Direct Selling Association

==History in the US==
The American DSA, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the national [[trade association]] of a group of firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services sold directly to consumers typically through social selling that includes a compensation model called multi-level marketing.

Founded in [[Binghamton, New York]] in 1910 as a trade group for [[door-to-door]] salesmen, the association was originally called the Agents Credit Association. It was renamed the National Association of Agency Companies (NAAC) in 1914, and briefly renamed the National Association of Agency and Mail Order Companies in 1917, before returning to the NAAC in 1920. It became the Direct Selling Association in 1968.<ref>{{cite web|title=History - Direct Selling Association (US)|url=http://www.dsa.org/about-dsa/history-of-dsa |publisher=Direct Selling Association (US)|accessdate=21 December 2014}}</ref> As of 1970, less than 5% of the DSA's members were multi-level marketing companies. By 2018, the DSA's membership had grown to include nearly 130 companies, more than 90% of which were multi-level marketing companies.<ref name=number/>

The DSA belongs to the [[National Retail Federation]] and its member companies pledge to abide by the DSA [[code of ethics]].
<ref>{{cite web|title=DSA Code of Ethics|url=http://www.dsa.org/ethics/|publisher=Direct Selling Association (UK)|accessdate=June 17, 2012}}</ref>

In 2019, DSA helped launch the BBB National Programs Direct Selling Self Regulatory Council.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/356909/nads-brett-chasing-direct-sellers-covid-19-prod.html|title = NAD's Brett: Chasing Direct Sellers' COVID-19 Product Claims}}</ref> The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) provides impartial monitoring, enforcement, and dispute resolution regarding product claims or income representations (including lifestyle claims) disseminated by direct selling companies and their sales force members. This program provides a robust challenge process that also includes the opportunity for a company to appeal a decision.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/dssrc|title = Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council}}</ref>