Avon representative > Reviews (55)

At first I thought the idea of Avon seemed great. My regular job wasn't giving me the hours I needed and it sounded like a good thing to do on the side.

My friends had warned me that It wasn't worth it and they'd had bad experiences, but surely they were just unfortunate? After all, it had so many good reviews and the advert makes it out to be a great experience.

I met my area manager, seemed like a nice lady. But it wasn't long before she stopped turning up to meetings with no call or text. On one occasion I was due to go out after our meeting, and sat waiting for her for over an hour. I had to figure out for myself how to make orders and get it all sorted, as otherwise I was apparently "at risk of losing my spot" if I didn't give Avon money for atleast more Brochures.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to bring in many customers. Let's face it, moneys tight at the moment and many people will be unsure about buying an over expensive product from a brochure, where they can't see or try it first (or even read the label!).

So the area manager arranged for me to get a box of goods, valued at about £200 to take door to door with me to try and sell.
It wouldn't sell.
I told her and asked for it to be returned.
She told me it can all be opened and tested, so I should encourage customers to try the product and if they didn't buy it, that's fine.

So I tried again.

More missed meetings. Few sales from the brochures, and nothing from the box selling.
Avon was costing me more than I was earning.
I'd earned about £7, and lost over £30 already on starting up, brochures, and deliveries.

I emailed Avon and told them that I wanted to leave. I said that if they could arrange for the box of goods to be returned, I would then pay for the products that DID sell, and leave.

They said that's fine and someone would contact me.

A couple of weeks later I had a phone call.
I spoke to an Indian man who was very rude and scoffed at everything I said. I explained to him that I would pay for the goods that sold, but not until they'd taken back the box.

He gave me a date and said a delivery man would come and take the box away that morning.
He never came.

I'm still getting phone calls and now letters as well, not only demanding that I pay for the £200 box of overpriced rubbish that I didn't even ask for, but also telling me that they're adding more money on to it because of the time it's taken!

(Even If I do manage to get them to come and collect the box, they will be charging me ANOTHER £7 as a fee for returning items!)

It turns out I'm not the only person they've done this too. Quite a few younger girls who have done Avon have had the same thing happen to them and have ended up getting legal advice.

If you live in an area that's well off and can happily afford things like Avon, then there's no reason it won't go well for you. But if you're not sure you'll bring in the customers, be careful they won't go for your wallet instead!