How to Handle Unsold Fundraiser Merchandise

Simple ways to clean up the back end of your sale.

There are rare times when schools don't do a prepay brochure sale. They may have experienced a problem with some high school students who failed to turn in their orders after the money was collected from their customers on a previous sale.

Or, a group may have sold discount cards after ordering a certain number up front and couldn't sell them all. These groups may have to deal with leftover items.

This can cause problems, including a loss in profit unless a plan is already in place to deal with it. Here are two methods that can be implemented whenever you have leftover merchandise:

Sell Returned Fundraiser Merchandise at Retail

Start by attempting to sell off the items at the total retail price so you can maximize your profit as much as possible.

• Offer special incentives to your most capable and responsible students who help 'sell off' the merchandise.
• Get other staff or organizations involved.

Offer Unclaimed Brochure Items at a Discount Price

High school groups can:

• Buy two items at regular price and receive a 3rd item for free…
• Buy 1 item for $10.00 and 2 for $18.00…
• Offer students a profit cut, say $1.00, for each item they can sell.
• Offer a free item to every student who sells and returns the money for three or more items.
• Advertise that you are having a 'Clearance Sale'.
• Provide the items to another organization at the school by offering them a portion of the profit for every item sold.
• Sell the items at wholesale (This option should be a last resort.

Elementary schools can:

• Advertise the leftover product at the next staff meeting. Teachers may help, especially if you are offering special pricing. Be careful not to reduce the price too much. The goal is to make as much profit as possible.
• Put the products on display at your next parent-teacher night.
• Promote the leftover products in any way that you can.
• Keep dropping your price as time goes on. You can always offer the items as teacher gifts.

One way to prevent leftover products is to place a relatively conservative first order. You can always reorder as needed. In the event of a brochure fundraiser, make it a prepay sale where money must be turned in up front with the order forms.

See our brochure fundraisers.

Author Bio

Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He’s helped administrators, teachers, and outside support entities such as PTAs and PTOs raise millions of dollars. Clay is an owner and partner at Big Fundraising Ideas.