"Sweet Appeal" Franchise

[vvaannmmaann]

Mods.
Can we lock this thread now please?

 

[captaincloser]

Mods.
Can we lock this thread now please?

Planning the days pick-ups from fair minded retailers with his new Franchise ..Toad works out the mileage.

 

[Banned]

If boxes go over 10%, words are had and if things don't improve the box is withdrawn. That's business.

That's interesting, how much are the businesses where the boxes are placed getting paid? Is it a commission, percentage or set fee per box?

 

[captaincloser]

That's interesting, how much are the businesses where the boxes are placed getting paid? Is it a commission, percentage or set fee per box?

Its charidee..they get nowt.It's all in a good cause

 

[Banned]

Its charidee..they get nowt.It's all in a good cause

And that'll be what some might consider the scam.

Cobby also seems to be giving the impression that they are doing businesses a favour by providing these boxes, pretty sure it's the other way round with the businesses under the impression it's in aid of charity, not providing free sales space for another business. Bloody cheek.

 

[captaincloser]

And that'll be what some might consider the scam.

Cobby also seems to be giving the impression that they are doing businesses a favour by providing these boxes, pretty sure it's the other way round with the businesses under the impression it's in aid of charity, not providing free sales space for another business. Bloody cheek.

This thread is going to go very quiet now...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Cobby]

And that'll be what some might consider the scam.

Cobby also seems to be giving the impression that they are doing businesses a favour by providing these boxes, pretty sure it's the other way round with the businesses under the impression it's in aid of charity, not providing free sales space for another business. Bloody cheek.

I'm not implying anything of the sort. What you infer (or fail to infer) is your own issue.

I don't understand (or care) why you and captaincrunch have some tabloid-esque vindictive opinion on the matter. I've offered up information to the OP and tried to simplify it for you, but you both seem to have the view that "the charity should not get extra money and the people running the boxes should be jobless". Doesn't sound like you're really in a position to try and criticise other people's moral fibre, does it?

This thread is going to go very quiet now...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I hope so. You can take a horse to water, etc.

 

[captaincloser]

I'm not implying anything of the sort. What you infer (or fail to infer) is your own issue.

you both seem to have the view that "the charity should not get extra money and the people running the boxes should be jobless". Doesn't sound like you're really in a position to try and criticise


I hope so. You can take a horse to water, etc.

'Take a horse to water' ? No, lead a horse up the garden path is more like it.

Plus experience would show you that anyone and I mean anyone on UKBF who starts inventing quotations from others in their own posts is already beyond salvation.

My opinion remains that it's a shady business possibly reliant upon deception of the public and even the retailers. As for franchising it...talk about one born every minute..and how much are these franchises 12k-20k in places...?

As for me not being in a position to criticise you wll by now be realising that I am in a perfect place to criticise...UKBF. Thats one reason it is here.

These must be extremely good mates that you are battling for on here...why don't you get them to fight their own battles ?

Can you also answer the question of how much retailers get paid for carrying these money boxes for someone ele to profit from ? s

 

[Cobby]

'Take a horse to water' ? No, lead a horse up the garden path is more like it.

Plus experience would show you that anyone and I mean anyone on UKBF who starts inventing quotations from others in their own posts is already beyond salvation.

My opinion remains that it's a shady business possibly reliant upon deception of the public and even the retailers. As for franchising it...talk about one born every minute..and how much are these franchises 12k-20k in places...?

As for me not being in a position to criticise you wll by now be realising that I am in a perfect place to criticise...UKBF. Thats one reason it is here.

These must be extremely good mates that you are battling for on here...why don't you get them to fight their own battles ?

Can you also answer the question of how much retailers get paid for carrying these money boxes for someone ele to profit from ? s

Your opinion seems to be based on a murky set of flawed assumptions that you are unwilling to reveal.

Like I said originally, you obviously don't understand it.

 

[Esk247]

Like I said originally, you obviously don't understand it.

What is their to understand?

Does the business where the box is located make money?

Does the travelling sales man who empties the box make money?

Does the Charity take 100% of the money collected within the box?

The charity is quite entitled to pay its office 'staff' a wage. (even if i disagree with the wages SOME are paid e.g. area managers, directors)

 

[Cobby]

The charity is quite entitled to pay its office 'staff' a wage. (even if i disagree with the wages SOME are paid e.g. area managers, directors)

I think this is where the skewed views are originating.

Would it be acceptable to you if the charity ran the scheme itself and paid its staff minimum wage to do so? Why do you think they don't do that?

 

[Esk247]

I think this is where the skewed views are originating.

Would it be acceptable to you if the charity ran the scheme itself and paid its staff minimum wage to do so? Why do you think they don't do that?

It would be more acceptable if the charity staff themselves were running these boxes from retail stores.

and are you suggesting that franchises such as sweet appeal are part of the charity? that they are actually charity employees?

