Learn how to sell avon online and how to become an Avon Representative. Avon Products – better known simply as Avon – is a business-to-consumer (B2C) company with beauty products, household products, and personal items.
And as anyone who’s watched Tim Burton’s 1990 film Edward Scissorhands would know, they use Avon reps to make those B2C connections.
This adoption of the Avon rep approach also helped the company to stand out since the late 1880s.
How to sell avon online
If you want to become an Avon rep and need to know the ins and outs, you’ve come to the right place.
How Much Does it Cost to Sell Avon?
Once you’ve applied to become an Avon rep, you’ll be asked to select your starter-kit.
The basic starter kit is $30 and includes your first order forms, sales information, brochures, and your own personalized Avon website. You’ll also get your choice of an assortment of Avon product best-sellers and 40% off of your first order.
Once you run out of your starter-kit material, you need to start paying for new catalogs, optional samples, and the Avon One Simple Fee for each of your campaigns. The One Simple Fee ($5.95+) will cover your online ordering, shipping, and handling for each Avon campaign you run.
How Much Do You Make Selling Avon?
According to Avon’s most recent data, you’ll earn 40% commission on all sales for your first 7 campaigns as a new rep. Thereafter:
- 20% commission on all Fashion and Home sales
- 20% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales up to $149.99
- 30% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales $150 to $299.99
- 35% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales $300 to $499.99
- 40% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales $500+
Once you sell $10,000+ as an Avon rep, you’ll be invited to join the President’s Recognition Club. Here you’ll earn:
- 20% commission on all Fashion and Home sales
- 40% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales up to $924.99
- 45% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales $925 to $1,574.99
- 50% commission on Beauty and Jewelry campaign sales $1,575+
Becoming an Avon Rep Pros and Cons
No job is perfect, no matter how great it sounds.
To help give you a realistic idea of what it’s like to become an Avon rep, we asked some of them to list their pros and cons for you. Here’s what we heard back from them.
Pros
- Low start-up cost
- No sales cap – you’re allowed to sell as much as you want (and get rewarded for it)
- When you sign-up, you’ll be assigned a mentor to help show you the ropes
- Your own free online business page with free management tools and training
- Total autonomy – you are your own boss, which means you have the freedom to handle this as a part-time opportunity or as a full-time job
Cons
- It takes time to turn this into an opportunity where you can earn a full-time livable wage
- One of the reasons for the above con is there’s a lot of competition, both online and perhaps even in your local area
- Total autonomy – you are your own boss, which means you’re 100% responsible for putting in the effort and finding the motivation to make it a success
- Like any business, there are a lot of ups and downs – you might make $1,000+ in your first 90 days with the Avon KickStart incentives, but then struggle to make as much in the next 6 months
How to Find Avon Customers Offline
Finding Avon customers online is easy. You start off by customizing your website so it represents you properly, with a URL that’s easy to remember, and share it on social media.
Make sure you also set up your website so it’s easy for customers to navigate. Here’s a great article with Tips to Sell Avon Online.
Offline is a totally different matter.
Once you rope your friends, family, and colleagues in as customers, you need to start expanding. So your first step is printing your own business cards (which you can get from Avon) and making sure you have plenty of brochures.
Start by asking other local businesses if you can leave some business cards and brochures with them.
If your grocery stores and library have notice boards where you can pin advertisements for free, make a small poster for yourself to print on glossy paper and put it up with your website URL and contact details.
Fairs and bazaars are also a great opportunity to meet potential clients in-person. Don’t get too much inventory, but make sure you have enough small, popular items people are likely to buy.
Finally, if you’re brave enough to do so, you can go the traditional route by canvassing your neighborhood. Simply grab your samples kit and knock on doors. Avon calling!
Are There Avon Selling Secrets and Ideas?
Every business model has its own selling secrets, and being an Avon rep is no different. It’s a good idea to talk to your assigned mentor about what works best for them, especially if they’re in the same area (or a very similar one).
But to help you get started, we did some asking for you. Here are a few insider tips and tricks to selling Avon.
Creative Ways to Sell Avon
Earlier, we mentioned fairs and bazaars. A great way to make the most out of the opportunity is to hold a lucky draw for a basket of larger items.
Simply invite people to enter the draw by paying a small fee and leaving their contact details with you. Depending on how many people enter, the fee will cover your costs. More importantly, you’ll have a list of people to contact with offers and convert into regular clients!
Another creative way to sell Avon without running up expenses is to design your own business card rather than using the one Avon generates.
You can either print them yourself at home or keep an eye out for Vistaprint specials. Do the same with your flyers and follow the tips above for using them to attract new customers.
Create your own special Avon product packs by thinking about your target market and their pain points.
For example, you could do a Mom Pamper Sample Pack with a few samples, your brochure, and business card to leave with potential clients. On the pack-type-specific brochure, explain what comes with the full pack and how they can order from you.
Finally, you can also host an open house. Advertise it online and ask interested parties to RSVP. This is a great way to get interested parties to come to you.
How to sell avon online Successfully
No matter what your unique touch is, some things are always going to be necessary for selling Avon successfully. Here’s the recipe for success according to the successful reps we spoke with:
- Focus on what you can do for the customer. When you do this, you build excellent customer relationships, which solidifies your clientele base and creates a network for word-of-mouth referrals to help you grow.
- As an Avon rep, you aren’t just selling Avon products – you need to sell yourself as a salesperson too. Any opportunity you get to talk up your business, grab it with both hands. Just be careful you don’t end up sounding pushy – let the conversation naturally flow.
- The Avon reps that earn the most are the ones who end up creating their own sales team. As your business grows, you might find you need help anyway – so talk to friends and family. Someone’s bound to be interested in joining you. This way, you’ll also avoid having them decide to compete with you down the line.
- Your first customer – and the one who must always remain your customer, no matter what – needs to be yourself. No one trusts a salesperson who doesn’t use their own product. Plus, when people compliment you on your great looks, you have another opportunity to gain a new customer!
Is Selling Avon Worth It?
That all depends on how you approach the opportunity.
It’s easy to see those high commission percentages and think you’ll make a lot of money. But your expenses – including all the money you need to pay Avon’s processing fees, your One Simple Fee, and any brochures and/or bags you order – come out of that commission.
That’s why we said it’s harder than most people think and takes a fair amount of time before being an Avon rep will replace any other income.
If you have the right approach and are willing to treat this as a business, then it can definitely be worth it. But if you’re just looking for a way to make some extra money on the side, you’re better off looking into other opportunities.
Do You Have to Have a Business License to Sell Avon?
Not everyone who works as an Avon rep needs to have a business license. It all depends on what your local state legislation requires.
After all, becoming an Avon rep does mean you’ll have your own business. The only thing you won’t have to take care of is taxes – Avon will deduct them from your commission once you start earning more than a certain amount each year as a rep.
So it’s in your best interest to talk with someone at your local county office before you sign-up as an Avon rep. It’s always best to be safe, as the fines for operating without a business license will quickly eat up any profits you make!
Conclusion
As you’ve now learned, how to sell avon Online. Becoming an Avon rep is incredibly easy. However, running your small business and operating as one is a whole different ball game!
It’s going to take hard work and dedication on your part. If you want to make a success of this opportunity, you’re going to need to put in the hours and make every effort to stay one step ahead of the competition.
But if you approach being an Avon rep with the right attitude, it can definitely be a lucrative opportunity to become your own boss.
