Travelling Book Fairs - what do you think?

[jjbingo]

Hi all,

The Travelling Book Fair is due to come to my children's school soon and I was wondering how you parents feel about the pricing of these books. They are mainly sold at the full retail price, but some parents can't afford these prices, especially when there are siblings to consider!

Can anyone shed some light on how these book fairs work? Do the schools buy all the books from the book fair company and then sell them on? I would like to attempt to sell some books at my children's primary school at a much lower cost, which should help prevent the parents from dishing out loads of money. However, I am guessing the school will want some sort of commission.

These book fairs are promoted in such a way that parents often feel obliged to buy the books. The kids feel bad if they don't get to buy any.

Thanks!

Surely the response to expensive books is just letting people know they're expensive and where they can be bought more cheaply - it makes no sense for you to sell books at a lower cost, as it would either just create massive work and risk for you, or still cost more than the people buying them elsewhere?

I've never heard of a book fair, so can't comment on that side, but yes I would expect a school that was having to host a book fair would get something out of it.

The book fair brings the books and the school gets commission - sometimes upwards of 60% - on the sales. The school doesn't have to buy the books, just run the shop, so there is no investment required from the school. They can raise significant amounts for new books so I doubt you would be able to replace them, but there might be space for both offerings if what you have is different?

If you are a rep for a book seller (say Osborne) though, be prepared for the school to point you towards PTA events; my childrens' schools wouldn't promote a personal business unless through a stall at a PTA event, for example. You couldn't just come in one afternoon and sell to parents.

When the book fair comes to our school all of the children get a voucher for £1 off a book. The voucher is provided by the book fair. It's still a rip off though but it raises much needed money for school.

I always tend to buy the ones in multipacks when the one comes to ds' school as they work out cheap. In general I also use them as a 'reward' for a good parents evening.

I volunteered to man the book fair once. There were variety of books and stationery, and some were ok priced. I don't know how much % of money school received, but it's better than nothing.
It was held in school hall after school, so only people interested came in, and no pressure to be obliged to buy.
We sold quite a lot of books.

Or book fair is normally there at parents night. We have bought books on occasion. Think the school makes money back depending on amount of sales.

They are a way to donate money to the school and get something nice for your children in the process. They money raised will also benefit your own children.

Our school dropped the fairs as parents complained about the books for sale and when due to building works some rooms were closed they took it as an excuse to decline the idea to host the fair. It hasn't come back since.

I did buy the odd book but DD had to pay the difference to the price I would have paid when buying via Amazon Marketplace (where I normally get her books from) unless she was ok for an extra treat. She loves books and I am happy to buy them for her but the selection was so poor, hardly anything which encourages reading or stretching children. I mean Rainbow Magic at KS2?

@noramum

I have just been to a senior school open evening and saw rainbow magic in their library - I guess there must be an element of weak readers needing those books at an older age.

Thank you so much for your replies.

I'm assuming you're an Usborne person

No. I'm just a sahm looking for something to do in my spare time. I volunteer with the kids (reading), but have noticed how some of the kids don't have access to books at home. I used to work in publishing and may be able to obtain books at a low cost, to then sell on. I doubt I would make a profit, once I've covered costs for the delivery of books, school commission etc, but as long as I can cover my time, I would be happy.

There's a good chance that the parents with no books at home wouldn't be the ones purchasing from you.

Ahhh good point!