Avon Cosmetics Fires 1,300 Employees

Avon, US direct-selling cosmetics company, will fire more than 1,300 employees before the end of the year.

Avon, US direct-selling cosmetics company, will fire more than 1,300 employees before the end of the year, according to a report filed by Avon with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Avon’s board of directors approved this latest initiative to move forward in the company’s “ongoing process to take layers out of the organization,” the report said.

Last November, Avon embarked on a multi-year restructuring program. Since then, the global direct-seller has taken steps to streamline its operation.

Avon Products, Inc. is a cosmetics, perfume and toy seller with markets in over 135 countries across the world and a sales of $7.74 billion worldwide.

Traditionally a direct-selling company, Avon's fastest growing markets today are in China and Russia. Avon uses both door to door sales people ("Avon ladies," primarily) and catalogs to advertise their products.

Two recent brand diversifications, "mark" (targeted to younger, college-aged women) and "M" (an Avon catalogue for men) have helped the company reach out into new markets.