Is Avon a Pyramid Scheme or Legit MLM Opportunity? The Company for Women with a Low Success Rate

 

Product name: Avon

Website: www.avon.com

Price: $25 – $100 starter kit

Owners: David McConell

Overall rank: 40 out of 100

 

Avon is an oldest MLM company that I’ve ever seen so far. I don’t know maybe there are other old MLMs exist but this one is the oldest.

The only company that can be compared to Avon is Amway that I’ve reviewed recently.

Amway has been in the business for over 50 years and Avon has been in the industry for over 130 years.

First, I did my research of Amway and then Avon MlM and found many similarities between these two MLM companies.

Both are old, have a wide range of products, millions in revenue, millions of representatives worldwide.

But despite the fact that both companies are legit there are many negative reviews and complaints about them.

Is Avon a Pyramid Scheme? Yes, it’s a pyramid scheme. Is Avon a legit MLM opportunity? Yes, it is. Is Avon a scam? No, it’s not.

There is a ton of positive feedback and there is a ton of complaints about Avon.

It’s really difficult to say if this program is a good fit for you or not.

You need to read the whole review to understand how the opportunity works, what is required from you as Avon representative so you can decide if this program is for you or not.

 

Short review of Avon MLM

Avon is a multi-level marketing company with a wide range of products, such as makeup, skincare, bath & body, fragrance, jewelry, fashion.

You can make money with Avon as a representative by selling Avon products, earning bonuses, incentives or by recruiting new members.

It’s absolutely possible to make money here though the success rate is VERY low. It’s pretty much common to almost any MLM opportunity.

 

Pros of Avon

• Quality products
• Brochures, Catalogues
• Refund within 90 days
• Avon has been in the industry for over 130 years
• Affordable prices

 

Cons of Avon

• Sales experience required
• Strong focus on recruitment
• Complaints about Avon
• Negative reviews
• Low success rate
• No training
• High competition

 

Avon is an MLM pyramid scheme. It’s legit. There are both pros and cons. My recommendation depends on your personal skills. If you like direct marketing, direct selling, cold calling Avon is for you. If not then I highly recommend to try my favorite program. It’s legit and FREE to try.

 

 

Avon MLM review

Avon was founded in 1886 which means the company has been in the business and industry for over 130 years now.

So, it’s pretty impressive to be honest considering that most companies don’t stay in the business for more than 10 years.

This means Avon is legit company though it doesn’t mean that it’s the best opportunity out there.

It’s even older than Amway that has been in the industry for over 50 years.

Avon has offices in several countries and has a large network of representatives worldwide.

Avon has independent sales representatives across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

There are in fact two companies: Avon Products operating in North America and New Avon LLC operating in countries outside the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.

If you are looking for a job at Avon you can search for available positions in USA, Canada or Puerto Rico.

 

 

I checked and it looks like they don’t have any positions in Canada.

In Puerto Rico I found only one position and there is a long list of positions available in USA, mostly full time positions.

 

Avon products:

Avon cosmetics: Makeup (face, lips, eyes, nails)

Skincare (Moisturizers, Cleansers & Toners, Scrubs & Masks, Treatments, Eye Care, Regimen Sets, Travel Sizes, Acne & Blemishes, Brightening, Anti-Wrinkle, Enlarged Pores, Hydration, Lifting & Firming, Sensitive Skin, Uneven Skin Tone)

Bath & body (Bath & Shower, Body, Foot Care, Hair Care, Sun Care, Insect Repellent, Men’s Grooming, Bath Oil, Bubble Bath, Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Body Spray, Hair Removal, Deodorant, Hand Cream)

Avon Fragrances (Perfume, Shower Gel, Body Sprays, Body Lotion, Deodorant, Candles, For Men)

Health & Wellness (Boost, glow, restore)

Jewelry (Earrings, Necklaces, Bracelets, Rings, Watches, Charms, Pendants, Fine Jewelry, Men’s Jewelry)

Fashion (Apparel, Tops, Bottoms, Dresses, Jackets, Footwear, Handbags, Accessories)

 

So, there is no product shortage. You can promote to any group of people. The only help you can get from Avon is a set of brochures and catalogues.

 

 

They don’t provide training or education. But if you join Avon through a successful Avon representative you will be a lucky person.

He can help you and teach how to promote products. If your sponsor is new like you then you won’t get anywhere.

You will be struggling for sales. Avon has some restrictions for their members.

Unfortunately, even if you have a website you can’t sell Avon products online without paying some extra fees to Avon.

Also, if you sell online you need to arrange shipment of the goods. This will be your responsibility. But the good news is that Avon has two options on their site.

