3 replies to this topic

[KTudor625]

I am working with the PTA of a high school and they want to do some fundraising. They would like to sell apparel (yoga pants, t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts and Flannel PJ's). They also want some ceramic mugs and tumblers.

I want to help them with pricing if they order everything I am proposing. How should I got about this? The quantity on the apparel is only 36 pieces each. So we are combining the setup charges (all have the same artwork). As far as the flannel pants they are ordering 25, 144 ceramic mugs and 72 tumblers. All are low minimums. How much of a discount would you give?

I decided to give them next column pricing on all the apparel. Should I do that on ALL the products or just the combined quantity of the apparel? I was thinking to give them more of a discount if I was the exclusive vendor for their promotional needs. How would I go about that and what discount would you offer? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Kristin Tudor

[djoctagone]

KTudor625 said:

I was thinking to give them more of a discount if I was the exclusive vendor for their promotional needs.

Make sure you define the tenure of "their" before you lower your pricing.

Parents will come and go. Teachers may come and go. All of them are going to have an uncle or a brother-in-law or a neighbor that peddles promo that they are going to try to bring in every new school year.

[djoctagone]

The answer to your questions lies in how well-constructed the marketing plan is for these goods and how well it's executed. The plan is up to you and the PTA. Unless you have your own storefront, the execution is likely up to the PTA.

How will the items be displayed?

Where and when will people be able to purchase them?

Will people have the opportunity to try on the apparel as they would at any clothing store?

Cash only? Check? Credit card? PayPal?

Will there be "walking ambassadors" using the product (i.e. will multitudes of parents, their student offspring and their teachers all agree to buy the items right away and start using them . . . perhaps a few days before they're released to the rest of the school)?

How will you accurately project for sizing for the apparel?

How will returns be handled?

What will terms with you be for the order? (I'd make sure they pay you outright for the goods. Make them assume the risk.)

How can you integrate social marketing into generating buzz for the items? (Would it be out of line once the sale is complete to ask the buyer if s/he would like a photo taken wearing the new PJs, sweatshirt, etc.? If the buyer's own mobile device is used, the buyer can instantly send that pic off to friends and family.)

What happens if items don't sell? Is the PTA willing to sell at clearance?

What happens if the items sell like crazy? How quickly can you fulfill new inventory?

What happens if people start asking for personalization?

Bottom line . . . if you give them a good plan, you shouldn't be discounting. You're providing valuable forecasting and marketing services to them. If the PTA shops you on price, they're not the PTA . . . they're the PITA.

[djoctagone]

This fundraising model does not differ much from the company store model.

There's a tag for company stores. I'd encourage you to check it out.

http://www.distribut...com/forum/tags/