We purchase all our own merchandise and resell it to the kids.
this was the first year I took it over, a learning experience for sure... but a lot of fun.
Our highest price for any item os $5.00. and we offered engraved ornamenets this year... a big hit with the kids. This has never been a fundraiser, but all our other fundraisers are down, so next year it might have to be... well, back to shopping for next year.
We used the Dollar store this year and it worked out great for our Holiday Bazaar. I saw the idea of using tags for the kids to fill out. We will need more gift bags for the kids next year. Does anyone know where to buy bulk gift bags?
presfawn...sorry to hear you didnt like fun services. we have used them for the past four years and have never really had a problem with them. for us they are local so we like that we can go and get more product within a 35 minutes drive. as far as no price sheet or list I wonder what happened. We have actually received our packet every year about advertising, volunteer set up, the items we were getting and their prices. The fun service we use has everything all ready marked and we just have to inventory it. we get 20% of sales. is it possible that the packet was thrown out by office staff or soemthing like that??usually comes in like mid-november. I guess it depends on what your school needs that wokrs best. over all it is alot of work but the kids LOVE it and that's why we keep doing it!!!
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
Presfawn, I hate to hear about your rotten luck with Fun Services. The first year we used them we recieved vol. buttons, table covers, a large binder with math lessons the teachers could use, coin banks, envolopes, and a step by step instruction guide. We also got a bags to put the merchandise in.
Snookie, this may be a little late now but incase you want to do this next year:
I got info from several different companies and formed a committee on which way we should go. We also discussed collecting donations and buying gifts but quickly decided it wouldn't be worth it on our part because our location and school size etc. Then we took it before the general board it was voted on.
Most companies wanted to know before October. That gives them plenty of time to plan also. Some of them even gives discounts or prizes. I can't remember if Fun Services did or not. For us Fun Services was the closest and a portion of their proceeds went to the "Make a Wish Foundation." We could decide our own prices. We barley marked them up and still managed to make $1200 along with our Breakfast with Santa.
This was our first year doing "Secret Santa." We used Fun Services are we were very disappointed with their customer service. Prior to the sale I received a box of envelopes and a generic form letter. There was no price list, and no merchandise list! How do plan without knowing what you're going to be selling and how much it will cost students?
If we do this again next year, we will choose a different company, or use one of the great ideas I just read here, like buying from a dollar store.
