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•56 The 100 Greatest Business Ideas of All Time

The case of samples has gone, replaced by a catalogue containing over 600
items. The range has increased as well. It still has the Homecare section with clean-
ing materials and tools. To this it has added Home ideas, Personal care, What’s cook-
ing and Garden & workshop. The catalogue is attractive and comprehensive, but I
wonder if children rush indoors to tell their mothers that the Kleeneze catalogue is
coming.

Idea 36 – Ding doing well (Avon)

The first ‘Avon Lady,’ Mrs. P.F.E. Albee of Winchester, NH, pioneered the com-
pany’s now-famous direct-selling method. By so doing Avon provided one of the
first opportunities for American women to be financially independent at a time when
their place was traditionally at home. Indeed, women have sold Avon since 1886,
that is 34 years before they won the right to vote!

Avon Products, Inc., founded in 1886, is the world’s largest direct seller of
beauty and related products. With $4.8 billion in annual revenues, the company
ranks 293rd on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies. It markets to
women in 131 countries through nearly 2.3 million independent sales representa-
tives.

‘Avon’ is among the world’s largest selling brands of cosmetics, fragrances and
toiletries, including such recognisable brands as Anew, Avon Skin Care, Skin-So-
Soft, Avon Color, Far Away, Rare Gold, Josie, Natori, and Millennia. In addition, the
company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fashion jewellery. It also
markets an extensive line of apparel, gifts, decorative, collectible, and family en-
tertainment products. Avon’s vision is: to be the company that best understands
and satisfies the product, service and self-fulfilment needs of women – globally.
This vision influences the company’s research, product development, marketing
and management practices.