Anna Sudak

# Online business

Step-by-step instructions for getting started

More than one hundred thousand Russians regularly resort to this method of saving. Competition in the joint purchases niche is not yet great; it is profitable and relatively easy to open a business.

Navigating the article

If you haven't heard about making money from joint purchases, it's time to get to know him. First, let's figure out what it is and how it works, and then we'll talk about how to make money on it.

Joint purchases is a form of organizing the purchase of goods, uniting a group of people who want to get it directly from a supplier at wholesale prices.

An organizer is a person who contacts the supplier and decides all organizational issues - from collecting money to checking the product and sending it to customers. The main task falls on the shoulders of the organizer- the size of the discount, which can be from 20 to 60 percent, and the higher it is, the more customers will buy the product.

But the discount is not the only issue. After all, the organizer is obliged:

• Understand customers and select the best assortment.
• Choose reliable sellers and be able to achieve optimal conditions for interaction with them.
• Manage your time correctly.
• Ideally, know foreign language and be able to look for people for cooperation in the country in which the purchases are made.
• Be able to communicate with customers.

It turns out that being an organizer is not as easy as it seems at first glance. Therefore, they earn a lot of money, 5-30 percent of the turnover. If you want more money, it makes no sense to work with one supplier, so you should immediately determine whether you just want to earn extra money, or create your own business.

How to organize joint purchases

As soon as it comes to money, there are thousands who want to start shopping together. But when it comes down to it, only a few of them are trying to create their own business. Why is that? Because, as mentioned above, it is not so easy to be an organizer.

What qualities should a person possess to become successful in this area?

1. Responsibility and honesty. They keep customers coming back for more. This is the psychology of people, buying from trusted sellers or intermediaries.
2. Friendliness and sociability. They are simply necessary for the organizer, because he will have to communicate a lot: with partners, suppliers, customers. If these qualities are absent in him, they are unlikely to want to do business with him.
3. Understanding how social networks work. Surely, in order to promote your services, you will have to create your own group, and without knowledge of social networks, this cannot be done.
4. Initiative. Where is there without her. Money does not flow under a lying stone. To earn as much as you want, you need to be active.
5. Business flair. Even if you know how co-op purchases work without intuition and luck profitable business you can't build. Therefore, develop your flair. To do this, you need to be one step ahead of the buyer, to know what will be in fashion, to understand the needs of the client.
6. Reputation. Of course, in order to earn it in an honest way, you need to try and invest a lot of effort and energy. And the results will have to wait long and painfully. But there is another way - to wind it up. It costs money, but not that much. In the long term, you will get much more than you invested at the start.
7. Flexibility and mobility. The faster the organizer reacts to any changes in the market, the higher his income.
8. Accounting minimum. The organization of earnings requires the ability to conduct accounting. Especially if you have a registered individual entrepreneur.
9. Patience and understanding. Be prepared for the fact that you will have to communicate with people a lot on various issues. Including the most, at first glance, stupid.

Of course, if you have organizational skills, you will not know until you try, but be prepared for the fact that you will have to put a lot of effort and devote a lot of time. organizational issues... If you are not ready for this, look elsewhere. After all, the main criterion for choosing an occupation is love for your work.

How to make money on joint purchases

So we come to where to start a joint purchase. Read step by step guide and introduce new knowledge here and now.

Step # 1. Decide. This is the first thing you need to do. Don't be lazy and spend time looking for what really interests the client. And remember, it's important that this something is really useful. Therefore, to begin with, decide who you will sell to. Keep your focus on the target customer and look for something that can satisfy their need. Remember that selling everything to everyone is a waste of time.

Step # 2. Find a supplier. While you are in the process of collecting orders, look at well-known sites for sellers of goods in your category. Talk to them. Ask which maximum discount they will give if you bring 50, 100, 200, 500 clients. Haggle. Try to get the best deals.

Step # 3. Gather the money. After you have decided what and to whom you will sell, open your group on the Internet and start working. Tell all your friends, friends of friends and visitors of thematic forums that you are doing joint purchases. Promise a good discount on products in the category with which you decide to work. Start collecting money and move on to the next step.

Step # 4. More possibilities for calculation. Think about making each of your clients feel comfortable. Expand your payment options.

