Well, I thought Avon sounded good until I read this article. No wonder Avon doesn't give you many details on their website.

Surprising Things You Should Consider Before Becoming an Avon Representative - Associated Content

Basically, there are a LOT of fees. So if you don't have a lot of customers, you're at a big risk to LOSE money.

Doesn't sound like it's for me!

It is essential to grow your customer base. Get an extra case of brochures every campaign (your district manager may have extras you can use). Put them out everywhere you go, and try to choose some businesses to stop in and try to get a group buying from you.

Tailgate and put up Free Avon signs, and give out brochures with emery boards or lip balms if they give you contact information, or just samples if they don't. Try to get their e-mail addresses for future correspondence.

Take advantage of community events that offer free of cheap exposure. Get books with your information on them into peoples hands, and be sure to let them know about your website and direct delivery.

Helpers are always a good idea. Try to get as many as you can.

Advertise yourself however you can, and whenever possible.

1. How much is the kit and what all come in it? The kit cost $20 when you sign up online/$10 face to face appointment, and you will receive everything you need to get started with Avon, including:
o 10 brochures for your current campaign
o 10 brochures for your next campaign
o One box of product Samples
o 1 order book
o Getting Started Booklet
o Open the door to your Future
o Jump Start your Business
o Avon Dreams made real
o 12 Recommendation cards
o 5 collection envelopes
o 1 credit card voucher
o Rich & Famous of Avon 3
o Avon Tote Bag
o And more…………..
2. What other supplies will I need to buy/order that is not in the kit that I will need to start? You will need to order bags which will only cost you around $1.00 for 50/6lb bags and around $1.85 for 50/20lb bags. You will also want to order Credit Card Forms in case one of your customers wants to pay by Credit Card (this will not cost you anything).
3. How much does the books cost after the first two campaigns?
pack # of brochures cost each total
1 10 brochures $.575 $5.75
2 20 brochures $.398 $7.95
3 30 brochures $.34 $10.20
4 40 brochures $.303 $12.10
5 50 brochures $.26 $13.00
6 60 brochures $.238 $14.25
7 70 brochures $.221 $15.45
8 80 brochures $.209 $16.75
9 90 brochures $.199 $17.90
10 100 brochures $.19 $19.00
11 or more packs: $19.00 (for first 10 packs)
+ $1.30 for each additional pack
4. What is the cost of samples? You will receive some samples in with your starter kit but for samples you want to purchase it will cost between $1.00 and $2.00 for a pack of 10 samples.
5. Since the customer doesn’t pay for the item until it arrives, do I have to pay first? When you sign up with Avon you will be asked a few questions that will determine your line of credit. When you place an order you can order up to a certain amount without having to pay Avon. If you go over that amount you will have to pay the difference. You will have to pay Avon for your previous order before placing the next order.
6. What happens if someone doesn’t pay for their order, am I out money? The good thing about Avon is that it sells itself so you will find a customer who will want whatever doesn’t sell. You can keep this item and sell it or you can return the item for credit to your account. However if you return it you will have to pay shipping charges. So the best thing would be to try to sell the item. My advice would be to keep a box with you for all your on hand items that way you can carry it around when you deliver your orders and show customers what you have on hand. You can always return items to Avon that you purchase within a 12 month period.
7. How do I place my orders? Once you are in the Avon system you will be able to go online and place your orders at youravon.com. You can also place your order by phone, fax or mail. You will receive an order book with your kit.
8. Does Avon have a website available to reps so they can sell to customers out of state and if so how much does it cost? Yes Avon does have a website available to reps. The cost of the site is $7.50 every campaign. Avon credits you back the cost if at least one order is placed through your website each campaign.
9. How long does each campaign last? Each campaign will last every two weeks. There are 26 campaigns in a year.
10. How much do you make with Avon? For your first campaign you will earn 50% commission when you place your order online. For your Second, Third, and Fourth campaigns, you will earn 50% commission provided your orders are greater than $50, and you place your orders online. After your first four campaigns, the commission structure is as follows:
Order Size Earnings
$1550 or more 50%
$900 - $1549 45%
$425 - $899 40%
$285 - $424 35%
$145 - $284 30%
$25 - $144 20%
$00 - $24 0%
Licensed products are earned at 20% commission.
There are further earnings opportunities within the Leadership Program.
1. Do I need to pay in Sales Tax on orders? You will need to charge customers the appropriate sales tax for your state and when you place your order Avon will add the sales tax to your total cost of your order therefore Avon will pay in the sales tax for you.
2. Do I need to file income tax? Avon is not required to send in your name or SS# unless you make more than $5000 a year. You will need to contact an accountant for info on filing for taxes.
3. Do I have to keep any inventory on hand? No, you do not have to have inventory on hand unless you want or you are doing a craft fair, ect.
4. Am I required to place an order every campaign? No, however you will want to order books to hand out in order to get more orders. You will also need to place an order every two or three campaigns in order to stay an active member.
5. Am I required to recruit anyone? No, you are not required to recruit you can simply just sell Avon if you want. Most people start out selling Avon just to get a discount and then find many other people love Avon and want to buy. If someone is interested in joining Avon but you don’t want to come into leadership then you can refer them to Avon and receive $20. If you are joining Avon to make an income than leadership is where the money is and you will want to order your start up kit in order to be in leadership.
6. Is it mandatory to go to the Avon meetings? No, it is not mandatory but it is a great experience. This is a way to keep you motivated and to reach the goals you want to reach. They hold the meeting every month or every two months.
7. What happens if I become an inactive member? If you do not place an order with Avon every couple of campaigns you can become inactive if this happens you can contact your district manager to find out how to become active again.
8. Does Avon have a training program? Yes Avon wants to help you become successful in reaching your goals so they made it convenient for everyone to do training through their online training program. You can do this in your own time at your own pace. And best of all it is free.
9. How much does the Average customer order? The average customer order is $25.
10. Do I have to sign a contract with Avon? There is a contract to sign, but it is only to state that you agree to the terms and conditions of being a representative. There is no time limit on the contract, and there is no fee or penalty to ending your relationship with AVON.
11. Do I have to pay a Shipping Fee? No! There is a $2.50 processing fee for orders placed online, but shipping is free.
12. What if I find Avon is not for me what do I need to do to leave Avon? You can simply call the district manager and she will help you.

