Our channel needs to update its recruiting message and practices and concentrate on the real motivations and needs to attract future prospects. Amazon, gig economy competitors and other market forces have taken some wind out of direct selling’s sales. After years of significant growth, our industry’s U.S. revenue was down 1.6 percent in 2016 and […]
Today’s direct selling climate demands companies establish a compensation strategy, rather than just a commission plan. In the world of same-day shipping, the gig economy and instantaneous communication, you want to know where you stand in the direct selling industry and how to stay competitive. The landscape is shifting, and it will soon become apparent […]
AdvoCare International today announced a revision of its business model from multi-level marketing to a direct-to-consumer and single-level marketing compensation plan. AdvoCare has been in confidential talks with the Federal Trade Commission about the AdvoCare business model and how AdvoCare compensates its Distributors. The planned change will impact Distributors who have participated in the multi-level […]
Most of us know the game “Telephone” where one person whispers a statement to their neighbor, and that person turns to their neighbor and repeats the statement as they heard it. The further down the line, the more the statement is misinterpreted and altered. In today’s fast-paced digital environment, unchecked or even false information can […]
In our January 2019 issue of Direct Selling News, we published a story on some best practices to employ when responding to misleading facts about your company or negative criticism of the industry. The article illustrates that sometimes it’s better to leave things alone because it can just bring more attention to the story. But, there are times when […]
Vigilance, continuous learning are industry’s best defenses against cybercriminals. It has become a painfully common headline: “Cyberthieves breach company’s system, steal credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, birthdates, passport numbers . . .” High-profile corporations such as Target, Equifax and Marriott all have been robbed of massive amounts of valuable consumer data in recent years, proving […]
The US Direct Selling Association (DSA) has announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved the establishment of a third party self-regulatory program. The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (Direct Selling-SRC), which will be administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB), is designed to ensure high standards of integrity and business ethics which remain the guiding […]
Lois Greisman, Associate Director of the Division of Marketing Practices, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lauded the establishment of the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DS-SRC) at the Direct Selling Association (DSA) Fall Conference in Arlington, VA. In addition to providing an overview of the January 2018 FTC Business Guidance Concerning Multi-Level Marketing, Associate Director Greisman characterized […]
Senator Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving Republican senator in US history, gave a nod to the direct selling channel during a recent judicial hearing. During the “Oversight of the Enforcement of Antitrust Laws” hearing held on Wednesday—part of the US Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights—the senior senator from Utah, home to nearly 100 […]
We all know how Amazon has impacted competition on the product side of our business, and the emerging gig economy players that rely on independent contractors have brought even more disruption to the marketplace. What makes direct selling so attractive—our commitment to creating a more supportive world for independent contractors—is central to who we are […]
Thank you for being part of the DSA Annual Meeting. Ours is an age marked by transition. As direct selling faces these tides of change, the fight to protect our independent salesforces and their ability to build business on their own terms remains our lynchpin issue. We have taken note of the cultural moment all […]
Last Friday, hedge fund manager Carl Icahn significantly reduced his stake in Herbalife Ltd., causing shares in the Los Angeles-based nutritional company to plunge 9.6 percent. According to a securities filing, Icahn’s fund, Icahn Enterprises (IEP) said it was tendering up to 11.4 million of Herbalife shares, making an approximate 25 percent divestiture of the […]