The Detroit News:
That ring at your door or on your phone could be Avon calling.
Or Amway.
Or a host of other direct-sell companies, thanks to a tumbling economy that has sent thousands of laid-off and struggling workers in Metro Detroit and across the nation signing up to sell cosmetics, jewelry, cleaning products and pet supplies to help make ends meet.
Recessions have historically meant a jump in the number of people selling products person to person — that is, knocking on the doors of family and friends and hosting sales parties — though figures for 2008 are not yet available, said Amy Robinson, a spokeswoman for the Direct Selling Association.
In 2007, the association counted 15 million direct sellers with sales totaling $30.8 billion — both figures are slightly down from the year before but do not reflect the impact of the economy’s nosedive in late 2008.
“Looking at the indications, I would say yes, things are good (for direct sales companies),” Robinson said.
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