Ding Dong! Avon Calling!

The Avon Lady acquired iconic status in 20th-century American culture. This first history of Avon tells the story of a direct sales company that was both a giant in its industry and a kitchen-table entrepreneurial venture.

With their distinctive greeting at the homes across the country – Ding Dong! Avon Calling! – sales ladies brought door-to-door sales of makeup, perfume, and other products to American women beginning in 1886. Working for the company enabled women to earn money on the side and even become financially independent in a respectable profession while selling Avon’s wares to friends, family, and neighborhood networks.