Door-to-door sales, an economic reality that mainly revolves around women, for whom this activity often represents a supplement to the family budget. In 2018, sellers exceeded 159, with an increase of 1,1% on 2017, for a turnover - based on the latest report by the Univendita study center which brings together 18 companies - of 1,662 billion, also in this case up, albeit slightly, compared to the previous year: +0,2%
And it is women who dominate it: representing 92,5% of sellers, practically almost all. These are young people who have just graduated or who are still studying and are therefore looking for a part-time or occasional job, new mothers perhaps forced to leave their previous job, housewives or newly retired people who seek to supplement their annuities and to fill their days with home visits proposing purchases. Each seller has the autonomy to decide how much time to devote to his business: some do it full time, some part-time, some in their spare time. Earnings are based on commission, which varies by product sector, and depend on the commitment that each person in charge decides to invest in their business.
But what is offered door-to-door or through organized meetings between neighbors or friends? These are food and consumer goods (frozen foods, ice creams, supplements, detergents, household hygiene products), a sector that last year recorded an increase of 0,7% and which represents 18,4% of the turnover of companies associated with Univendita. Then the "durable goods" for the home, essentially household appliances, a sector that represents 59% of the market. Then there are travel and cookery books, a dynamic sector which showed an increase of 3%. On the other hand, the sale of cosmetics and body care products decreased (-1,3%).
"In a scenario of economic slowdown, home selling continues its positive trend", underlines Ciro Sinatra, president of Univendita, an association whose member companies include Avon (cosmetics), Bofrost (frozen foods), Cartorange (travel), Count Piccolomini (wines), Dalmesse (lingerie and cosmetics), Des (household cleaning), FiMa stars (personal and environmental well-being), Just (body hygiene), Nuove idee (personal well-being), Ringana (fresh cosmetics and food supplements ), Starline (cosmetics), Tupperwere (food storage containers), Uniquepels (cosmetics), Vast&Fast (gas dryers), Vorwerk (kitchen robots and vacuum cleaners), Witt (bio detergents). All companies associated with Univendita offer training and education courses to their representatives
