Avon-founded by David McConnell in 1886, spurred on by the Pandemic, turning its traditional doorstep retail selling into a new technique going digital.
The company was founded 135 years ago by a traveling book salesman, who founded that female customers who receive the books in the absence of their husbands were more interested in the perfume samples offered by David as an additional park.
McConnell recruited women to work as sale agents for the products, and the company become of the best cosmetic selling business, and its catchphrase ‘’ Ding Dong, Avon Calling’’ made a huge place in the market.
Why Avon is turning towards digital media?
The rise in the Covid-19 pandemic and rapid changes in the beauty market led the competitors to move towards social media launching online products backed by online influencers such as Kylie Jenner’s Kylie cosmetics. Avon felt a challenge by these changes.
Since lockdown started, Avon claimed to have 5 million ‘’reps’’ globally and has seen an almost 114 % ‘’surge’’ in the number of new representatives joining the UK business.
The company said, that spikes in sign-ups came amid Covid-19, and its impacts felt by the women disproportionately. Meanwhile, the company also made changes in its commission structure, allowing 20% on their sales of £1 and over.
Avon’s Chief executive, Angela Cretu had expressed her concerns, and said, ‘’ as the recession tightens its grasp on communities in the wake of Covid-19, people are looking for new ways to earn.’’
According to a Guardian article, there was a 114% increase relates to those signing up between 23 March and 7 June 2020 in comparison with the same period in 2019.
Current Strategy in the digital Age
Avon reps including both men and women are trained to use social media as a tool to send out brochures and collect orders. However, products will be directly delivered by Avon rather than its reps.
Before the pandemic, 10% of the company’s sales were made online, now almost 30% of the sales are through online contacts in the UK.
Angela Cretu, the Chief Executive of Avon said, the company wants to become fully ‘’ Omni-Channel’’ using different methods of selling both from stores to the doorstep, over the next few years.
She also added that in any situation, reps will remain at the heart of the company’s group’s plans, whether that’s a small boutique, creating outlets in the department stores, or selling through online platforms.
Angela Cretu said,
‘’ Even with the most sophisticated digital experience and Al and Social data crunching you never get, from digital, the friendship and touch and intimate knowledge you need when you buy beauty.
She adds; We need personalized service, something that goes beyond the classic service you would get over the counter.’’
