The evolution of global direct selling market: insights from India

This article examines the historical trajectory of direct selling in India, tracing its emergence from a marginal and often sceptical retail practice in the late twentieth century to its formal institutionalization through regulations in the twenty-first century. Drawing on content analysis of court cases, government documents, and archival publications, the article analyses how regulatory mechanisms, consumer behavior, competition, supplier dynamics, and technological adaptation have shaped direct selling. The findings emphasize the need for clear regulatory frameworks and innovative industry practices to enhance consumer trust and business legitimacy. This study contributes to the historical understanding of retail transformation of direct selling in India, illustrating the interplay of consumption, government interventions, and law in India's post-liberalised era.