The Truth About Envelope Stuffing
There are machines that companies can use to stuff envelopes for mailing. These machines are high tech, efficient and best of all fast, but what do you know, they cost thousands of dollars.
Maybe that's why there are so many envelope-stuffing jobs for work at home employees. It seems easy enough; assemble the mailing pieces, make sure they get into the right envelope, and seal it up for delivery.
Wouldn't it make sense to hire work hungry home-based employees to do the job of expensive automation? Well, it might if all of those same at home workers could manage to share less than $100 a month (about the price of rental on one of the automated machines).
What would motivate companies to hire at home workers to fulfill a task that is automated around the world? Generosity?
There are generally two types of
envelope stuffing offers and neither one seems advantageous to the employee. Take a look.
Actual Stuffing
The first offer actually involves stuffing envelopes. Respondents are asked to follow very specific instructions on what is to be placed in each envelope, how the finished product is to be ordered upon return and how it is to be sealed. Oh, and don't forget the fine print. In most instances there will be a condition that stipulates that the company will pay for all completed envelopes that 'meet their standard'. What that really means is they will use your labor and then find a reason why the work wasn't finished correctly. This in no way prevents them from sending the finished product to customers, but it does give them a reason not to pay you.
An Envelope Stuffing Salesperson
So how do you make money? Well, in this case you send in a 'fee' of anywhere from $25-$50 with promised instructions to follow. The 'employer' then sends you a copy of the ad you responded to along with wording for another ad that you put together to send to other prospective workers. That's it - that's the job.
How do you make money?
Well, in a perfect world everyone you send an envelope (that you stuffed) to would respond to the company with an interest in stuffing envelopes. In return you would receive $1.00 (it varies) per paying customer responding to the information you send out on behalf of the company. In some cases it's your paper, your envelope and your stamp so at least half of any potential profit is eaten up with costs. Compound that with the fact that very few will actually take advantage of the offer and you can begin to see why this may not be the best use of your time and resources.
The STUFF of Legends
Both of the examples above are why we tend to view envelope-stuffing offers as something much like fairytales and folklore. They sound great, but just don't seem to make sense in the real world. In both examples you become a worker paid less than poverty wages for something you would likely never involve yourself with if you knew up front what the job required.
That being said, if you have already tried one of these offers then you can empathize with the many who will do so this year. When you need funds it can be easy to hold out hope that any offer extended might be the one that helps you pay that next bill. We want to help you stop chasing rainbows.
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