We just did cookie dough pick up. We had pick-up info. on the order form & with the note that went home accompaning it. It ran in three newsletters. AND on two individual flyers sent home. And STILL, we had a huge % that did not pick up orders.
I started calling people at 3 pm, pick-up was 11 am to 5 pm and told them I'd stay until 5:30 if I knew they were on their way. I stayed until 6:00. AND STILL, many did not pick up.
We told people from the get go, we could not store orders. It was raining that day and people were simply telling me they wouldn't come pick it up. I told them I'm sorry, but no refunds. I'd do my best to store what orders I could, but the larger orders was a 99.5% that it would perish and there was no guarantee on the smaller orders. I took home what I could and put in the school fridge what I could. I was just amazed at how many people were angry with ME b/c they didn't want to pick it up. Some were even at school picking up their kids and didn't take the time to pick up the cookie dough!! It's not that it wasn't clear either--I had people calling/emailing all week arranging for someone else to pick-up b/c they knew they couldn't make it that day.
I was shorted money on two tubs and had one check bounce. We contacted the person who placed the order and we canceled out one of the shorted tubs, were told that we would be given a check for one of the shorted tubs, and ended up eating the bounced check fee (that person didn't get the cookie dough tubs [2]). We now have a bounced check policy in place. $25 fee. I want to expand on that, but not sure how.
Overall though, for our little school, this was pretty good fundraiser for us. It was our only fall fundraiser and made more $$ than the traditional five (which I refused to do) than the school has always done in the past. We even had a low participation rate. I think we're going to do it again next year, a bit wiser though.
Originally posted by library mom:
We did have one issue pop up. A lady brought in the orginial order form (which was supposed to be sent to the school) and tried to pick up her order, but we did not have a copy of it in our files. Our money and our orders all equaled out. So the Prez told her that we could not fill the order as it was never sent in. She was not a happy camper. At the end of the night when we boxed up the orders that were not picked up, we found that we did not have enough extras to fill her order just in case there was a mix up. The Prez called her up and said that if she could bring him a canciled check from the order that he would make good on it. All in all we felt that we were being scammed.
Anyone else have a situation like this? If so how did your group deal with it? What about bounced checks? We ran into that also.
We keep a copy of every order AND an additional copy for those who forget to bring theirs on pick up day. Our cookie dough vendor also sends us a master list of every processed order. If we don't have your sheet, we didn't get your order. And we advertise that. But wait... there's more!
We too, send home several notices. The pick up date is right on the order form as well. We have the date announced every morning for a week prior to pick up. It is posted on the bulletin board. Teachers send the date home in the student folders. What more can we do? But wait... there's more!
We added this to the sales brochure thingie and all the reminder notices: Cookie Dough Pick Up Date Is ----, between --- and ---. Due to lack of storage facilities, Cookie Dough not picked up by the end of the day will be re-sold. There will be no refunds for orders not picked up and re-sold. Orders from bounced checks will be re-sold. If you would like to be put on our waiting list for additional cookie dough, please contact---.
Solved our problem... lol... The first year we did this, we only had three people not pick it up. And yes, I did re-sell their prepaid cookie dough. Last year, everyone picked up.
Have had a problem or two over the years. We do send out reminder notices and we post the pick up date on the doors to the school the day of pick up.
Every time we have to call 2-3 people about a half hour before closing up. Once they get the call they come running!
We did have this one person this year who didn't want to come in the rain to pick up her order(she's very lazy and I have no patience for her) so, me being the nice person I am, told her that whenever she feels like coming her order would be in the back next to the dumpster! Needless to say she was there five minutes later. Problem solved!This is her last year at our school so watch out Kma, she's going to be your problem next year!
The cookie dough sale is the worst for not being picked up. Last year was our final year, as we are not allowed to keep it in the cafeteria walk-in anymore. If I remember correctly tiner posted about a cookie dough company that delivered to the individuals. I could be wrong and it's just a wishful memory. But if I'm right, I sure would like the name of the company.
We stopped doing perishable fundraisers because we had too many no shows. That is with putting it right on the order sheet when was pickup time/day, in the newsletter at least two times, send home individual reminders to students who sold product, in our monthly minutes, school year calendar and on our family fun flyers. We always have a free family fundnight on pickup nights!
When they dont come now for our nonperishable sales we put all of the left over items in the principals office and call them the next day.
As far as bounced checks we deposit them as soon as we get them, this usually leaves almost a month before pickup. I call them and we hold merchandise til we get cash or a money order. i would rather be stuck with boxes of easter candy thean let someone have it that owes money. We have always had good luck with this...
[ 12-10-2004, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: pals ]
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
