Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

We've had some teams ask us if we've gotten feedback from schools using the Hexbug Fundraising program so far, what the demand/success has been, and so on. Here's an update for those interested:

In the first 6 weeks since we announced the program, we've already had over 100 different schools place Hexbug fundraiser orders. School feedback has been very positive, with the Hexbug being a very popular, quick and easy sell. Sounds like the 5 most common groups students are having success selling Hexbug to are: family, other students at their school, neighbors, at school functions (games, fairs, etc...) and businesses (typically of parents).

The average profit reported by teams so far is in the $1,000-$1,200 range. Some schools have sold a few cases to make a few hundred dollars, while some have reported so much demand/success that they've already sold 40-50 cases (raising between $5-8k for their teams).

We're thrilled the program has been a big help to many schools in reaching their fundraising goals, and hope the program has helped many schools fund their FLL, FTC and/or FRC teams. One school informed us that the $ they earned with the Hexbug fundraiser allowed them to start an FRC team they previously thought they could not afford, in addition to the FTC team they had originally hoped to fund with the sales.

We hope everyone participating in FLL and FTC are having (or has had) a great season. We wish all the best to all FLL, FTC and FRC teams in the upcoming events and season.

Happy Holidays to all,

Jason (and all of us at IFI)

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Attention anyone in St. Louis:

On a side note, I got an email yesterday from someone in St. Louis asking if there was a school in their area selling Hexbug. Sounded like they want to buy some for Christmas gifts and wanted to see if they could help a local school before just buying them online.

So - if any school in St. Louis reads this and is doing the Hexbug fundraiser, please let me know (and how to contact you) and I'll direct that person to your team.

JM

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Thanks, Jason. Our team is taking orders. I PM'd you with contact details for two teachers who are coordinating this.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Our team and I are very excited to be doing this. We will order monday morning hopefully. Thank you so much for doing this!!!

-vivek/team2264

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

We aren't in St. Louis, but I sent our mentor an email about this program. Hopefully we will start selling them at games soon.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Our 10 cases arrived today. We didn't even have time to get them unpacked and ready to give to the students on the team to start selling before one case was completely sold out. The teachers in the room were buying them 2 and 3 at a time. :)

-dave

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Our team purchased 10 cases and sold over half of them in our first attempt. These are a very easy sell especially now before the holidays. One thing I have to note though - no one wants the yellow Hexbug. It just doesn't sell; people want blue ones the most. I don't suppose there's some way we can exchange some yellows for some blues and greens? Just wondering.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

I tried to interest our teacher but it was a cold reception. The Canadian Director bought some and brought them to the FLL Tournament for us to sell. We only brought 3 cases and sold out very quickly. Now the teacher is getting an I told you so from me. We will be selling them at the Ontario FTC Championship next week.


GREAT idea and thank you for this great fund raising tool. :eek:

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Our school colors are blue and yellow. I don't know if that will make a difference in what colors are sold though. In a school of 3200 kids before the holidays. I think that ten cases will sell in one or two days. I hope we have to order more!

Our sponsor is matching all of our fundraising and our mentor who works or PTC is trying to get them to match our funds too! I think that will work out good:)

-vivek

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

The HexBug Fund raiser is the one of the best I have ever seen. These bugs sell like crazy. It helped us raise over $1000! Thanks IFI!

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

oh we are going to get money out of this all right.

I might just kill myself in the wait for them to arrive by friday...

-vivek

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

I have a question about the logistics of selling. Other than Hex Bugs that are sold at events, how are schools handling the record-keeping and finances? Do students have to sign a paper for any Hex Bugs they receive, and then are responsible for the money? Are parents signing for them?

I appreciate any feedback as we should be receiving our first Hex Bugs this week.

Thanks,
Lana Cohen
Team #1900

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

We bought 10 cases back in October and sold them to a number of teachers in our school, dozens to employees of our sponsor company Hawaiian Electric, and a bunch at the Oahu Bridge Battle Vex Tournament we organized on Veterans Day. We had a lot of orange and yellow leftovers (green and blue went the quickest). The rest sold out in a flash at the Hawaii FIRST Lego League Tournament we hosted last weekend. All in all, we were quite pleased with the sales (we made more money with them than we did in food sales at the FLL tournament) and would highly recommend other teams consider selling them as well.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

We just got our ten cases today and decided to sell them because of parent teacher conferences. We sold well over 70 in about three hours. I think that between the basketball games and lunch, we will run out tomorrow...

It was funny when people asked if we made them ourselves :p

-vivek

p.s. definitely do this fundraiser.

EDIT: nobody seems to want the pink ones... :D

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Told our teacher about them, let him know all about these teams having success with the program and such. We'll be ordering our cases pretty soon.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

They sell like hotcakes! And when you sell them at a pancake breakfast wear there are hotcakes they sell amazing. Bassicaly we had a pancake breakfast fund raiser and sold them there and we made a fortune! HEXBUGS = $$

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

How do friday night football games fare? Before, halftime, and after the game? Or did no one try this yet? This was one of the scenarios I presented to the mentor.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

The piggies got 10 cases 2 weeks ago and they are all gone. We sold them at work and a few kids sold them at school. One of our sponsors EA Sports bought 50 of them to sell in their company store. :Thanks IFI...its like handing us cash!

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

We got out ten cases yesterday. we have sold all but 21 bugs.

In two days, with our sponsors fundraising matching, we made well over 3000 dollars!!:ahh: :D :cool:

cool beans, vivek

p.s. nobody likes the yellows... it went blue, green, pink, orange, yellow.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Our experience with selling Hexbugs as a team fundraiser continues to be phenomenal. We had our latest shipment of 10 cases (300 Hexbugs) show up yesterday. They were all gone within six hours!!! That is $3000 in sales, and we have done virtually no advertising or promotion of the effort - it has all been based on word-of-mouth and letting them be seen in conspicuous places (like the cafeteria at lunch time and our office Christmas party).

We figured that some people would want to buy five to have a collection of all the colors. But what we didn't anticipate was people buying multiples so they can mix-and-match the parts. The backs and legs are interchangeable, so people are buying multiple Hexbugs so they can make custom color combinations - like school colors. You can also take off the backs, draw on the inside of them with a Sharpie or other permanent marker, and replace them. And then you have a Hexbug with custom artwork!

For the next generation Hexbugs, I hope they make them with LEDs so they have little eyes that light up...

-dave

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

I'm also hoping for a next generation for us to sell next year!

This fundraiser has been MAJOR for us! We went through 4 batches of 10 cases and a final order of 5 cases to finish off the pre-orders.

You can take them apart?! :ahh: (And I call myself an engineer...:o ) This really sets up a whole new market as well!

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

:yikes:

WHS Robotics took all three cases to the San Diego VEX Regional and now we have NONE LEFT to sell at the school for Christmas! bummer. Should have bought more.:ahh:

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

We don't know if they'll sell well around here. I'm trying to see if we can get some sold at a Friday Night Football game.

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

i believe we bought 5 cases and they sold very fast. Excellent fund raiser! I hope they offer it next year!

Re: Hexbug Fundraiser Update
 

Team 1038 - 10 cases, 2 weeks; between our FTC Championship Event then our regional FLL event - SOLD OUT! We had requests for more, but couldn't get the order in before the holiday break. Not sure if they'll be as big of a seller after we return. We'll also have another task at hand with the FIRST New Year underway....:cool: