Although it's a few days old, just thought I'd add to this topic.
Think that's a really good idea Doodles, one thing that comes to mind though, how do you pay your sellers for their products sales? - Do you pay them monthly based on the number of sales they've had on their products? - And if so, does this create a lot of additional work for you? Do you literally just go by the amount of stock they bring to you, and the amount of stock remaining? - Also, do you specify any fixed term contracts or do they have the option of withdrawing their products whenever they want?
I can see how this would be very beneficial to the shop as I'd imagine it creates a wider product range as well as helping local sellers, more advertising, less stock required to fill the shop, etc.. Any benefits I've missed?
Definitely an interesting idea worth looking at for my new store..
Bright21
Yes, I guess it does "create" work of sorts, but it was always what I intended to do.
Basically, all our sellers have their own number (unique trader number, we refer to as UTN). It is their responsibility to price and label all their stock and ensure their UTN is on their tag; it is up to them to keep lists/records of what they put in our shop.
Our till has 70 product keys -when customers present goods at the counter for paying, we simply key in the price and assign it to the relevant UTN using our till. I also write in a sales book everything that has been sold as it is sold,with the sellers' UTN, price and short description. Time consuming, I suppose, but it is a good record of WHAT has been sold which sellers can refer to; customers don't mind the delay, actually they quite like it in a funny sort of way as it underlines the fact that they are genuinely buying handmade goods. As I ring each one u, I remove the tags and put them in "the day pot" just in case I don't have time to write in the book - most tags are hand written by our artists and will contain a description (eg "hand felted bag"), some sellers include a product reference on the ticket which I will write in the book instead of a description, but most don't bother.
At the end of each day, I do a till reading (obviously!) which itemises the total for the day for each number. I enter the figures on a spreadsheet, and at the end of each month every seller has their own total from which I deduct the rental for the following month, plus the 10% commission due on their sales and then BACs the money to them, or bag/label it up in cash for collection. They sign when they collect.
There's not much to it really, once the spreadsheet is set up right at the beginning, it's just a matter of daily updates which takes a few minutes. Works well for me anyhow!
We ask for one month notice to terminate the contract, there's no minimum period. Their work is always their property until it is sold so they can collect/take it to craft fairs/sell privately/bring it back etc at any time. We often have people collecting stock on a Saturday PM to take to a fair/event on a Sunday then bring it back on Monday morning. Their shelf s their responsibility - they arrange it, provide risers/props/backdrops whatever. Obviously we keep it tidy when customers have had a fiddle with it though.
They take the shop's cards with them when they attend art/craft events which helps networking, plus they each do one half-day in the shop helping out as art of their contract. This is great as I can't afford staff, I get to know them/they me, and many of them come in much more to help out than they need to just because they like it!
