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The bad news about the economy keeps getting worse, and although generally a slump in the economy creates somewhat of a boom within the Direct Sales Industry, several companies have taken a hit during the past few months. One of those company’s, Arbonne International has just announced that they were forced to lay off 95 workers from one of its largest facilities.

The California based skin care company told the employees that unfortunately there was not enough business and not enough work to keep everyone busy and employed.

A statement from a corporate representative stated, “We have made all reasonable efforts to treat the departing employees fairly, and wish them well.” The representative went on to say that although the Arbonne business remains strong, they felt it was in the company’s best interests to consolidate their workforce.

Employees, who were understandably upset with frustrated with not only the timing of the decision but also the fact that they say the received no warning from the company that there were problems. The company said that workers who were laid off will receive severance and other benefits.

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The Direct Selling Association will be on hand this week to help the Today Show kick off their annual Toy Drive. The 15th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy Drive will be launched Monday November 24th at 8:30 AM. This will be the fifth year that the DSA has been a part of the annual drive.

The DSA will kick off the drive by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza. Thirty two direct selling companies have come together to donate products to the drive, the total donation coming in at over $9 million dollars in products. Seven of the DSA’s companies will be featured in spots on the TODAY show during the holiday season.

Items donated include books, clothing, toiletries and of course toys for children and families all across the United States. Over the past five years, DSA member companies have donated over $37 million dollars in cash, product and services to the Toy Drive.

This is a a brilliant move on the part of the DSA and the member companies that are a part of this. Given the economic times, network marketing companies are going to continue to thrive as more and more people seek additional forms of income.

The following direct selling companies donated products to this year’s Toy Drive:
4Life
Advocare
Amway
Arbonne
Avon Products, Inc
Blessings Unlimited
Butterfly Worldwide, LLC
Clever Container
Cookie Lee
Creative Memories
CUTCO
DeMarle at Home
DeTech
Essential Bodywear
Fifth Avenue Collection
The Happy Gardener
lia sophia
The Longaberger Company
Mary Kay Inc
National Companies
Nature’s Sunshine
Oxyfresh
The Pampered Chef
PartyLite Gifts
Purse Party, Inc
Shaklee Corporation
Signature HomeStyles
Southern Living at Home
The Southwestern Company
Stampin’ Up!
UDesign Jewelry
Vantel Pearls

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Viridian Medical, a UK based skin care company that specializes in non surgical cosmetic procedures has just announced that they will begin selling a full line of Arbonne Cosmetics.

Viridian is known for their high standards in choosing which skin care and cosmetic lines they will endorse and sell. Arbonne’s premium skin care and beauty lines which are formulated at the Arbonne Institute of Research and Development in Switzerland, more than meets those qualifications.

Among the factors that led to Viridian choosing to sell the products was Arbonne’s high standards when testing and developing products. Arbonnes products are botanically based, using all natural ingredients based on herbal and botanical principals. The skin care products are also pH-correct, hypoallergenic, have not been tested on animals, and are dermatologist tested.

A spokesperson for Viridian released a statement discussing the decision to sell Arbonne products to their customers, “Their range of cosmetic products is much sought after and we are delighted to announce that we are now offering them to our customers.”

Veridian is selling a full line of Arbonne products online in their “Arbonne Store.” Products include skin care, cosmetics, hair care and even baby sleep cream.

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In the presence of 500 guests, Arbonne announced that their newest distribution center in Canada was officially open for business.

The new center, located in Calgary, is the company’s second distribution facility in Canada. Arbonne also has corporate offices as well as a distribution center in Ontario. The new facility in Calgary also has a top of the line product storage facility.

Since 2006 when operations began in Canada, the cosmetics and skin care company has seen amazing growth in the country, especially in Western Canada, which made opening a center in Calgary a natural choice. The new 33,000 square foot facility features a state of the art storage facility to ensure that all products are stored in controlled climate to ensure perfect quality.

“Our growth in Canada has not only been impressive, making Arbonne one of the fastest growing direct selling companies in this country, but it has happened much faster than our predictions,” said Jack Crowley, Sr. Vice President, International Operations. “In less than two years, our company has grown to over 60,000 Independent Consultants, a large proportion of which are located in Canada’s Western provinces. We owe that success in large part to the ebullient entrepreneurship of our Canadian Consultants and to the enthusiastic acceptance of our products by Canadian consumers,”

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