An official Usborne Books thread....

Superstar26

I'm very tempted to join Usborne and have had a few emails about it in the hope of starting up. However, my main concerns are that I don't drive (although I'm about to start doing driving lessons but it will obviously take me a good while to learn) and I have a toddler and baby.
My toddler is at nursery 2 days a week so I was hoping to speak to them if I join up. I also have quite a few friends with children I would approach to do parties. The girl I was speaking to said as far as she is aware no one does usborne in my area (don't know if that's a good or bad thing) she's been very helpfull already but I feel a bit stupid asking some questions so hope someone can help before I sign up.
If I hold a party with my starter kit, do I just sell what I have or would I have a catalogue they can order from?
I take it I just take payments in cash?
How am I paid by usborne (I know we get 24% of sales but how does this work?)
Do you need a lot of money to put in to it when you first start out?

Sorry for all the silly questions but I just want to know some details before I start.
Thanks

Looneylee

We need reps all over the country And even if there are other people doing it in your area, there are plenty of events/groups to go around for several people. In my area I know that there are other reps around, but I have been running my business as a Team Leader very successfully for nearly 7 years. And I still struggle to cover everything that comes along!

Great you have a few people in mind to host parties for you! They will be getting lots of free books for hosting, plus they'll be helping you get started Don't worry about asking the lady you've been speaking to lots of questions. That's what she is there for. At parties, you would use your starter kit as a showcase, and then take orders from showing these books and the catalogue. We have over 2000 titles! We can take payments by cash, cheque (made payable to you) or credit card. Card payments are processed on the system when you place your order. You keep your commission upfront, so no need to wait for payment from Usborne. So when you come to place your order, Usborne deduct your commission amount, so you pay less the 24%. You won't need to put much money into it - only if you want to. Your starter kit is great to get you started with parties, toddler groups etc. You will be amazed at how quickly your kit grows with all the freebies along the way!

Hope that helps answer your questions.

Superstar26

Thank you for that, it's really helpful. I'm actually quite excited to sign up but part of me is worried that no one will buy anything (or that I will want to keep everything for my own children, this could end up in me spending money not making any!!)

Looneylee

I'm sure you'll do well! And as there are lots of freebies along the way, you can also keep your children happy

vickylee

Last few days to join for just £19 - don't miss out!

jap200

I am an ex-Usborne book seller and slogged my heart out for about a year, but finally gave up because I was just not prepared to be as pushy as I would have needed to be. The 24% 'profit' was also eaten away by all the additional costs. These days there aren't that many people who are willing to pay full price for books that they can by cheaper elsewhere. Also, having to take orders and then deliver the goods back is so tedious and often puts people off.

In my opinion, there are so many better and easier ways to make money. I now work full time, but make quite a bit extra on the side by selling secondhand books and other stuff on Ebay and Amazon - making far more than I ever did with Usborne!

Good luck to anyone prepared to give it a go though - you just might be the right kind of person to make it a success.

sama1403

I am really really struggling to get sales and bookings etc. I have tried everything possible but people are just not interested! The sad thing is, i'm am the only one in my area, as far as I am aware.....Really dont want to give up but I cant seem to get going!

wongawonga

Surely E-Readers will affect this sort of business in the long run.

vickylee

Can you get a Touchy Feely E-Reader?

Don't think an E-Reader can ever replace the joy that small children get from interactive touchy feely, lift the flap books.

absolutelynomoney

I don't thnk e-readers will really affect the Usborne market as the titles are aimed at babies - 16yrs. Perhaps the titles aimed at older children may see a change, but perhaps not.

With reading to infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers, they want and need sensory stimulation which traditional books offer in the form of touchy-feely patches, large double-page spreads, bold colours and images, hard & thick board pages that they can turn themselves and that withstand their explorations, flaps to lift, holes to see through, parts to push and twirl round and concertina to discover inside bodies and machinery, sound buttons to press, pieces to take out and fit into the pages, there is so much in the children's book market that simply cannot be replicated on a screen!

All these things not only excite children's senses, but also help them to develop fine motor skills, which are required for writing and manipulating all the tools and things in our daily lives. And crucially, it all helps begin to instill an enjoyment and love of books that in turn can develop into an interest in reading and stories, which is the basis for all components of literacy. The extra bits in books are not just for 'jollies' - whilst they're definitely fun, they are there because children learn through play in the early years and at the start, books are not only for reading!

(As well as all this, is the fact that I doubt people want dribble, spit-up, rice cake, and crayons all over an expensive e-reader!)

Although e-readers definitely have a place in our lives now, I still believe that they won't replace books - especially in the children's market - apart from anything else, there is no way that 3 children, dad and the cat can crowd round a handheld screen and share a story the same way that you can with a big bed time story book.