What Our Customers Say
How Do School Fundraising Product Sales Work?
If you’re looking to raise money for your organization, you’re at the right place. Groups raise over $1.5 billion yearly selling products.
So how do you find the right product for your group?
One way to narrow down your options is to gain a better understanding of how product sales work. We offer 3 ways to raise money:
- Take orders out of a brochure.
- Sell online
- Order the product first, then sell it.
Brochure Fundraising
We offer fall and spring shoppers, cookie dough, frozen food and specialty catalogs.
We’ll send you enough brochures for everyone in your group. Each participant also receives an order form, money collection envelope, and a prize flyer. After 2 weeks of taking orders, send in your order forms for processing.
Your merchandise then arrives prepackaged by seller to help make distribution easy.
Online Fundraisers
Choose from 10 unique programs like seasonal, cookie dough, popcorn, or candles. Groups can promote their own store by inviting family and friends to shop online. Orders ship directly to the buyer’s home making this option 100% virtual.
Selling a Product
Some schools prefer to have a product in the seller's hands to sell rather than show items in a brochure. Once the sale is over and the items are gone, sellers turn in the money.
You can choose from a wide variety of products, including beef jerky, candy bars, popcorn, discount cards, and customizable tumblers.
Why Our School Fundraisers?
- 100% Guarantee. We carry the highest quality products in fundraising. If a customer doesn’t like an item, they get their money back.
- Huge Selection. We make it easy for you to find the right fundraiser with over 100 options.
- Fundraise for free. You only pay us after you’ve collected your money.
- Low Minimums & Free Shipping. We make raising money easy. Be sure to check out our free shipping link on each product page.
- Exclusive ‘Calculate Your Profit’ Tool. Determine how much money you can make before you even start. This tool will also help you find out much product to order based on your specific goals.
- 5-Star Customer Service. Check out our reviews. We’re obsessed with your satisfaction.
School Fundraising Questions
You only pay us after you’ve collected your money. We’ll send you your brochure supplies or product upfront for free.
Yes, we offer this option year-round. Check out our online fundraising products
Select a brochure to show, product to sell, or online fundraiser to promote and we'll provide you with what you need to start raising money for free.
We don’t recommend putting our stainless tumblers in the dishwasher. Our Tritan plastic tumblers are top rack dishwasher safe. They also come with a lifetime guarantee.
Yes, our KIND® bars, popcorn and lollipops do not contain gluten.
You make 40% profit on brochure sales and with product sales, it depends on how much you order. You can make as much as 90%. With online fundraisers your profit is determined by how many total items your group sells.
School Fundraiser Suggestions & Tips
- Tell your participants to approach a potential customer with a smile. It can make a big difference in the outcome.
- Be polite. Remind your sellers to always thank people for their time, regardless of whether they buy or not.
- Tell everyone to be ready to sell. They should have their brochure, order form, money collection envelope and a pen.
- Ask your sellers to only approach people they know.
- Teach your group the ‘NOW Selling Method’ when talking with potential customers. They should share their ‘Name’, ‘Organization’, and ‘Why’ they’re selling.
- Make checks payable to the organization.
- Encourage participants to contact family and friends who live out of town to order online.
- Have fun and be positive. This will translate into more sales.
So you know you want to have a fundraiser, but you don’t know where to start. That’s where Big Fundraising Ideas comes in! With our programs, some schools generate five figures in profits ! It starts with you, the sponsor.
You may be a parent, volunteer or school administrator. No matter your role, we’re here to make selecting a product easier than ever.
Start by picking what type of fundraiser you want to do: brochure, or product-in-hand? Make this selection by determining when and where you plan to sell. For instance, you wouldn’t want to do a brochure fundraiser at an event like a field day. With so many distractions, parents would be unable to see themselves with the product.
Field days would be good for something like a beef jerky or candy bar fundraiser. They can have an immediate snack then go back to playing or supervising. A great idea for a brochure fundraiser is at a PTA meeting or parent’s night. This is where you'll want to bring our ultimate coffee collection.
Parents will be eager to assist in raising funds for your child, since they may already be on the subject anyway. They'll make the coffee and bring it to future meetings or early mornings!
Next, you want to narrow down your options. Be sure the product you choose is suitable for the season and the cause. For instance, no matter how much you love gift-wrap, you won't sell it right before Easter.
Instead, you may want to try a lollipop fundraiser during a book fair. Kids likely have brought money to school, and now they can enjoy a lollipop while they read their new book. You can also get family and close friends to buy flowers on a warm day, but not if it's been snowing outside.
If you’re fundraising for school supply money, try selling Smencils at an open house. You’ll be able to have a conversation about supplies in the classroom while someone is holding one.
Brochure fundraisers require payment up front. With in-hand items, you must carry an inventory of unpaid merchandise. These can be important factors to consider, for both you and your students.
Most fundraisers yield a profit of at least 40%. So no matter which option you choose, you can see winning results. If you’ve planned your fundraiser well, you can leverage excitement around your cause.
Once you’ve honed in on the right type of school fundraiser for you, it’s time to set goals! Goals help kids to get more excited about what they’re working on. They also help teachers and parents keep them accountable. Keep the school informed on the progress and be sure to emphasize the prizes.