Beauty company Avon is preparing for a ‘tidal wave’ of rep sign ups as the UK teeters on the edge of a ‘pink-collar recession’ and women explore new, flexible and digital earning opportunities.
The social selling platform has already seen double the number of new reps signing up across the UK since lockdown began, signalling that many are looking for flexible opportunities to supplement income amid a looming jobs crisis.
The beauty company, which has 5 million reps globally, enables women to sell products directly to friends, family and neighbours using their social networks and digital tools – whilst allowing flexibility to work around a full-time job or other life commitments.
Reflecting patterns of the wider retail sector, Avon’s online sales are increasing and have shown a spike during the COVID-19 outbreak. The spike in signups comes as the UN predicts that the economic impacts of the coronavirus will be disproportionately felt by women, rolling back recent decades of progress. In fact, data from the British think tank, Autonomy, showed that of the three million people in ‘high risk’ jobs, 77% of them are women.
To support all its UK reps and new recruits during this crisis Avon has reduced the threshold to earn, from £90 to £1 of sales. This means that reps can earn 20% on their sales of £1 and over.
Angela Cretu, Avon CEO, explains: “As the recession tightens its grasp on communities in the wake of Covid-19, people are looking for new ways to earn. Avon has been providing an opportunity for our Reps to earn and learn by selling through their social networks for nearly 135 years, and we’ve reinvented our model of social selling for the next era. Helping our community of Avon Reps to embrace online opportunities, we have supported our them with video workshops on building their business online, as well as tips and insights on how to make the most of social media.”
Cretu adds: “As people look for new flexible ways to earn, we are ready for a tidal wave of new sign ups and hope our Rep recruitment drive will help female entrepreneurs break through these difficult times.”
She concludes: “In addition to the financial benefits of owning your own business, Avon Reps play a crucial role within their communities. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we’ve seen our five million Representatives pivot their businesses to provide support to the most vulnerable by picking up prescriptions and shopping, to checking in on neighbours. The beauty of Avon is that our Representatives are able to develop a meaningful relationship with their customers which is far more than skin deep.”
