Ok. Kids, I didn't mean to start a squabble, again.

So it really just depends on what the group is happy with and forget about the profit margin. That is what I am getting. I appreciate all your input because I need all the prespectives I can get. All I can remember is I felt forced to sell candy bars every year and I hated it.

Bertha, I will share what I am used too:

Spirit Sales- pretty good profit. This is t-shirts, long sleeves, and a few other products.

Fall festival includes- games, Haunted House (we charge about $2-$3 for that because it is pretty graphic), Ham Supper (every year, it's always ham), and the biggie is King Queen/Prince Princess. We have never made under $10K on that since I have been around and I think this will be the 52nd year of having that. We also do a craft project with the kids and sell those. They sell quick. So far that has worked pretty well. The only complaint I've heard was from my son the first year we did it. We also have a cake/prize walk and basket auction.

Santa Shop and Breakfast with Santa- The only year I did it we netted about $1200.00. The kids loved it and the breakfast is made to be a community thing.

Change drive-$1200.00

Basketball tourneys- I cannot remember how much they make but I am sure it is over $1,000. During this we sell concessions and spirit items.

Spring Fling- $1200.00.

We also do well with Box Tops and ink cartridges. I like those no brainer kind of fundraisers. I am looking into Chuck E. Cheese night. One year we had a fishing tourney that raised $250.00.

During our festivals each child gets 2 tickets worth .25 and during Santa Shop I believe it is a .50 ticket. Nothing is over $10.00 and most things I had were $5 and under. We are a low income district.

While we are on the fundraising subject.. I have received a little info from The Lemonade Stand company. Anyone ever heard of this? They gave me a card to send in for more info and a "free gift." I am thinking it is a catalog fundraiser.

Most of our fundraisers give us 40% or higher in commission. However, we have this one company that only gives 35% commission but this is the only company we use year after year. The products are all educational and you can't beat their customer service.

When it comes to quality and customer service I really don't care how much commission we get because I save on aspirins!

CBrooks- can you share your information on your fall festival? If you can email me that would be great. We want to try it this year and I'm at wits end. My email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thanks!!!!

Originally posted by Michelle B:
Ah yes, so in that regard. Don't sell giftwrap at all. Instead, go with a company that sells cookie dough for a 50% profit. Even if they have a cheaper cost and less quality ingredients- they're cookies and they'll pretty much taste just the same.

MichelleB -- you're missing the point. Cookie dough (though I think it's an excellent FR product choice) is no magic elixir on the percentage issue. No matter what you sell, the same factors apply.

Let's say you're getting $4 selling an $8 tub of cookie dough (50%). You could get $6 (60%) if you sold that same tub for $10. By your analysis that would definitely be smarter/better. But what the FR old-pros know is that that extra $2 will seriously affect total sales volume and could well result in less total profit for your group.

Using 50% as such a hard-and-fast rule is such a random thing. At the end of the day you want as much net profit as possible (gross doesn't matter) for as little work as possible (service and high-demand product), while keeping your supporters happy (quality of product and pricepoint).

I'll stop beating on this, but -- for traditional sales fundraisers -- this is a pretty black-and-white issue. Having folks focus on the percentage issue is a sure-fire way to make sure the lesser-quality FR companies win. There is no (none) connection between higher profit percentage and "these guys must be a generous FR company".

Tim

tim I agree about the quality thing, some of the companies that I have been approached by is pure trash...there are good companies out there that have good quality merchandise and good profit margins.
I need to clear up that I dont have a problem with home base companies like avon, tupperware, etc. Just for our group that when you keep all of your events totally free of charge to your families, don't charge dues we truly rely on our three fundraisers during the school year. we look for quality, service and money. Is that fair? I dont know but I would hate to see the kids faces id we started charging for our Fall Festival, Spring Fling, etc.
I think the one thing we can all agree on is that we wish there was a magic money tree so we can help our schools!

Our families seem to like a huge selection to choose from. If we just offer cookie dough, candy or gift wrap, we hardly sell anything. If we offer a catalog with an insert, it seems like everyone can find something. I read what some of you say about your school's preferences and I laugh because we are the exact opposite. Like schools that make money on events they hold onsite-we NEVER make money on things held on school grounds even if most of it is donated because no one comes. If we hold stuff someplace else, it does great. So we do 2 catalog sales and a Chuck E Cheese night and offer a few events free at the school (and still no one comes) and then just try to break even on our carnival. If I have learned anything, it's that you have to try it to see.

Ah yes, so in that regard. Don't sell giftwrap at all. Instead, go with a company that sells cookie dough for a 50% profit. Even if they have a cheaper cost and less quality ingredients- they're cookies and they'll pretty much taste just the same. Seriously, there are fundraising companies that give the best of both- higher percentage and quality product (and even do a lot of the work) so if the product you choose has those type of options- (lower percentage, higher quality-A vs then don't sell that product. Research your companies. Heck Entertainment books give 50% and the books are TOTALLY worth the costs! (just make sure the rep is honest and record everything)
If you MUST sell product- then you can have your cake AND eat it too.