One such sector is the direct selling industry which started more than a century ago with young men going door to door to sell products.century and the industry is accelerating in the adoption of digital tools such as video conferencing, Facebook live sessions, and webinars that will further enhance the remote working capabilities and productivity of direct sellers.
The World Federation of Direct Selling Associations was set up in 1978 to address various industry issues around the world by providing a platform for DSAs to share information and strategies, and to plan common practices. It also aims to build understanding and support for direct selling worldwide in addition to integrating and aligning direct selling companies, and pursue the “highest level of ethical conduct in the global marketplace”.
At the heart of the organisation's success is its extensive global sales force - 54,760 as of 2019 - who are entrepreneurs engaged in selling and promoting Nu Skin products. Since its founding, the company has grown into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Nu Skin has sold over US$10 billion in global sales of its ageLOC products since 2008. The company has also paid out more than US$16.7 billion in sales compensation since 1984.
In Southeast Asia, the Nu Skin Southeast Asia Children’s Heart Fund helps underprivileged children with congenital heart disease undergo corrective heart surgery. To date, SEACHF has saved over 12,500 children since its inception in 2003.Through its business and philanthropic activities, Nu Skin is one example of how the direct selling industry continues to develop, providing products, opportunities and a supportive community in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.