According to the DSA:


More than half of direct sellers report that their net income from
direct selling, after taxes and expenses, is positive.
In addition, a
positive net income is reported by nearly half of new direct sellers —
those representing their current company for less than a year — and by
nearly half of direct sellers who say that they are not very likely or
not at all likely to continue in direct selling in the future.In
addition, research shows the following:

  • four in five (82%) direct sellers have been with their
    current direct selling company for one year or more, and 34% for five
    years or more.
  • 88% of direct sellers rate their personal experience in direct selling as excellent, very good, or good.
  • 85%
    of direct sellers say that direct selling meets or exceeds their
    expectations as a good way to supplement their income or as a way to
    make a little extra money for themselves.
  • 91% of direct
    sellers say that direct selling meets or exceeds their expectations as
    a business where the harder they work the more money they can make.

(Source: 1999 National Salesforce Survey, MORPACE International, Inc.)