Home sales

Home selling is a very dynamic sector, with more and more new independent home sellers being recruited over the years. Highly popular with customers looking for quality products, doorstep selling is a sector that is not experiencing a crisis.

Elora gives you all the information you need about home selling and the status of VDI (independent home seller).

Home selling: key figures and definition

With sales expected to top €4.5 billion in 2021 in France, home shopping is a sector that's doing well. But what exactly is door-to-door selling ? Definition.

Door-to-door selling is the sale of products or services by a salesperson representing the company, in a place not intended for commercial use. This definition of doorstep selling therefore suggests sales meetings organised, most often, in customers' homes.

Declaration of activity, declaration of income, registration in a professional register (above a certain turnover threshold): door-to-door sales are strictly regulated by the Consumer Code and the Commercial Code.

The advantages of becoming a VDI

Self-employed home sellers sign an employment contract with a company.

VDIs generally have a choice of 2 types of status:

- The VDI sales agent, who has no stock to manage. Their income comes from the commissions they receive for sales made;

- Buyer-reseller VDIs, who have to build up a stock of products. Their income comes from the margin they earn on their sales.

Good to know: the social security system for independent home sellers depends on whether or not they are registered with a professional register (RCS: registre du commerce et des sociétés, or RSCA: registre spécial des agents commerciaux).

Registered sellers are covered by the TNS (non-salaried workers) scheme, otherwise they are treated as employees and covered by the social security scheme.

Why do home sales? There are many advantages to home-based selling, including

- Independence: VDIs carry out their activity without any link of subordination to the company. They are therefore free to organise their working hours as they wish.

- Security: VDI status enables self-employed salespeople to benefit from a clear and secure social, tax and legal regime. Although they are not employees of the company, VDIs pay contributions that entitle them to social security cover and pension insurance.

- Combination of activities possible: as a full-time VDI or as additional income, self-employed home-based salespeople can combine their work with another job or with a retirement pension.

Getting into home selling: the keys to success

Are you planning to become an entrepreneur, without the risks associated with setting up your own business? Then become a VDI! Elora explains how to start a home-based sales business:

- Choosing the company: consider the products and services on sale, the employment contract offered to sales staff, the pay plan, the training planned for sales staff..

- Training: once you've chosen a company, training is one of the keys to success in home selling. It provides you with crucial information about the company, its products and services. The training also teaches you how to use digital marketing tools and home selling techniques;

- Organising your first sales meeting: prepare your first meeting by following each step (choosing the hostess, the sales venue, the date of the meeting, the collection of products to present, etc.);

- Develop your network to make a success of your VDI business: friends and family, word of mouth and social networks can bring you new customers.