FlisKits: Earn $$ helping FlisKits grow!

[jflis]

FlisKits is working aggressively to earn greater market share in this exciting industry and you can help us do it!

We are calling this our "Retailer Pilot Program" and here is how you can earn FlisKits BucksTM while helping one of your favorite manufactures grow and expand.

We have always encouraged our customers to introduce their local hobby shops to our products and our company. Well, for the next 3 months we are putting our money where our mouth is, so to speak.

Basically, if you get your local hobby shop to join the FlisKits family of retailers by placing an order with us you will receive credit or FlisKits Bucks (eg: commission) equal to 5% of the shops initial order to FlisKits, with a minimum commission of $15 (equivalent to 5% of a $300 order). We have set a cap on the commission available for any one hobby shop to $100 (5% of a $2000 order)

Now, at the same time FlisKits will be aggressively contacting hobby shops around the country ourselves. If we happen to contact a shop that you have already contacted during the program time-frame, you will still receive the commission.

Now, what do you have to do to start earning these commissions? Simply follow these simple rules (all of this information will be posted and expounded on, on our web site shortly)

- Make initial contact with your hobby store between 1-January-2005 and 31-March-2005 and have them contact us at [email protected]
- Do a good sell. If you can, show them our product in the package and/or built
- Tell them your opinion of our product, customer service and pricing
- If you have a catalog, please show this to them as well.
- Inform them that we have a company profile and retailer program for them to review that should answer any questions they may have about our product, company and program.
- Be sure to provide them with your name and ask them to mention you when they contact us. We (FlisKits) will make a point of asking if they were directed to us by a customer but you need to be sure they have your name in order to collect the commission.
- In the rare case where 2 or more of you have contacted the same hobby shop we will do our best to figure out who was first (we can only issue one commission per initial hobby shop order)

You know our product. You know how valuable it would be to your local hobby shop, to you and to your fellow modelers to get our product on their shelves. All you have to do is convince them that it is worth the trouble to contact us. We will do the selling at that point and you get the rewards.

This offer applies world wide, except for the United Kingdom (we have an exclusive agreement there already).

We are working on growth this year and we want to share this growth with you as a thank you for helping us grow.

Please note:
- Hobby shops that already sell FlisKits products do not apply to this pilot program
- If you have contacted a hobby shop and they still don’t sell our products, contact them again (please don’t contact us to tell us that our newest retailer is one that you contacted 6 months ago. It doesn’t count unless you’ve contacted them between 1-Jan-2005 and 31-March-2005)

If you have any questions, please ask here so that all TRF’rs can take advantage of the answers. However, feel free to send me an email if you wish to [email protected]

Here’s wishing for strong growth in 2005 and a bright future for the hobby of model rocketry!

Jim

 

[jflis]

In another thread, someone mentioned that they were vacationing and will be visiting a museum on their travels.

I wanted to mention that museum gift shops are good places to promote FlisKits products and you should consider bringing a catalog or some contact information if you are interested in participating in this program.

 

[WiK]

Originally posted by jflis
This offer applies world wide, except for the United Kingdom (we have an exclusive agreement there already).

 

[cydermaster]

Originally posted by jflis
This offer applies world wide, except for the United Kingdom (we have an exclusive agreement there already).

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by jflis
This offer applies world wide, except for the United Kingdom (we have an exclusive agreement there already).

 

[jflis]

Sorry guys.... I can't get into the business reasons for why we chose to go into an exclusive for the time being, (and that isn't the purpose of this thread), it just so happens.

jim

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by jflis
Sorry guys.... I can't get into the business reasons for why we chose to go into an exclusive for the time being, (and that isn't the purpose of this thread), it just so happens.

We're just teasing you Jim, we were all in chat together, saw the post, noticed the caveat...

 

[cls]

Jim, the hobby shops (4+) I've talked with won't order from anyone who doesn't 1) go to hobby convention in Vegas 2) get distributed by Great Planes or the other biggie hobby distributor. yer looking at huge volume there, a huge change for Fliskits.. much as I wish success for FlisKits, maybe not that kind of success! have you already explored that avenue?

all the other "boutique" vendors are in the same situation.

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by hokkyokusei
We're just teasing you Jim, we were all in chat together, saw the post, noticed the caveat...

GGgggrrrrr... LOL

whew!

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by cls
Jim, the hobby shops (4+) I've talked with won't order from anyone who doesn't 1) go to hobby convention in Vegas 2) get distributed by Great Planes or the other biggie hobby distributor. yer looking at huge volume there, a huge change for Fliskits.. much as I wish success for FlisKits, maybe not that kind of success! have you already explored that avenue?

all the other "boutique" vendors are in the same situation.

Yep, we know we are going to run into that. We have had one retailer with that approach change their mind due to the number of people coming in and asking about our products, so it is still possible.

As for the convention, each year we have strongly considered participating in the Chicago convention and bowed out early as we simply weren't ready for that level of exposure at the time. 2005 *may* be different, but we don't know. We *are* registered with them and we get all of their literature. For the next few years the Vegas one may be out of reach. Basically, we have to understand the market (the Vagas one is mostly for distributors) and also have to understand what our current production capability is. (we are also trying to stay true to our business plan )

I can understand where they (the hobby shops) are coming from. They sell hundreds, if not thousands of different make products and can't afford/justify having hundreds or thousands of vendor contacts to have to deal with. The easier solution is a one stop shop like a large distributor.

The problem for the hobby shop is that they miss out on some good products. The problem for the manufacturer is that they have to greatly increase their discounts and/or slash their margins to be able to afford going to a distributor.

If I were to increase my wholesale discount to where distributors want it, I could increase my business 10fold and more and be making less money.

At this time FlisKits is in its infancy still (will be for the next 2-3 years) and we realize this. Therefore we need the most bang for our buck so that we can stay solid, productive and keep coming out with new products. It wouldn't do us (or you) any good to be in every hobby shop and stop producing new kits for 2-4 years while we stabilized.

For now we will cater to those hobby shops who are willing to work directly with us (we are convinced it is a very large number (and growing)). If we hit enough of them, they will have a direct impact on the hobby shops down the street or across town who only work with distributors and that may also help to change their mind.

In this world of the internet, databases and instant communications, the days of the 55% - 65% discount to distributors is coming to an end anyway, it's just going to take some time (imho)

jim