Phillip
Wei-Chung's attitude to a new business concept belies his
Oriental
ancestry.
He
is known as a person who 'can'.
You'll
see why in his story!
I
saw a schools television programme early last year, part of
which
showed some children with a vice like article which put a
lid
on a tin - or a can as they call them.
They
were putting presents inside for, I believe, a party.
I
wondered where such machines were available from, and after a
bit
of hunting around in WH Smiths, I came across a couple of food
industry
magazines, whose staff were able to put me in touch with
a
small Leicestershire company.
I
obtained from them their 'Canner Splendide II', which cost less
than
a hundred pounds, although I have since come across similar
models
for about half that price, so shop around if you wish to do
this
business!
I
now both devise and purchase articles which amuse party-goers,
and
then seal them in the tins to be used as party prizes or as
novelty
gifts.
I
had some cheap, colourful wrappers made for the tins, using an
illustration
of a cancan (think about it!) dancer for the adult
novelties
and cartoon type pictures of animals for the childrens'
novelties.
These
give added appeal to this unusual novelty item.
One
never knows that may emerge once the tin is opened, but that
is
part of the fun.
Maybe
it will be a plastic penguin or possibly an article of
bright
red underwear, but, at any rate, I guarantee a humorous
surprise
with every tin.
I
easily sell them in gift shops, toy departments and in stores
that
specialise in party supplies.
Already
I have tinned such articles as jokes, poems, cartoons,
greeting
cards and even silk ties, socks and handkerchiefs, and am
currently
planning for Fathers Day.
However,
I did far better this last Xmas.
I
was allowed to set up a table in the local department store for
free,
provided I only tinned items bought within the store!
The
store's display department produced the banners around my
stand
and even arranged a small article in the local evening
paper,
to go along with a mention in their regular advertisements
in
the run up to Xmas.
Some
of the labels read:
"Open
On Christmas Day"
"Open
New Years Eve"
"Do
Not Open Till Christmas"
"Do
No Open In Public", etc.
An
address label was also attached so that by paying less than a
pound
in postage, my customers can send it on to friends anywhere.
The
tins cost less than 10p each, when bought a hundred at a time,
including
postage to me, and I sell them for $1.99 - in case you
were
wondering, incidentally, they are NOT sharp without the lids!
This
is an idea that will no doubt really "catch fire" nationwide
and
could surely form the basis for a highly profitable mail order
business.
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