Inventory - to have or not to have

[Jillb]

Just wondering should I have an inventory for sale or not?

If I do what do you recommend?

How do you price your inventory?

[wadesgirl]

No way! That's one of the best things about this business.

[AJPratt]

I don't really have one to sell per se. I keep some things on had for giveaways, and when I want to clean out my closet, I will take some cash & carry to a craft fair. I price it for whatever it is in the catalog or catalog it was in. If I am doing a fundraising event, I will take 10% of sales from products and donate it to the charity.

[DebbieJ]

no need for inventory.

[esavvymom]

It's too difficult to know what to keep in stock! and unless you have alot of $$ to spare, it's not worth it.

[Di_Can_Cook]

The only inventory I have is a) things I got from host specials when I've hosted my own show b) things I purchased to make said show (really small items which I knew I would sell ... or would be happy to have in my own kitchen) and c) things I got in surprise boxes.

I agree it is too hard to know what will sell. My director has cash and carry which she lets us borrow. (If we sell it, we order it and put it back.) However, her house is out of my way and in the past, haven't sold much of her stuff.

[hmolah]

NO!!! Don't do it. It's too risky and uncertain what will sell and what won't. Not only that, but why hassle with it? When I do booths- I just get those interested in products to host shows! Another reason I love PC - no inventory!!

[BethCooks4U]

HO discourages us from having inventory. Do not do it. It is one of the benefits of being a PC consultant - we do not carry inventory. The catalog has awesome pictures of everything and you can show what you own to give a customer an idea of the quality. Our shipping time is so fast that they'll get what they want quickly anyway. What you might buy is probably not what someone will ask for anyway.

[pcchefjane]

I don't do it at all. I do get an extra Host Special here and there that I use to giveaway as a "big prize" when I get enough outside orders to make a show with my DD as Host. Other than that, no inventory and no plans to carry any! I do buy SBs some to have but last Season I had 50 SBs I had ordered as add-ons to Host orders (cheaper than buying on supply order AND got commission) but ended up having too many so I gave a lot away for various incentives.

[ChefBeckyD]

HO discourages us from having inventory. Do not do it. It is one of the benefits of being a PC consultant - we do not carry inventory. The catalog has awesome pictures of everything and you can show what you own to give a customer an idea of the quality. Our shipping time is so fast that they'll get what they want quickly anyway. What you might buy is probably not what someone will ask for anyway.

That is SO true! Our catalog is extensive, and so it's hard to determine what people are going to want and ask for, and it's going to disappoint people more if you say you carry inventory, but then don't have what they want.

And a lot of our product takes up a lot of space. If you were to carry inventory, you'd have to have an extra room in your house. :-)

[lpacker]

Our accountant said "DO NOT". Items bought one year and sold the following year are TOTAL profit, since the purchasing of the item was claimed in the previous year.

[Pedey]

Also, how would the warranty work if you kept an inventory? Is it from the date YOU purchased it or when they re-purchased it, you know?

[Jules711]

There would be no true warranty on it. I do like to have some discontinued things on hand if they have something good. As for SB, don't just give them away. People love looking for older ones! I give them away too, but not to get rid of them. It's an easy thing to have at a booth.

[mountainmama74]

I agree with everyone here. No inventory!! That's why this business is so appealing to so many of us!