What do you guys think...

[Pug Mom]

I love making my soap...but I don't want to sell it, per se, I think that takes the fun out of things. At least for me it does. I was thinking of using it as a fund raiser for my favorite Pug Rescue. I belong to a Pug Forum and I would post there and "sell" my soap, but they would have to make the checks out directly to the Pug Rescue, I would just forward on the check to the rescue... Would I need insurance to do this? And what would you charge per bar? I want to keep it affordable and make it so the rescue can recoop my costs plus a little something. I would pay to ship the soaps... Any ideas?

 

[abigtroutt]

I think its an AWESOME idea !!! As for the insurance its better to have some protection then none. Since its for a a charity you could advise the buyer all profit goes to the foundation. This way you recoop your cost and there is all truth to your advertisement. You just have to figure out your cost per bar then add 1, 2, 3 or more $$ to the cost of the bar to go to the Pugs.

I think your idea as very cool !!!!

 

[Pug Mom]

I will in effect be giving the soap to the rescue, so do you need insurance to give your soap away? I figure it cost about $15 for a batch, and that makes betweek 30 and 40 bars, depending on the mold. I was figuring $3/bar which would include shipping. Is this too much, too little?
Thanks!

 

[Pug Mom]

Since its for a a charity you could advise the buyer all profit goes to the foundation. This way you recoop your cost and there is all truth to your advertisement.

Actually all PROCEEDS will go to the rescue. I will cover the cost of materials and shipping. I got my Brutus from this rescue and I am in their debt...

 

[Lindy]

What a wonderful idea! And so generous.

You should have insurance because it is being sold to the general public even if it is for charity. As for pricing you should research and see what others are charging for a similar bar of soap so that you aren't undercutting the pricing for hand-made soap. As long as you're no more than about $1.00 beneath the market you wouldn't de-value the average price of hand-made soap by much. Because this is for charity you can include the cost of shipping in your pricing. I would recommend that you download SoapMaker from http://www.soapmaker.ca so you can see what your actual "hard" costs are - this is what the cos of the oils and additives are. I would also recommend that you set up a Paypal account to accept payments which would allow people to use their credit cards if they so desired and open the market up a bit more as well as insure that the payments you receive clear prior to shipping.

Pugmom - even though this is for charity, you still need to take care of the "business" aspects so it becomes a win-win for everyone.

HTH

Cheers
Lindy

 

[Pug Mom]

I am pretty sure the rescue has a paypal account, I can use that one. I really don't want to touch any of the money from these transactions at all. 100% for Pug Rescue...

 

[Cattleyabubbles]

Pug soap; Soap Pug, don't mind me I'm just being silly.

Back to answering your question; you can't use someone else's PayPal account to collect the payments for the soaps you're making. That PayPal acccount is property of the Pug rescue. You can give them the bars of soap to sell themselves and they can collect the money to go towards the Pug Rescue.

Setting up a PayPal is relatively easy and free unless you plan to upgrade to Premium or Business PayPal account if you're going to be selling the soaps. As everyone else has mention you want to have insurance to have protection for yourself since you are the manufacturer (maker) of the bars.[/url]

 

[Pug Mom]

I have a paypal account, I just don't want to use it. I don't want to touch the money for this fund raiser... I won't be using anyone else's account, the $$ belongs to the rescue, so it would be their money, their paypal account...

 

[digit]

That is wonderful of you Pug mom!! Is it possible to donate the soap to the organization and let them sell it?

Digit

 

[ChrissyB]

I think that is wonderfully generous and noble of you. Knowing how much time, attention and love goes into making a batch of soap, you sure must love your doggies!!
Not to steal Lindy's idea, but maybe you could make some dog shampoo bars, and then people that come to the rescue to adopt a doggie may buy a doggie shampoo bar for their new friend.

 

[Deda]

I think its a great idea! Possibly find out who does their fundraising and see if you can work out a way to donate the soap to them. I've no idea how the insurance would be influenced.

 

[Lindy]

Steal away! I have 4 dogs, a 17 1/2 year old miniature poodle, a 14 year old Cocker rescue, a 3 year old toy poodle and a 4 year old poodle lhasa cross..... you'ld never think I might like dogs huh? 8)

 

[carillon]

Why not contact the rescue agency and discuss your desire with them. Your idea sounds like the recipe for mishaps to occur, even with the best of intentions in mind.

I can tell you from experience that when it comes to selling items from one location and the money having to go somewhere else, when multiple people are involved in the process, it's can be easy to lose product, lose money, and alienate your customers.

How will you know when a customer has paid for the product in order for you to ship it if all the money is going to the rescue paypal account? They surely aren't going to give you access to it, and it might be a time waster for volunteers to have to review the paypal account everyday and notify you if one bar of soap sold.

Maybe I'm missing something, and I don't want to sound like I'm poo-pooing your idea, because I'm not. It's a very thoughtful thing you want to do. Why couldn't you give the soap directly to the rescue and let them take care of payments and shipping the soap? You can continue to be the PR person to promote the soap and the organization on the forums you belong to.

It might make even more sense and look more legitimate to readers if you "brag" to members that the rescue organization is now selling your soap, and hopefully it will drive more people to their site, which could result in more adoptions (or sales of soap), and possibly more income if they earn money from advertisements on their site.

Also, you would need insurance unless the rescue organization is willing to accept liability for your donation and they put that in writing.

 

[ChrissyB]

This morning when I let my little dog out for his "business", he came back inside with a bit of his "business" still on his fur if you know what I mean. Well straight into the laundry tub he went and I used a bar of soap that I had made with tea tree oil and lavender essential oil, it cleaned him great, he smells great, and I even found a couple of dead fleas on him, that i didn't even know he had. I'm thinking the TTO would have killed them. What do you put in your dog shampoo bars Lindy?

 

[Pug Mom]

I am going to talk to my friend that runs the rescue. I am pretty sure she has insurance for fund raisers. I will make sure that I will be covered under her. I don't want to give her the soap because I am trying to help by organizing this. If she has to do it and ship everything out, that will defeat the purpose of me helping her. She can just send me an e-mail when someone sends in $$ through paypal, not a big deal, I am not worried about that at all. Also, the only people that will be buying this is people that we know on the Pug Forum. I won't have customers to alienate, only fellow Pug lovers that I have been chatting with for years. The doggie soap is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[Lindy]

Tea Tree oil is a good idea - I hadn't thought of that - my soaps have herbs in them - one is a spice soap and the other is Lavender Mint. Must try that one....hmmmmm

Thanks for that suggestion!