SELLING GUIDELINES

So you're going to work a shift at the GlassAct booth at a bead show.

Great!  Now what?  This document will help answer some of your questions and make it a more fun experience.

If you are submitting beads to sell, remember these guidelines.

• You need to have your own trays (black) and inserts (gray). Make sure your name is on the tray and the insert.  It is also helpful if you have a zippered tray case for transporting your trays.  Make sure your name is on it too.  The show chairperson is allowed to set a limit for number of trays.  If you have lots of single beads to sell, you can buy inserts with more cells. 
  
• Put only one bead or set in each cell.  Please see the Code, Tag and Inventory Information Sheet for how to string multiple beads into a set and how to tag and price.  Please, help the show chairperson and get your beads to them when required.  Your beads will need to be compared to your inventory sheets by another member to make sure the inventory is accurate.
  
• The inventory sheet can be hand-written or done on a spreadsheet.  Remember to keep a copy for yourself for after the show.  The treasurer prefers a computer inventory, which should be emailed to msutherland100@yahoo.com   to help make the post-show reconciliation easier.  (If you need the hard copy or spreadsheet, email msutherland100@yahoo.com .)
  
• After the show, your beads will again be compared to the inventory sheet.  This helps make sure all beads get returned to the right owners.  If you are available to help at the end of the day, you can help doing the inventory and take your beads home with you!
  

The day of the show these tips help a lot.

• Please show up a few minutes early to start your shift.  Check in with the show chair person or the treasurer.  One or the other is always there.  Take a few minutes to look at all the beads.  Remember, you are selling beads for all guild members, not just your own.  If a customer is looking for a purple bead with yellow and orange dots, it is good to know if there are any for sale!
  
• During your shift, don't just stand by your own beads.  Once again, you are selling beads for all guild members, not just your own.  Pay attention to the customers and explain to them that this is a guild, with beads by many different artists.  We get many repeat customers but there are always people who don't know our story.  It is a great story and people like having lots of choices. 
  
• We have small plates for customers to use when they are selecting several beads.  Offer these and help them by finding out if they are looking for anything specific.  Often people put together beads from several different artists for a specific project.  This is where your familiarity with all the artists is very helpful.
  
• Sadly, we also need to keep a sharp eye out for theft.  We occasionally lose some beads to sticky fingers, and a watchful selling team is our best defense.  It is usually not a big problem, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
  

Once a customer is ready to pay, follow these guidelines.

• Grab a receipt book.  We use receipt books with a non-carbon copy for each receipt.  You will need to put the date of the sale and your initials in the top section.  Make sure the book has the guild information stamped on the yellow page (customer copy).  The white copy is kept by the guild. 
  
• Record the bead code and price for each bead or set.   Make sure this is legible, because this is how you and the other artists get paid.  Wrap the beads in tissue paper and put them in a plastic bag with the show insert.
  
• Some customers have a tax id that exempts them from paying sales tax.  We need to see a copy of their tax id, and record the tax id on the receipt.
  

Ask the customer how they will be paying.cash, check or credit card.

• If cash, ask the customer if they want to be on our mailing list for future shows.  If yes, get their name and address.  If not, take the receipt book to the treasurer, who will total the sale and add tax.  Get the money from the customer and get change from the treasurer if needed.  Give the customer their change, their copy of the receipt and their beads.  Leave the receipt in the receipt book.
  
• If check, have the treasurer total and add tax.  Have the customer make the check out to GlassAct.  Put the check # on the receipt.  Look at the check and make sure it has an address and phone number.  Check the customer's id and make sure the address and phone number are current.  Give the customer their copy of the receipt  and their beads.  Give the treasurer the receipt and the check.
  
• If credit card, have the customer fill out their name, address  (including zip code) and phone number on the receipt. Ask the customer if the zip code matches the billing address on the credit card.  (We get a lower transaction charge if the zip code is correct.) Get their credit card and have the treasurer calculate the tax and create the credit slip.  This slip will need to be signed by the customer.  If the sale is over $200, the treasurer will need to call and pre-approve the sale, which can take a couple of minutes.  Have the customer sign the credit slip, and then give them their credit card, their copy of the credit slip (bottom copy), their copy of the receipt and their beads.  Give the treasurer the white copy of the receipt and the top copy of the credit slip.
  

Of course, this just scratches the surface of what can happen at a bead show.  Remember, this is a great opportunity for our guild and for you!  Have fun, talk to the customers and take care to accurately fill out those receipts!  Your treasure appreciates it.

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