Phoenix Trading - Advice Please

geordie_joe

Elljay wrote: »

They are very professional and have won some prestigious DSA awards.

The houses in our street won prestigious awards for the architects and builders, but if the residents ever get their hands on them god help them.

Elljay wrote: »

Geordie Joe - what has been your (negative) experience with them?

I haven't had one.

Sammz

Elljay wrote: »

Sammz, you do really need the name of a Trader so that if you need training or help or just advice, someone is there to give it to you. If you don''t have a name they usually allocate someone who lives near to you, so that if you have any questions from the info pack or need any start up advice you can contact them and see them on a one to one basis if you need to rather than speaking to someone over the phone. The "sponsorer" is then responsible for looking after you!!!

That would be fair enough but they didn't ever respond to me. I guess I should've found a trader's name instead of saying I found out about them from searching online.

Decided to make my own cards anyway.

hemc

Can only say my own experience of phoenix is I have worked with them for 4 years found them to be a fantatstic company abd really supportive.
The start us kit is just what you need to get you going so is not a admin type fee.

The internet thing is they don't like you to advertise on websites as this can be seen as spamming or pressurising people and they don't want the company to get a name for this.

They offer the website as a extra but I don';t use it as I don't need to at the moment as most selling i do is events, coffee morning or school gate,family ect.
Like any enterprise you get out what you put in but I like the fact Phoenix puts no targets on me so I sell when I want to unlike a lot of party plan type organisiations.
c x

Sleepingbaby

Hi Traders
I am thinking about starting with Phoenix and have the pack with DVD! Do the cards arrive in cello or do the arrive unpacked meaning if you wish to protect stock from mucky fingers you have to purchase cello.

skeeter_2

Sleepingbaby wrote: »

Hi Traders
I am thinking about starting with Phoenix and have the pack with DVD! Do the cards arrive in cello or do the arrive unpacked meaning if you wish to protect stock from mucky fingers you have to purchase cello.

The cards are not packed in cello, although these can be purchased seperately.

Sleepingbaby

skeeter wrote: »

The cards are not packed in cello, although these can be purchased seperately.

ok thanks all the bits are adding up.

Elljay_2

Sleepingbaby wrote: »

Hi Traders
I am thinking about starting with Phoenix and have the pack with DVD! Do the cards arrive in cello or do the arrive unpacked meaning if you wish to protect stock from mucky fingers you have to purchase cello.

If you don't want to cello your cards, another way of keeping grubby fingers off of them is to purchase the samples. You could just show them and then sell your cards from stock without cellos on them? I decided to cello mine - I think they look more professional but I know some Traders that are so busy they don't have time to cello each card, so they just use the samples.

efindlater

Hoping that someone will still look at this thread seeing as im posting on it and it is WELL out of date.

I have had a pack from phoenix with the dvd and really want to go ahead and do it - the only thing im not sure of now is do you pay for the cards first and then hope to sell them or can you order them on a customer by customer basis?

ShoppaSpendaHolic

Hi. I've been selling Phoenix cards for 5 years now and have enjoyed it all through lots of different personal circumstances.when I joined I was skeptical but I joined via a good friend and I figured she wouldn't try to rope me in to something dodgy. I joined on 15 October and decided to try to make the most of the Christmas season with the Christmas products. I sold £1,000 retail worth of products by 1st December. This gave me an approximate profit of £300. You make 30% profit on sales. You buy a card for 59p plus vat and sell it for either £1 or £1.20 depending on if your customer is buying more or less than 10 cards. It probably sounds complicated but it isn't once you get into it.

You can sell in a number of ways and it's entirely up to you (the only rule is you can't sell into or through retail shops). You can keep stock, buying it in advance then sell it at fairs, playgroups or parties etc. Or you can give out catalogues, take orders and then order what you've already sold from Phoenix. I tend to do both. I keep stock as I like going to fairs, but I also give out catalogues. When I order from Phoenix my order is partly to replenish stock and partly to fulfill customers orders.

I would recommend Phoenix to anyone but like anything, you get out what you put in. Don't expect to do very little & make lots of profit. But if you go out, look for customers, look after them and tailor it to your lifestyle, it's a great company to be involved in, the products are top quality and you can build a nice little business. There are lots of opportunities to grow it further if that's what you're looking for but there's no pressure to do so.

blondepoledancer

Just to update on the facts here... I am a Trader (ID: 16287) on a very basic level ...

The initial costs are for a business pack which includes brochures, samples (full set of cards + giftwrap and other bits - i believe is still the case), folders, various carrier bags, order forms and a full set of fact sheets and i think you even get a decent selection of stock to start up with - it is a rather comprehensive pack.
If you wanted to start yourself up in any business - some outlay would always be needed!

The website is now FREE - it used to be £5.00 per month. I've just recieved an order for £36.00 from this today - and i have done next to nothing to set this up -it's basically a mirror image of their website but people can place orders through it and then you order and deliver.... simple to me. I also have a facebook page - these are allowed but due to copyright of course they have rules as to how you can use their name (and reputation)

There is a renewal fee of £25.00 per year (may be slightly higher due to recent VAT increase) but to be honest i get this back on the orders i get from a pre-school bag drop! You can also get this free if you build your team - then you start earning from their sales too.

Apart from the initial business pack cost you are under no obligation to buy a minimum amount for stock, or order regularly - i keep a fair bit (for myself and friends) but i tend to order as and when (although they do charge delivery), and they will not allow you to spend over a certain amount when you first start up.

I don't put myself out there much - but what i make from it paid for Xmas last year and cards for myself. The basic rule of thumb is the more effort you put in - the more you get out, but i guess that's the same with most things. I do what i have time for...

The information pack is free to look at - so you have nothing to lose by asking for one - and i hope you find something that suits you soon, if you speak to them, they can put you in touch with someone local - or i'd be happy to help answer any questions - direct selling isn't for everyone!

I hope this has helped clear up a few queries for anyone.

Thanks x Natalie Flitton