LINEN WORLD Review and Profile

LINEN WORLD no longer appears to be active as a direct sales company.

Original Npros business profile for LINEN WORLD, preserved below for archival purposes:

Linen World Inc. was a family-owned direct-selling company based in Orchard Park, New York. The company traced its operating history to 1979, while New York corporate records show that Linen World Inc. was formally incorporated on June 21, 1982. Albert J. "Al" Chavanne served as chairman for approximately 40 years, and later corporate records identified Michael S. Chavanne as chief executive officer.

Despite its name, Linen World sold considerably more than sheets and towels. Its catalogs included bedding, blankets, pillows, bath products, kitchen textiles and utensils, storage containers, cleaning products, candles, home décor, handbags, children's merchandise, seasonal gifts, and other household products. The company promoted its merchandise as useful, affordable products suitable for everyday household purchases and gift giving.

Linen World originally sold through independent consultants using home demonstrations, catalog parties, vendor events, personal customer contacts, and later online parties and individualized consultant websites. Consultants could enroll without paying a fee and were not subject to required sales quotas, monthly purchases, inventory requirements, or website charges. Surviving opportunity materials advertised a 20% commission on customer sales and a 25% personal product discount. Optional product kits were available for consultants who wanted to conduct in-home parties, but a kit was not required for online participation.

The company also encouraged consultants to refer additional sellers. One promotion awarded a $50 merchandise certificate for every five new Internet Consultants referred to the company. However, no surviving compensation plan shows consultants receiving continuing commissions through multiple recruited levels or earning overrides on a downline's sales. Linen World therefore operated primarily as a single-level commission and party-plan direct seller, with recruitment incentives, rather than a conventional multilevel-marketing company.

Linen World celebrated its 40th anniversary in January 2019. Al Chavanne died on March 1, 2020, after serving as the company's chairman throughout most of its history.