What is the most cost-effective way to pay for a holiday mall booth?

[pc_jessica]

Okay, so I am signing the contract for my first ever mall booth today...and there is a couple different ways I can pay for this booth.
#1- $100 a weekend OR 10% of my sales for the weekend.
#2- $50 a week OR 8% of my sales for the week.

The way the lady explained it me is that my sales are only the sales that I sale of stuff on hand, so that would mean cash and carry. If I take orders from the caddy those sale totals don't count. However to be at the mall, I must have cash and carry available.
I am just so confused about which option I should take. i am for sure goign to be set up during the week and the weekend as soon as Thanksgiving is over...like Black Friday will be my first day at the mall. So I know I will be paying a weekend and week day fee. I just can't decide which would be better on my part...aka the cheapest for me! Any suggestions?!?!

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

What type of set up is this? A fair they do or a retail set-up?

 

[chefcharity]

WOW!! I checked on my mall and it was like $3000 for 3 months or something INSANE like that! And you HAD to do the 3 months.

First thing I am going to suggest is call HO and make sure this is ok. I know we can't sell things at stores and stuff, so this might be against the rules. Just an FYI if you haven't already checked.

If it is ok, I'd say 10% of sales for the weekend.. you can't carry everything so there will be a lot of orders taken.
good luck!

 

[pc_jessica]

yup this is just like a craft fair. lots of crafts and other vendors like mary kay, watkins, and such. my director said it should be fine. just like me setting up at a booth at a craft show or anything like that.

 

[pampchefsarah]

If you do option #2, is that M-F only? If it's a 7 day week, that seems to be much cheaper to me (or, is it $50/day not per week?).

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Just be really careful! There is a fine line between craft fair and retail establishment (like the mall). Also cash and carry is really risky, what are people going to want to buy? And our guarantee does not transfer to the buyer. Here is our agreement... Consultant Agreement
Terms and ConditionsA. As a Pampered Chef® Consultant, I understand and agree: 1. I will promote and sell Company products to customers by regularly holding Cooking Shows. I will not sell Company products on the Internet or in any public, retail or service establishments. I will not sell Company products for resale. I will present Company products in a truthful, sincere and honest manner, and I will conduct myself in a manner that reflects the highest standards of integrity and responsibility in keeping with the reputation of the Company.

 

[chefcharity]

yup this is just like a craft fair. lots of crafts and other vendors like mary kay, watkins, and such. my director said it should be fine. just like me setting up at a booth at a craft show or anything like that.

That sounds great then! Very cool

 

[pc_jessica]

Just be really careful! There is a fine line between craft fair and retail establishment (like the mall). Also cash and carry is really risky, what are people going to want to buy? And our guarantee does not transfer to the buyer.

Here is our agreement...

Consultant Agreement
Terms and Conditions

A. As a Pampered Chef® Consultant, I understand and agree:

1. I will promote and sell Company products to customers by regularly holding Cooking Shows. I will not sell Company products on the Internet or in any public, retail or service establishments. I will not sell Company products for resale. I will present Company products in a truthful, sincere and honest manner, and I will conduct myself in a manner that reflects the highest standards of integrity and responsibility in keeping with the reputation of the Company.

okay now you have me a bit worried. our mall has a very large foyer type of thing. which is where my table would be set up. its not inside any of the stores, its just in like a large open walkway...do you think that is okay. my director thought it would be like a somewhat like vendor fair. do you think that is not what this is???

 

[pc_jessica]

If you do option #2, is that M-F only? If it's a 7 day week, that seems to be much cheaper to me (or, is it $50/day not per week?).

its $50 a week M-F, and $100 Saturday and Sunday. But I am thinking the 8% and 10% is a better deal.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

PC discourages Cash and Carry - so to me, this one sounds really iffy - more like a Mall Kiosk like TW or Avon would do. I would check with PC before I sign a contract!

Ask to speak to Career Solutions, not the main help desk.

 

[pc_jessica]

i just emailed home office...how long does it normally take for them email back??

 

[ChefBeckyD]

i just emailed home office...how long does it normally take for them email back??

