It seem to me that direct sales is gaining more and more recognition as serious, legitimate home businesses. How great is that?

Here are two recent mainstream media articles about direct sales:

• The current issue of Women’s Day Magazine features three direct sales companies – Initials Inc., Clever Container, and Celadon Road. The article is summarized on their website: 3 New Ways To Make Money From Home. I haven’t seen the actual article yet. If you have, please leave a comment with your impressions of it.
• Family Circle recently featured four moms who are enjoying a good deal of success in their direct sales businesses: How 4 Moms Made Money from Direct Sales.

This type of attention, plus the recent announcement of a Direct Selling Certificate being offered through community colleges will certainly help promote direct sales as a viable home business.

Discover the many different direct sales opportunities available to you by visiting the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

In their September News Briefs, Direct Selling News mentions Scentsy’s recent food drive to help the hungry. The Scentsy Family Foundation is an active and generous charity that the company and its consultants should be very proud of.

I’m know many other direct sales companies support worthy causes. Does your company have and ongoing charitable cause and was it a factor in your decision to join the company?

Earlier this month (February 2011) the direct sales party plan company Thirty One Gifts instituted a consultant recruiting freeze. While consultants may continue to market the opportunity, there is essentially a waiting list for new consultants to join at a later date.

The company reportedly added 6000 new consultants in January, 2011 and put the freeze in place to avoid severe back-orders and shipping delays that might result from continued expansion at that pace. The freeze will also give the company time to expand its physical plant, technology, and staff needed to handle this growth.

Most of the online buzz I’ve seen about the freeze has been positive. Consultants are excited about the company’s growth and future potential. I suppose the only potential negative is that prospects may be anxious to get started in direct sales and will therefore look for a different company so they don’t have to wait. But I would think that those who did wait might be more committed to the product line.

If you are a Thirty One consultant, how has the freeze affected you? If you are with another company that temporarily halted recruiting, was the outcome positive for you? Please leave your comments.

Click the link to get information about the company and find a Thirty One Gifts direct sales consultant who will help you start your home business.

Image courtesy of dominiqs.

Yesterday marked the official launch of Willow House a home decor party plan company that resulted from combining Southern Living at Home (SLAH) and Entertaining at Home. The making of the company started back in 2009 when Entertaining at Home purchased SLAH from Time Inc.

Consultants seem to be very enthusiastic about the new company which offers decorating, entertaining, and organizing products.

Learn more about the company and contact an independent representative by visiting the Willow House company page in the Internet Based Moms Direct Sales Directory.

Image courtesy of Patrick Hoesly.

I came across several bits of news about a few cosmetic party plan companies.

Affordable Mineral Makeup has a new owner, Arlene Sherman. According to the announcement, customers will be receiving the “same great product and service.” There was no mention of whether or not the consultant opportunity will change, but the sign-up options are still available on the website.

Although I have no idea when it happened, Mineral Girlz also has “new” owners and doesn’t seem to be accepting new consultants at this time.

Again, I don’t know when it happened, but Beautiful Diva seems to be out of business – their website is gone.

In other cosmetic company news, Kay Napier is coming up on her one year anniversary as Arbonne International LLC’s CEO. Having recently emerged from bankruptcy reorganization the company is looking to build success by supporting its consultants and producing new products.

In their recent release of the “DSN Global 100″ Direct Selling News listed the top companies based on 2009 wholesale revenue. The top five companies all sell makeup. They are Avon, Alticor Inc. (Amway), Vorwerk & Co KG (JAFRA), Mary Kay and Natura Cosmeticos. There are probably more than another two dozen cosmetics companies on the list, including Arbonne International LLC and Tupperware (which owns BeautiControl).

It seems makeup continues to be a popular product for direct sales consultants and customers.

If you’re thinking about joining a direct sales party plan company and you love chocolate, the Dove Chocolate Discoveries opportunity is very tempting. It tempts me and I’m not considering direct sales!

Here are some of the reasons it might be the right choice for you:

• While the direct sales consultant opportunity is fairly new (it launched in 2007) the parent company, Mars Inc. has been in business since 1911.
• The brand is well-known and has a very good reputation.
• Chocolate is a $16 billion a year industry in the United States. Americans eat an average of 10-12 pounds of chocolate per year.
• Since it’s a consumable product you will have repeat customers.
• Earn 25-40% sales commission.
• Sell products at fun tasting parties.
• It’s chocolate. Need I say more?

With increased evidence of and interest in the health benefits of chocolate, the trend towards using it more often in savory dishes, and our love of it as a sweet treat, a chocolate business is likely to be increasingly successful.

For more information and to contact an independent consultant to start your own home business, visit the Dove Chocolate Discoveries page in the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

The summer of 2009 marked Scentsy’s fifth anniversary and the company celebrated by giving their employees and their local business community a huge gift. Their gift was so well received and effective that they’re reaching out to the entire country with a simple idea that can have a big impact on local economies.

The goal of Scentsy’s “Contribute 2009″ campaign is “to inspire 100,000 people to pledge to spend an extra $50 at locally owned small businesses on October 12, 2009.” And they expect a ripple effect that will multiply the benefit. According to the American Independent Business Alliance, when you purchase from a locally owned business rather than a national chain, more of that money goes back into your local community.

Participate and show your support for your local small businesses. Learn more and sign the “Contribute 2009″ pledge at http://www.scentsycontribute.org/. Spread the word and encourage others to join in.

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Idaho based Scentsy Inc. independent consultants sell scented, wickless (flameless) candles at home parties and through other direct sales methods. Learn more about the company and home business opportunity by contacting one of the consultants listed in the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

Entertaining at Home Inc. recently announced their acquisition of Southern Living at Home from Time Inc.

Entertaining at Home is itself a new company that got its start last year when founders Bill and Robin Shaw and a group of investors purchased the company from the Reader’s Digest Association. The Shaws are highly respected in the industry and bring years of experience to their company roles.

Edited 8/18/09 to add: While not from an official source, I found information suggesting that the companies won’t be combined into one, but will continue to operate as separate entities.

Find more information about both companies in our home decor company directory.

Touchstone Crystal, Inc., recently announced the acquisition of Little Black Dress® and will include their line of sterling silver jewelry in their 2009 fall catalog. Touchstone offers fashion jewelry made with Swarovski Crystals and personalized with a Touchstone charm.

Little Black Dress’s founders Robert McCannel and Erich Yost have joined Touchstone’s corporate team.

For more information about the company and to find out how to become a jewelry consultant, visit the Touchstone Crystal information page in the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.

Earlier this year two well-known home decor companies merged (see Two Big Names in Home Decor Become One) and Two Sisters Gourmet was acquired by Partylite (read more about Partylite in our Candle Company Directory.

Image courtesy of ellievanhoutte.

Image courtesy of Lori-B.

If you are in the know about jewelry you probably already know about dichroic glass gems. I just learned about them while writing up a directory listing for a new jewelry direct sales party plan, Allura Designs.

Using a process that was developed by NASA to protect satellites, Allura’s artists produce unique, brilliantly colored gems for their jewelry.

Independent consultants sell the dichroic glass jewelry at home parties and through other direct sales methods, earning up to 45% commission on sales. Consultants can earn additional income by building a team and there is a new consultant bonus program.

To learn more about the Allura Designs consultant opportunity, visit the InternetBasedMoms.com direct sales directory.