The US direct selling industry is a $40‑billion economic engine, empowering over 13 million Americans—75 percent of whom are women—to earn supplemental and full-time income that helps pay for groceries, utilities, childcare and other everyday essentials. Yet despite this industry’s scale, transparency and decades‑long commitment to consumer protection, the Federal Trade Commission continues to treat direct selling as an adversary rather than a partner.

As regulators examine marketing practices more closely and social media reshapes how independent sellers communicate, companies across the channel are investing more deliberately in compliance leadership.

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) brought a delegation of chief executives and senior leaders from member companies to Washington, DC to meet with federal policymakers about the state of independent work, entrepreneurship and the direct selling industry. The meetings follow the US Department of Labor’s announcement of a proposed rule to clarify the classification of independent contractors.

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) said it “welcomes” the recent announcement from the US Department of Labor proposing a rule that would clarify the distinction between employees and independent contractors. A 2024 rule previously made it harder for companies to classify workers as contractors, requiring them to offer benefits like insurance, minimum wage, overtime and other costly benefits.

The Florida Direct Sellers & Consumers Coalition held its inaugural kickoff event at the Florida Capitol, gathering business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers and industry advocates to advance its mission to “protect and strengthen the direct selling channel in Florida.”

At the 2025 DSA Awards, the US Direct Selling Association (DSA) recognized companies that are “embodying the best practices that safeguard consumer trust, ensure compliance and drive sustainable growth” and “exemplify ethical entrepreneurship, industry leadership and a commitment to building trust through rigorous standards and education.”

At its annual Legal + Regulatory Conference, the Direct Selling Association (DSA) gathered bipartisan lawmakers, senior White House staff and legal experts. Conversations among these groups addressed the growing federal and state pressures that are intensifying surrounding independent work and the people who make their living as direct sellers.

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) will host its annual Legal + Regulatory Conference beginning December 9th through the 11th. The DSA’s lobbying for H.R. 3495, a direct selling-specific bill called the Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act, successfully advanced out of committee earlier this year, a significant legislative victory for the channel.

Herbalife Ltd. was recognized with the Direct Selling Association’s (DSA) 2025 Vision for Tomorrow Award, an honor that recognizes programs that create meaningful, long-term community and industry impact and businesses that demonstrate leadership in ethics, consumer protection, best practices and social responsibility.

Direct Selling University’s (DSU) Fall 2025 event was an electrifying blend of innovation, inspiration and industry connection, welcoming hundreds of leaders from across the channel to explore cutting-edge trends and come together to chart the future of the industry.

At its annual Direct Selling Day on Capitol Hill, the Direct Selling Association urged Members of Congress and Trump Administration officials to advance HR 3495, a bipartisan legislation that would explicitly define direct sellers and real estate agents as independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

A recent consumer attitudes study conducted by Ipsos for the Direct Selling Education Foundation (DSEF) shows a “sharp rise in consumer trust and interest in direct selling.” According to the study’s results, positive consumer perceptions of the direct selling channel have improved 21% since 2019, with four out of five US consumers reporting a neutral to favorable opinion of purchasing from a direct seller.