Trading Post
What is a Trading Post?
A Good News Goods Trading Post is an on-going commodity Kiosk held at your church and run by church volunteers at the time of your choosing. The main benefit is church and community members have constant access to Fair Trade products and can redirect some of their spending habits to support the working poor in the developing world.
How much does it cost to get started?
The minimum start-up order is $500 dollars worth of product. As you re-order products, the minimum order amount is $350 but your order must be at least $500 for your shipping to be free. On orders between $350 & $500, a $15 shipping & handling fee will be added.
Volunteers:
The lead volunteer at the church will need to assemble a team to support this ministry (i.e. a Sunday School class, youth group, college ministry, children’s ministry, or a mixture of members committed to this type of ministry).
The size of the volunteer team depends on the size of the church. However, it will need to be large enough to share the responsibility for set up and sales on the days you choose to sell.
Space in the Church:
Locate a space in the church where your Good New Goods Trading Post can be set up with a good flow of traffic. The volunteer team and church staff will need to work out the best place to set up periodically to sell the products you have in stock. Most churches do not have a bookstore or coffee shop that would be set up for sales transactions.
If your church does have a bookstore or coffee shop that is set up for sales transactions you are conveniently positioned to simply add Trade as One consumable, cosmetic and paper products to your current inventory.
What products will our church be selling?
Coffee, tea, sugar, rice, olive oil, chocolate, cosmetics, lotions, journals, greeting cards, stationary, all made by people employed and paid a fair wage by a missional business or a Fair Trade certified company.
Will the product selection be made for us?
The Good News Goods Consultant or Trade as One (the supplier) can create a package for you or you can work with them to customize your order.
Display: (An additional Set-Up page is available with more in-depth descriptions and photos)
This decision is left up to each church’s discretion and creativity. Good News Goods will provide you with a start-up package that includes a table cloth with our logo, signage to display throughout your church, and promotional materials. If your church already runs a coffee shop or bookstore, simply add the fair trade items to your current display. However, if your church does not have a coffee shop or bookstore, here are few examples of how other churches set up their trading posts:
- Purchase a rolling kitchen island
- Contract a church or community member to build a rolling cart or wagon specifically for your church’s needs
- Set up a table for product display
Will our church make a profit?
No. However, in addition to bringing stability and dignity to the developing world through fair employment, 10% of your church’s purchases will go towards the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger relief and development ministries.
Will this affect our churches tax-exempt status in any way?
No.
Sales tax issues: (a more in depth document is available for further explanation)
As a courtesy, Trade as One will take care of filing and paying the sales tax to the state of Texas so the church doesn’t have to comply with state sales tax laws. The sales tax will be included in the price the church pays when buying a stock of inventory, and the church is treated as a “pass-through” entity between Trade as One and the state of Texas. You will sell the item for the same amount the church purchased it from Trade as One, and then the church keeps the entire amount to refill stock.
Do we need a cash register? Can we take credit cards?
The sales details are up to you!
Frequency of Sales:
The frequency of sales also depends on the size of your church, the size of your volunteer team, and the fervency of demand. We suggest you pick a recurring Sunday (i.e. every 3rd Sunday) to set out the Trading Post, display and sell product once a month. You will quickly learn if this is too often or not often enough.
How long is our commitment?
Your church is not bound to any length of commitment. As long as you want to continue to buy product and make fair trade a part of your congregation’s experience, you are welcome to.
What do we need to do to get started?
Ask questions to see if this program is a fit for your church.
- How will you fund this on-going ministry?
- Are there leaders in your congregation or on the church staff who can commit to organizing & shepherding this ministry?
- Do you have a good space in the church for a Trading Post to be displayed?
- How are you going to display your Fair Trade products (rolling cart, table, bookstore, etc)?
- How will you manage sales? cash and cash check or do you have credit card capabilities?
Contact Us to start a Trading Post
