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I'm gping to be hosting my first crop in the fall and it will also be my first SU workshop. I'm wondering what I should stock my 'store' with? I know adhesive and paper, but what else? Do you usually buy anything at crops?
Thanks ladies!
Marji
As far as I know, most demo's don't keep product in stock. Normally, people place their orders at workshops. Another thing you might think of is to have a hostess of the month....in other words, if you are going to get together once a month, pull a name and that person would benefit from the orders received at the workshop. Make sense?
Thanks- I'm not looking for SU stuff to have in stock since *hopefully* people will be placing orders, but I was just thinking about previous crops that I've gone to (scrapbooking) and there is usually a store so you can buy adhesive refills and some paper if you need a certain color and then even embellishments. I'm just wondering if I should have anything else?
I haven't had a "crop", but more of a "come on over and stamp" for my customers. They bring whatever they want to work on and a snack to share. I give them access to any non consumables that I have (stamps and punches). Everything else they have to bring. If you want, you could charge a fee and have that cover so many pieces of card stock or DSP, etc. But you can't do cash and carry or market other non SU! items at your SU! events (plus that really defeats your purpose). Good luck on your crop!
I don't know how you could have a "store" without heading into sticky situations with the SU! rules. Having any SU! supplies on-hand for purchase, (paper, adhesive, embellishments), is considered cash and carry and is strictly against the rules. You also aren't allowed to promote other companies, so you can't carry other lines of craft products.
I'm not trying to be the playground teacher or anything, I know that I broke many rules as a new demo, just because I didn't understand what was permitted.
For anyone who is wondering why SU! doesn't allow C&C, while other companies such as CM do, here's a quick explaination. SU! has such a huge variety of supplies that it would be very expensive for a demonstrator to carry an inventory. SU! doesn't want to set their demonstrators up to feel like they have to make a huge inventory investment. Secondly, SU! frequently retires merchandise, so the demos would be stuck with a large amount of unsold inventory at every catalog change.
Wow! Thanks for letting me know about the cash and carry rule, I didn't have a clue about that! I'm not officially signing up until Feb 1 so I still have a lot to learn- obviously! lol!
Let me ask you a question then- I am doing the crop as a fundraiser for dance team members and then just planned on having a table set up with SU stuff. Will this then qualify as a workshop since I'll have the stuff there for people to order- even if I don't really teach or demonstrate with it?
Marji
First, congratulations on your decision to join SU! Second, once you sign up, be sure to sign up for the Demo only forum here on SCS (go to the home page to see the link).
I'm not sure what you mean if it will qualify as a "workshop". I think you mean in sales. In order to get hostess benefits (and the 30% off your very first order), the total sales has to be at least $150. If you mean "workshop" as in SU! event, yes, it is an SU! event.
Hope that answers your question. If not, come back. There's lots of good info here!
Thanks Sheryl- you answered my question abou the workshop perfectly. I'm really looking forward to being able to post on the demo forum here. I think I'll be doing a lot of reading at first though- lol! Thanks for all your help!
Marji
For anyone who is wondering why SU! doesn't allow C&C, while other companies such as CM do, here's a quick explaination. SU! has such a huge variety of supplies that it would be very expensive for a demonstrator to carry an inventory. SU! doesn't want to set their demonstrators up to feel like they have to make a huge inventory investment. Secondly, SU! frequently retires merchandise, so the demos would be stuck with a large amount of unsold inventory at every catalog change.
thanks for the info. This makes SO much sense. I see other "sell from home" products (i.e. Mary Kay, etc.) where they put extreme pressure on the demonstrators or consultants to stock up on mass amounts of inventory...which I don't think is right because in the end it seems like the person somehow loses out on money! I really think it's great that SU! doesn't use this technique.
I like when I go to a crop and you can buy a sheet or two of paper, a yard of ribbon, or just a couple of brads- you know, things you can easily forget to pack and don't want to buy a whole set of.
I like when I go to a crop and you can buy a sheet or two of paper, a yard of ribbon, or just a couple of brads- you know, things you can easily forget to pack and don't want to buy a whole set of.
I always seem to forget the brads or ribbon too. I also hate when I run out of adhesive, because I feel like a bum trying to borrow some. When I went to crops my demo would have a few snail refills for purchase at catalog price. It was nice knowing that I could buy a refill instead of bumming.
What do you buy at crops?
