What is the fee to sign up?
There is no sign up fee! All the documentation you will need can be found in the back office at no charge to you.

What is the distributor commission?
You can earn between 35 and 40% on your direct sales. You receive 10% commission from sales of those in your direct recruiting downline (1 level only). You receive 10% from any fundraisers that you book with The Gourmet Cupboard.

Do you have to place a minimum order the first time you order?
No. There is no minimum order requirement for your first order or for any order after that. But be aware that if you place a small order, the shipping will be high. Minimum shipping is $6 for any order. After you have submitted your distributor application, you will receive an email from the company headquarters with a password that is good for 5 days. Please place your first order within those 5 days, as the password will expire.

Do you have a start up package?
No, we don't. You can order exactly what you want. You pick the mixes and any of the extras that you want. We do sell an advertising/sample kit for $25 plus shipping if interested in something like this (details can be found in the website back office).

How do I know what to order the first time so that I won't be stuck with mixes that aren't the best sellers?
There is a list of popular mixes in the back office to use as a guide in helping you place your first order.

Is there a monthly or quarterly quota?
We have structured an active/inactive requirement that anyone can easily meet. Although there is not a minimum order that you have to purchase for your first order or subsequent orders, we do require that you purchase a minimum wholesale order of $100 in three months or you will be considered on inactive status. You do not have to spend this amount at one time, but in three months, your orders must total this amount. This includes orders from home parties, shows, fairs, etc that you place through the back office, or orders your customers place through the main website. Your customers will be asked for the distributor's name when they submit an order. For every $50 that you order, you earn a free mix (any bag $3.00 wholesale and under) of your choice. The order form automatically figures this as you fill out the form. You may use these for taste testing samples at shows, to keep for yourself, to give away as gifts, or whatever you desire.

The year is divided into four (three month) quarters as follows:

February, March, April
May, June, July
August, September, October
November, December, January

The months are grouped in this manner so that there are not three slow months in a row. January and February are, for the majority of the distributors, slow months. This way it is much easier to meet the minimum quarterly requirement.

Tracking for the $100 requirement will begin the next quarter for distributors who join The Gourmet Cupboard during the middle of a three month period.

One great thing about our company is that if you join in the middle of a quarter there is NO obligation whatsoever. You can place a small wholesale order to get acquainted with our products, try some out for yourself and your family, and order some catalogs if you would like. You don't have to meet our minimum quarterly order of the $100 until the next quarter. This gives a chance to anyone who just wants to "test the waters" out before jumping in!

As an active member a distributor will be eligible for the following:

If a distributor does not meet the quarterly minumum, these perks will also be inactive. By placing one minimum order of $150 you may regain your active status. However, when an account is allowed to become inactive, your downline could be transferred to your sponsor. Notification of inactive status will be emailed to you, giving you a chance to become active, thereby keeping your downline.

What is the shelf life on the mixes?
Coffees - just a couple of months (they lose their flavor after sitting awhile). We do not suggest purchasing more than just a few of our coffees at one time for resale.
Teas - 6 months. Even though the flavor will hold up for longer, they tend to harden after awhile.
All other mixes - as long as they are sealed in their original bag, all mixes should hold their flavor and quality for up to a year.

Are the mixes subject to sales tax?
Every state's laws are very different. In Texas they are not taxable unless bundled in a basket with other items, but consult your local taxing authority for the rules in your area/state. When shipping them out of Texas, we do not charge tax to any of our distributors or retail customers.

Is the Gourmet Cupboard licensed through the Health Department?
Yes. We are periodically checked by the Hardin County Health Department and the Texas Manufactured Foods Division.

Do we have to have a special permit or license to sell The Gourmet Cupboard mixes?
At some shows you are required to have a temporary health permit. They will tell you ahead of time and it will state it in their application. Most of the arts and crafts shows don't require this, but some of the really big ones do. This usually costs around $30.

Where can I sell the mixes?
All distributors have different ways and places that they sell the mixes. Arts and Crafts shows have been VERY successful for most distributors who attend them. Festivals, trade days, and arts and crafts malls where vendors have designated booths are also great places to set up.

Check with your Chamber of Commerce for a listing of shows. Most will send you a brochure with all the shows, dates, and contact information for the whole year. You can also check your newspaper. Some large cities print an entire section dedicated solely to show listings a couple of times a year. Other great places to set up are in a teachers' lounge before and during their lunch break and during their conference times. Some schools will allow vendors to come in and set up and others will not. The secretary should be able to let you know. Different work places will also allow this as well. There is a website here: http://www.craftlister.com that is a really great place to find out about fairs/festivals. You just enter your zip code and how far you are willing to travel, and about once a month or so you will get an email listing the ones within your area. There is also a magazine called "Where It's At," which is a great magazine with listings of shows. Other vendors will also be able to let you know of shows they are aware of.

