by Rebecca Smithers,
consumer affairs correspondent (guardian.co.uk)
The UK's army of Avon ladies and other direct sellers has been swelled by record numbers of people aged 50 and above, latest figures reveal.
The Direct Selling Association (DSA), the trade body that represents the UK's major direct selling companies including Avon, Kleeneze and Betterware, reports a 29% increase in the number of sellers in the older age group, forced to find new opportunities to earn money as a result of the recession and worries about their pensions.
It says the trend represents a major new demographic within the industry, whose core direct sellers are predominantly working mothers looking to fit flexible earnings around family commitments.
The direct selling market is worth £2bn annually to the UK economy and is the largest provider of part-time earning opportunities, with more than 400,000 people involved in the industry.
The DSA said 120,000 of those were now people aged above 50, compared with 93,000 in 2009/10.
"Recent statistics have shown that unemployment is falling, but over-50s are struggling to get back into work, with 44% of unemployed over-50s having been out of work for over a year," said Paul Southworth, director general of the DSA.
"From what our member companies tell us, many in the plus-50 age bracket enjoy the social side of direct selling, which allows them to continue to work and network with a variety of people."
Southworth added that the over-50s were attracted by the opportunity to arrange work around travelling or caring for grandchildren, and said that in his experience older people were "less likely" than young people to want to depend on benefits during financially challenging times.
Chris Ball, chief executive of The Age and Employment Network said older workers had a lot to offer these companies.
"Employers comment on the good communication skills of older workers, which are clearly helpful in selling. The retail world has identified that people of a particular age can be particularly useful in speaking to others in the same age range, so this may be an additional factor."
But Ball said many people may not be getting involved in direct selling through choice.
"Older workers may be taking these sorts of jobs despite the fact they don't pay well or offer few prospects, simply because they are desperate to work," he said. "We have met many well-qualified people who didn't want to give up work but found themselves unemployed and willing to take anything rather than a life of idleness or financial struggle."
He added: "Well done to the direct selling organizations – but let's hope that they give older job seekers a chance at higher levels in their organizations too."
"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better."
Jim Rohn
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