Direct Selling Industry Leadership Take Extra Steps to Ensure Americans are Informed and Protected During the Covid19 Pandemic

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Direct Selling Association (DSA) is reinforcing its commitment to consumers with heightened measures to ensure accurate and transparent product information from its member companies and their independent sellers. According to the DSA 2019 Growth and Outlook Survey, there are millions of direct sellers who market their products through personal explanation and demonstration across the country selling products and providing services to their friends, neighbors, and relatives. While DSA has made many strides in self-regulation through the DSA Code of Ethics and the independently administered Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC), during this critical time the Association is taking additional steps to monitor and enforce its strict ethical policies on product and opportunity claims. 

“As integral members of their neighborhoods, direct sellers have a unique opportunity and responsibility to share accurate information about their products and opportunities. We can and will be an important part of the restoration of our communities and our country by providing needed products, services, and information. As we continue to protect consumers and elevate the ethical business standards for the direct selling channel we are encouraging our members to be conduits of accurate, reliable information, and expect our members to continue their vigilance in enforcing independent seller compliance and increasing their monitoring systems,”  stated Joseph N. Mariano, DSA president and chief executive officer.

“Our DSA Code of Ethics prohibits false or misleading product claims from our member companies and their sellers. It is unacceptable, harmful and counterproductive anyone to make public pronouncements about the efficacy of their products against illness in this environment, and we certainly won’t tolerate direct sellers who might do that. Anyone who violates those standards will be held to account.”  

For more information about the DSA Code of Ethics or the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council and DSA members’ commitment to consumer protection, please visit dsa.org/consumerprotection/code-of-ethics.

ABOUT THE DIRECT SELLING ASSOCIATION

The Direct Selling Association is the national trade association for companies that offer entrepreneurial opportunities to independent sellers to market and sell products and services, typically outside of a fixed retail establishment. In 2018, direct selling took place across the United States, generating $35.4 billion in retail sales. More than six million entrepreneurs in the U.S. are selling products or services through the direct selling channel, providing a personalized buying experience for more than 36.6 million customers. For more about the DSA visit dsa.org.