At our co-op, we've typically just opened the sidewalk in front of our shop to the public and announced a Swap Meet on our website, and in the shop. Each person sells / manages their own stuff, so we don't have to get involved in the hassles of commissions, etc.
We don't charge for this, as we're fairly self-sufficient, but from our experience, if we were trying to do this as a fundraiser, it'd probably be best to either ask for a flat fee from the sellers ($5-$20), or ask for an "honor system" donation of 10-25% of the gross from each seller.
That way, there's no need for you to babysit anybody's merchandise, and you get paid. (You might also want to see if a Taco Truck / local food vendor would be interested in setting up shop in front of your store that day in exchange for a cut of the proceeds. If taco trucks aren't a thing in Helena, maybe have some of your volunteers make some coffee / hot chocolate / snacks for sale.)
Good luck!
On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 3:51 PM, Dave Ellis enjoybikes@gmail.com wrote:
I've recently taken on turning our local bike swap into a fundraiser here in Helena, MT. Previously it's been a low turnout, low publicity affair. I'm new to really any kind of organizing, but I like my ideas and hope to glean some info from some experienced voices here. Here goes:
Commission/consignment: what percentage of a sale have folks found to be a number that doesn't turn people away? Also, a handling fee for those that don't sell their items, thinking about a per person charge, vs a per item charge i. e. bike, clothing, parts, etc. Mostly interested in bringing people in since this first year is intended more for exposure.
Pickup time for unsold items: Has anyone experienced difficulties with people not meeting a stated pickup time for items, then demanding their items back. Is this an appropriate situation for a signed waiver or legal document of some kind since some of these items have some value?
Thanks much,
dave
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