Avon: Direct selling, MLM, pyramid scheme?

In this blog, I wanted to cover all facts and basics of Avon Cosmetics the company and answer a few key questions to do with direct selling / MLM, like:

• What is MLM?
• What is direct selling?
• What is the cheapest direct selling company to join?
• What is a pyramid scheme?
• Is Avon a pyramid scheme?

This comes after 15 years in the business and learning everything I know as I have gone along. 

First things first,

What is Direct Selling?

What is MLM?

lets look at Wikipedias description:

Multi-level marketing (MLM)  is a controversial marketing strategy for the sale of products and/or services where the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salaried workforce (also called participants, and variously known as "salespeople", "distributors", "consultants", "promoters", "independent business owners", etc.) selling the company's products/services, while the earnings of the participants is derived from a pyramid-shaped commission system.

But hang on, 'pyramid shaped commission system'?

What is a pyramid Scheme?

Pyramid schemes require you to join for a fee – and the only way to get back your money is to persuade other people to join and take their fees.

Scheme members are asked to sell goods or services through other members rather than direct to clients.

People at the top of the pyramid make money from the fees of people lower down, rather than selling a legitimate product.

The business model is unsustainable, and those at the bottom of the pyramid lose their fees with no prospect of recovering the money.

Is Avon a Pyramid Scheme?

Let's take a look at the above text, but this time broken down for your understanding that Avon is a safe and sustainable company.

Pyramid schemes require you to join for a fee (Avon is free to try. There are 2 administration fees: 1 when you place your very first order and therefore have earned the money before you spend it, of just £10. Then when you place a second order, there is a final fee of £6. You make your money before you pay a thing, no need to spend on brochures or a start up kit either. You will be straight in the profit, or you simply don't start & place an order) –  and the only way to get back your money is to persuade other people to join and take their fees. (If you decide to become a Sales Leader and recruit your own team members, you do not take anybody's money to join & to be 100% transparent - the administration fee of Avon Leadership is £35, which is easily earned with Avon's generous bonus plan & commission structure)

Scheme members are asked to sell goods or services through other members rather than direct to clients. (Avon is a direct selling company - therefore we sell direct to clients as described above)

People at the top of the pyramid make money from the fees of people lower down (we do not earn any commission from Administration fees), rather than selling a legitimate product All commission earned is from the products our entire team sells. We are all equal - and we can all earn more than our upliner if we work harder).

The business model is unsustainable, and those at the bottom of the pyramid lose their fees with no prospect of recovering the money (Everybody who joins Avon Cosmetics, starts off at the top of their own structure, and if you do not feel you are earning money - you do not need to join or continue in the business). 

So the short and sweet answer is no, Avon Cosmetics is not a pyramid scheme.

Do you like the sound of joining a MLM, Direct Selling company?

Then maybe it's worth taking a look and finding out the best option for you. 

Direct Selling company joining prices

Whilst writing this blog, I have kept in mind that I must be fair to all other companies. So I will just give you the information I found from official sites for each company, and you make your decision there. May I also note, some companies do not wish to disclose information like joining fees online and must be discussed with an independent distributor over the phone. 

Forever Living - A Business Owner Box (Formerly the New Distributors Pack (NDP)) is just under £200 in the UK. If you really can’t find the funds for your box, there is another way.  You can join the company purely by placing an order for products for over £100 , however you will not get as much commission this way.

Kleeneze - There are 2 different 'success kits' you can choose from, either £125, £99 or £50, however if you can't afford either, you can have the 99 kit in 3 instalments of £25, £50 and £50 increasing the fee to £125.

Juice Plus+ - To join the Juice Plus franchise business the start up cost is £65. There is no stock to buy for your franchise.

Younique - A Younique presenter kit is £65 and comprises of products.

Utility Warehouse - The joining fee is £100. If you join us as a new partner and have a customer account it will only cost £50 to join. If you join us as a Partner at £100 and subsequently become a member within 30 days from signing up as a Partner, you can claim a £50 refund of your joining fee from Partner Services.

Herbalife - At Herbalife, we value the relationship our Members build with their customers. That is why we always recommend customers take advantage of the knowledge, support and encouragement of their personal Member. This relationship is the reason we do not publish a price list online. 

Avon is FREE to try

Avon is the 2nd largest direct selling company in the world, and is also the world's oldest / most established direct selling company! 

Avon is REAL work for REAL money.

You have to have customers buying Avon to actually earn. You might have 50 customers, you might have just 10, but your team also have 50 or 10 and so its all adding up to more Avon products sold and earnings available from those sales.

It's fun, flexible and easy to become an Avon Representative. Simply share your brochures and online store with friends, family, neighbours, social media platforms and work colleagues. No sales skills, experience or transport is needed & you can choose what hours you do and when!  Avon deliver all your customers order to your door for FREE without you having to pay for them. You then deliver out your customers orders and collect in the money so you can pay yourself and Avon. It's all repeated on a 3 week cycle with most customers expecting and wanting the new brochure every time.  That's 18 pay days a year.  Join today.

3 weeks work 2016 with Avon Cosmetics

It is illegal for a promoter or participant in a trading scheme to persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings are easily achieved. But, it can be done. Check out Gailsreps Avon 2016 achievements, from earning nearly £200,000 in a year, to receiving a brand new BMW for free - it is all possible.