The lifestyle store of Nu Skin in Beijing. Entering the Chinese market in 2003, Nu Skin has established five manufacturing plants, two R&D centers, as well as 48 boutiques and stores, with an investment of 3 billion yuan up to the end of 2012. Provided to China Daily

"Amway needs to attract more talents to enhance customers' consumption experience, promote digital applications, and generate creative strategies," said Yu.

In general, direct-selling companies have been struggling to shed a bad impression as a messy market and a less convinced marketing strategy among Chinese consumers.

Direct selling represented only 1 percent of total retailing value in China in 2012, the third smallest among all channels, only bigger than vending and homeshopping in value terms, according to Direct Selling in China released by Euromonitor International.

"In fact, direct selling is just another way of marketing and we are faced with the same customers and brand-building challenge as our retailing competitors," said Mak of Mary Kay.

In Mak's opinion, in recent years, the direct-selling industry has been running faster than retailing business overall in the background of the sluggish global economy, especially in developed markets. Faced with rising unemployment, people tend to be more prudent in shopping in retailing, he said.

"However, the decreasing economy always pushes more people into a direct selling career, and with increasing salespeople, the performance of our products are also being promoted," said Mak.

Of course, he said with the booming of the industry, more local players are betting on the business and the number of local direct selling companies has surpassed 40 percent of the total number.

"Local companies are growing very fast. But the story of increasing competitors has also added the homogenization of the industry in terms of brand building, marketing and product strategies," said Yu Fang from Amway.

Still, as a young industry of just more than 20 years, Hu, from the association, said the further development of direct selling depends on the further improvement of the legal and regulating system to bring it in line with the global direct-selling market.

"As for salespeople and companies, they have to develop a career based on products and services, not playing with opportunities and investments," said Hu.