Executive Summary:

Customer Survey: Main Results (1008 Persons)

• Broad usage of Direct Selling. More than half of all consumers (55%) made a purchase via Direct Selling at least once, 15% within the last year. Therefore, purchase decisions via Direct Selling can be said to be made by a majority of all buyers. Only 19% state to have never completed a purchase via Direct Selling as well as not to be willing to buy “direct” in the future. Another 21% have no buying experience in Direct Selling so far, but are open to future purchases in the Direct Selling market. “Party Selling” is the most common form of home shopping, after mail orders and E-Commerce. 11% of the respondents state to have taken part in a sales party within the last 12 months. By comparison: 5% off all respondents made use of classical “representative selling” within the same period.
• Advantages of Direct Selling: The main advantages of Direct Selling are convenience, time saving and the ability of a stress-free purchase. By the majority of the respondents Direct Selling is not associated with favorable prices, trustworthiness and good purchase experience. These appraisals are independent of personal experiences in Direct Selling. Customers experienced in Direct-Selling are especially satisfied with transaction of payments, product quality, and punctuality of delivery. There is room for improvement in price-performance ratio and after-sales service in the view of the respondents.
• Direct Selling products: More than a quarter of all respondents has gained experience with financial services as a Direct Selling product. Household goods, electrical domestic appliances, cosmetics/body-care products and food follow in the top of the league. Only 1% of consumers have practical experience with buying pet food from Direct Selling channels, 4% with energy and 6% with home furnishings. This can partly be blamed to the fact, that certain products are open to purchases via Direct Selling, especially financial services, energy, households goods and appliances.
• Direct Selling customers: Today´s customer are predominantly female, aged between 30 and 59 and in employment. Most Direct Selling customers come from households with net incomes between € 1500 and 3000 and above. Households with 3 or more persons are particularly active buyers by Direct Selling Channels.