Phoenix Trading - Hints and Tips

skeeter_2

moo2moo wrote: »

Re: The school staffroom - 1 week isn't long enough. Our Phoenix trader leaves a basket in there all year round and a brochure and around 50 cards covering everything from births to funerals. She sells 10-15 a week because we all know the basket is there and its far easier to buy from the basket than to nip to the local shop. She does have a lot of competition though. A few people drop off handmade cards and we have The Book People, Mike the Bookman, Books direct and at least 3 charity catalogues on the go at all times most of which offer sets of cards at huge discounts, usually 40 for £10.

On previous occasions shes sent brochures home with children a class at a time with a sample card and a note saying that 10% of all sales would be donated to school. Thats upped her profile on the playground hugely and rarely a week goes by when she doesn't turn up with an armload of bags. Obviously shes kept a list of all the peole shes sold to and gives them all a new catalogue everytime one is issued.

That is a great idea to achieve several orders at once, I might have to give that a try with a local school!

clarew

Must say with regard to the staffroom, i did have a huge basket with approx 100+ cards, of all varieties in it. Plus notepads, giftwrap sheets etc. Still no joy. Our school is very strict, and i certainly wouldn't be able to send out 400+brouchures even with % to school, and i was lucky to use an teacher who is my relation to be able to wrange my way into the staffroom in the first place!

Never mind, onwards and upwards, i guess they were just too busy with xmas shopping as opposed to general card shopping! (the fact that we are in a busy town with pound shops (3 cards for £1-although not nice quality) may not help either.

pinkparrott

Hi I bought some cards from a local toddler group and really liked them so i sent off for a broucher/ info pack.

I have couple of questions if anyone can help?
1) I've been given the details of a sponser who's about 20 miles away but i know there are traders local so couldn't i request one of them instead? thought it would be easier for swopping stock etc does this matter
2)when people opted for the intro packs - were they happy with them was there a good selection of nice cards or do they send you the unpopular ones?
3) a lot of you have mentioned that the prices are going up next year, is that the wholesale prices or the retial prices or both? and what to does anyone know.
4) with the info pack was the autum / winter 2008 broucher
will the 2009 one be out soon.
5) how often do the brouchers change?
6) when the cards etc arrive how are they packaged? do you have to put each one in to an individual celephane bag?
7) when you place an order can you do it online and how long do the orders usually take to arrive?

many thanks for all the help, i think i will probably sign up but i'm currently on maternity leave from my normal job at the moment and i need to find out if becomming a trader will affect my maternity pay( although go on to no pay soon:eek: ) before i can join up.

many thanks
jo

pbfhpunk

Sorry know this is slightly off topic, but I was at our village fair on Saturday and saw the recipe box - from afar as was very packed and also didn't have any money on me, can someone let me know what it comes with and the size and how I can get one?

Thank you.

Rosemary_Jane

pbfhpunk wrote: »

Sorry know this is slightly off topic, but I was at our village fair on Saturday and saw the recipe box - from afar as was very packed and also didn't have any money on me, can someone let me know what it comes with and the size and how I can get one?

Thank you.

Hi punk (!)

If you look on the website,
https://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk/web/corp/products/catalog.do?catalogId=PRD34210
and click on the picture, it shows you the contents and measurements more clearly than if I write them out.
To buy it you'll need to find a trader near you, did you get the phone number of the trader holding the stall?

Rosemary

Rosemary_Jane

pinkparrott wrote: »

Hi I bought some cards from a local toddler group and really liked them so i sent off for a broucher/ info pack.

I have couple of questions if anyone can help?
1) I've been given the details of a sponser who's about 20 miles away but i know there are traders local so couldn't i request one of them instead? thought it would be easier for swopping stock etc does this matter
2)when people opted for the intro packs - were they happy with them was there a good selection of nice cards or do they send you the unpopular ones?
3) a lot of you have mentioned that the prices are going up next year, is that the wholesale prices or the retial prices or both? and what to does anyone know.
4) with the info pack was the autum / winter 2008 broucher
will the 2009 one be out soon.
5) how often do the brouchers change?
6) when the cards etc arrive how are they packaged? do you have to put each one in to an individual celephane bag?
7) when you place an order can you do it online and how long do the orders usually take to arrive?

