Last year despite the struggling economy direct sales in Estonia retained solid growth: Estonian Direct Selling Association’s (EDSA) members total sales (excluding VAT) increased by 5,5% and amounted to 31,4 million euros. Meanwhile, the number of people involved in direct sales increased by 3% and exceeded thirty-four thousand.
“Having in mind the fact that GDP growth rate last year was just 0,8 percent and the consumer income and spending hadn’t increased as much as it was expected, so 5,5 percent increase in sales is good result for direct selling industry. After really impressive results in 2012, when the industry had two-digit growth rate, the sales got back to sustainable, but still solid growth rate”, says the General Secretary for Baltic Direct Selling Associations Gintautas Zaleckas.
According G.Zaleckas, solid growth of sales proves that direct selling doesn’t lose its attractiveness as a way of shopping, where each client can get a personal service and advice from the direct seller and is able to acquire high quality products with 100 percent satisfaction guarantees. As direct sellers more and more actively use the internet to manage and promote their business, to reach and serve their clients, and as there are still a lot of untapped possibilities, the growth potential of direct selling business remains high.
In comparison, in Lithuania the volume of direct sales increased by 8 percent and in Latvia – 12 percent and were respectively 39,4 million and 29,1 million euros. The number of persons involved in direct sales grew the fastest in Latvia and increased by 4 percent to over 42 thousand of people, while in Lithuania grew by 2 percent to more than 49,4 thousand people.
In 2013 the total sales of direct selling industry in the Baltic States reached 100 million euro (without VAT). Meanwhile, the number of people involved in direct sales was over 125 thousand people.