From: dick@smith.CHI.IL.US (Dick Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom
Subject: Re: Convention Supplies
Date: 30 Aug 92 20:26:14 GMT
Reply-To: dick@smith.chi.il.us (Dick Smith)
Organization: R. H. E. Smith Corp., Wheeling, IL

krikket@meltdown.chi.il.us (D. 'krikket' Krick) writes:

>Hello.  I'm in the process of setting up a company that would sell Cola and
>stuff to SF Conventions within the U.S. in bulk, delivered to the convention. 
>This should be able to save the individual conventions money, since I'll be
>able to get a bulk rate price based on all SF Conventions in the U.S.

>I am already in negotiations with both Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola...
>                        (  ... I'll be making a little money as well... 
>Dealing with 70 conventions in the U.S. will take a lot of time...  :) )

This sounds like a really difficult thing to do, since the cola
companies have regional distributors.  Are there 70 cons in the MidWest
who'll use your service, or can you make a national deal?  And if you're
going to do a con in, say, Kentucky (to pick a place that isn't really
very far from Chicago where you are located), are you going to truck the
stuff there?  And Los Angeles???  What about the other regional cola 
distributors, whose territory you will be poaching on...?  Or if the
deal is bulk through all the distributors, whose truck (since you speak
of saving the con the truck rental) delivers in LA or whatever?  If it's
yours, just consider the permits required....  And whose truck will move
the art show hangings?

Many large cons purchase bulk syrup, and the vendor includes or rents
the fountain to mix it.  Medium sized cons often use cans, while the
smallest and friendliest put two liter bottles on the bar near the
bottles of Beam's Choice.  Which of these will you be able to service?

The same goes for the munchies; you have got to make frequent pickups
or you'll be delivering stale junk.  Midwestern cons can already get
gross stale junk in trade for memberships from an infamous tax church...
why should they pay cash?  And why should I pay for your labor to get
the stuff every week, when a volunteer doesn't mind donating one
afternoon a year to go to the chip company and pick up a van load of
chips.

Then again, some cons don't seem to worry much about saving money,
anyway.  Weren't you involved with CapriCon?  Weren't you the guy
posting about how "no, CapriCon didn't shit in the jacuzi, just vomit"?
Well, CapriCon checked out of their con suite on sunday afternoon,
leaving about 20 flats of canned pop for "...the dead dog, if there 
is any, or the maids who have to clean up this mess.... we're going 
home!"  There's a customer for you, I'm sure.

I've heard the phrase "sucking off of fandom" about businesses which try
to make a profit off con fandom, and I can't think of one which has
lasted all that long, either.  Walkie-talkies for rent are another
idea which has been tried, and hasn't made it.  If you're going for 
the big bucks, why not just start another for-profit con?

But I'm sure we'll be happy to look at your price list, if you can make
some kind of deal... and compare it with the local outlets.  And you can
advertise for free on the net, right?

Best,
-- 
Dick Smith				dick@smith.chi.il.us
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom