Selling Avon | Imamother

TwinsMommy

Thu, Nov 26 2009, 1:30 am

I make a full time income from my Mary Kay business working part time hours. After I earned my first car and joined the top 2% of the company I took time "off" to be a mommy and now my hours are VERY part time. I love teaching skin care classes, selling the product, recruiting and training the women, meeting great women who want to change their skin (or make money for their families). I make more money than my husband but am home a lot more with the kids. It's HARD to juggle work and family but I think that's true of all work!

I know a BIT about the differences between Avon and MK. With Avon it's mostly catalog sales (as opposed to skin care classes, individual facial appointments, website sales, etc). You have a much greater variety of products to sell but it's hard to be an expert in the product line because it keeps changing and there's so much going on. With MK new products are only introduced 4 times a year so it's easier to have repeat loyal buyers who stick to a specific routine with their products.

If you want to stick with mostly skin care and makeup, MK might be for you. If you're interested in catalog sales more than online/ group and individual selling situations and a greater product variety, Avon might be for you.

Hope that helps!

amother

Thu, Nov 26 2009, 9:31 am

I have a friend that sells a different one of those makeup brands...maybe I should call her an ex-friend because I feel like she never stops driving me crazy talking me into buying the products and/or becoming a consultant. I tried the products, was not impressed and thought that they were too expensive. I also found that they were a lot cheaper on ebay, like 1/3rd of the price! I have told her flat out MANY times that I am not interested in working for this company and she still hocks me!!! Exploding anger

She seriously cannot talk about anything else!!! I resent the fact that instead of treating her friends like friends, she treats them like cash cows..(in her company you make money off the sales of the people you sign up to consult, I looked it all up online, its called multi level marketing!)

(I don't mean to sound harsh, but as you can tell it is driving me crazy!!!!)

Imaonwheels

Thu, Nov 26 2009, 12:17 pm

Amother, that sounds like a MLM scheme were selling the product is much less important than recruiting others. Ten people make money on each product so of course they are way over priced.

In Avon they do get good product information and samples of new products are free for a short time. There is a new catalogue every 2 weeks which meansd you are hitting on your customers every 2 weeks.

Grandmama

Thu, Nov 26 2009, 1:30 pm

[quote="madys"]I am thinking of selling Avon"

I have been selling Avon products for the past 20 years or more. I am not a "seller" trying to sell to all my friends, etc. My family and friends know I sell it, if they want to they can buy from me. If not, I love the stuff and use it myself. I also love Melaleuca and use that too. I do not sell melaleuca, as it is an MLM and the stuff is not cheap. I am a member because I love some of their products, and spend about $50 a month on detergents, toothpastes and tea tree soap because I love it.

Avon is like a department store. It is no problem for me buying things every two weeks because there are so many different items, for the house, jewelry, clothing, children's gifts, and so much more than makeup. I love their products and their guarantees. I am in a chasidish community and many don't have computers so they prefer to order from me. Others today with online access can buy on the Avon site, or on your web page if they know you and wish to do that.
Avon is a wonderful company with stuff very well priced, ridiculously cheap for the quality they have. They guarantee everything, even if you used it. It is a great policy. Their makeup and skin care lines cannot be beat. Their items sell for much more in the rest of the world, so they have a very good name to foreigners. The cleaning ladies and Russian women love the stuff, as do people from Israel as it is very costly in Israel. (Hence thought to be " very good")
The catalogs can be left in gyms, or other places where there are women. However, it takes time to build a loyal customer base. It is the cheapest company to work for, you can start out with a minimal investment. I do not actively pursue customers, but I have placed an order every two weeks for over 20 years. I find many customers find me nowadays, and I really don't care, I just order whatever I need and want, and sometimes sell things that I dont use on ebay years later. I sold a ten dollar perfume for $50 when it was discontinued.....I always have gifts at my disposal, I pay wholesale for everything.....I love it.....feel free to PM me if you have any further questions.

Grandmama

Fri, Nov 27 2009, 7:50 am

Imaonwheels wrote:

Avon is not common in Israel. The stuff I grew up on including Avon and tupperware (also a very high qulity product) is priced totally out of the range of normal Israelis. I know many women here that tried to sell either and just couldn't find customers.

What I was saying is that the Israeli customers buy it from me, as it is much cheaper in the USA. So when they come to NY they place large orders and take it back. I also have lots of family always begging me for the Avon stuff. I was shocked to see how expensive makeup is in Israel. Well, lots of stuff is expensive in Israel, but in NY there is always something you can buy for less. This concept is not available in Israel.

madys

Tue, Dec 01 2009, 10:56 am

Thanks everyone for your honesty - it's still something I'm thnking about, but I'm not sure that selling is my thing. As the amother said, I don't want to be constantly hitting up my friends. I think I'm probably thinking of this too late to get the Chanukah/Xmas rush. Oh well.....

I already work part-time, and we could use some extra cash, so I was thinking about what could bring in some more money without taking up too much time.

TwinsMommy

Tue, Dec 01 2009, 11:22 am

if your upline gives you proper training in customer attraction and marketing skills, you don't need to hit up your friends and family--- you'll be busy working with "real" customers and your friends and family who are interested will ask you about it.

it's not too late to get in for the holiday rush--- you can easily sell $1000 in the 2 days before xmas doing gift baskets. we're even far enough from Channukah to get inventory back in time.

Vintage Modern

Tue, Dec 01 2009, 10:15 pm

I am not with a Make-Up Company I am with a Jewelry company and I agree it is not too late to start now and make money this year.

You need to find the right company for you be it Make-Up, Jewelry, Candles, gift baskets, children's educational toy, etc. You need to feel passionate about your product and believe you will succeed. There are a lot of lists on the internet of all the direct sales companies take a look at a few decide what product you would like to work with. Try to speak to someone in that company let them give you their talk and see if it is something you can do. For me I would hate giving a scripted speech to everyone I see for others they want that step by step this is what you say approach. If you don't want to be a pushy sales person find a company that doesn't train you to be a pushy sales person.

You can be very successful in Direct Sales but it takes work to build up your business. I believe that Direct Sales is a great way for a Frum Woman to contribute to her families finances while having the flexibility to be off for Yommim Tovim and Shabbas as well as be there for her family when they need her without having to worry about her boss firing her or making up work on a Sunday when the building is closed.