Black Friday Table Set-Up: Tips and Legalities for Walmart Parking Lot

[naekelsey]

Has anyone set up a table in the Walmart parking lot (or anywhere) while everyone is waiting in line for the stores to open for their Black Friday sale? Do you know if it is even legal to do that? If you have, how did it go?

 

[pchockeymom]

You have to get permission from WalMart to do that. You won't. Mine had a sidewalk craft fair last summer and I could not set up because the vendors had to either be civic organizations or homemade crafters. For profit companies can not solicit.

 

[esavvymom]

I doubt you would get much anyway. Not many will get out of the line to come to the table.
Stay home and enjoy your family.

 

[Sheila]

I don't think you'd get Wal-Mart's permission either and I agree that most people won't get out of a line to come to your booth. My Wal-Mart is 24 hours, so everyone's already inside the store & the employees uncover the "sale" stuff at the designated time.Maybe hand out recipe cards with a small flyer advertising a Black Friday sale? That might be your best bet. Otherwise, I think the only way you'd get permission for a booth is if you were handing out free coffee or something.

 

[mgranich]

Does anyone offer their customers any type of Black Friday specials? I am open to ideas - thinking about emailing all my customers and posting something on Facebook for Black Friday and also Cyber Monday. Any suggestions?

 

[Lauradorable]

I was thinking of doing Free cookbooks for Black Friday. Everyone will get a Season's Best and certain purchases can earn another free $7-8 cookbook:
- The corresponding cookbook to a product (ie the DCB book, the MFP recipe cards, Spin on Salads)
- Chose from the rest with any order over $50.

 

[Lauradorable]

... hm, or do this as a Facebook/Online show for Cyber Monday?

 

[Sheila]

A lot of consultants do a time thing ...Order between 6AM-7:59AM ~ save 20%
Order between 8AM-10:59AM ~ save 15%
Order between 11AM - 12:59AM ~ save 10% ...I don't like sitting by the phone & I definitely don't want to get up at 6AM. I also have customers on military bases in Japan, Germany & Spain, as well as all my stateside customers. So time things don't work well for my customers, as some would be sleeping. I just do a 24 hours sale with a flat % off their order ~ with the stipulation that it ends at midnight (Central time zone) or when the show reaches $1,000 ~ which ever comes first. That's worked for me!

 

[raebates]

I do the sale like Sheila was talking about, but I'm not sitting home by the phone. My customers leave me a voice mail, email me, or send me a Facebook message. I get back to them another time. Me? I'm out shopping.

 

[naekelsey]

Is it like that with any stores, not just Walmart?

 

[pchockeymom]

Pretty much any big block store. If you have any local shops in a strip mall you might want to see if they'd let you set up outside.

 

[ParkerWomanCooking]

How do the % off work? Do you have to pay the rest? I have been thinking of doing something too...

 

[nikked]

How do the % off work? Do you have to pay the rest? I have been thinking of doing something too...

do a search for "black friday"... you'll find lots of flyers, tips, plans, ideas, etc.

But, the short answer is, yes, you have to pay the rest (but remember you'll earn commission)...

 

[raebates]

Yes, I put the % off I give them as Consultant Gift, which helps me to keep track for taxes.

 

[leshelman]

At Walmart, they have specific rules that prohibit solicitation of any material to customers and employees.