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pottery sale forms

updated thu 1 may 03

 

Deb Babcock on tue 29 apr 03


We've formed a new guild here in Steamboat Springs, CO and are holding our
very first sale at the end of May. Does anyone have information on how they
handle the inventory and central checkout? I'm especially interested in any
forms you use that we might be able to copy. Thank you.

Deb Babcock
PO Box 775488
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
970-871-6827
dbabcock@springsips.com

L. P. Skeen on wed 30 apr 03


Deb,

No forms needed except a two-part-carbonless rec't book

Have every participant label each of his items with initial code and price
on a sticky tag. Use a duplicating sales rec't book from Wallyworld so you
have a record of what sold, and as each piece sells, write the code and
price on a new page in the book. At the end of the sale, open your Excel
spreadsheet and go through the book, putting each sale in the spreadsheet,
and check off each page of the sales book as you go so you'll know you
already have that info in the spreadsheet. Have someone else check to be
sure all the sales are in the computer, then do a column add to get the
total amount owed each person. Simple! :)

L
----- Original Message -----
From: "Deb Babcock"

> We've formed a new guild here in Steamboat Springs, CO and are holding our
> very first sale at the end of May. Does anyone have information on how
they
> handle the inventory and central checkout?

Jeanette Harris on wed 30 apr 03


>We've formed a new guild here in Steamboat Springs, CO and are holding our
>very first sale at the end of May. Does anyone have information on how they
>handle the inventory and central checkout? I'm especially interested in any
>forms you use that we might be able to copy. Thank you.
>
>Deb Babcock
>PO Box 775488
>Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
>970-871-6827
>dbabcock@springsips.com
>

Hi, Deb,
We do up a sheet and put it in a sales notebook with other info. The
pages are regular 8 1/2 x 11 with column headings: Item/Inventory
number - Artist - Sales price - tax - total Then a section to check
off: cash, check, card*

In the back under individual tabs, we have artists' pages where we
transfer the data when we have time during the show or after the
show. We double check these two sheets for the tally.

*This is really important when it comes to reconciling the total
sales/artist's share disbursement.

You need to make sure that all the artists label their things with
tags showing their initials and if you want, their inventory number.
You could also remove the tag and stick it to the sales sheet.

Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Jeanette Harris

The Clay People

Penni Stoddart on wed 30 apr 03


Our sale (should I sale sales) is set up so that each potter signs up for a
table - or two as needed, sets up their own pots and then works the sale in
some capacity (cash, wrapper, floater). It is up to the individual to price
and inventory their stock. As well as keep their table full as needed.
We now own 2 cash registers but in the past rented - you might want to look
into it. Each potter has a code (ie; 1, 2, 3, up to 45 or whatever). This is
put on their price stickers along with a price, which has no cents
involved - all rounded dollar amounts. The pots come through a central cash
and as sales treasurer I have had the dubious task of balancing the books as
well as figuring out how much each potter has earned - again the codes. The
codes are programmed into the cash registers so that when I do a read at the
end of the sale it shows me each potter's sales. Providing of course there
have been no errors with the entering of sales in the cash. ( I have 2 this
go round - both codes that we either not assigned or the potter was not in
the sale as well as a couple of potters who seem to have sold amounts with
cents - price amount was entered wrong).
If you have any other questions or if this is all as clear as mud feel free
to contact me off list.
Penni
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Penni Stoddart
of Penelope's Pots
Full Time Education Assistant,
Part Time Potter

I live in my own little world.....but it's okay, they all know me here.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because you are crunchy and
taste good with ketchup.

Judith S. Labovitz on wed 30 apr 03


Good luck...here is what the Greater Lansing Potters' Guild does....it's
cumbersome, odd etc...but it works

we are a cooperative of 30 members and about 5 visiting potters who enter a
minimum of 50 pots each at our sales ( one of which begins
tomorrow)....in actuality, we'll
probably have between 3000 and 4000 items ranging from jewelry to wall
hangings, functional, decorative etc

each member does the following to their entries: 1. fills out an
inventory sheet which lists the # of the pot, a brief description, and 3
smaller columns....price, sold, returned.
2.
completes a little string tag which is affixed to the pot with masking tape
and includes the potters' name, # of the pot, price, and on the back, a
brief description (corresponds to the inventory sheet)
3.
a little stickum label with name, # of pot and price. This goes on the
bottom of the pot.


The sale itself is communal... we display all the pots on tables
separated more by type ...ie bowls, casseroles, vases etc Not by
individual potter....


we have 2 check out stations (except for opening night when we have
5)....during check out, the little string tag is removed and placed in a
shoe box. Periodically through-out the sale, the shoe boxes of tags are
taken in a make shift office set up in the kitchen of the church we
rent, and a team of tag sorters then place the tags into a
separate envelope for each potter.

following the sale, we have a team who meet and tally up each potters'
tags from the envelope, determine the gross amount sold (evidenced by the
presence of a little string tag)...compute the 20% commission for the
Guild, and determine the amount of money owed the potter. The
treasurer writes checks to the potter a few days later when credit card
purchases and checks have likely cleared and the money is in our
account (at least, I think this is what happens)


got that????


nothing high tech!

yes, from time to time those pesky little string tags may get lost. But
given the volume we do, the few "missing" each sale are a small
percentage. The potter does not get paid for missing tags unless the
treasurer has a surplus of proceeds, and this is NOT a good thing.

Several years ago I asked clayarters for advice on this very topic, as I
thought our system needed help! I received many suggestions ....but none
my organization was willing to discuss.

so, this is what we do.

during the actual sale, we have shifts of 9 people....a greeter, a
floater, someone "in charge" 2 cashiers, 2 wrappers, and 2 tag
sorters. (again, except for opening night when we have about 20 of us on
duty...including a traffic director, and someone to staff a "hold table"

hope this helps.....


judy...in cold rainy damp mid Michigan




At 08:22 PM 4/29/03 -0600, you wrote:
>We've formed a new guild here in Steamboat Springs, CO and are holding our
>very first sale at the end of May. Does anyone have information on how they
>handle the inventory and central checkout? I'm especially interested in any
>forms you use that we might be able to copy. Thank you.
>
>Deb Babcock
>PO Box 775488
>Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
>970-871-6827
>dbabcock@springsips.com
>
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