Avon gets go-ahead from China
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Chinese Ministry of Commerce and State Administration for Industry and Commerce approve Avon as first company to test direct selling in Beijing, Tianjin and Guangdong provinces this month, firm announces April 8. Test is a "preparation for a successful implementation" of direct selling legislation currently under development by the government, according to Avon. Firm, which views China as a significant growth opportunity, lobbied the Chinese government to end the direct sales ban, instituted in 1998. Avon received verbal permission last year to roll out a direct-sell test program, and has been awaiting written approval (1"The Rose Sheet" Aug. 2, 2004, In Brief). Other direct sellers looking to enter China include Nu Skin, which plans to expand its presence in the region once the ban is formally lifted...