Should I Wait Until May to Order Midseason Products?

[Jennie_becca]

If I wait until May 01 to submit a April party, can the guests order the midseason products.
Thanks

 

[Ann F]

You may date an April show with a May date ONLY if no one ordered any April specials...including the host.

 

[soonerchef]

Unfortunately no, the show has to be dated in PP for May to order mid season products. You can change the show date to May only if no one will receive the free product/s. I would suggest putting together a small catalog show with just the mid season products. I have some guests from April who pre-ordered the mid season products and I am putting them together on one order and eating the shipping cost.

 

[pampered1224]

I had several people orderThe new stuff on an April Show. What I am doing is tacking those onto a May show and I sent in the rest of the orders. I loose on S&H but it keeps my customers happy. I told the host so she in turn will tell her guests. It will keep them happy and I will not loose the sales.

 

[lacychef]

Unfortunately no, the show has to be dated in PP for May to order mid season products. You can change the show date to May only if no one will receive the free product/s. I would suggest putting together a small catalog show with just the mid season products. I have some guests from April who pre-ordered the mid season products and I am putting them together on one order and eating the shipping cost.

I'm doing the same! I had 5 people that wanted the basing brush, 1 the bottle. So I'm just putting them all on one order, paying the shipping, and adding it to my HWC fundraiser I'm having on monday.

 

[AJPratt]

I put the "pre orders" on a small catalog show, and now I can get the HWC cups and squares that I wasn't paying attention and didn't earn. The deadline to earn them, I was told it was March 1 until the 17th, but it was the 15th. Duh! So, I'm happy I can earn them!

 

[pcjulie]

Am I the only one who is frustrated with having to tell people they can't order those mid-season products until May? I am collecting orders to place on one of my May shows, but I am wondering what PC's reason is for not letting us order those products until May. Sorry for venting, but I just talked to another host with an outside order for the basting bottle that I couldn't add to the show.

 

[DebbieJ]

I just had an April catalog show fundraiser for a youth group and SIX people ordered midseason products. I have a May cattie show going in on May 1st, so I'll add them to that order and just donate the 15% to them myself. Seemed to be the easiest way to deal with it.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Be careful!

You may date an April show with a May date ONLY if no one ordered any April specials...including the host.

I would not suggest manipulating the date of a show. I realize that it is very tempting at times (to meet a sales goal, earn free products, etc) and it does happen but there could be trouble down the road that will come back and haunt you. What if a guest has trouble with a product and contacts the HO directly (or another consultant) and the guest KNOWS what date the show was really held on, the discrepantcy in dates can get a consultant in hot water with the HO.

The HO changed their guidelines regarding monthly sale incentives to stop consultants from holding shows over to the next month. Now they say the sales have to come from shows HELD and SUBMITTED in that month. They could see changing a show date as an integrity issue and take action against you. (Ever notice how the fine print says that all trip points are subject to audit?!)

I think the safer idea is the suggestion to gather the orders for May products and submit as a catalog show or tack on to a May show.

Sorry to sound like the PC police but there are alot of new consultants using this site (which,BTW, I think is a fabulous source of information) and I hate to see them starting their businesses using questionable practices.

Okay..off my soapbox and off to bed

 

[Shawnna]

Mid season products are always unavailable until a later date. It says in the catalog that they are not available until May 1st. I too had someone order a basting brush early. I told her I couldn't get if for her until May 1st and she was fine with that. They used to not put the midseason products in the catalog and you didn't know what they were until just before they were available. There are pros and cons to doing it either way. We didn't have to buy mini catalogs showing the mid season products, so we saved some money. I would suggest putting those orders on a catalog show. If it is only a 150.00 show you won't earn anything except your commission, but you will be able to get the May host only special.

 

[soonerchef]

Am I the only one who is frustrated with having to tell people they can't order those mid-season products until May? I am collecting orders to place on one of my May shows, but I am wondering what PC's reason is for not letting us order those products until May. Sorry for venting, but I just talked to another host with an outside order for the basting bottle that I couldn't add to the show.

What drives me nuts is that people can't read!! I mean, HELLO, it does say "available May 1"!!!!

Sometimes I would rather us get new catalogs 4 times a year...I think it would be very exciting.

 

[pampered1224]

And can be very costly.I agree that some people just can not read but, at the same time, by having them in the catalog early, you are promoting bookings for later in the selling year. If a host or guest loves something they see at the March show that they are attending and it won't be available until May, well, you get them to book a show in May!
Plus you do save the cost of the mini-catalogs and the postage it takes to send them out and usually, I found my customers just tossed them aside and never really looked at them anyway. (I asked them!)
Pros and cons.
I look at it this way, I would rather have them place the order, then call them about not being able to order it. That's when I make it a point to ask about them hosting a show as well. I also ask if I may call them before I put the order in to see if they would like anything else. In most cases, I do get more items to order with what they wanted in March but couldn't get until May. Especially HWC stuff! Plus I usually end up with a catalog show on the first of May too. And you could always place and individual order if it doesn't add up to $150 to make a show. You still get your customers their stuff and a commission to boot. Most people won't mind waiting either. I have had no problems with that ever. If they really want it they will be patient and wait.
It always works to your benefit if you do it right.