You can buy Avon products online directly from Avon official site or you can search for Avon representatives in your area and shop with that person (representative).

 

 

The commission will go to that person then. I mean before there were complaints from Avon members that they lose on sales because people shop directly from Avon.

Now Avon made changes to their site and people can buy from a representative too.

This is definitely good from the perspective of Avon representative.

Avon has now 6.5 million members worldwide which is pretty impressive. As of 2016 Avon has generated revenue of almost $6 billion.

This can lead you to a conclusion that Avon is a great opportunity for anyone to financial freedom. Unfortunately, it’s not.

As I said above, the success rate in this company is VERY low.

The same situation is in Amway company.

Because it’s an MLM type of business, i.e. a pyramid scheme which means those who joined Avon at an early stage and stand at the top of this pyramid are making the most money.

An average Avon representative earns less than $100 per month.

 

 

When it comes to the quality of Avon products the situation is similar to what I’ve seen in Amway company.

There are both positive and negative reviews and it’s really difficult to come to the right conclusion.

Further in the review you will see screenshots taken from www.consumeraffairs.com and after reading them you will make your educated decision.

 

Making money with Avon! Is that really possible?

You can join Avon as a representative and sell products to people.

To be able to do it you need to have good selling skills or join Avon through a successful sales representative who can train you and show how to promote, how to sell Avon products like hot cakes.

When you start your representative career your commission will be 10%. Not a lot to be honest considering that Avon products are cheap.

You will need to make a lot of sales to earn a substantial income per month. Is it possible? Absolutely. Is it real?

I don’t think so because the competition is very high.

Plus people can easily buy Avon products online through Avon website, Amazon.com, eBay.com.

I believe you will be struggling to earn even $100 per month. Over time you can earn 50% commission but to achieve that top level you will probably need years.

At least as I know, you need to make over $1500 in sales per month to be able to earn 50% commission from Avon.

Avon has 3 packages to offer:

• Quick Starter Kit – $25
• Advanced Starter Kit – $50
• Premium Starter Kit – $100

You can also make money with Avon as a supervisor and earn 12% leadership commission.

To be able to earn that income you need to bring a lot of people to Avon and build your own team. This is how the most money made in MLMs.

You recruit new people, your recruited people recruit other people and they all are added to your team under your leadership.

This takes years to achieve and most people quit after first 2,3 months. So, it’s achievable but not realistic in my opinion.

The good news is that you can join Avon by spending $20-$25. Plus some spending on brochures and catalogues and some shipping costs.

BTW, according to Market Watch, Avon’s sales revenue and income seriously reduced in 2017 compared to 2013. It shows 5.7 billion in revenue in 2017.

 

 

 

According to Avon they have 6 or 6.5 million representatives worldwide.

My calculations shows that an average Avon representative earns approx. $1000 per year which means less than $100 per month.

Considering that John Taylor who spent years to research hundreds of MLM companies says that 97% of those who join MLMs fail it becomes clear why it’s so difficult to become successful in MLM business.

Based on all this info I come to the conclusion that making money with Avon as Avon representative or supervisor is absolutely possible.

By this I mean you can make some money. When it comes to a full time income I don’t believe it’s real because of the structure of Avon.

The structure is an MLM pyramid scheme which means you need to have either super selling skills and make a LOT of sales OR you need to bring a TON of people to Avon and get them to join under you so you can go to the top of the pyramid structure.

 

If you believe you can do it, go and do it! Otherwise look for other programs, such as this one (my favorite program since 2013).

 

Avon has several levels for representatives:

• Presidential Recognition Program – $10.000 in sales
• Inner Circle – for reps with $200,000 in sales

 

In MLM you can build your team of representatives and train them to make sales you can yourself start making a ton of money.

Plus you will be earning incentives, bonuses.

My research shows that Avon has recently had a decline in active representatives which means it will not be easy for you to find people willing to join Avon.

Plus you will be competing with many other Avon representatives in your area. Bringing a few new members is not an issue.

But bringing new members consistently is what becomes a huge problem for most people.

This looks good on paper but when it comes to reality you will be struggling to bring even 5-10 new people per month.

Maybe it would be better to search for available positions at Avon website and work for the company.

I think it looks more realistic in terms of making money instead of becoming an Avon representative.

 

What I like about Avon

Quality products Brochures, Catalogues Refund within 90 days Avon has been in the industry for over 100 years Affordable prices

First of all Avon has quality products and has been in the industry for over 130 years now. It’s not a fly-by-night company.

They offer a refund within 90 days because they stand behind their products. But despite that fact there are many complaints about Avon products.