Can we adjust the prices on the mixes or are the prices set?
The retail price is the suggested retail price, but feel free to adjust the prices. If you want to change any of the prices, open a copy of the tri-fold brochure in the back office and make adjustments accordingly. Some distributors that are charged an extra percentage if their mixes are in a booth at a craft mall adjust the prices a little to make up for the percentage taken from their profit.

Do you have company provided sites?
You have full access to the main website and back office,  but we do not provide distributor websites. There is a webmaster who has designed websites for some of our reps. If you are interested in having her design a website, her contact information is in the back office. You are not obligated in any way to use her services. There are also many places available on the web where you can design your own. Email me if you would like some suggestions. If you have your own website, the only requirement is that you state on your site that you are an independent distributor for The Gourmet Cupboard.

How do we get credit for an order a customer places through The Gourmet Cupboard website?
After submitting an order, a screen will pop up and ask for their shipping information and a required field asking which distributor they are ordering under. This way each distributor will get credit for any sales under their name. Make sure you give all your customers a brochure with your name on it and place a re-order sticker on each mix that leaves your hands

Can I offer a discount to my customers if they buy more than one mix?
There have been several ideas for the "sale" prices that you can offer your customers. Please feel free to use any of the following ideas, make up your own, mix and match any of these, or not use any of these and offer no sales! It is totally up to you!

Discount 1
Buy 8 of any size, get one free!

Discount 2
Buy 10 of any size, get 10% off your total order!

Discount 3
Buy $30 worth and pick a grab bag (you can use the mixes of the month's specials for your grab bags)

Discount 4
Shaker jars- 4 for $15

There are also scratch cards available for purchase on the Extras order form in the Back Office.

If I am unable to purchase the display you have available for shows, what do you suggest for a display to make tables look nice?
There are many different ways to display that really look nice. Here are just a few ideas:
1. Fill different baskets full of mixes and group according to theme. (Dips, soups, cookies and breads etc.) Label the basket with what is inside: theme and contents of the basket. Use different sizes and shapes of baskets for an eye-catching display. Line the baskets with material or bright colored tissue paper.
2. Place boxes or Tupperware at different heights underneath a table cloth, then arrange baskets on top of the tablecloth (some on the risers and some on the actual tabletop). This gives your display a little variety with heights instead of having all the baskets sitting on the table.
3. Patterns and directions for building the different display stands are available in the back office.

Can we make copies of the catalogs, brochures and labels?
Yes. The catalog and tri-fold brochure are available in the back office. Save a copy to your hard drive and enter your contact information on the forms.

Are we required to keep an inventory of products?
Each distributor is different. Some have a really great stock and keep a few of each on hand, and some don't keep any stock on hand. We would suggest having on hand what you know is popular in your area and if someone orders something you don't have, then just place that in your next order. Your stock really just depends on what shows you go to, how big they are, how often you attend them, etc.

How long does it normally take for a customers to receive their mixes after ordering?
We try to process orders as quickly as possible, but we try to ship within 3-5 business days.

Are we assigned ID numbers?
Yes, you receive an ID number when signing up, but we prefer to use your first and last name. Most of the time we are able to speak or email one on one with our distributors, and we feel like this is so much more personal than ID numbers.

Is there a commission schedule for recruits under those we recruit?
Distributors receive commission only on their direct recruits. You can recruit as many people as you want, and as long as you are active, you will always receive the 10% commission from their orders. When we first started this business, paying for downline recruiting was something that we considered, but decided against it because we would rather offer a higher percentage for those recruits that you are actually helping along and sponsoring. If someone on your team recruits others, and then later leaves the company, all of their commission checks would go to you!

What is the difference between a retail and wholesale/ independent distributor?
A retail distributor is one who sells at a store, and a wholesale/independent distributor sells at home shows, arts and crafts shows, etc. As far as ordering procedures and requirements there is no difference. Each is given the same wholesale pricing and information.

Is there a Support Group for distributors to join?
Yes! And you can join for free! It is run and moderated by several of our wonderful distributors. There are lots of wonderful, creative, ideas shared. Opinions, ideas, questions, and comments are all shared each day. You can participate as little or as much as you would like to. Information on joining is in the Back Office.

Are there competitions among the distributors?
There is a competition each month announced in the newsletter. They are simple contests just to make it fun! Because we all market the products in different ways, sometimes the contests may not suit you, but that is okay! This is just for FUN, and hopefully the next month's contest may be of interest to you!

Is your facility smoke free?
Yes, it is.

Is your facility open to distributors?
Yes, we would love to have you come by, meet us, and see how we do things. Please call and let us know you are coming! - (409) 287-4447.