I am in a Division which is currently able to do online appointments.

Pam

I started selling avon about a year and a half ago because we needed extra income. I take brochures to ten businesses and to family and a few friends. It is hard because you don't know from campaign to campaign how well you will do and how much you will make. It is always different.

I have noticed that avon is NOT a big money maker by any means. BUT, for us, it works. It works because what little profit I do get, I put toward buying the things we need (shower gel, lotion, my skin care and makeup, deoderant). By doing this, one, I am bumping myself up to the next earnings level and two, I am getting my things for FREE or VERY little so I don't have to spend money on them at walmart. And on those rare occassions I make a little more, I can save it or spoil myself with new jewelry or a shirt!

My advice would be stick with it to get your stuff free! Call businesses around you (don't go too far out because that is spending money with gas of course) like salons, vets, doctor offices, dental offices, auto shops. Any place with a waiting room has people bored out of the minds waiting and they WILL pick up an avon brochure! Keep a shoe box in your car filled with brochures (you can use old ones too) and every time you go through a drive thru (fast food, the bank, any place!) give the person a brochure. And last, don't do any (or if you must, than not many) specials or sales. Avon has a ton of sales and buy this get this free or cheap in every brochure. NO need for you to do more sales. It just cuts into your profit, and we already get so little.

Hope it works for you!


PS - my hubby HATES that we have to buy brochures! He doesn't mind avon but thinks it is very wrong of them to charge us for the brochures to sell their product. And I can't say I disagree with him.

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Jenifer
Proud wife to one amazing man
Proud mom to four awesome kids

Fall is my favorite season!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I also wanted to add, NEVER do stock ups, EVER!!! Those are so bad! And don't buy a bunch of stuff like samples or product to keep on hand just because it is on sale. If a customer asks for something to sample, THEN buy the sample or ask your DM for one sample. They are normally good about that. And don't buy more brochures than you will use. I buy enough for my customers that order on a regular basis and put one in with their order, for my businesses to have three each, and a few extra to try to get new customers. But I never have more than 5-10 extra. If you need extra, again your DM will normally give you 10 or so free.

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Jenifer
Proud wife to one amazing man
Proud mom to four awesome kids

Fall is my favorite season!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I've sold AVON for about 2 years now. I don't make much but I have fun doing it. It isn't all as bad as what the above website says. Yes, there are fees, but they are small. $2.50 processing fee, .75 S&H fee for each person ordering but you are only charged 1/2 the price, the brochures are only $5.95 for 10, $7.95 for 20, etc. It doesn't cost $1.00 a brochure. The bags that you can put them in, and you don't have to have them, are about .60 for 50, bags in general, you can get for .70-1.85 for 50. The fees really aren't that much money and the way you get discounts and deals is you get more customers. The more customers you have, the more % you have off of your purchases and the more money you make. I just placed an order this morning for $260 dollars and I am only charged $195 for it. So I will make money from the customers that I will collect from.

I agree with one of the posters, that a good thing is be consistent with the books. I am not always, simply because I work full time and just don't have the time to get them out to everyone (and not have it on company time). I know there are a couple ladies in my district who sell over $2000 each campaign, which is ever 2 weeks. If I could do that, I could quit my job, but I think it is a lot of work and like someone else said, each campaign varies and you don't know how much you will make each time.

I also know one woman who started selling and she only got 2 customers but she didn't try very hard to get any more. She ended up quitting because she got so frustrated with it. She thought she would make $100's of dollars the first few campaigns.

Last year, I bought alot of my gifts from AVON and saved a bunch of money and helped my selling in the process. If I need shampoo or lipstick or body wash, I just buy it from Avon.. It's very convenient.

Give it a try if you want to. If nothing else, you can get some free or reduced priced makeup and body products for yourself..

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Like the above poster said the .75 cent charge to the customer, you only pay half of that. They do that to help cover the cost of the brochure you will give them in their order and the bag to put their order in. And as cheap as the bags are (the plain, simple avon bags, not the fancy gift looking bags, DON'T buy those) you don't pay anything for them, that little bit the customer pays you buys those. My customers have NEVER complained about the .75 cent fee.

And yes the $2.50 charge the rep pays stinks, but oh well. For me to cover my brochures and the $2.50 charge I have to have $16 profit every campaign. That is not even $100 in sales (and that is only considering 20% profit). My average order is $225 in sales and get 30% profit. So $67 profit minus the $16 to cover my brochures and fee still leaves me with $51 for my personal stuff. I still think, fees considered, it is worth it. Plus, like it was said, it is FUN!

__________________
Jenifer
Proud wife to one amazing man
Proud mom to four awesome kids

Fall is my favorite season!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

you can get old bricures from your dm (I got 8 boxes once) put your info on them a a note that says for current info call. . .then put them in one of the clear plastic bags, I think called door hanger bags or something, then roll them up tie with rubber band and drive down the road tossing them in driveways. Back when I sold Avon I got several new customers that way.

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