- Avon announced on Wednesday it is closing in Australia and New Zealand
- The company first emailed all of its sales representatives to tell them news
- But several did not check their emails in time and heard about it on Facebook
Avon workers are ‘disgusted’ at their company after finding out it is closing down and leaving them jobless via a Facebook post.
The beauty products business announced on Wednesday it is closing in Australia and New Zealand in a bid to improve profits.
The company first emailed all of its sales representatives but several have complained they were not given enough warning and first noticed the news on Facebook.
Avon workers are ‘disgusted’ at their company after finding out it is closing down and leaving them jobless via a Facebook post
The beauty products business announced on Wednesday it is closing in Australia and New Zealand in a bid to improve profits
They also claim it’s unfair they only have weeks left in the job before customer orders stop being processed on May 2.
The reps have to sell all their products by then or give them back to the company for a refund.
Avon representative Melissah Trenfield, from Sydney, said she was ‘disgusted’ that she first heard of the news on the radio.
‘There was no warning or indication that this was going to happen. I have 100 customers that are very sad and disappointed,’ she told news.com.au.
‘This has come as a shock to all involved and I am personally disgusted at the way Avon has handled it. ‘So much for ‘a company for women’. So much for loyalty,’ she added.
Another representative Jenny Gallagher said: ‘I cried when I heard. It’s really sad — it’s the end of an era of a brand I’ve known about since I was five. I got an email at virtually the same time as it was posted on Facebook and I actually thought it was a prank.’
An Avon spokesman defended the company’s actions, saying: ‘We made every effort to reach our representatives directly and for them to hear the news from the company first hand.’
‘Unfortunately due to the speed of social media this was not always possible.’
The spokesman added: ‘Our representatives and sales leaders have the option to return the products in their possession in line with our normal returns policy. The policy allows representatives 90 days to return a product and claim a refund from Avon.’
An Avon spokesman defended the company’s actions, saying: ‘We made every effort to reach our representatives directly and for them to hear the news from the company first hand.’