Accepting payment - invoice, forms? How to do it?

[gogojonny]

My head is in a spin over payments.

I have decided that the product I am selling (a bag) will be sold in bulk to schools / organisations / not for profits and retailers. My website will show the product and then there will be a contact form to enquire about the bulk prices.

Now for ordering - with schools I know that they expect to pay up to 30 days after being invoiced. Do they need to fill out my order form and send a school purchase order form?

With retailers how do they normally order - I'm talking to small independent shops. Do they fill out my order form and wait for an invoice, to which they pay straight away and then I send the products. Or do they expect an invoice with payment within 30 days as well?

How is it best to display this on the website? Should I make the form downloadable on the website, or should I be contacted by an enquiry form for me to send the product info and order form to them?

Sorry for so many questions!

 

[The Topcopy]

Hi! I can help a little bit, as one of my major clients is an academic publisher.

Some schools use purchase orders (on the instruction of their finance office), some don't. Often teachers will just ring you up and place the order over the phone, with no order number (or via email). Some do like to fill in an order form. You then send goods with invoice enclosed.

If you have a downloadable order form online (a PDF is best) you will really need to put the bulk prices on there, otherwise there'd be no point in them downloading it.

Direct mail is in my opinion the best way to sell to schools - i.e. a catalogue with order form enclosed. Cold calling is very difficult as teachers are never available.

How are you going to advertise to them?

Sign up to this site: http://www.hamilton-house.com/
for fantastic tips on selling to schools.

With regard to retail, I've only ever sold to bookshops. Independent bookshops would normally pay by credit card up front on their first order, and can set up an account with you by providing references, and then after that you would send a standard 30 day invoice.

Hope that helps.

 

[gogojonny]

That's really helpful - thank you.

I potentially have a PR grant from business link. I'm looking into options like advertising in trade union mags and also the Times Ed Supplement.

 

[The Topcopy]

Yes, advertising may be the way to go - it depends on your product. I'm only experienced with textbooks which sell best when sent direct to the relevant teacher. With bags, advertising may work well - do as much research as possible.

There's a good organisation/group for small businesses selling to schools...but the name of it has completely slipped my mind! If I remember it I'll let you know. Good luck!