Fundraising ideas: Anyone have experience with a Prom/homecoming Dresses

[clh2]

Yikes...odd title

Our HS church youth group is raising money for the national youth gathering for next July, and we are trying to come up with fundraising ideas. So...my question to all my friends on the disboards...has anyone ever been involved with a Prom dress "resale" kind of sale. I'm just interested in your experiences if you have any, did you just take donated dresses, did you allow the dresses to be there on consignment, was it successful...etc. If you did it on consignment, what was the split between your organization and the seller.

We are trying to come up with ideas that do not continually involve "selling" things to the church congregation, so we are trying to think outside the box for some new ideas.

Thanks,
clh2

 

[EthansMom]

I've never done something like that, but I LOVE the idea. Do you have a college nearby? If so, you might put up flyers requesting donated dresses there. I know I still owned many of my high school formal dresses when I was in college.

I would think that if you could get the dresses donated free and clear and then charge reasonable prices (maybe ~$50, more for high end labels and less for lesser known labels), you might do better. Also, I would arrange to have them all dry cleaned first... maybe a local dry cleaner would be willing to give you a discounted rate?

Have the dress sale about a month before formal season (so girls who can't score a "deal" have time to find a dress at retail) and put up lots of flyers at all of the local high schools.

Good Luck.

 

[StephMK]

I think that's a great idea too! DD had her first homecoming last weekend & the moms were discussing a dress swap since there is a winter formal in Jan & few more years of dances to need dresses. Your idea is better because I don't think the girls will want to wear each other's that have been "seen" before, kwim?

The college idea is great too & they might be a good source of shoppers because we went to formals on pretty small budgets. If you could pull it out before the holidays or early spring, I think you'd do well.

 

[clh2]

My DD is going to her homecoming dance tonight...I think that is were the idea started from . I was mentally calculating tha total of 4 homecoming dances, 4 winter dances and 2 proms. Yikes...the amount was staggering, PLUS there was the dance for the eighth grade dance too! And then...WHAT THE HECK do you do with the leftovr dresses.

No colleges nearby, but we are a failry large congregation, with kids attending 3 local high schools, all of a pretty good size. Plus we are near a major metro area that could bring in additional people (both dresses and customers). I just need to figure out HOW to make it work.

thanks for your suggestions so far!
clh2

 

[EthansMom]

If you get really serious about this, you should talk to someone who's run a "Ski Swap" and see how they are run. There are probably a lot of things that are done for a Ski Swap that would translate well to a Dress Fundraiser.

You might try posting over on the Community Board too.

 

[MrsPete]

Yikes...odd title

Our HS church youth group is raising money for the national youth gathering for next July, and we are trying to come up with fundraising ideas. So...my question to all my friends on the disboards...has anyone ever been involved with a Prom dress "resale" kind of sale. I'm just interested in your experiences if you have any, did you just take donated dresses, did you allow the dresses to be there on consignment, was it successful...etc. If you did it on consignment, what was the split between your organization and the seller.

We are trying to come up with ideas that do not continually involve "selling" things to the church congregation, so we are trying to think outside the box for some new ideas.

Thanks,
clh2

I have no experience with this kind of thing, but I think it's brilliant. I'd lean towards doing it on consignment so that you have little investment of your own money.

Have you ever taken part in a church kids' clothes consignment sale? I"d think it'd be similar to that. Advertise that you're taking in items for sale, provide a guideline for prices but the owner sets the price, you keep a percentage of the sale. Let girls who put dresses in for consignment shop on Friday night when the choices are best -- they'd need a ticket to get into this "early event". Then it's open to the public on Saturday morning. Be prepared to call consigners on Saturday afternoon and say, "Your dress didn't sell, you can pick it up here between 2:00 and 4:00." And be ready to write checks to the sellers promptly; I'd have them address an envelope to themselves when they drop off their items -- that way, if it goes astray, they did it themselves.

I'd suggest that you advertise at all the local high schools and any nearby colleges. Don't take JUST dresses -- accept shoes, jewelry, wraps and purses too!

You'll definitely need a place with plenty of mirrors for girls to try on dresses. No one's going to buy a prom dress she hasn't seen! You also need hanging space to divide items up by size.

 

[clh2]

Have you ever taken part in a church kids' clothes consignment sale? I"d think it'd be similar to that. Advertise that you're taking in items for sale, provide a guideline for prices but the owner sets the price, you keep a percentage of the sale. Let girls who put dresses in for consignment shop on Friday night when the choices are best -- they'd need a ticket to get into this "early event". Then it's open to the public on Saturday morning. Be prepared to call consigners on Saturday afternoon and say, "Your dress didn't sell, you can pick it up here between 2:00 and 4:00." And be ready to write checks to the sellers promptly; I'd have them address an envelope to themselves when they drop off their items -- that way, if it goes astray, they did it themselves.

There is an annual church school clothing sale in my area, and I've heard this fundraiser nets around $15,00-$20,000 per year. I've participated as both a seller and as a buyer. A very well organized event. So, from an organizational point of view, I've got some ideas. I love your idea of you get an early event ticket if you've got dresses in the sale!


I'm definitely leaning towards consignment, as then we can request that the girls bring in the dresses on hangers.