 

[kulture]

I consider these charity sweet boxes a con. The ones I have seen say that the charity get a percentage of the profit. None say how much in the pound I pay for the sweets goes to the charity. I rarely see the boxes a second time at any location.

 

[captaincloser]

It is known as CRM Standing for cause related marketing and from the internet one can see it's gaining ground. A percentage of the sales from sweet boxes/nutritional bars boxes/whatever goes to charity.The charity logo is always a prominent part of the display but the percentage paid to them is not always readable or in any proportion to the advertising blurb.However, with National coverage and a ton of franchisees they can make considerable sums available to the charities based on a small percentage of the money collected.

When you buy a franchise it seems that someone has gone in ahead of you and sited 200 boxes to get you going...after that I imagine you can enlarge your take by siting boxes yourself.The retailer/office/garage will not get paid for siting the boxes. He just signs up to have the box there and thats part of his goodwill to the charity.

Donation figures to the charity will be further muddled by the use of the term 'of profits'. So you can boast a higher % donation but that % is based on the amount left when everyone has been paid and that is nowhere near 60p in the pound you can be assured.

Its pretty much below the radar and will be legal but it does not take a genius to see the flaws. Charities will love it if a cheque for 30k comes there way once a year from the accumulated 10% or less collected nationwide via these boxes. I have a feeling the donations to the charity are capped at a certain level.

The issue is the 90% that does not go the charity when it is plastered all over the product display material. I personally feel the charities could this themselves with better returns to themselves.

Also do the retailers realise they are giving up prime selling space to these boxes which are 90% someone else's retail business and that someone else pays the retailer nothing !

Each comany (franchisor) will be sitting pretty. Huge upfront income from franchisees (7-20k) with none going to anyone.Then they buy in the products and sell on at a considerable profit to the franchisees and also take % of the money collected alongside the charity...so everyone is happy....

You have to make your own mind up on this I guess. The franchises seem to sell well...I wonder why ?

 

[Banned]

If boxes go over 10%, words are had and if things don't improve the box is withdrawn. That's business.

I'm not implying anything of the sort. What you infer (or fail to infer) is your own issue.

Sorry Cobby you appeared to have missed my question, as the quote above does seem to infer there is a benefit to those that take these boxes.

How much does the business where these boxes are placed get paid? I presuming that as your expecting the businesses staff to monitor and take some responsibility for any shortage, and also that the boxes will "be withdrawn" if action isn't taken against the shortages, there is profit in it for everyone.

If there is no benefit to the those selling the sweets (as your second quote above infers) what is the benefit of having one of these boxes in my shop over the usual charity box?

Basically what would be the pitch used to persuade me to take one of these boxes?

 

[Feldon]

As a follow up to my original question I have decided to go down a slightly different route now, but I would say that it is not just honesty boxes where a percentage of the money goes to the charity.

For a short while I worked for the RAC selling breakdown insurance from various venues ie. shopping centres, service stations etc and whilst working these sites I use to regularly meet charity collection "agent" i.e. collecting for Air Ambulance, Wild Life Trust etc and do you think they are doing it out of the kindness of their heart? er no they get paid a commission and can earn a lot of money. I know guys earning £50K + a year working for Air Ambulance at around £10 - £12 commission per sign up.

And what all about all the charity bags comming through your letter box, all moneys go to the charity, er no, yes its a percentage again with a middle man donating part of the proceeds to the charity.

The fact is that the charities rely on these businesses to raise valuable extra funds, which they would not otherwise recieve. Is it morally right or wrong, well I leave that for you to make up your own minds.

What Captaincloser says is fairly true, but at least these businesses are raising some money for charity, more than can be said for most businesses.

 

[Esk247]

ds.

What Captaincloser says is fairly true, but at least these businesses are raising some money for charity, more than can be said for most businesses.

I think it's the percentage terms that are murky.

When we ran a sales campaign a couple of years ago we didn't do it on the back of the charities name. We effectively gave people a pound whenever they purchased a service and they could tick a box to say where they wanted that pound to go. If they didn't want to give it to a charity we deducted it off the bill. No biggy.

The 'image' is that these companies have salesman trained to use 'charity' as a marketing tool. Is that morally wrong?

Yes, it raises money for charity but so do a lot of other good causes. Auction and Donations seem to provide 100% of all takings to the charity.

 

[Banned]

I think it's the percentage terms that are murky.

When we ran a sales campaign a couple of years ago we didn't do it on the back of the charities name. We effectively gave people a pound whenever they purchased a service and they could tick a box to say where they wanted that pound to go. If they didn't want to give it to a charity we deducted it off the bill. No biggy.

We used to have a card shop and as we didn't want to sell "charity" cards at Christmas, that generally donated just 3% - 5% to charity, we just had a sign up saying "20% of all Christmas card sales will be given to XWZ local charity".

