We just ended our holiday shop today. We changed vendors and went with Kids Korner this year...fantastic service, huge variety of items, quality items in all categories, preprogrammed register and a big initial inventory in all categories. We chose $0.25-$10.00 range for our shop and they delivered and then some! We were a bit overwhelmed at first with the volume and selection of items. We never received such a huge selection of items for each price range from previous vendors. All items were clearly marked with the price category. The register was clearly marked with each category, the "void key" was easy to use (we get brain dead and make mistakes). As a bonus there was no pre or post inventory as the cash register recorded all transactions. In addition we were able to print a per day tally recording all sales for the day, broken down by price range and total sales. We didn't need to reorder anything, so I can't tell you how that service was. We received four big boxes of bags and table clothes...4 table clothes, large and small plastic bags and wrapping bags in each box. There was a lot left over! We do not use this as a fundraiser. However, we do add 10% to bring all items up to a $0.25 increment (easier at check out) and it covers us for students who come up a little short on cash at the register-we don't worry about a dollar or so short. We had some kids come through with $3.00 and they were able to purchase for 5-6 family members. We also had kids come with blank checks or $60 checks and they too had a big selection of items to choose from. We are already planning for next year (writing down everything we need to change to give the classes more time to shop). With the variety we had it took the kids longer to make their choices...each class flowed into the next class so we never got a break-stressful. Due to the increased variety we will increase the amount of time for classrooms and increase the number of days that the holiday shop will be open. We are ~30% low income school so being able to offer a large selection of items at $0.25 - $1.00 was a big help. The bulk of our sales were in the $5.00 and under range and we had over $5000 in sales with 700 students. We are very excited to find this vendor as our previous years have be frustrating with high priced cheap items, little selection and whats the deal with not providing enough bags...are the vendors hoping we don't see anything?!?! Kids Korner gave us an over abundance of everything, including extra register tape and bags! We didn't **want** for anything.
Hi we used for the first time Kids go hopping and they were very good to deal with. They supplied plenty of bags,all the merchandise is price coded, they give envelopes, posters flyers and you can check out all on line at the end. So far so good! Check them out
Kids Go Shopping
. I also ask for no items greater than $6.00 and they were great most items $2-4.
In the past our school used Fun Services and supplemented with merchandise from the Dollar store under the condition they would take back anything that didn't sell. Last year we actually lost money do to the fact that product was not very good selection or quality from Fun Service and Dollar store wouldn't agree to take back unsold product. WE do not consider this a fundraiser, this is purely a service for the children and families.....But we certainly don't want to lose money either. This year we are going with a new vendor, one we saw last year at the PTO Today conference, Kids Korner Shop...the product we saw was really good quality. They provide product,programed register, table clothes, gift bags,flyers, posters. and shopping envelopes for families to list who to buy for and amount to spend. WE are running the shop today during school and for a few hours after to allow parents to come in and shop with students if preferred. I will update later to let you know how it works out.
We were promissed by Tiffany that we would have plenty of the 50 cent and dollar items due to being low income school. She said that they would take out the expensive items and replace with tons of the inexpensive instead. I told her nothing over 5 -6 dollars. Received shipment from the new sales rep and it was mainly the expensive items. Called and complained and they sent out four boxes of the items requested. We sold out of those on the first day of the sale. Called about re-ordering more and bags. They ended up next day air our next shipment and we did get bags.
The register was to be programed with our mark up. Problem was, most of the merchandise prices wasn't even in the register. We had to stop and go look for the item and find out how much it was. This took way too much time. Then the register ran out of paper and wouldn't even scan to let us look up prices. Finally after several minutes of trying to figure out how to replace it, it started working again, only wouldn't print on the register receipt. Talk about frustrating!
Another complaint was the "inexpensive" items they sent also included expensive items too. I don't see how when you request specifically 50 cent to dollar items you also get three to six dollar items mixed in. Of course, no price sheet was enclosed to know how much something cost. Prices were not programmed into the register. Called the new rep and talked to her and asked price of a box of merchandise they were shipping to us and her response was "I don't know".
All in all I heard from a couple teachers that the majority of the teachers were not at all happy about the wait time to check out. Most volunteers came the first day they signed up for and did not return to help after that. Today was one other mom and myself to run the shop by ourselves.
I feel that this was just to much work and do not expect to have another shop in the future at all.
We used Fun Services this year after having signed with them last year. I loved our stuff last year, but this year just doesn't seem to be the same. We got all of our incentives for this year, and are giving our 6ft stocking away tomorrow. The problem is we have had lots of trouble. I've done my reorders everyday and it seems as though they are out of all the things our kids like. I've also ordered a replinishment of bags everyday and still have not received any. When I talked to our new rep, she said she would send a whole box of bags, but they did not come today. When we received our shipment a box of our bags was not included, I was told they would send them and they never came. I'm very disappointed with their customer service this year. I really liked our sales rep last year she was awesome. Our school is also low income and she insured we received a lot of great stuff. I told the owner this year about what we needed and the quality just isn't there plus the quantity was a lot lower. I called to complain about discrepancies in our inventory with jewelry, too, and was told they would look into it. I have not received any information on what happend, no sorry about it. I'm talking to them again tomorrow to make sure we receive our free bouncy house rental for the school carnival, but after that we're going out on our own, buying our own stock, and starting our own Santa Shop next year. Thanks for letting me vent, I feel better. I'm not sure how everyone else is going with Fun Services but I know they've lost our school as a customer, and we liked the fact that they were in Kansas because we are also in Kansas and only two hours away.