many thanks for all the help, i think i will probably sign up but i'm currently on maternity leave from my normal job at the moment and i need to find out if becomming a trader will affect my maternity pay( although go on to no pay soon:eek: ) before i can join up.

many thanks
jo

Hi there, Pinkparrott,

Lots of questions there, which your potential sponsor can answer when you chat. But briefly, Phoenix will allocate you a sponsor within twenty miles; they will only select someone who has sponsored two traders within the last six months (or a year, can't remember which), because these traders will have demonstrated hopefully that they are able to take on the responsibility of training and supporting you to be successful. Not all traders want to become sponsors, some are happy just retailing.

I would say it doesn't matter too much re swapping stock, as you'll be able to do that with local traders as you become friends, you don't need to be in the same team. Because there are plenty of customers to go round, the cut-throat nature of business is not seen in this company.

The new brochures are due out in early January, I believe that the 50 included with the business kit are now down to 20, and they'll send you 30 of the new ones when they come out, but you'll need to ring and check that.

The starter pack is a good selection of cards, but also includes ribbons, tissue and gift wrap as well as an organiser box (which I believe is being discontinued, so can't be used as a demonstration one for long). It's a good discount IF you sell everything, but this is not necessarily likely in the short term.

Cards are going up to £1.20 each, or £1 each if you buy ten or more. The wholesale price is going up proportionately, to 70% of the bulk price (minus a bit of VAT now). They come tightly wrapped in sizes with bubble wrap, and you need to separate them and marry them up with their envelope. I then cello them all individually, because I like that, and my customers also comment favourably on it. My sponsor doesn't cello individual orders, only those for stock at fairs etc, but then she retails a lot more than me.

You can order online, it's very quick. Delivery has always been very fast to me, but the company say to allow five working days.

There are new brochures twice a year, and also a small supplement halfway between each.

HTH Rosemary

clarew

I have gone for the no cello approach, and have just pop the cards into a phoenix paper bag. I basket my cards up into sizes and types ie:adult/age specific.

I only cellophane the matching card/giftwrap and gift tag sets that i sell.

its horses for courses, you have to just try it and see what suits you best and what your customers need. I have never had any problem with no cellophaning them. Only ends up in the bin anyway!
Clare

pinkparrott

hi Rosemary
thanks for your reply, my sponsor phoned me tonight and we had a good chat, she seemed very nice. I need to just check a few things and then decide which way to go.
i'll keep watching this thread to see how you all get on and update you of my progress
jo

nicalodian

Hi fellow traders,

I'm pretty new to MSE so am still catching up on this thread.

I've only been doing phoenix for a few months but it's been ok so far. To be honest though most of my sales have come from friends at work or family so i'm still to break into the big wide world with it.

I've done the staff room basket thing but not sure how little or much has sold yet so will report back in a few days on that one. I must say though, that I agree with one of the ladies that 1 week may not be long enough for oppertunist buys especially. My main worry is that I have put quite a few xmas bits in it and so need to pull it out if not sold really by next week at the latest. Is anyone struggling shifting thier last bits with so many offers on in the shops at the moment? as ours to seem to come up a bit pricy for the nicer designs in comparison.

I have just over 20 Autumn/Winter brochures left so have no alternative really but to leaflet drop a percentage of them. I've carefully selected some lovely houses so fingers crossed.
Not sure what else to do really. The oppertunities around my way are huge but it's just being able to target the right audience and advertise legally and correctly according to Phoenix policies.

Does anyone have any ideas on this or know what is allowed that really works??

Looking forward to chatting with you all at some point
x

docmurphy_2

I thought I'd just pop in and introduce myself - I am about to embark on becoming a PT and have already found some great ideas from this thread!

I have seen our local executive trader and she has advised me to think about waiting until Jan when the new brochure comes out to sign up, as I will not then have half of this years brochures that are obsolete! I am hoping to get started early in Jan, and already have a few friends who have said they'll hold parties for me, aswell as having prepared a list of all the baby/toddler groups in my area to call when I am finally up and running.

Hope to get more advice and support on here as I think you all have great ideas to share. :j