2009/9/14 Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton(a)gmail.com>om>:
2009/9/14 WereSpielChequers
<werespielchequers(a)googlemail.com>om>:
> I'm not a fan of merchandising as part of a
charities function. But if
> it is done it should have the saving grace of having a sufficient
> markup to help finance the organisation.
It's not a matter of being a fan or not -
merchandising is not part of
our function, it can only legally be done for the purposes of raising
funds. Raising funds by attracting more members is a possibility, but
I'm sceptical that it would raise enough funds to be worth the risk of
unsold stock. If there is significant risk (which, without a profit
margin to help absorb losses, there would be) then it would have to be
done through a trading subsidiary, anyway (without the risk it would
fall under the small trading exemption so could be done directly), and
that will incur admin costs.
It's REALLY EASY for a charity to end up with boxes of T-shirts under the bed.
The conditions WMF have put on merchandise, as described here, sound
basically onerous and no different to "no, you can't do it at all."
- d.