The paper presents the longitude study of Internet technologies introduction into business model. Rapid spread of Internet technologies has a significant impact on the business models transformation. Today, information technology has become an integral part of communication with customers. In 2017 the penetration rate of the Internet in Russia reached 73%. Thus, almost 3/4 of the population is currently Internet users and be reached online. On the one hand, Internet communication speeds up and simplifies the processes; on the other hand, the key competitive advantage of direct selling business model is blurred. For ages business model was based on direct interpersonal contacts between the distributor and the customer. In this business model relationship creates more value than the product itself [Luk, Fullgrabe, Yi, 1996] and face-to-face meeting is the key descriptor [Sanan, 1997]. Direct selling is cultivated through relationships and provides customer-centric marketing opportunities [Harrison, Hair, 2017]. The question of this study is whether introduction of innovative Internet technologies into communication with customers is beneficial for traditional direct selling business model. Empirical research is based on comparative analysis of data from three survey waves (6380 respondents in 2011, 5638 respondents in 2014 and 6800 respondents in 2017). Effectiveness of Internet usage the for communicate with customers was analized in dynamics over the three waves of 2011, 2014, 2017. Using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) method 15 (fifteen) hypotheses were checked. Nine (9) out of 15 (fifteen) hypotheses were confirmed. Research revealed that personalization determines the effectiveness of communication with customers via internet-based tools (e-mail, web site, social networks, professional social networks, video channels, blogs, microblogs, videoconferences and webinars, messaging applications and files). Nevertheless, face-to-face communication remains significant communication channel for success in direct-selling

Business model of direct selling is the dynamic and complex multi-level structure. Interpersonal face-to-face communication is the key value creation aspect of direct selling business model. Nowadays more and more sellers employ virtual communication channels instead of face-to-face, thus hindering a traditional relational element. The study explores whether usage of Internet technologies for communication with customers brings benefits or extinguish the direct selling industry. The research is based on the quantitative analysis of all-country paper based survey from 5694 respondents. The statistical analysis of total sample revealed that usage of Internet in general does not give advantages for distributors. However, usage of person-to-person internet communication tool, such as e-mail, allows achieving better performance as measured by earnings per hour worked. Surprising is the fact that the most successful young distributors (at the age under 35 years) do not use internet for communication with customers at all. For distributors over 35 years old neither internet nor e-mail usages have got impact on performance. In rural areas users of internet communication tools show lower performance results. In big cities usage of e-mail provides significantly higher performance, but general usage of internet does not. Consequently, the effects from usage of internet technologies for communication with customers are achieved in case of person-to-person communication. Moreover the most productive sellers give priority to the live communication.