Avon Malaysia is again eyeing a double-digit increase in total sales for this year.

Its Managing Director Carolyn Nur Amira Lee said despite what was a challenging 2012, the company managed to post a RM20 million increase in sales.

She said it was absolutely important for the company to continue capitalising on such a positive
momentum.

She added that towards this end, the company would launch several new products this year.

"We will launch among others, new blockbuster products in various categories.

"These include skin care products which will be re-launched on a bigger scale. There will also be new kitchenware and food storage products from our Avon Home Range," Lee said.

She said in addition, there would be new intimate apparels, which should be a "superhit" with women.
"We will have close to 10 such products,"she added.

She said Avon Malaysia had about 200 boutiques nationwide with 42 zone managers who would advise and guide their down liners.

Lee had earlier officiated at an "Avon Car Achievers" ceremony here, presenting car keys to two local sales leaders, Gnu Soon Hong and Yak Hock King for their sterling performance.

The company had paid them each RM10,000 as the down payment for their respective cars and a monthly subsidy of RM1,000.00 for up to seven years, to help pay for the hire purchase loans.

On the challenges from similar direct selling companies, Lee said it was very important for Avon to stay relevant in the market.

"We must stay relevant to ever changing consumers tastes and that of our representatives.

"It is very important that we give what the consumers want. We want to be very competitive through our meetings and the programmes we have for our representatives," she added.

Lee also said last year, Avon Malaysia had set aside RM7 million, as incentives and bonus for its representatives with more than 400 having benefited.