Avon, is this really possible/sustainable?

[ImFree2doasiwant]

I discovered today that a friend is earning 5k a month from Avon. She's some sort of team leader, and started by selling about 18 months ago. She does work quite hard at it by all accounts.

I'll admit to being rather gobsmacked! I thought avon was just "Avon ladies" with catalogues, and now online, taking your orders.

Has anyone else got experience of this? I'm really not considering it for myself (I've seen her social media, it's not something I'd be good at I don't think! )

IF Avon were deliberately trying to rip reps off with the sodding lipstick, they'd charge more than £9.

And you need to get your argument straight. I didn’t once say Avon were trying to rip off reps with a lipstick, I was countering the untrue claim that they made no profit on the lipsticks. They quite clearly do.

@Smallsteps88

Ok if you pay for the kit and sell nothing you’ll lose £9 but that’s all.

Right, you can’t surely believe your own lies that new reps only buy the £9 kit can you?
I’ve attached a screen shot of the two kits. The £9 one is literally just a single lipstick, no brochure, no sales tools. How exactly does that help to start the reps “business”? You know it doesn’t. They all go for the £30 one. No-one is losing just £9.

This information is right there on Avon’s website. How can you be stupid enough to think people won’t be able to find it? They’ve done a real good job on you.

@Smallsteps88 :)

I cant wait to hear @BillMasen reply

@youvegottenminuteslynn

Few lower value products are viable in their own right, but are as part of a basket.

The lipstick will have been chosen for the starter kit specifically because it has a larger than average (within the business) margin built in so will make less of a dent in profits than other items would.

I did appreciate the kiss autocorrect - very apt! And I do appreciate you answering people's questions, even if we disagree on most points.

No it was chosen for that kit as it’s been me of the most popular sellers and a great item to have if the new rep is only getting one thing. Nothing to do with the margins on it

Happy to disagree on views and opinions but I’m increasingly disappointed to have people disagree with facts I’m sharing. I’m feeling like there’s a few posters who just will not accept what I say and I must be lying, in on the scam, part of the problem or brainwashed

Consider that I might just be honest

@DoctorYang

Good question. Assuming 30% commission, about 17k but that’s assuming it’s all their actual sales. In reality to earn that they’d have a big team so earn a much lower % on team sales. Hard to definitely say but poss around 49-50k across themselves and their team

Impossible then?

No some do. Not loads but some

I’m going to withdraw now. I’ve shared some facts and been totally straight here, but some people do not want to listen. I’ve been accused repeatedly of lying to cover up what? A scam I’m in on? I have explained how some things actually work and can do no more that. I have literally had actual numbers in front of me and been repeatedly told I’m wrong. I’m not going to tell you my role but nothing I have said has been made up, passed on, misunderstood or false.

It’s like when you are accused of being part of a conspiracy. You can tell the truth all you like but if that doesn’t fit someone’s narrative then you’re in on it and lying.

Thanks to those who politely disagreed and had opinions. No thanks to those who insulted me

@BillMasen - you've been very dignified on this thread. Thank you for sharing your experience in a calm and measured way.

No different than when you said I was lying when I posted my experience of Avon @BillMasen.

No point being an Avon lady anymore
Customer can buy direct from them online via their website

I did Avon a whole back. Then it was no commission unless you submitted an £80 order each month, so that does mean you end up buying stuff to sell on as stock or for yourself to make your sales up. Otherwise on a slow month you are working for nothing, well less than nothing as you have to buy the brochures and all those brochures have been dropped off and collected. I think you could order from the same brochure for two months.

I'm sure I was paying about £15 a month for a very small amount brochures, they seem expensive and most you don't get back or they get rained on. You end up buying plastic sleeves or printing things to say leave out then. So more costs if you don't make commission.

I did sell some of my Avon on eBay as surprise packs, it was painful. I didn't enjoy it, there wasn't any customer interaction, you walked miles and made little. I think I lasted 4 months.

If Avon is so supportive of people then why don’t they pay a national living wage and provide sick pay, holiday pay etc in the same way as a regular job? If you’re truly self employed then you set the price and make allowances for all of these things. MLMs are neither. It concerns me greatly about the number of people involved in MLMs who do not have access to areas which should be a standard part of employment. If someone is making 5K a month, is this before or after taxes??

Am I missing something
The kit??
The girl who does Avon where I work doesn't have "a KIT" she just brings the books in and if people want to order they order.
What's in the kit??

whatisthepoint So from your experience, could a person earn thousands in sales alone?

Depends what “kit” she buys.

If she buys the £9 one she gets a lipstick. The idea behind the kits, or at least, the idea that is presented to the “rep” is that they wear the product themselves or use it to provide samples to prospective customers. Avon are very big on their “reps” using the products themselves so they can recommend them to customers (well that’s what they tell them- the reality is the rep is the customer and Avon is just getting them to buy more products)

The £28/£30 one has various different products and samples.

@Hope4theBestPlan4theWorst your Avon lady probably bought the kit when she first started so will have used or sold it all by now.

Avon is very popular where I live. The charity shops have shelves full of the stuff.