Written by the German Direct Selling Association (Bundesverband Direktvertrieb Deutschland e. V. – BDD).
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German direct selling companies are investing in artificial intelligence while keeping personal relationships at the heart of their business. Their investment in AI rose 50% in 2025 compared to 2024 according to the recent Study on the German Direct Selling Market 2026—a sign that the industry is embracing new tools to support a business model built on individual advice, trust, and human connection.
For U.S. direct selling executives, the practical applications offer a useful perspective on how AI can support both customers and independent sales representatives. PM-International and Mary Kay are using AI to personalize beauty recommendations. Vorwerk is making recipe discovery more intuitive and international recipes more accessible. Cleafin’s MatchMaker takes a people-focused approach, using digital tools and personal guidance to support connections, coaching, and collaboration.
These examples share a common ambition: to make technology useful in the moments that matter, from choosing a product to supporting an ongoing customer relationship. Germany’s direct selling sector also reports a product return rate of just 3.1%. This low rate shows that an in-depth shopping experience where you take your time to really know the product you buy and to take a well-considered buying decision leads to a more sustainable purchase.
“AI can help us work smarter and offer more personalized advice. But people remain the chore element of the German direct selling industry. The enthusiasm, the energy, and the genuine connections that come from one person inspiring another are qualities no technology can replicate. As we embrace AI, our greatest strength remains the people who bring our products and our industry to life,” says Jochen Clausnitzer, General Manager of the German Direct Selling Association on the use of AI in direct sales in Germany.
The following examples explore how companies in Germany are putting AI into direct selling practice—and where human expertise remains essential.
Artificial Intelligence at PM-International: Personalized Skincare Meets AI Innovation
PM-International is integrating AI into its FitLine beauty portfolio to enhance personalized skincare, improve customer experience, and support independent sales partners in providing tailored product recommendations.
At the center of this innovation is the FitLine AI Scanner, an AI-powered skin analysis tool available through the free FitLine app. According to the company, the scanner analyzes more than 100 skin characteristics and matches the results with FitLine products and their ingredients. Based on this analysis, the technology identifies suitable products and generates personalized recommendations for individual skincare routines.
The scanner follows FitLine’s holistic Inside & Out approach, combining recommendations for external skincare with selected nutritional supplements. And it has been a success: just a few weeks after its launch, the AI Scanner has already recorded more than 45,000 scans.
PM-International’s approach illustrates how technological innovation and personal customer relationships can work together to create a more individualized and informed shopping experience.
Cleafin: MatchMaker
With MatchMaker, Cleafin a German direct selling company for cleaning products, is developing an approach with a digital tool that connects people in direct selling more effectively and fosters lasting collaboration. It focuses on matching the right people, personal development, trust, knowledge sharing and shared growth. MatchMaker combines digital tools with personal guidance and aims to reveal potential, provide direction and support coaching and mentoring. The goal is a culture in which people learn from one another, support each other and build successful, long-term relationships.
Artificial Intelligence at Vorwerk: Enhancing the Direct Selling Experience
Vorwerk is integrating AI into its Thermomix® ecosystem to improve the customer experience, simplify everyday cooking, and strengthen its international community.
A key innovation is the AI-powered Cookidoo® Assistant. Whether customers are looking for a quick family dinner, recipe ideas based on ingredients they already have at home, meals tailored to specific dietary needs, or inspiration for entertaining family and friends, the assistant guides them directly to suitable Cookidoo® recipes.
In line with Vorwerk’s direct selling model, the assistant has been extensively tested by selected Thermomix® sales representatives since late 2025. Their practical experience from cooking demonstrations and customer interactions has played an important role in refining the technology and ensuring that it addresses customers’ everyday needs. Following this testing phase, Vorwerk is gradually introducing the Cookidoo® Assistant to customers.
Another important innovation is AI-supported recipe translation, which makes the international Cookidoo® recipe collection more accessible. Customers can discover authentic recipes from different countries and translate selected recipes into their preferred language. Initially, the feature supports English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish, with additional languages and recipes to follow.
Vorwerk’s approach demonstrates how AI and human interaction can work together in modern direct selling.
Foundation Matching Tool at Mary Kay
At Mary Kay Germany for example, an AI-based foundation matching tool helps customers find their perfect skin tone. By using a smartphone camera or an uploaded photo, the AI performs an analysis—making the process more personalized than ever before. “Together, we are creating a shopping experience that begins digitally and concludes with a personal touch,” says Elke Kopp, General Manager Mary Kay Germany, Switzerland & Netherlands. The rollout for everyday use began in December 2025. The goal of this solution is to simplify product selection, reduce the likelihood of poor purchasing decisions, and increase conversion rates—all while enhancing, rather than replacing, the personalized, direct-sales consulting approach.
“In my personal opinion AI is an excellent tool for providing maximum support to our beauty consultants in their daily workflow; however, it cannot replace the human enthusiasm and personal interaction that have made our industry so successful for decades,” adds Elke Kopp.
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German Direct Selling Association is holding a webinar on the German Market Study 2026 with Prof. Florian Kraus on November 25, 2026 at 3pm CET (the webinar will be in German). To register, please send an e-mail to: runte@direktvertrieb.de
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