for money”. But friendships usually turn out not to be a renewable resource when you start tapping them for profit. ---
**Author:** ![snowmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@snowmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowmaster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/72 "2012-09-18T05:29:37Z")
> [@duchessofdork](#): > > Also, is your liablity as a host re: drunk driving different if wine is being sold any different than if you were just having a regular party? > > I mean, probably not, but the possibility alone would make me hesitant to host one. **DuchessOfDork** may have just said the smartest most awful thing in the whole thread. The OP is presumably a homeowner with assets worth litigating after. This may be the actual reason her friend can’t/won’t provide the wine. Your friend gave a liquor comission excuse as to why she can’t buy the wine. You may see that as ignorant, I see it as what the comapny told her to say; she knows the actual reason but told you the lie she was told to tell. You mentioned the husband is massively down on the idea… in my experience this is virtually always the case. Husbands see the social difficulties and economic risks that wives seem to gloss over. Now he’s excited about it… what changed? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445/73 "2012-09-18T13:59:06Z")
> [@snowmaster](#): > > Your friend gave a liquor commission excuse as to why she can’t buy the wine. You may see that as ignorant, I see it as what the comapny told her to say; she knows the actual reason but told you the lie she was told to tell. You might have a point with the drunk driving, but I doubt the liquor commission is an “excuse”, at least not in a lot of states. I’m pretty sure that my state - Michigan - doesn’t even offer a liquor license that would allow you to sell out of a private home, and I’m guessing that’s not the only state like that. Plus, liquor licenses are expensive, at least around here. I knew a restaurant owner who paid $80K for his, and I don’t think that’s overly crazy. Note: I don’t think that’s the price from the State, I think that’s a resale price. Part of the reason they’re expensive is that they are under a quota, and depending on what kind of business and where you’re located, you often have to buy one from a third-party, like a restaurant that went out of business. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hosting-a-wine-tasting-party-with-strings-attached/634445.md?page=3)