I'd call - it can be 2-3 days for an email.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Becky is right, get the okay first before signing. That said, if HO says it is okay (and know who you talked with), the percentage is better, since you won't sell much. See threads here about cash and carry. I've done a booth with cash and carry, and carried all but a few small pieces back home with me. Also, keep in mind the deadline for ordering and getting products to your customers.

 

[pc_jessica]

okay so i will be calling homeoffice...however i have been searching threads..and found a few that were not so long ago like april where consultants set up in actual stores...like Ann Taylor Loft, Dress barn and such...wouldn't this be kinda like that but different sicne i won't be in an actual store??

 

[babywings76]

okay so i will be calling homeoffice...however i have been searching threads..and found a few that were not so long ago like april where consultants set up in actual stores...like Ann Taylor Loft, Dress barn and such...wouldn't this be kinda like that but different sicne i won't be in an actual store??

I haven't read those threads, but I wouldn't go by what people have done. If people sold in stores and it was against policy and they got away with it, it's one thing. You don't want to do it if it's against policy, get caught, and say "But others have done this, I thought it was okay." I'd hate to see you get in trouble. Definitely call and speak to Career Solutions about it. Make a note of who you spoke with.

The way you described it could be taken as either it's like a Kiosk-type thing, or an inside bizarre/fair type thing.

 

[pc_jessica]

I just called homeoffice and talked to career solutions. and they said that as long as there is no web advertising by the mall listing mysefl or pc that i am okay to go forward with the booth!!! yippee!!!!

 

[babywings76]

Oh how cool! That sounds like a great opportunity for you!

 

[wadesgirl]

I personally would just pay their flat rate. You never know what you will sell as far as cash and carry. I know you are new otherwise I would suggest just taking products you have on hand.

 

[pc_jessica]

i am still unsure of which rate i should pay...i was thinking the percentage because i have no idea how much cash n carry i will be able to sell and i figured it up i would have to sell a little over $650 of cash n carry during the week to even pay $50 fee it would be. and during the weekend i would have to sell a little over $1200 to even pay the $100 fee. i don't think i will even have that much cash n carry on hand to be able to sell that much.

 

[wadesgirl]

i am still unsure of which rate i should pay...i was thinking the percentage because i have no idea how much cash n carry i will be able to sell and i figured it up i would have to sell a little over $650 of cash n carry during the week to even pay $50 fee it would be. and during the weekend i would have to sell a little over $1200 to even pay the $100 fee. i don't think i will even have that much cash n carry on hand to be able to sell that much.

Very true! I didn't do the math.

 

[JDooley]

i would double check with the mall or verify the contract sometimes they require you to have X amount for cash and carry otherwise this sounds GREAT! and perfect timing!

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

One more thought, do you have be there designated hours? What if you get sick, do you have to have someone cover?

 

[pc_jessica]

One more thought, do you have be there designated hours? What if you get sick, do you have to have someone cover?

i just got back from the mall...and signed the contract!!! wahoo i am really excited for this opportunity i am hoping to be able to build up my contacts, maybe get a few bookings and hopefully get a lot of orders.
my contract that i decided to go with is all week starting on November 27th (Black Friday) and going until Christmas Eve. I decided to do it this way because I can come and go whenever I want. So if I want to be there at 10am and stay until 5pm I can if I want to leave and come back during the day I can. The mall doesn't require you to be there at certain times. But gives us a good detail of what times are the best! So if I am sick it doesn't matter.
Also the mall doesn't require I have $X amount of cash n carry. They just say to figure up what I sell and then i pay them 8% of that! And I thought I had to pay 10% on the weekends and then 8% on the weekdays, but since I signed for the week long contract which runs Sunday-Saturday (7 days) I just pay the 8% rate!!! So Hopefully this will be a good business venture for me and I can get alot of business.

 

[pampchefsarah]

Very cool, Jessica. I pray it goes really well for you.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

How exciting. Good Luck!

 

[Chef Bobby]

I would make some gift baskets so it would be one stop shopping for someone looking for a Christmas present. Good luck!