Selling merchandise for non-profit members

Hi All,
Do any of you sell merchandise for your members? How do you have that system set up? I am hoping to open soon (the remodel is taking a very long time) and have a local non-profit that wants to go ahead and sign up. They would like to have their shirts on display and for sale even when they are not in the coworking space (they will be part time). How have you all set something like this up? Do you have a storefront for your space or keep each members merch separate? For just starting out I was thinking of them setting up their own Square account that I have access to and can sign into. I have no employees at this point, just me.

Thanks.

Gretchen

I have done it, one of the very intersting things we are working on right now is integration of retail.

So far what has worked best is to have the stuff indeed on display in the heavily trafficked areas of the space, and clear cmmunication of when the coworker will be there to take orders or how orders may be placed. This part is the coworker’s problem to solve and not mine; it is really very important that you keep your boundaries clear in terms of what you are willing to do and do not start acting as a free employee.

We do take returns from webshops all day long, any time; but if the coworker is not available then we just tell them that the coworker will get back to them at a time certain. Then the coworker has to follow through or I will stop doing it. My word is worth something to me.

This sounds harsh but I promise you that it leads nowhere good – for anybody – to blur the lines between facilitating what they want to do and doing it for them. Especially in fundraising/retail where the margins are already very small.

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On Monday, December 29, 2014 6:11:11 PM UTC+1, Gretchen Bilbro wrote:

Hi All,
Do any of you sell merchandise for your members? How do you have that system set up? I am hoping to open soon (the remodel is taking a very long time) and have a local non-profit that wants to go ahead and sign up. They would like to have their shirts on display and for sale even when they are not in the coworking space (they will be part time). How have you all set something like this up? Do you have a storefront for your space or keep each members merch separate? For just starting out I was thinking of them setting up their own Square account that I have access to and can sign into. I have no employees at this point, just me.

Thanks.

Gretchen

We considered having the option to sell physical goods and decided not to. Naturally, your location may have different local laws and requirements, but there were a bunch of things we had to consider as we were getting started:

  • zoning would have to be changed from “office” to “retail” and required several public hearings at the zoning board.
  • Insurance rates would have increased for retail, as storing inventory was considered an additional fire risk.
  • By providing only a service, we didn’t need a business license (City requirement). Retail would require city and state licenses.
  • Providing only a service also meant not having to worry about collecting and reporting sales tax each quarter.
    If members are holding a class/seminar and they have something tangible to sell, there’s two options, which we leave up to them:
  1. Get a special event vendor permit from the city. The city normally offers these for craft fairs and art shows, but it would apply in this scenario too and keep them out of trouble if anyone were to complain.
  2. Take orders for future delivery, even if the “future date” is the next day. Just one of those fun loopholes.
    And yes, there are too many regulations and requirements in this city and state. Funny how they’re marketing themselves as being “business friendly”.
···

On Mon, Dec 29, 2014 at 12:11 PM, Gretchen Bilbro [email protected] wrote:

Hi All,
Do any of you sell merchandise for your members? How do you have that system set up? I am hoping to open soon (the remodel is taking a very long time) and have a local non-profit that wants to go ahead and sign up. They would like to have their shirts on display and for sale even when they are not in the coworking space (they will be part time). How have you all set something like this up? Do you have a storefront for your space or keep each members merch separate? For just starting out I was thinking of them setting up their own Square account that I have access to and can sign into. I have no employees at this point, just me.

Thanks.

Gretchen

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Glen Ferguson

Cowork Frederick

122 E Patrick St

Frederick, MD 21701-5630

+1 (301) 732-5165

www.coworkfrederick.com

@CoworkFrederick

Thanks for your replies. I spoke at length to the main contact of the non-profit and I think it will be left to him to sell his items.
Gretchen

···

On Monday, December 29, 2014 11:11:11 AM UTC-6, Gretchen Bilbro wrote:

Hi All,
Do any of you sell merchandise for your members? How do you have that system set up? I am hoping to open soon (the remodel is taking a very long time) and have a local non-profit that wants to go ahead and sign up. They would like to have their shirts on display and for sale even when they are not in the coworking space (they will be part time). How have you all set something like this up? Do you have a storefront for your space or keep each members merch separate? For just starting out I was thinking of them setting up their own Square account that I have access to and can sign into. I have no employees at this point, just me.

Thanks.

Gretchen