Some people don’t like the quality, others complain of adverse effects. So, people are different and opinions are different too.

Within its bonuses and incentive program Avon provides discounts and sometimes even free products.

They offer catalogues, brochures but you have to pay for them.

Finally, Avon products are not expensive. Prices are very affordable. But your commissions will be very low.

 

What I don’t like about Avon

This part of Avon review is the most difficult for me because I must explain what I don’t like in Avon and at the same time I must be objective.

I will try so you can make the right decision. Here is the short list of what I don’t like in Avon and below I will explain everything in details.

• Sales experience required
• Strong focus on recruitment
• Complaints about Avon
• Negative reviews
• Low success rate
• No training
• High competition

First of all, I’m not a sales person and can’t make cold calling and have zero experience in direct selling.

If you plan to join Avon company you need to realize that this MLM opportunity requires a solid sales experience.

Because you can’t become successful in MLM by making 2,3 sales per month.

You have to make a LOT of sales each and every month. Otherwise you won’t make any income with Avon.

This leads MLM representatives to being pushy and annoying what most people don’t like. As a result, very often MLM members lose their friends. Not always but very often.

Strong focus on recruitment is another thing that I don’t like about MLMs. The same story is with Avon.

They urge you to bring new members to Avon. Because if you can’t makes sales but can bring new people you can make some money.

Though Avon is an old company and has over 130 years of experience there are many complaints about Avon’s customer service, products.

It’s really strange for a company with such a solid reputation to have so many complaints and negative reviews. I don’t know the reason but that’s the reality.

The success rate at Avon is no different from other MLMs. An average Avon sales rep. earns less than $1000 per year.

Avon’s revenue seriously dropped in 2017 compared to 2013. Generally speaking, experts in MLM industry know very well that 97% of MLM members fail to make any money with MLMs.

Avon doesn’t provide training or education. Only if you join Avon through a successful representative he can teach you and guide you.

It doesn’t guarantee any income but at least you can expect some kind of support.

There is a high competition on the market. Not only because there are many other similar products available on the market but also because there are over 6 million Avon representatives worldwide. You will be competing with them.

Plus your direct competitors are Amazon.com and eBay.com websites. People can easily buy products from them and also from Avon.com website directly.

Your main struggle will be: selling products, bringing new members. If your sponsor knows how to do it that’s fine.

Since most MLM members fail that means most sponsors don’t know how to do it effectively and that’s why they can’t teach new members.

Most of them quit after 2,3 months.

 

Complaints about Avon

When I was doing my research of Amway I came across many complaints and negative reviews. Though the company is legit and one of the oldest in the industry.

The same can be described about Avon. Exactly the same situation. Too many complaints and negative comments. Just read them below for your information.

 

 

The only thing I want to say is that it seems to me that Avon is way better than Amway due to the nature of complaints that I’ve seen.

Anyway, both companies are not perfect but legit.

Here is a short list of complaints:

• Bad customer service
• Product Quality
• Some representatives are rude
• Representatives complain for being unable to make sales
• Refund issues
• Payment issues

 

Can you become successful with Avon?

According to Market Watch report in 2017, an average Avon representative earns less than $1000 per year.

Considering the fact that overwhelming majority of mlm members don’t make money according to John Tylor it becomes clear that Avon is not going to become your ticket to financial freedom.

Making money with the program is one thing. Making a lot of money is a totally different story.

Making extra money with Avon is achievable. When it comes to a solid monthly income in my opinion it’s achievable by very few people with specific qualities.

 

Final word on Avon

Avon as an MLM opportunity certainly has some strong sides, such as being an old company with a proven track record and offering quality product line.

Prices are affordable and there is also a refund. All this is good.

When it comes to negative sides, there is a high competition on the market, too many representatives, most likely even in your area, complaints about Avon MLM, no training and finally low success rate.

All this should be taken into account when thinking of joining Avon MLM opportunity.

If you think you are a strong personality with all required personal qualities and can achieve your goals with Avon then go for it.

Avon is not a scam. It’s just an MlM pyramid scheme. Nothing personal. It’s just what it is. I personally never recommend MLMs.

Otherwise I suggest to try another program I’ve been a member of since 2013. There is a 7 day free trial and no payment information required.

 

Final glance at Avon

• Quality products
• Brochures, Catalogues
• Refund within 90 days
• Avon has been in the industry for over 130 years
• Affordable prices
• Sales experience required
• Strong focus on recruitment
• Complaints about Avon
• Negative reviews
• Low success rate
• No training
• High competition
• Overall rank: 40 out of 100

 

My top recommended program to make money online in 2018!. NOT MLM!