Step # 5. Check the goods. Upon receipt, be sure to check the quality of the goods, its integrity and completeness. Only then send it to the customer. You can do this yourself, or you can hire someone to take over the goods from the supplier and ship them to the client.

Step 6. Increase your income. To attract more customers and get even more money, shop online through cashback services.

Working as an organizer - pros, cons and risks

Now let's figure out why this form of shopping is popular today, who benefits from it and what risks exist.

pros	Price. The cost of the goods for the participants is much lower than the market value. For example, a mixer costs 450 rubles at retail outlets. At the same time, the wholesale price is only 180 rubles. Everyone wins. The seller who sold out the product, the buyer who got a huge discount and, of course, the organizer, who also got good money for his work.
Minuses	Inconsistency of the product with the picture and description. Often the product does not match the photo. Either the color is not the same, the style is different. You have to use the gift of persuasion to the maximum or look for a way out of the situation. Goods from abroad, for example from China, take a long time. You will have to wait at least 2 weeks. And here you have to constantly be in touch so that buyers do not worry and do not doubt the honesty of the organizer. There are no guarantees. A rare seller can provide warranty service for equipment and electronics. And about certificates for cosmetics and clothes in general there is no talk. Not in size. It may also happen that the goods were sent in the wrong size. You have to spend time looking for buyers for things that were returned by customers for various reasons.
Risks	The main risk for the organizer is the loss of money. It often happens that some participants, under various pretexts, ask the organizer to pay for them (with a refund, of course) and the organizer cannot refuse, otherwise he will undermine the trust of other buyers by his actions. This decision leads to the loss of personal funds. Engaging in such work can undermine health, since a person is constantly in tension and often does not sleep. Of course, money is important, but it is worth remembering that without this very health you will not be able to earn.

How to create a group of joint purchases on Vkontakte

This process is not difficult. Just do the following:

If you do not have a page in VK, create it. To do this, register and fill in all the required fields. This is not difficult to do, so we will not dwell on this.

Create a community, in the page type select "Group".

Come up with a description (what you are selling and for whom, what problem the purchase solves), make the group open to everyone. Upload a cover (picture), define a theme. Save.

Your group is ready. Add images and text content to the page. Check out the community dashboard. Further, all efforts must be directed to its design and design. Fantasy is indispensable here.

But you can become an organizer of joint purchases in VK not only in your own group. Often, the owners of promoted public pages recruit partners to expand their business in the regions. If it's too difficult for you to do it yourself, try to find an interesting community and offer your services to the admins.

How to create a group on Odnoklassniki

To create a group on Odnoklassniki, you need:

1. In the top menu, click "Groups".
2. Press the button "Create group".
3. Select the type "For business".
   

   Create two groups at once: "For business" and "By interests". Promotion of a group for business in Odnoklassniki is expensive and the process takes much longer. It is easier and less costly to promote an interest group. Therefore, in the main group for business, place all the information about products, their benefits, etc. And the interest group will serve as a lead-generating adapter for you. The main thing is not to forget to link to the main public. Then, by promoting a group of interests, you simultaneously and for free promote the main one, in which, in fact, you do business.

4. Fill in all the data in the pop-up window: name, description, type, select "Open", set the picture and click "Create".
5. Click "Change settings" in the left menu of the page.
6. If necessary, fill in the "City" field. This is done if you are engaged in purchases exclusively in your region.
7. Be sure to fill in the "Keywords" field - the words by which users will find your group. Use 5-6 pieces minimum.
8. In the "Publicity settings" (the menu item is located on the right side), see what rights you want to give your subscribers. Most importantly, please note that if you allow uploading videos, albums and posting topics in your group, be prepared for the fact that you will have to remove the "sea" of spam.
9. In the item "Guests are allowed" opposite the right "Leave comments" select no, then those who are not members of the group will not be able to comment on your posts. This way you will get more subscribers to your group.
10. Further optional. After all the settings have been set, click "Save".
11. Change the background if desired (this function is available on the right side above the page). You can choose from those that are freely available.
12. Now fill the group with content. Do not forget to post something interesting sometimes that does not apply to sales - the so-called viral posts that will attract an audience to your community.

Use free and paid subscriber acquisition tools. Share your group in other themed publics in all in social networks... Register on the thematic forms. Submit ads on sites. In general, do whatever it takes to get attention. From paid tools - use advertising.

