Ask A Pro:
About Fundraiser Return Policies

Sponsors can learn too late that the fundraising company they've contracted with has a different return policy than what they've experienced in the past. Some companies have a strict return policy, while others may be more lenient. We asked a few professionals for their advice on how to avoid surprises at the end of a product sale.

"Sometimes the finer points of a contract are lost in the fervor of making the sale, so we attach to every contract a one-page summary of important points - including the return policy. Typically, we accept returns only if the cases are unopened. When products are delivered, I tell our customers AND our drivers to make sure they count everything before they sign a document accepting the delivery."
Paul Muscat, San Diego, CA



"The best way to deal with returns is to avoid them in the first place. Unrealistic expectations create the most problems. A sponsor may order product based on how much money they want to make vs. how much they can realistically sell. We try to guide our customers to order responsibly - by listening to their history, goals and number of volunteers. Then we must be prepared to ship reorders as quickly as possible if the group needs more product."
Jim Pike, Lakewood, NJ

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About the Author:

This article is from the Fall 2000 issue of the Fundraising Edge, an online publication of the Association of Fund Raisers and Direct Sellers and is reprinted with permission. Visit their web site at http://www.afrds.org/ for more information and a look at the complete issues of the Fundraising Edge.