Selling Usborne Books?

absolutelynomoney

Hi - I have been thinking about setting up with Usborne Books and was wondering whether anyone on here has any experience of working with them and how they find it?

I have not done anything like this before, but really need some extra income and this seems like it would work for me as I could perhaps fit it around my baby? Plus I absolutely love books and I grew up with Usborne books and I remember lots of them as my favourites - even now the best books I buy for my little boy always seem to be Usborne or Dorling Kindersley, so when I found out the Usborne do sell from home it gave me an idea because I'm sure if I'm passionate about the products it will be better.

So can anyone recommend them? Also, are you just left to your own devices, or do they give you any help on what kinds of places to sell the books, etc? I have been on the site, but it is not very explanatory.

Caroline73_2

I've just finished with Usborne because I've gone back to working in the NHS now my youngest has started school, but I can really recommend it for working around a little one.

It cost £38 to start up and you get about £200 books to start off. There aren't any targets to keep up with either so you can do as much as you want to. You get the help of an upline who should guide you along. I can put you in touch with someone for up to date info or you can contact head office who will get someone to call you.

Your upline will help you get started and advise you on places to sell, it's a great commission rate and you can earn a lot selling to schools. Mini IQ who were a main competitor ceased trading this week, but Usbornes profits are up so it's all rosy there.

HTH helps a bit.

painted_lady

Yes usborne can be a good way to make money. It only didnt work for me because I had health issues, plus partner works in evenings, weekends and I now have other business interests. You get out of it what you put into it, like most things in life.

OldGreyFox

Already a long thread here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2008415&highlight=usbourne+books on the subject

Wendyphant attempting to recruit here is against site rules.;)

Caroline73_2

wendyphant also has 'Usborne' in their email address which is not allowed by Usborne.

davehills

The start up pack is good value...however we tried it a few years ago and were given 'exclusive' schools to deal with.

Without fail, other usborne sellers were all ready in there, thus making it impossible to sell to our designated schools!

Complained to Usborne but they weren't bothered that others were breaking the rules. They offered other schools further away but the same problem existed-schools that were supposed to be 'exclusive' to us already had sellers.

I don't know if it's different these days though.

ButterPie_2

I do it, and love it to bits Not sure what the "exclusive" schools thing is, although I very, very rarely come up against any other organisers. I am up north though, maybe it is different up here?

From now till the end of March, they are giving a free boxed set of very first reading to new organisers too, which makes it an even better deal IMO

One tip though - don't just join through the main website as you will get allocated at random to a team leader- have a quick google in your area or ask around, as having a good team leader/mentor can make all the difference. They don't need to be nearby, but it does help- the main thing is to find one that takes it seriously.

redned_2

I can believe the point about already being sellers there, probably dependant on area but you cant expect them to make way for someone new - they may have been doing it for many years there. and no Im not an Usborne seller!:rotfl:
perhaps enquire with your local schools and see if they would be interested before setting up hth

davehills

ButterPie wrote: »

I do it, and love it to bits Not sure what the "exclusive" schools thing is, although I very, very rarely come up against any other organisers. I am up north though, maybe it is different up here?

This was 10 or 15 years ago now. At the time Usborne made a big thing of you getting allocated a number of 'exclusive' schools, schools in which only you could trade.

Things may well have changed, especially if people weren't getting the exclusivity promised to them!

Edit: Just checked the Usborne website and they have appeared to have dropped the 'exclusive territory' thing.

billsavings

Its a competitive sector Mini IQ a similar sort of outfit has sadly just gone bust.

ButterPie_2

Mini IQ was very new though - Usborne are in their 30th year.