Even if you are new to this field, all of the above recommendations will help you figure out what joint purchases are and how to start making money from them without any problems. But still, before starting the mechanism yourself, we recommend that you try on the role of a participant. Then you will be able to see the other side of the business, delve into the essence of the system and immediately identify the "weak points" of this activity.

Given the rise in prices, joint purchases are becoming more popular. This is not only an opportunity to save money, but also a chance to earn a good amount. To do this, you need to become an organizer of joint purchases, or joint venture.

Who is it suitable for

An enterprising person with a lot of free time can become an organizer of joint purchases. This last point is very important. Since the organizer has many tasks:

Search for a product in demand;
search for clients and work with them;
order and its tracking;
search for the most profitable offers and promotions.

The organization of the joint venture is suitable for women on maternity leave, those who work from home, or simply have a lot of time.

How much can you earn

The exact amount of income has not been determined, it depends on your efforts. The main factor that affects it is the cheat percentage. When ordering a bulk consignment of goods, the organizer has the right to add a certain percentage to the supplier's price. That is, the client will receive a price list with an already increased price, which will still be lower than in retail store where the markups are significant. The organizer's percentage is from 5 to 20%, depending on the value of the goods.

The income is also influenced by:

Number of buyers;
number of successful buyouts;
the amount of additional expenses (mobile communications, transportation costs, delivery, etc.);
image.

Please note that not all customers who make an order redeem products. This will limit your profits.

The reputation of the organizer directly affects it. The more customers value you, the more of them there will be. Good organizers earn from 50,000 rubles a month, but for this you will have to try hard.

Where to begin

First you need to decide on a product for purchases. It is best to choose a popular category: clothing, household chemicals, baby products, etc.

Then - find a wholesale supplier.

Business is impossible without clients. Friends and family can be the first customers. You can search for clients via the Internet, in groups or in city forums. Or create your own page on social networks. When things go uphill, you might want to consider your own website. But for a beginner, this is not justified.

When the required number of customers is reached, the application is sent to the supplier. Payment is usually made in advance, so the next step is to collect money from customers. The more ways to do this, the better. You can accept money: in cash, on bank card, via Webmoney, Qiwi, etc.

After paying for the order, it remains to wait for delivery and distribute the goods to customers.

Useful tricks

Warn customers that you are not responsible for appearance goods, their size, shape, color and transportation.
Work on a prepaid basis. If you invest your money, hoping that the client will give it back later, you can be left completely without money and with an unnecessary thing.
Do not be lazy to monitor sites for promotions and discounts. Offer them to clients. They benefit, you get additional income.
Don't tell the supplier you are running a JV. Many are wary of this practice. Your best bet is to register as individual entrepreneur... They work with legal entities more willingly.
Share product photos with customers. Promotional photos, photos of parcels sent by the supplier - all this can and should be transferred to customers. For this, the most convenient is your own page.
Inform your customers about all stages of work: the application has been sent, the order is completed, the package is in transit, etc. Give your customers tracking numbers for the packages so they can track the shipment personally.

Hello, friends! In continuation of the previous topic, I propose to consider, but also as a source additional earnings... As we remember, the organizers receive a certain percentage (ORG%) of the cost of the purchased goods. The size of this percentage is 15-20% on average. The organizational percentage is aimed at covering such expenses of the organizer as: time, the cost of telephone calls, money transfers, Internet services, packaging of goods "by sachets" and others. How to become an organizer of a joint purchase?

First, about the tasty.

How much can an organizer earn on a joint venture?

The amount of earnings depends only on you - how thoughtfully you approached the choice of a segment of goods, a supplier and agreeing on the terms of purchase. Here are some examples.

Example 1. Joint purchase of clothing from a companyPelican: minimum wage 70t.r., org% 15. Assortment: women's, men's and children's clothing, underwear. Features: constant availability of sales, new collections.

We analyze: from one joint venture for the minimum amount, the organizer receives 10.5t.r. The average minimum wage collection period is 1.5-2 weeks. Expected earnings per month - more than 21t.r. Agree, it's not a bad idea to receive such an amount, spending about an hour a day?

Example 2. Joint purchase of children's clothing from a local manufacturer, at very cheap prices: minimum salary of 10 tons, org% 15. Assortment: children's and nursery jersey, underwear. Features: the supplier does not guarantee the availability of the selected colors (re-grading by color).

