What’s the difference and what is best for me?

What is an Order-Taker Fundraiser?

An order-taker fundraiser is also known as a brochure fundraiser, a catalog fundraiser and a shopper. Moving forward, we’ll call it an order-taker because after all, it’s sole purpose is to take orders! Some order-takers are 1 page, others may be 50 pages. Some offer 1 item, others offer 200 items. The product offerings inside the order-taker may include just about anything including wrapping paper, cookie dough, magazines, jewelry, decadent chocolates, candy and much more. Generally the pricing is between $5 and $40.

How do you use order-takers to raise money?

1. You’ll order 1 order-taker for each of your sellers. JustFundraising will send them to you free of charge.
2. Have your group members show the order-taker to friends, family, neighbors, and or co-workers and invite them to purchase 1 or more products. Your participants will collect the funds up-front, and will take notenergetice of their supporter’s name and mailing address on the order form included.
3. After 2 or 3 weeks of selling efforts, you (the fundraising organizer) will collect all of the order-takers and all funds raised from your group members. You will then place your full order with us. You’ve collected all of your funds up-front from your donors, so you are able to pay for your order with the funds raised
4. Count your profit! Typically, order-takers offer your group an average of 50% profit, which means your group keeps 50% of everything they sell. Sell $1000, keep $500! Sell $5000, keep $2500!  There’s a lot of money to be made with a well-planned and well executed order-taker fundraiser.
5. After placing your order and providing payment, JustFundraising.com will ship the entire order to you, so your group can distribute the products to your supporters, with a THANK YOU!

Safety Tip

Please ensure that no minor goes fundraising door-to-door alone. If they choose to go door-to-door, they need to be in two’s or three’s, and or with a parent.

Advantages of an order-taker fundraiser:

-It’s free to get started – we’ll mail you 1 order-taker brochure for each of your sellers.

-You can offer a variety of products.

-You can offer a variety of price points ($5 to $30), and you can earn more per unit sold than a $1 or $2 direct-sale item.

-There are no inventories to deal with – you only order what you sell.

-You make a lot more money per unit sold – making 50% profit on one $20 item, means you keep $10 profit. You’d have to sell 20 $1 candy bars to earn the same.

Disadvantages of fundraising with order-takers:

-There’s more work for everyone - once you sell, your work isn’t over. You have to then place the order with the supplier, organize a distribution day where all the parents will come and pick-up the fundraising product, and then the parents have to distribute the product to their fellow supporters.

-Higher priced items are more difficult to sell then a 50 cent lollipop, or $1 Hershey bar.

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What is an Direct-Seller Fundraising Product?

Direct-sellers are also known as in-hand sellers, show-and-sell products or cash-and-carry items. They include any product that you physically have on you, while you are selling. Anything you sell on the spot is a direct-seller. The most common direct-seller is the traditional $1 candy bar. Typically direct-seller are items priced between 50 cents and $2 such as lollipops, candy bars, beef sticks and other inexpensive nut and candy items. Some direct-sellers are priced higher and may include magic melt candles, toothbrushes, customized pens, awareness bracelets and many more.

How do you use direct-sellers to raise money?

The process is very simple. You decide which direct-sale product you’d like to sell and order it from us. You then get your sellers to sell us much of the product as possible. Give them a fixed and firm target so you’re not left with any inventory. Your group members sell the product and collect the money on the spot.

Advantages of fundraising with direct-sellers:

- Sales are quick and easy, and you’ll often get many repeat sales throughout the fundraiser.

- The products generally appeal to everyone’s tastes – who doesn’t like chocolate bars, lollipops, and candy? Who can’t use an extra pen?

- The products can be sold almost anywhere, out of a box.

- Once your sale is done, your job is done! No dealing with distribution day and deliveries.

- With JustFundraising.com, you can order is little as 1 case and shipping is always free, making direct-sale products highly accessible to groups of any size.

Disadvantages of direct-sellers:

-You have to purchase the product up-front. This is usually the greatest stumbling block, after all, most groups are fundraising because they are short on funds. JustFundraising does offer 30-day financing to public schools, and 30-day financing through a credit-card-hold to all other groups.

-You run the risk of being stuck with inventory at the end of your fundraising event.

-It’s very difficult to judge how much product you’ll be able to sell, and therefore should purchase.

-You need a place to store your inventory throughout the fundraiser.

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What is Best For Your Group?

An order-taker fundraising product is for you if:

 -If you don’t have funds to order product to get your fundraising program started, than an order-taker fundraiser is perfect for your group!

-If you are concerned and uncertain of your group’s participation rate, and don’t know how much product to order, and don’t want to be stuck with excess inventory.

-If you want to offer price and product variety.

A direct-seller is good if:

-If you are able to use a credit card to do a 30-day credit card hold.

-If you have a very good idea of how many units your group is capable of selling.

-If inexpensive items are better sellers in your community than more pricey products.

-If you have access to buyers – permission to sell in the stands at your high school games, to set up booth at your school or local shopping center.

If you want help choosing which fundraiser is best for your group, please call us – we want to help! 1-888-440-4114.

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