Every one wins and the whole process is 100% open and honest, honesty being key to this issue. Why can't these sweet boxes operate the same way?

 

[Cobby]

We used to have a card shop and as we didn't want to sell "charity" cards at Christmas, that generally donated just 3% - 5% to charity, we just had a sign up saying "20% of all Christmas card sales will be given to XWZ local charity".

Every one wins and the whole process is 100% open and honest, honesty being key to this issue. Why can't these sweet boxes operate the same way?

Because you're trying to compare an incredibly basic model of (Donation = 20% of (Takings from cards - Cost of Cards)), with an intricate and fully functioning business with the multitude of varying costs that come with it.

Sorry Cobby you appeared to have missed my question, as the quote above does seem to infer there is a benefit to those that take these boxes.

The statements you quoted don't imply what you're inferring.

It would be more acceptable if the charity staff themselves were running these boxes from retail stores.

and are you suggesting that franchises such as sweet appeal are part of the charity? that they are actually charity employees?

No, but it's a parallel. I suspect the reason the charities don't do it themselves is that the organisation and administration would be too much to make it viable for them. The people doing the boxes are getting paid just as an employee would but there is no risk of loss for the charity - if a particular franchise doesn't work, it's the franchisee that goes out of business.

 

[Banned]

Because you're trying to compare an incredibly basic model of (Donation = 20% of (Takings from cards - Cost of Cards)), with an intricate and fully functioning business with the multitude of varying costs that come with it.

Can't see why, I also had a multitude of costs (rent, rates, staff, utilities, stock, advertising etc etc), far more than the franchise your referring to.

Point two, I think we may both be misunderstanding each on the benefits of a business taking the boxes then

 

[Cobby]

I was just trying to put forward the facts as asked in the OP and I'm tired of it now in the face of such cynicism. I don't really care what others think of the boxes. They're legal, lots of people use them quite happily, people are in employment and the charity gets a lot of money. Regardless of what some people believe, nobody is conned, duped or ripped off. Win-win.

The charities don't/can't run these schemes themselves. The boxes raise a large amount of money for charities that they wouldn't otherwise get. And if anyone wants to argue about charities not getting 100% of the money then perhaps a trip into the real world would benefit them more than posting on an internet forum.

e: and one last one:

Can't see why, I also had a multitude of costs (rent, rates, staff, utilities, stock, advertising etc etc), far more than the franchise your referring to.

That parallel only applies if you have to give 20% of all your takings to charity. Good luck with that.

 

[Banned]

all[/I] your takings to charity. Good luck with that.

Actually because it only accounted for approx 75% of sales it made the maths and accounts far more complicated that if it had been the whole stock/business.

You don't run a retail business do you

 

charity [ˈtʃærɪtɪ]n pl -ties1. (Social Welfare)a. the giving of help, money, food, etc., to those in need
b. (as modifier) a charity show

2. (Social Welfare)a. an institution or organization set up to provide help, money, etc., to those in need
b. (as modifier) charity funds

3. (Social Welfare) the help, money, etc., given to the needy; alms
4. a kindly and lenient attitude towards people
5. love of one's fellow men

Earl

 

[SamStones]

Just come across this that me be of interest to some of the posters on this thread:

http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/...d-Vending-Distribution-Business-For-Sale.aspx

 

[Listen up]

Hey guys. Anyone interested in this sweet appeal franchise would be absolutely mad to get involved. There is no money to be made. I have tired loads of this boxes with different companies and it alway ends up the same....you owing money to the suppliers. Do this.... If you see any of these boxes out and about ring the number on the back and talk to the local agent. They for sure will tell you the truth....

 

[Listen up]

I have an opportunity to purchase a "Sweet Appeal" franchise as a resale. This particular franchise is a charity fundraising based business with at least 60% of profits going to the Marie Curie Charity. It works by leaving honesty boxes at various locations stocked with a range of sweets and then servicing these sites on a regular basis to make sure the stock is replenished and money collected.

Has anyone heard of this franchise and heard any good or bad reviews?

Leave well alone. It's only you that ends up losing money. I have tried loads of these companies offering charity boxes and it's the guys on the front line losing out. Remember the charity, sweet supplier, and the franchise company get paid before you....all from a pound.....work it out yourself.....how much do you think you will get....the worst of these companies are definitely Sweet Appeal.

 

[vie]

Hi there, I have considered this franchise myself. I have a friend who does it for a local childrens hospice , I don't know anything about his figures but he says that he does very well for part time hours. He has had to drop hours on his other part time paid job to concentrate on the sweet francise. He does have theft of course, but not massively. He has had the francise for about 2 years.And he is making money for the charity which has to be a bonus.

 

[Kat Haylock]

Reminder: please don't drag up old threads. If you'd like to comment further on a subject more than 3 months old, start a new thread. Thanks!