We analyze: from one joint venture the organizer receives 1.5 tons. The average minimum wage collection period is 3 weeks. Expected earnings per month - about 2t.r. It should be noted, however, that the organizer's work on sorting the "bags" is much greater than in example 1. What is your opinion? Pure altruism?

We have more or less figured out the earnings, we proceed to action.

How to organize a joint purchase?

Let's start with the site. You can, of course, create your own website for joint purchases, but it is much easier to organize a joint venture on an existing forum. The principles for selecting forums are the same as for procurement participants (you can read it).

In many forums, certain requirements are put forward for the organizers of the joint venture (for example, the number of messages on the forum, the term for registering an account, etc.). There are also forums without requirements - just fill out an application and go. Keep in mind that if the forum already has a joint venture with the selected supplier, then the moderators will not miss your joint purchase.

1. Choice of goods. Choose a product that, in your opinion, is in high demand. It can be a well-known brand of quality clothing, children's toys, various "necessities" for the home, leather goods. On a large, solid forum, demand will be for almost all product segments and price categories.

I met only 1 really unsuccessful joint venture in terms of product selection - it was offered to purchase a child's nasal aspirator (which works through a vacuum cleaner). The price of the aspirator was 800 rubles, the minimum salary was 50 pieces. The minimum wage could not even get up to 40% within 2 months. The reasons are simple: whoever really urgently needs an aspirator - go to the store and buy even more expensive, but right away (the child will not wait), for whom it is not urgent - they order "in advance", then there are few such prudent parents. In addition, many were frightened by the fact that the aspirator is connected to a vacuum cleaner, although detailed video instructions and positive reviews were posted in the subject of the joint venture.

2. Choosing a supplier. Feel free to inquire about a potential supplier - internet for help. Check out the "black" list of suppliers on the forum - the fact that there was already a sad experience is not excluded. In order to minimize risks, choose a provider with a long history of existence (at least look at how long their site has lived).

3. Ask supplier purchase terms and some information about the product: minimum wage, price, availability of rows, quantity, likelihood of re-grading / marriage and actions if they are found, delivery conditions.

4. Opening a topic on the forum. In addition to the information from clause 3, add the following points to the conditions: size of org%, method of distribution of transport costs among procurement participants, payment / prepayment at what time, payment details, consequences of late payment, where orders are accepted (in the subject, in google form ), the approximate date of STOP, whether you work with intercity, conditions of distribution, storage of unclaimed goods on time.

Please note that many suppliers are in force pricing policy in Russia do not work with the joint venture. Code the name of their brand in the subject (for example, P * EL ** IC * AN) so that they do not calculate your joint venture through search engines.

Write phrases with the following content in the subject in large letters:

“Do not forget that the organizer does not sell the product, but helps you buy the product at the wholesale price”;

"By placing an order, you agree to the terms of the joint venture";

"I don't accept refusals after STOP"

"Follow the topic yourself."

5. Collecting orders. There are 2 options depending on the forum: either automated system(which is much simpler), or manual (which can be partially simplified using google forms).

Try to promptly inform the procurement participants about the progress of the joint venture in the subject: the percentage of the minimum wage collection, the process of payment / delivery / receipt of goods.

6. Sending an application to the supplier, receiving an invoice, paying the invoice. If you are not sure about the supplier, double-check the invoice in person.

7. Receipt of goods and distribution. Find a place in your home in advance to disassemble the goods, prepare bags, scotch tape, pieces of paper with the names of the recipients for packaging.

Distribution of goods can be carried out either independently or through the distribution center systems. It is convenient to distribute independently if you have a car. Distribution centers, as a rule, charge a fee for carrying out the distribution (this part of the costs is borne by the organizer), but there are also those that practice free distributions. Read the terms and conditions, understand how it will be more convenient for you.

So, we looked at how to organize a joint purchase. My advice is - before you become an organizer of a joint venture, take part in at least 5-6 joint ventures in order to feel some subtle moments. We will meet in the next topic, which I plan to devote to techniques for promoting a joint venture for novice organizers!

16.06.2017

Mom, wife and a successful co-purchaser: how to combine everything? The answers are in the interview!

