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I am thinking of selling world famous cosmetics


Cat WomanCatWoman

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Like so many people, trying to find employment in France is difficult so I am thinking of selling cosmetics as I did for many years in the UK very successfully. Though it will have to be done differently and not on a door-to-door basis as in the UK, perhaps at precise meeting points where people can also have a coffee and a chat whilst browsing through the brochures.  Think it will work here ???  (dept 61)
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This is what I am trying at the moment, No it doesn.t really work and I was only doing it to fill up the long boring Winter night's

In England they would love it, here they hate it, and that's just the English,try the French, they may be more melcoming.

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If you were lucky enough to find a group of people, whatever the nationality who wanted to purchase cosmetics, tupperware, etc.  How would you stand for taxation, etc. as you're effectively  running a small business yes/no?
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>>>If you were lucky enough to find a group of people, whatever the nationality who wanted to purchase cosmetics, tupperware, etc. How would you stand for taxation, etc. as you're effectively running a small business yes/no?<<<

If you make enough to get above the limit for tax free pay in France, please tell how - thousands would like to know the secret !

You would just have to declare it on your tax return in the normal way, wouldn't you ?
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Aha, that sounds more like it.  It's just that I see so many things about people not being able to start up in any form of business because the costs are so high, i.e. selling homemade produce, running a market stall, etc.  If it's a simple case of adding to the our tax return, then it sounds more feasible.

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A couple of local ladies here have tried to sell Avon to the villagers here and both gave it up after a few months simply because no one was interested in it enough to buy regularly and it was more trouble than it was worth with all the selling,paperwork and delivering the bits and bobs,I often bought just one bottle of bubblebath because I felt sorry for them but nothing more,it was so expensive. Here there are many specialist perfume/makeup shops like Sephora which are always packed out so if you can compete with them and they sell brand names too,then good luck to you but most people I know here just don't have the spare money to buy luxuries with all the increases lately in just about everything going needed to survive.
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I thought that any enterprise had to be registered no matter how big or small, declaring it on tax forms is only for unearned income isn't it? The tax isn't genereally the problem for small businesses it's the cotisations which have to be paid whether you earn anything or not.

 

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Thats why I said to check - however Avon do have a presence in France and its unrealistic IMHO to imagine that Avon ladies have to pay cotisations on what amounts to 'pin' money.

If anyone has good enough French perhaps they could email them and ask ?Then we would have it here for future reference.

It was my understanding that you could earn a very small amount without getting involved in the 'system' but I could be wrong.

PS Val I think the everyday things are good value (Shampoos, shower gel, deodorants etc)esp on offer - they have huge buying power and the products are often more concentrated. I am stocking up while we have someone covering this area.
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I was told that I would have to be registered with one of the Chambres de SomethingOrOther when I was interested in doing this at one time.  I don't think that you can 'just do it' and put it on your tax application.......... although it could depend on exactly what you were doing.

 

 

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Suerly if you were doing the type of work you describe you would need to register as an agent commercial with your local Chambre de Commerce?

Maybe there is a concession whereby you don't need to register if the income is very small. There is in my line of work, where you are exempt from registering if your taxable income is less than 15% of the current social security threshold, but this doesn't apply across the board by any means.

The company you hope to represent, or your URSSAF office, would be the best source of information as to what you need to do to be legal.

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As you would expect there are rules governing this.....

If you make a significant amount of money you need to register with the chamber of commerce.

If you make more than 3050 euros a quarter you have to pay some social charges.

See:http://www.urssaf.fr/profil/employeurs/dossiers_reglementaires/dossiers_reglementaires/les_vendeurs_a_domicile_01.html

 

 

 

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Taken the 'bull by the horns' and am going to give it a try. Had Avon round today to get 'signed up' and give all my social security details.  .  I don't expect making big bucks from this, never did in the UK but maybe a few extra euros.

Don't know if it will work but if anyone in Dept 61 would like to hold an Avon Party for themselves their friends and neighbours then why not get in touch via e.mail.  There are also some excellent value products with Avon especially the Skin So Soft range which is great here in France for mossies and any other biting insects! 

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The lady who used to run the cafe in our village (it went bust) worked for a while for a company called Lexel selling skin care products.   She would come to your house and give you a mini-facial in return for which you were expected to buy some products (though this wasn't obligatory).   The products were fine and I wanted to help her out, but she gave up after a few months because the company argued about her commission and then didn't pay it on time.  She's now selling scented candles, but she does it more for the free gifts (candles) than for the money, which is practically non-existent.
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