Avon told it can resume direct sales

After a ban lasting six years, Avon Products said it received "verbal permission" to resume direct selling to mainland consumers, according to the South China Morning Post. But a company official said written permission to launch a pilot sales operation had yet to be received. The Ministry of Commerce, the ministry most directly involved, declined to comment. Household goods direct sales giant Amway and cosmetics competitor Mary Kay, and Avon, have all been lobbying the government to draft enabling legislation which is supposed to be announced soon in compliance with China's undertaking to the World Trade Organization.