Submitting Calendars to Retailers??

[ChrisAdval]

How does this work? I never sold calendars and would prefer to sale them into a national retail chain or just locally in stores, as long as its stores I'm happy, especially national chains, but how would I go about this?

Also does anyone recommend bulk printing for calendars I know many print labs but they seem to be pricey and for the retail prices I'm seeing for calendars they're generally $10-$20 with printing itself that could cost 6X6 $10.95 ea.; 8X8 $19.95 ea.; and 10X10 $29.95 ea. (for 12month calendars) (from adoramapix.com)

I really don't want to be selling them only online just because I know it wouldn't sell as much if its was in an actual store where my target demographic will be to get the impulse buyers' eye easier.

[digirebelva]

well what would the calendars be of...local scenes, or animals or ...that helps dictate where they can possibly be sold.

Selling them to retail stores means selling them at a wholesale cost....meaning you need to get the cost down by buying in bulk...how many people do you know that will spend $20on a 12 month calendar...
I sold some last year when artscow was running a special...they were spiral bound and I took the time to include some info on each image in the calendar...I pre-sold about 40 of them pricing them to where every other calendar was already paid for. I did 12 & 18 month varieites, 1 was all color the other was all b&w...

They sold well so I went out on a limb and bought 500 more from someone else...sold 100 of them to a retail outlet....didnt sell as well as we thought...live and learn...

..........

..........

[ajsuk]

I was considering this a couple of years ago but came to the same conclusion. To make anything like a half decent margin your print runs need to be very high volume. Trouble is if you find you can't shift them you're left with a buttload of rather coarse toilet paper as they'll be completely useless. (wrong dates, holidays, etc for next year)

[ChrisAdval]

I want to sell bikini calendar, I was thinking car part shops would be my primary place if possible to have them sell it, or other places that's male demographic heavy.

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

I guess that's the other point...unsold inventory is worthless, making this a high-risk investment.

yea, but what I plan is something a bit different in bikini niche market and hopefully attracting national attention to demanding my calendars. Now I'm not being over confident but the type of calendar I want to offer I never seen made with the niche idea I'm going for...

Originally Posted by ajsuk

I was considering this a couple of years ago but came to the same conclusion. To make anything like a half decent margin your print runs need to be very high volume. Trouble is if you find you can't shift them you're left with a buttload of rather coarse toilet paper as they'll be completely useless. (wrong dates, holidays, etc for next year)

I agree, if this happens at a certain time I may just donate it to U.S. soliders overseas. I'll have to be careful with the volume I order I may just order based on what's pre-paid by local retailers.

But question is how to offer my calendars to the retailers, just talk to the purchasing manager/owner? I'll look into the selling the photos to a calendar company if the prices are fair and meet my needs to promoting myself for future sales. Any specific companies you guys recommend or don't recommend?

[ArmySoldier777]

If you can market it right, I definitely think you'd make sales. What single male doesn't want a calendar of half naked women on the wall lol.

..........

[Aboiement]

Originally Posted by ChrisAdval

I want to sell bikini calendar, I was thinking car part shops would be my primary place if possible to have them sell it, or other places that's male demographic heavy.

Being the resident car guy here (years in parts sales, management and shop operations), I can say that those calendars you see up in the shops... They didn't pay for them I can guaran-damn-tee that. Those were most likely given to them by whatever rep stopped by their shop that day and handed them out.

yea, but what I plan is something a bit different in bikini niche market and hopefully attracting national attention to demanding my calendars. Now I'm not being over confident but the type of calendar I want to offer I never seen made with the niche idea I'm going for..

.

If you've never seen this niche then you need to get out more. We used to have those sorts of things but I made my techs take them down. I don't want customers thinking that's the kind of shop I run. In all honesty, you are being over confident.

I agree, if this happens at a certain time I may just donate it to U.S. soliders overseas. I'll have to be careful with the volume I order I may just order based on what's pre-paid by local retailers.

Cart well before the horse here.

But question is how to offer my calendars to the retailers, just talk to the purchasing manager/owner? I'll look into the selling the photos to a calendar company if the prices are fair and meet my needs to promoting myself for future sales. Any specific companies you guys recommend or don't recommend?

That's a lot of door to door selling of something they don't want or need or that they can get for free from some over eager sales rep from Matco or Snap-on or whatever.

But hey, prove me wrong... I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm clearly just a speed bump on your way to a million dollar idea.

~Eric

[ChrisAdval]

Originally Posted by Aboiement

Being the resident car guy here (years in parts sales, management and shop operations), I can say that those calendars you see up in the shops... They didn't pay for them I can guaran-damn-tee that. Those were most likely given to them by whatever rep stopped by their shop that day and handed them out.




.

If you've never seen this niche then you need to get out more. We used to have those sorts of things but I made my techs take them down. I don't want customers thinking that's the kind of shop I run. In all honesty, you are being over confident.




Cart well before the horse here.



That's a lot of door to door selling of something they don't want or need or that they can get for free from some over eager sales rep from Matco or Snap-on or whatever.

But hey, prove me wrong... I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm clearly just a speed bump on your way to a million dollar idea.

~Eric

so stick with online sales only for now and buy on demand per consumer I get which I may get a lot less profits but a lot less risk as its print on demand, better idea?