Shawn-
Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure this one is straihtfoward-magazine cost only, no cost at all to us-but I will be sure to double/triple check before we begin.

Has anyone ever used schoolmall.com?

Becareful of the Magazine fundraisers some sell the Mags for like 50% off coverprice and school get 45% but they get you by charging $200 in S/H fees- most people dont pay attention and pay the little statement each month- but if you add 'em up they are way too expensive- (think Columbia House, BMG, etc -- a free DVD/CD but each one cost $2.99 S/H -even if 30 are shipped in the same box!!!- it really should only costs about 7.62 to send USPS Priority- $3.65 slower mail)

to aOk-
If books are being sent home w/kids from school to sell this stuff, they would have to adhere to school/government policies even though the PTO is independent. If you want to use the school, you have to play along.

I too heard about the Avon fiasco. I also heard that they are revamping the school fundraiser catalog to make it a little more, ahem, appropriate for schools.

Pampered Chef does school fundraisers as does Arbonne. Not sure of the percentages.

Lots of companies offer several catalogs & you can pick & choose which ones you would like to use. This year we are using Gifts'n Things. We are using the main catalog that does have candy etc., but they had a jewlery one, computer software (games & stuff) and magazines.

Schoolmall.com runs a pretty cool program. Your school signs up w/them & they send to you to send home w/the kids envelopes. They write the names of friends/family and you send them back. They send them out & the people order magazines, shop through their site etc. You never have to handle orders or money, the kids(parents) don't have to hassle people & the kids get a Scooby Doo T-Shirt if they "sell" a certain amount(I think it is 3 or 5). In addition, people can continue to shop online through the website & you school keeps getting a %. We have not used them yet, but are signing up this fall. My neice's school used them last year & did pretty well.

Current does 50% + prizes & I don't think they had food. I can't find my catalog.

Scottsmom mentioned the price of gas. I wonder if you could work with a gas station/company and sell gas cards. Heck, I'd probably buy one of those. A few years ago the high school band made their own discount cards. They cost about .30 to make and they sold them for $10.00. They mostly had resteraunts on them and maybe a video place and a clothing store.

I saw some "peelers" the other day for McDs, Subway, and another company. Is that considered too much in the junk food category? If I had the money I'd buy a ton of the McD ones. We actually have a Subway in town and if your district is concerned about childhood obesity you could use the Jared argument. How much weight did he loose?

We checked out Innis Gift Wrap last year. I liked it but fundraising committee thought it was too high. If we are going to have to sell I'd rather it be something everyone could use.

oUR OLD PTA DID AVON AND SAID IT WAS THE WORSE THING THEY EVER DID AND TOLD US DON'T DO IT!

I heard about the Avon fiasco and I wasn't trying to pitch the company but by one person's brainstorm, other ideas can flow. I would never choose the company because of other reasons, but to each his own!