Volunteer Buyer's Job Description

VOLUNTEER BUYER’S JOB DESCRIPTION

• Stay current with buying trends

• Know thy customer

• Buy using:

Research data

Past performance

• Implement seasonal calendar

• Merchandise processing

Unpack and price

Handle returns/credits

Display in shop

Restock regularly

Take timely markdowns

Take annual physical inventory

• Schedule substitute when absent

Some Best Sellers from past 6 months

"Fight Like a Girl", tee shirts. www.signifypink.com

"I Like You" mouse from Kelli's (888-609-8860)

"Laughter, the Best Medicine II", Penguin Group Publishing

Jody Coyote, www.oakpatchgifts.com

Baby pillows, from GiftCakery, www.thegiftcakery.com

Balloons Inc (Burton & Burton)

Basket Pals (Candy Balloon Co. 800-822-6399)

Bauble Lulu line from The Good Bead, 952-938-3455 (wholesale for $1.50 - $3 - take a triple markup)

Berkeley handbags

Best of Best (866-493-0129) carries lots of familiar toys from past, plus new things.

Blue Sky Imports www.blueskyimports.com,

Bottle stoppers are selling well, from MoMo Panache, 978-825-9114

Choice Books, www.choicebooks.org orhostetlerd@glr.choicebooks.org

Cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch, www.gooseberrypatch.com. Small cookbooks sell best.

Coronet Jewelry’s Main Street line selling very well. http://coronet-jewelry.com/

Crabtree & Evelyn product, www.crabtree-evelyn.com

Crosses from the Faith Collection (214-748-4431)

Decorative but useable measuring spoons from Ganz

Dog Themed, Little Gifts, 888-560-0985

El Pack, www.elpackfashion.com, beaded coin purses fly out the door

Encore (Russ), Dog Keychain

Forever In My Heart Lockets, Center Court Direct, 260-433-2446, www.wholesale-steel-jewelry.com

FourJay, www.fourjayusa.com

Fuzzy Footies (Awfully Good Gifts 214-698-9477)

Glove in a Bottle lotion 800-600-1881)

Gold n More, Elaine Helmick -614-777-1540, Columbus, Ohio

ICU, http://www.icueyewear.com, is the best! ICU outsells Art Wear by about 90%

Image Masters, (818) 222-9600

Kiss Me In The Garden, 800-547-7889 (Personal care products)

Laurel Birch, Sun & Sand Totes

Leanin’ Tree cards, 800-525-0846

Life is Good (t-shirts), 888-339-2987, lifeisgood.com

Luther Sales, Jim Conyers, 1-800-358-6466

Mainstreet Collection (http://www.gowhimsey.com

McKnight Magazines, 800-208-8078, www.mscmags.com

Monkey Sports, 800-727-7571, especially good for boys.

Heartstrings, www.heartstrings.net. Monogramming is hot this season.

Mud Pie, 800-998-1633, mud-pie.com

Nashville Wraps, www.nashvillewraps.com

Nikhil Fashions www.planetsbags.com

Pashminas, Giftcraft, 800-659-2467

Pashminas, New Dimensions, info@newdimensions1.com

Pashminas, Perwinkle by Barlow, 800-654-6074, www.BarlowDesigns.com

Penguin, 877-342-5357.

Pine Apparel, www.pineapparel.com

Red Carpet Studios, www.rcsgifts.com

Roel Novelty, 800-326-1719

Runaway Rabbit, http://www.runawayrabbit.com/, cute pj’s. Show special: $10 ea for 24 pr.

Russ Main, 800-382-5394, email: russ@christyandmain.com

Schylling, toys, www.schylling.com

Smart Circle Gift Cards,, Connie Zartler, 708 385 5377.

South Bend Chocolate, 800-301-4961

SweeTea (t-shirts), 919-790-7900, sweeteashirts.com

Time & Again Roll-On Perfume by Ganz. Dog Themed, Little Gifts, 888-560-0985

Untied Treasures, ethnic angel figurines. Most retail for under $40. www.unitedtreasures.com.

