Making bank.
The Avon lady got a makeover when the classic company went trendy with Mark, their line of cosmetics, skin care and accessories geared towards women aged 16-28. Women who sell Mark can not only earn college credit through the University of Phoenix by completing an online training course (perfect for business majors), but they also earn 40% of each makeup sale made.  

So exactly how much can you earn throwing product parties? Silpada Designs representatives sell silver jewelry at home parties where the average total of products sold is $750. So, a rep who works one party a week (approx. 3-4 hours total) earns $225. Two parties (6-8 hours) gets you $450 a week—or $21,600 each year.

The start-up low-down.
Getting started usually involves purchasing a start-up kit, complete with instructions, sample products and order forms to use when showing and selling the products at parties. Kits typically range from $100-$1,000—an expensive start-up cost for a part-time job, but representatives say that the number of products included in the kit is worth the sum alone.

“I found that starting my business was relatively low in cost, an initial investment of $500 buys you about $1000 in products,” says Joanne Young, a rep for Edible Ecstasy. “The kit is comprised of a variety of bath and body products, lubes and lotions, vibrators and novelties. The idea is to have a sampling of the 3,000 products that we carry. If my kit does not include the exact product they are looking for, they can look through the catalog or website to pick just what they want.”

Door-to-door or in-the-home.
So now that you have found the ideal company, how do you actually sell the product? Representatives can usually make up their own minds and choose how they’ll make sales. Some women set up websites where customers can make purchases; others go door-to-door or leave catalogs and business cards in offices and hair salons. But the quickest and most fun way to bring in sales is to find a friend, coworker or family member to host a party where you’ll sell your product.