Why Not Sell Low-Cost Fundraiser Merchandise?

Why a brochure sale may be best for your group.

When choosing between brochures, many schools compare the costs of the items. The reason is that sponsors are aiming to make their selection more appealing to their buyers.

But saving a little here or there on a few items probably won’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

There are situations where cost might matter more. For example, if you’re looking at a brochure that has a limited selection, and all of the items are approaching $20 or more, you may be limiting your customer base. This type of brochure will probably have a limited market.

On the other hand, what about selling only low-cost fundraiser merchandise? Some sponsors believe they can capture more sales from additional buyers. But are they right?

Here are some things you might want to think about.

A Low-Cost Fundraiser Means More Selling

Let’s compare two groups. One group sells 1,000 granola bars for $1.00 each, while the second group sells 250 items out of a brochure with an average cost of $10. Which group made more money? The brochure sale, even if the granola bars were donated and the group made 40% profit off the brochure items.

Yet, perhaps a more important question to ask is, which one will be better for your group? Well, it depends. If you have a group of high school students selling on campus to their peers, leaning toward lower-cost fundraiser items probably makes more sense. Conversely, if you feel that you can get more parent involvement, then you should probably choose the brochure fundraiser.

Offer Quality Merchandise at a Fair Price

The most important thing is to consider who your potential customers will be and what will be most appealing to them. Indeed, many people only want to buy the lowest-priced item in the brochure. They’re either trying to get people out of their hair or don’t want to turn them down. Regardless, people should expect quality merchandise at a fair price. Even if some items are more expensive, if people like what they see, they’ll probably buy them. And the bottom line is the school makes more profit on the higher priced item as a result.

So, if you’re hoping to make more money by selling low-cost fundraiser merchandise, make sure you think through the pros and cons.

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.