I recently received the following question that probably many fundraisers may have wondered about…

Hi Sandra…

Can you answer a question? Do most fundraisers collect money when the order is taken or when it is picked up/delivered?
Please advise.

Thanks,
Don

Answer: That is a great question. My experience has been with catalogs or order taker fundraisers i.e. candy, candles, popcorn, etc. that taking the money at time of delivery promotes more sales. Especially since today many people use debit or credit cards and may not carry as much cash/checks around.

But I didn’t wish Don to just take my word for it. So I posted a poll online to see what YOU think.

Update: This poll ended on May 31, 2006. Here’s the results…

As you can see over half of those who responded said that they collect money when the order is taken. Perhaps part of the reason is that many companies require payment before merchandise is shipped.

Hi Sandra,

My company has never done catalog fundraising but I know of people that have. Most times they need it prior to the order coming in. So it may not be actually due at the time you place the order but a few days prior to the order coming in. I am sure there are possibly others that work differently.

Pam

Yes it may depend on the requirements of the company that you’re working with when payments from customers are taken and payment to the company needs to be received. Thanks for your comments Pam!

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