Alexandra Shilova from Nadym has been organizing joint purchases since 2012, but this work became her main source of income only a year ago. Today, the wife and mother of two children spend all their free time collecting and sending orders, and the customer base from a small town in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug numbers several thousand people.

We spoke with Alexandra to find out how she was successful and why honesty is the best method of dealing with co-purchasers.

Story: Alexandra works as a printer. She applies images to business cards, certificates, T-shirts and mugs. Piecework work - the salary depends on the amount performed. For more than a year, there have been practically no orders for printing, so joint purchases for her are the only way to bring money to the family.

"The first client is me myself!"

- Alexandra, when did you organize the first joint purchase in Sima-land?

I started working with Sima-Land in 2012, but at first it was not a joint purchase, but my own order. Then the daughter went to Kindergarten... On behalf of the parent committee, I needed to buy some stationery and toys somewhere.

I opened a search engine to find a store with low prices, and accidentally went to Sima-land. I liked the assortment and the fact that the store is located in the Urals, not very far from us - this meant that the purchases would be delivered quickly. I ordered everything for the kindergarten and some little things for myself.

- Then it seemed to you a one-time purchase? How did it happen that you became an organizer?

I told at work about good prices, the girls looked at the site, found something. We decided to fold. I made a joint order - because I already knew how to organize a joint purchase.

Further - in exactly the same way: I walked through my friends, asked who needs what, told about Sima-land. People liked the idea: all the goods are in our city, but shops buy them in the same Sim-land, and sell them 2-3 times more expensive. Then I began to perceive the joint venture as a hobby - I like to do purchases, help people save money.

- How did you start making money on joint purchases?

I worked for friends and acquaintances, but then I thought, why not start taking orders from other people? It became interesting to me. One client advised me to create a group and attract people there, advertise in all the communities that we have in the city.

Together we drew up a plan, and for this he only asked for one thing - not to take the organizational fee from his orders, that is, to give him the goods at the price of the site. I agreed. My group began to grow and prosper, people began to recognize me and advise their friends. It’s nice when a person, when contacting me for the first time, says that he was recommended to call exactly here.

"There are many clients, everyone needs help."

The boxes barely fit in the stairwell.

You say that twice a week you send an order and receive a car. How long does it take to collect orders, receive, sort, issue?

All free time. My husband goes to work, and I work from home in the same way. I sent the children to kindergarten, finished household chores, sat down at the computer. Order processing takes time, because there are a lot of applications, everyone needs to respond and accept the order. And they write every day!

On the day of sending the order, I can sit down at the computer at 12 noon and work until 5 pm, until the application is completed, agreed with the manager and sent for assembly. In fact, it all takes a very long time. You need to find contact with each client: help someone to choose a product, someone to advise which is better. And naturally, I cannot refuse, it is my job to help people! It seems to me that I will fail all my customers if I give up joint purchases.

- Is it difficult to collect the minimum order amount?

No, there have been no problems with this for a long time. Previously, I had to order something for myself, adjust to the schedule of salaries, advances, collect orders irregularly. Then I started sending the order once a week, and with the advent of a remote warehouse - twice, so that I could receive and issue purchases faster. Now there are many participants, the order amount is always much more than the minimum. When the customer base has been accumulated over the years, then the volume of purchases is large.

- Who are your customers and what do they most often order?

Clients are different, but mostly women. There are many mothers - both experienced and those who are just about to give birth. That is why they order a lot of children's items, especially before the New Year - everyone wants to buy gifts. This is the very peak of work. Then - February 23, March 8, Victory Day.

But in reality, the customers are all different. There are even children! I talk to them, I ask if my mother knows or not. It was such that one 13-year-old girl made an order with me and I called her dad to find out if he was aware that his daughter was making online purchases? It turned out that yes, everything is in order, the order will be paid and I can not worry! And the girl was choosing something for herself from the office and a gift for her mother on March 8.

- What service do you offer your customers? Do you deliver the goods?

No, there is no car, but now we are thinking of expanding. Customers take all goods from my home. But it's convenient for them. I give out purchases in convenient packaging so that a person does not have to stand, wait, get cold or sweat.

There is a secret of excellent service - a good attitude towards the client. I am always friendly, I never go into conflict. You can negotiate with everyone. And I succeed, although the conditions are the same for everyone!

