How to Quadruple Your Money in 30 Days Selling Glow Sticks?

I'm sure you've been to fireworks and ran into a vendor walking around covered in glow sticks, glow necklaces, and glow bracelets. Instantly your children upon sight of this glowing person light up and ask if they can have one. For a reasonable price of a few dollars you gladly purchase one for each of your children to give them something to play with while you're waiting for the real show to start and to get them to stop begging. This is called a captive audience. It's the same reason you will pay $5 for popcorn at the movie theatre.

Is the glowing item worth the price you're charging? Not really you can buy them at most dollar stores in 2 packs or you can find multiple vendors online that offer huge discounts for bulk orders. At the end of May I found an online vendor that provided just such a discount. For the average cost of around a quarter each I purchased $160 worth as a stock investment.

I then searched the net and found the website http://michiganfireworks.com/ which listed where and when all fireworks displays where going to happen in my state. I work full time so I had to plan for just weekends and holidays. I found 5 events that where happening within a 1 hour drive in the next 30 days. Before going out to my first event I packed my stock into a small bag that I could easily carry. Only break the glow items that you think you can sell quickly. Everything that is broken and didn't sell at the end of the night is garbage. Also, before going to my first event I pulled out $50 in change. I sold small bracelets for $2, necklaces and glow sticks for $3. I became the man covered in glowing items. I was working in towns far enough away that I wouldn't likely know anyone. I drew a pretty good crowd at each. Try to manage your cash carefully and put some away as it builds up. You're a target for theft if people know you're alone and carrying cash. The first stop I broke to many items and ended up tossing them the following day.

Near the end of each event I lowered my price as people began leaving the show I would sell anything I had left that was already glowing for $1. Discounting the amount I paid in gas to get there I still ended up being profitable at each event. I ran into two towns that have ordinances about vendors selling on public land without a permit so be careful of this so you don't get fined. One town wouldn't let me into the park at all so I ended up selling near the entrance and up and down the streets nearby. I still did very well but I know I would have likely sold out at that event had I been able to get access to that park. It was the 3^rd of July and one of the largest shows in the state.

At the end of 30 days and 5 shows I had $650 in my bank account. I invested $160 and still had some stock left. This isn't easy money I did work for it but this basic model could be refined to produce much greater results. If I where to do it again I would bring more help and purchase more stock. I wouldn't ever want to run out of change and would like to always work in groups of two. There is enough margin to hire people to work on commission only. Track the number of items that they are given and change to start the night and the money and stock that they return. Subtract the loss in stock that didn't sell and pay them their cut. Each person will likely make $10/hr or more if you give them even a quarter per item. Organized well this would also work really well as a fundraiser for a non profit or sporting event. The key is that it happens at night and that you can maintain a captive audience.