Experience running Santa Shop at school: advice needed...

[happy2bamom]

I volunteered to run the Santa Shop next school year. I really want to change things up, but I don't know what options I have. Currently the school uses a vendor that brings in all the merchandise and restocks daily if we run low. The disadvantage of using said vendor is that all of their items are overpriced. Kids are spending $3-$4 on items that can be purchased at the Dollar Store. To add to this frustration, the school gets a very small percentage of all sales.

In my mind, the school and the kids would benefit more if I personally bought everything at the Dollar Store and charged $2. The kids would pay much less with this system and the school would get way more profit. The problem with that system is: 1) I would have to personally go to the store every day to restock (PITA) 2) would they even refund for all of my surplus?

I wonder if Oriental Trading would work with me??

There has to be an easier solution. I welcome all ideas and suggestions.

[janeybwild]

Our elementary school has a team of shoppers that shop year round for good deals. They have a station for personalization. Tables are set up for mom, dad, pets, siblings etc. They have elves (5th graders) to help the younger kids shop. They wrap and label right there. Its awesome. You'd be better off getting a team of people who like deals, then look for clearance and dollar store items throughout the year.

[MelissaTC]

Our elementary school has a team of shoppers that shop year round for good deals. They have a station for personalization. Tables are set up for mom, dad, pets, siblings etc. They have elves (5th graders) to help the younger kids shop. They wrap and label right there. Its awesome. You'd be better off getting a team of people who like deals, then look for clearance and dollar store items throughout the year.

This is what our school does as well. Items are already wrapped and have gift tags on them so all the kids have to do is write names.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We do a fair trade market vs the cheap stuff. We get items on consignment.

[KrisM]

Our elementary school has a team of shoppers that shop year round for good deals. They have a station for personalization. Tables are set up for mom, dad, pets, siblings etc. They have elves (5th graders) to help the younger kids shop. They wrap and label right there. Its awesome. You'd be better off getting a team of people who like deals, then look for clearance and dollar store items throughout the year.

I'm in charge of ours, and this is what we do, too. I do the majority of the shopping and I have about 1100 items already (goal is 2100). Most were bought by the end of January. I buy a lot of things at Meijer and Target and shoot for values of at least $4. We sell it all for $2 so there is no worry about pricing things.

I send home envelopes with all the kids the day before the sale. On the envelope, there is a place for their name. There is also a "shopping list" for people to check of who the child is shopping for. Mom, dad, grandma, aunt, friend, dog, sister, etc. That way when they check out, the worker double checks that it looks like they have something for everyone :).

I get a lot of our ornaments at Oriental Trading. They have cute ones that can be personalized easily and work to about $1.50 each, shipped. We also personalize mugs, drink cozies, and picture frames, or whatever else we find :).

We don't have much surplus. In fact, last year we ran out of men's items completely :(. But, I donate a bunch to the local toy drive, save some for prizes for another event, and keep some for the next year.

Ours is not run as a fundraiser, but as an event to enjoy. So, we don't need to profit. Our per item profit covers wrapping paper, tape, bags, tags, etc. It also lets me go slightly higher on buying if I need to. I'll buy great things that are $2, knowing we're breaking even, figuring they're great items and I save on other things being at better deals.

A big problem we have is storage. This year, I found someone who has an empty room in her basement to store it all for me. I sort and count and remove price tags as I fill boxes and then haul them over to her. Last year, I had it all in my basement and in about October, I spread it out so I could get a good count. It was a mess. It was really hard to organize, keep organized, etc. It takes up a TON of room.

But, we end up with really good stuff, I think. I love when the parents helping at set-up are shocked that we are selling some things for only $2!

[happy2bamom]

Wow! those are some good ideas. I need to look into some of those options. The way that things are currently run is so frustrating. I do have a question for those of you that talked about personalization of the gifts. how exactly are you doing that? do you have someone there with a paint pen? We currently just "wrap" the gifts by putting each item in a seperate bag and then a gift tag on it. I honestly can't imagine wrapping all those gifts! We have some students that buy for aunts, uncles, grandparents & cousins. I guess if we made everything one price that could eliminate some of that. Currently there are items that cost .25 cents - $25. the kids with the big lists usually buy items that are .50 cents or less for everyone on their list.

Thanks for the all the input. I appreciate the ideas.

[KrisM]

Wow! those are some good ideas. I need to look into some of those options. The way that things are currently run is so frustrating. I do have a question for those of you that talked about personalization of the gifts. how exactly are you doing that? do you have someone there with a paint pen? We currently just "wrap" the gifts by putting each item in a seperate bag and then a gift tag on it. I honestly can't imagine wrapping all those gifts! We have some students that buy for aunts, uncles, grandparents & cousins. I guess if we made everything one price that could eliminate some of that. Currently there are items that cost .25 cents - $25. the kids with the big lists usually buy items that are .50 cents or less for everyone on their list.

Thanks for the all the input. I appreciate the ideas.


For personalization, we used paint pens and Sharpies.

The first year, we had different prices, but it was hard for parents to guess how much money to send in with their child and then some bought too much and didn't have enough money. We wrap 2 gifts, for free, per child. We ask what is for their mom and dad or whoever drove them to the sale. We collect Target bags before hand for the kids to fill while shopping and then they take all the unwrapped and 2 wrapped gifts out in that too.