pcchefjane
Gold Member
- 2,715
You can read a lot on the "Gymnastics Club Fundraiser" thread of what all was said this past week but I am asking anyone for ideas of ways to counteract what was said in front of parents etc. by two of the coaches last Saturday.
I brought in the Silicone Floral Cupcake Pan for them to raffle off. I brought a paper (mainly to cover my butt with these people) stating that I was giving it to them and they understood that I was reducing the amount I donated to them by $17 to cover the cost of the Host Special. I also stated on the paper that whoever won it would have to provide me with a name, address, and phone number or the guarantee would be null and void. They went off on me about it, claimed I had failed to provide it as promised. There was no getting them to listen to reason on that one. I had planned on providing one NIB and also the Silicone Crown Cake Pan to sell raffle tickets on at the table I was PROMISED at the two meets being held the 5th and 25th. Anyway, the male coach (I think it is the female coach's husband) starts going off on me that PC is a ripoff and they are conning people when they do fundraisers because every company he has ever dealt with gives a minimum of 40% return on what they sell, etc. Then he says, "And just how much money did you make on all we sold?" I smiled (and was so glad he asked that) and said, "I have a spreadsheet here for you to see. Since I donated 2/3 of my commission, paid for copies of all OOFs and other paperwork that went into the folders, donated 2-$25 gift cards to the high sellers, and donated free shipping, I went in the hole $36.05!" He just looked at me and was momentarily speechless for a moment, then the parent from the Booster Club I had dealt with mainly came in. The male coach made the remark, "Some parents said you contacted the people they made sales to. Just why did you do that? That is harassment." I just looked at him in disbelief and said, "I asked them who they bought the items from since no one gave me a list of who was participating and I didn't have a clue who the children were. I got random orders on my website towards this and without names, I had no clue who the sales should be credited to. Who exactly complained?" He said, "Well Lauren's person did for one." I looked at Lauren and said, "The lady complained? What was the problem? I had a question on her order." Lauren said, "She just wasn't sure why you called was all. She wasn't upset." I got a check from this woman with no name of a child and no order form. How was I supposed to know who she purchased it from?
These people obviously have no clue how direct sales works.:cry: This was to help expand my business and they not only changed what they wanted me to do, but made some really disparaging remarks about me and PC. Was there anything else I could have said? I am just hoping they don't spread this crap through the community to people who don't know what actually went on. I got all the orders most of them made on one order form with no possible way to figure out who bought what from each person. Now I have 4 cartons of products coming Wednesday to divide up. I am continuing the fundraiser with 5-6 of the parents who are interested in doing so. One even told me in an email that she steers clear of all the "politics" involved down there. The really sad part of this is that the Gymnastics Club is supposedly Christian-based. I am very disappointed in the whole experience. Has anyone else dealt with people like this? What can you say to them or is it better to just ignore the whole deal? I think if it wasn't for the fact that I could earn half-price or free registration for NC this month with sales, I would not even continue it through April, but I am determined that I am going to get something out of all this mess!
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
I brought in the Silicone Floral Cupcake Pan for them to raffle off. I brought a paper (mainly to cover my butt with these people) stating that I was giving it to them and they understood that I was reducing the amount I donated to them by $17 to cover the cost of the Host Special. I also stated on the paper that whoever won it would have to provide me with a name, address, and phone number or the guarantee would be null and void. They went off on me about it, claimed I had failed to provide it as promised. There was no getting them to listen to reason on that one. I had planned on providing one NIB and also the Silicone Crown Cake Pan to sell raffle tickets on at the table I was PROMISED at the two meets being held the 5th and 25th. Anyway, the male coach (I think it is the female coach's husband) starts going off on me that PC is a ripoff and they are conning people when they do fundraisers because every company he has ever dealt with gives a minimum of 40% return on what they sell, etc. Then he says, "And just how much money did you make on all we sold?" I smiled (and was so glad he asked that) and said, "I have a spreadsheet here for you to see. Since I donated 2/3 of my commission, paid for copies of all OOFs and other paperwork that went into the folders, donated 2-$25 gift cards to the high sellers, and donated free shipping, I went in the hole $36.05!" He just looked at me and was momentarily speechless for a moment, then the parent from the Booster Club I had dealt with mainly came in. The male coach made the remark, "Some parents said you contacted the people they made sales to. Just why did you do that? That is harassment." I just looked at him in disbelief and said, "I asked them who they bought the items from since no one gave me a list of who was participating and I didn't have a clue who the children were. I got random orders on my website towards this and without names, I had no clue who the sales should be credited to. Who exactly complained?" He said, "Well Lauren's person did for one." I looked at Lauren and said, "The lady complained? What was the problem? I had a question on her order." Lauren said, "She just wasn't sure why you called was all. She wasn't upset." I got a check from this woman with no name of a child and no order form. How was I supposed to know who she purchased it from?
These people obviously have no clue how direct sales works.:cry: This was to help expand my business and they not only changed what they wanted me to do, but made some really disparaging remarks about me and PC. Was there anything else I could have said? I am just hoping they don't spread this crap through the community to people who don't know what actually went on. I got all the orders most of them made on one order form with no possible way to figure out who bought what from each person. Now I have 4 cartons of products coming Wednesday to divide up. I am continuing the fundraiser with 5-6 of the parents who are interested in doing so. One even told me in an email that she steers clear of all the "politics" involved down there. The really sad part of this is that the Gymnastics Club is supposedly Christian-based. I am very disappointed in the whole experience. Has anyone else dealt with people like this? What can you say to them or is it better to just ignore the whole deal? I think if it wasn't for the fact that I could earn half-price or free registration for NC this month with sales, I would not even continue it through April, but I am determined that I am going to get something out of all this mess!
Any suggestions would be appreciated!