West by Southwest, apparel

What’s New, Norman Bixen 732-995 4023

Willow Tree Angels from Demdaco

Woodwick

www.blueskyimports.com and www.annaimports.com

Mom's 99th Birthday Party

We had a wonderful day celebrating my Mother's 99th Birthday!

Gladys is in excellent health and still lives independently. 

She is a very positive person and always sees the glass as half full, never half empty.

We are so blessed to have her in our lives. 

Left to right: Me, Gladys and husband, Rob

A VERY SUCCESSFUL WEBSITE:

Baptist Medical Towers Pharmacy and Gift Shop in LIttle Rock, AR  

https://www.baptist-health.com//store/giftshop/Default.asp 

Also, check out these excellent gift shop websites:

 http://www.summithealth.org

  http://www.trustedcareforlife.org/gift_shop.php  

  http://www.centracare.com/hospitals/sch/services/giftgallery/index.html

Inventory Levels & Sales Per Square Foot

INVENTORY LEVELS
Inventory (at retail) should be approximately 25% of annual sales. If sales are $300,000, then inventory should be approximately $75,000 (on average). The stockroom must be able to accommodate that merchandise.

SALES PER SQUARE FOOT
In evaluating both successful and failing shops, a minimum of $500 per square foot (at retail) in sales annually is doable for most shops.
A number of shops around the country are generating over $1,000 in sales per square foot per year.
NOTE: This benchmark applies to shops that are proportionate in size to their hospital (number of employees and beds). A small shop in a big hospital should generate higher sales per square foot. A disproportionately large shop in a small hospital will generate lower sales per square foot.
To maximize every square foot of a shop’s selling space:
- There should be very little storage (drawers or cupboards) in the selling space.
- The merchandise must turn fast.
- Appropriate pricing structures must be maintained to receive the maximum profit on the merchandise. Good profit margins are the key to success!

This information is based upon Cindy’s general experience and knowledge of hospital gift shop management and information gathered through her national surveys.

Preferred Customer Program

Here is a sample of a preferred customer program.

(Click to view and print)

SAMPLE: Floral Request For Proposal

Date
Florist
Address

To Whom it May Concern:

This letter is being sent to you as a Request For Proposal (RFP) for flower delivery service to the _________ General Hospital Gift Shop. The hospital/auxiliary is seeking a florist who will provide fresh flowers and live plants for sale in the Gift Shop. The following is the criteria for this agreement:
• Fresh flower arrangements should consist of
• All-occasion arrangements in the price range of $18.00 - $50.00
• New baby arrangements in the price range of $18.00 - $30.00
• Bud vases – rose and carnation - in the price range of $8.00 - $14.00
• The flowers should be replenished/replaced __#__ times per week with the option of calling for added flowers, or removal of flowers, if necessary.
• There should not be more than 18 bud vases or 10 arrangements at one time.
• Live plants should be hardy and polished in the price range of $18.00 - $30.00.
• There should not be more than four planters at a time.
• The florist will be responsible for watering the live plants on each visit.
• The contract would be for one year with the following arrangement:
• Gift Shop will agree to facilitate, refrigerate and sell the fresh flowers and live plants.
• The florist will have the price of each item marked for consignment upon delivery and shall be the same price as would be charged in the florists shop.
• At the time of delivery and returns, the florist would provide an invoice showing the returns and deliveries.
• On or before the 10th of each month the florist would provide to Gift Shop a complete invoice for the previous month. Gift Shop would pay this invoice within 10 business days.
• The invoice would be for 65% of the total sales as evidenced by the delivery and returns.

If you are interested in pursing this opportunity, please submit your proposal for review by __(date)___ to: ___(Name)__, Manager, Title, General Hospital, Address, or fax to ______________. The proposal should include a picture/photo of an all-occasion arrangement, a baby arrangement and a bud vase with the price of each arrangement/vase indicated on the proposal.

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,