Avon - Who we are?
Our Vision
To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service and self-fulfilment needs of women globally.
Avon is the world’s leading direct seller of beauty and related products, with a global annual turnover of $7.7billion. Avon markets to women in over 143 countries through 4.9 million independent sales Representatives - often fondly known as the Avon Lady.
Avon launched Sales Leadership in 2004 to complement the Representative role. It allows Representatives to recruit, train and develop their own team of Representatives. It is aimed at those looking to enhance their career prospects and boost their earnings. The Sales Leader role gives them more responsibility and the chance to run their own team and ultimately their own Avon Business.
Avon product lines include the well-known brands Anew, Skin So Soft, Avon Colour, Advance Techniques and today – tomorrow- always, the fragrance trilogy. Avon also sells an extensive range of health, fitness and wellbeing products, jewellery, lingerie, accessories and gifts.
How it all began
The roots of Avon can be traced back to 1886, when door to door salesman David McConnell made the decision to sell perfumes, rather than books to New York homes.
Known in those days as The California Perfume Company, the business quickly prospered and Mr McConnell appointed his first General Agent Mrs P.F.E Albee. At a time before women had the right to vote, Mrs Albee was instrumental in establishing the unique sales method that continues to be Avon’s hallmark today.
David McConnell has aspirations to expand his company overseas and recognised the need to change the company name. Having been enchanted by the beauty of Stratford upon Avon during a visit to England, David McConnell was inspired and in 1939 chose the name Avon for his growing international company.
In 1959, operations began in the UK and, today is one of the top 3 beauty brands in the country with growing market share in the UK beauty market.
Shopping with Avon
Avon’s shop window is its brochure. In the UK, every 3 weeks 6 million women see an Avon brochure. It offers a wide and contemporary selection of beauty and related products at affordable prices.
An Avon Representative shows a refreshed brochure to customers every three weeks either in their homes, at work, at social or leisure activities or to their friends and family. They then send their orders to Avon and products are delivered free of charge directly to their homes. There is also an area of our website dedicated to Representatives where they can manage their business online.
Shopping with Avon is easy. You can shop direct as well as via our successful direct selling network. The Avon website allows consumers to buy online without the need to see a Representative, or phone Avon direct (on 0845 601 4040).
Customers can shop with confidence with Avon. Avon is committed to excellence – every beauty product that carries the Avon name carries with it the highest standards of product safety and integrity. Avon products are enjoyed by millions of women around the globe, providing testimony to the value, quality and consistency of Avon products. With absolute confidence that our products fulfil their promises, Avon is the only beauty company to offer a 100 per cent money back guarantee. This guarantee was instituted 119 years ago, on the day the company was founded and is in addition to consumers’ statutory rights.
Product quality & enviromental responsibility
Avon’s research and development team in New York includes experts in all major scientific fields. In addition to having an internal staff of experts, Avon works with renowned scientists all over the world to ensure we continue to provide affordable, state-of-the art products, pushing the boundaries of beauty innovation and product technology.
In 1989, Avon was the first major beauty company to stop testing products and ingredients on animals. Avon does not test products or ingredients on animals, nor do we request others to do so, on our behalf. As a leader in the search for alternatives, Avon took a proactive role by opening an in-house cell culture facility dedicated to the development of in-vitro alternatives to animal tests. As a leading name in beauty, Avon still actively supports and funds external organisations in the UK (FRAME), Europe and the USA that are working to develop viable alternatives to animal testing in all fields.
Product quality and safety are of paramount importance to Avon, and the company seeks to ensure that products meet our own very high standards by controlled laboratory tests at every stage of development and manufacture. Volunteers are invited to try our products to help evaluate their efficacy and to ensure that they are both easy and pleasant to use. Around the world systems are in place to reduce packaging waste and energy consumption, and to promote and measure re-use or recycling wherever possible. New packaging materials and production methods are evaluated as they are developed and Avon challenges itself to ensure that products and business operations fulfil a healthy balance of meeting consumer demands while having regard for environmental responsibility.
Avon has raised $400 million for breast cancer worldwide to date - read more...
Avon has raised $400 million for the breast cancer cause worldwide, and supports programs for breast cancer in more than 50 countries globally.
In the UK alone over £10 million has been raised for UK breast cancer charities. To date £9 million has been donated to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and Avon pledges to continue its awareness and fundraising work. Back in 1992 when the Crusade began, all we knew about breast cancer was that it was claiming women's lives in the UK at a rate of more than 1,000 every month. With 160,000 Avon Representatives, and nearly 8 million customers, Avon felt totally compelled to take action by raising money and awareness to address the number one health concern for women.
Avon