"Even children help"

- Is it difficult to accept large orders? Who helps you unload the vehicles?

My husband helps, because I usually get 40-50 boxes of different sizes and weights. V pre-holiday days 50–70 boxes come out.

With him we get it all and bring it home. We have no helpers; sometimes a neighbor, a young high school boy, brings in several boxes for a small fee.

There was also such that they received 2 cars with cargo in one day. It was just before the New Year, one car was going late, the other ahead of schedule. It so happened that we arrived on the same day. But it’s good that we didn’t get them right away, but at different times ... We had time to take a break. In general, work is not always easy, but it is a favorite business that brings money.

- Do you manage to combine the duties of a mother and wife with the role of organizer of the joint venture?

It takes a lot of time, but I manage to study with the child lessons, take the younger to the kindergarten, cook food, clean up. In principle, there is enough for household chores. And the children also help me - they are very interested when we accept the goods, after all, I want to touch and see everything. So we will use them.

"All difficulties can be solved with the manager"

- What difficulties do you face in your work?

There are unpaid orders. The person simply does not take his purchase. But I am not discouraged, but simply sell it through social networks.

The big difficulty is if a marriage has come. The solution to this issue is sometimes delayed for a long time, the problem needs to be monitored all the time. You need to wait for the company's decision, and then send the defective product back, wait until it arrives at the warehouse, until it is accepted. And only then the money is returned to my account, which I then send to the client.

Sometimes bills are lost. We have to wait and check documents, request new ones. But the most important thing is the return of the goods. A claim can be considered for a long time, and then denied. But this is fixable. Moreover, my wonderful manager helps to sort out all the problems.

Sorting an order takes several hours.

Do you support the opinion of Yuri Ilyaev (an experienced organizer of joint purchases from Yekaterinburg, the hero of our publication) that an organizer should never change his personal manager?

Yes. I completely agree with him. My manager - Gleb Esipov - knows me inside and out. He knows how and on what days I work, when I send the order, where the car should arrive and what problems may arise.

Once I made an order and they sent me the wrong double invoice. I could not solve the problem, because the order has already been sent for delivery. Gleb was not there, but the next day he fixed everything - quickly and without any difficulties.

By the way, about ordering. You managed to register in the new joint shopping service and even posted in your group on VKontakte a homemade instruction on how to work in it. Did you like him?

The service is convenient, I use it, but I'm not ready to switch to it completely, because I have a lot of regular customers, they are used to working with me there.

It would be great if it was possible to communicate with the client within the system - chat, calls or something else to communicate with the participant. If we improve the service, it will be great.

"Be honest is the secret."

- How do you want to develop as an organizer?

I want to change the place of issue, because with two children, accepting the goods often turns into a complete mess. Although it will not be convenient for everyone to come to the office - workers often pick up their orders in the evening, during the hours when I will no longer sit in the office.

- What should be the organizer for customers to come back for shopping again and again?

He must inspire confidence. It is important to explain well all working conditions and non-standard situations... For example, for purchases from a remote warehouse. This is a product that is out of stock and you have to wait for it. People believe me, they order, pay and wait for their thing with me. And no one worries that I took the money and spent it somewhere. They paid for their purchase and are waiting, and I always notify that the goods can be picked up!

And you also need to be serious about marriage and re-sorting (the case when the wrong product comes in that the buyer needs). When the goods arrive in the wrong quantity, I immediately put the person on the next purchase and I will definitely return the money for what did not come. I didn’t have such a thing that I was holding up somewhere, withholding, overcharging prices.

How to become a popular organizer of joint purchases: advice from Alexandra Shilova

• Tell your loved ones about the opportunity to buy quality goods at low prices.
• Create a social media group and run a giveaway to let people know about you.
• Process all requests diligently... Clients appreciate the organizer's timely responses.
• Know the needs of your customers and negotiate with everyone so that it is convenient for both of you.
• Arrange convenient pickup or delivery... Remember that people don't like to stand in line, wait, or get cold.
• Be honest, always listen to the client and tell him about all the nuances of the purchase.

I WANT TO BE AN ORGANIZER ALSO!

Already decided to repeat the success of the hero of the article? Read the detailed information on the new joint shopping service, which allows you to collect applications from participants directly on the site, register and earn!