Download Report

Frequently Asked Questions – Students IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from students about the IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day. Please let us know if there are additional questions that you would like to see added to this list! Showing up – Dispatching: 1. When and where do I show up? Look for an email from shopping@ifiusa.org after you register, before the event. Details will be given in the email. In the past (and foreseeable future) we have had two Dispatch locations:  North: Kohl’s parking lot, 3360 Olentangy River Rd., 43202  South: Columbus Northside Library, 1423 N. High St., 43201 We try to keep the Dispatch locations close to campus so students can walk there in the morning. There are usually about 175‐200 students at North Dispatching and 40‐50 students at the South location. 1. What should I bring?  Cash in small bills ($1, $5, $10 and $20 bills only). Do not bring $50 or $100 bills.  Wear clothing in layers (maybe bring a jacket). Sometimes in August it can be cold in the morning but get hot as the day goes on.  Cell phone  Student ID  A list of items that you (and your roommates) might like to purchase 2. How do I get to Dispatching? Will you pick me up? It is your responsibility to find a way to get to the Dispatch location at 8:00am on Saturday morning. We will NOT be picking you up. Please plan ahead so you know how to get to the Dispatch location and how long it will take you to arrive; consider traffic!  The Dispatch location will be close enough for most students to walk.  If you need to get a ride, consider taking the bus – but make sure the bus is running at that time of the morning!  Or, if you have a host family, ask them if they will pick you up and drive you to Dispatching and then furniture shopping. They need to register on our volunteer website so we know they are coming, so ask them to register, too. In any case, you need to be on time. If you arrive later than 8:30, we might be gone. We WILL leave without you if you sleep in. 3. Can I ride with my host family? Absolutely. All students and the IFI volunteer must be registered. If you want your host family to drive you, make sure they sign up!  If you don’t have a host family, don’t worry! You will be matched up with a driver on Saturday morning for shopping. 4. Can I ride with my roommates? As long as they have registered, yes. If you ride together, you can pick out furniture together… or maybe you want to split up and try to go to different sales to get more variety; it’s up to you. 5. Can my friend come along? Only registered students can participate in the event. If he/she did not register then no, he/she cannot come. Page 1 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013 Frequently Asked Questions – Students 

IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day Why not? Because last‐minute additions can negatively impact the experience for the students who did register. The UFSD has become a very large logistical event, and we’ve made many improvements over the years that allow us to pick up and deliver furniture for over 200 students in only a weekend. We plan delivery routes and color‐code the SOLD tags based on the addresses you provide during student registration. It is very difficult to add a student after registration is closed, which makes it harder to effectively serve the students who did register. Additionally, we have a number of IFI volunteers who have signed up to drive that matches the number of registered students. And we rent moving trucks and have volunteers driving the trucks that matches the number of registered students. We don’t want an unregistered student to take the seat in a car of a registered student, nor do we have lots of extra capacity to deliver their furniture. 6. I have a car. Can I drive myself? No, you cannot drive yourself. One of the major benefits of the UFSD is the chance to build relationships with an IFI volunteer and some other international students. The IFI volunteers get training, are familiar with driving laws, and many of them are familiar with the roads in Columbus.  It’s not a bad idea for you to bring a GPS or use your phone’s GPS to help your driver navigate to the sales. Shopping: 1. Where will we be shopping? There are four types of places where you will shop: 1. IFI Only Sales ‐ We have partnered with local churches to collect the good stuff that students want ‐ desks, chairs, tables, etc. Many students find everything they need at these sales. Cash only. 2. Thrift Stores / Second‐hand shops – These are stores that sell used items, such as furniture, clothing, bikes, small appliances, etc. Credit cards accepted. 3. Mattress Stores – These are stores that sell new bed frames, box springs, and mattresses; some sell used mattresses that have been sanitized/ cleaned. Credit cards accepted. 4. Local Garage Sales – Individuals sell items they no longer want or need – sometimes furniture, but usually lots of trinkets, picture frames, kids toys, clothing, dishes, books, small appliances, etc. Cash only. It is up to you and the other people in your car where you will go. You will have one IFI Only Sale that you need to go to first (evenly distributed based on the number of students and drivers), but you can go anywhere else afterwards. You can try to call ahead to a sale to see if they have certain types of items. 2. How much money do I need to bring? That depends on how much you intend to buy. See the section below on what you can expect to pay for most items.  Make sure to bring cash in small bills ($1, $5, $10 and $20 bills only). Do not bring $50 or $100 bills, as most places don’t have the ability to make change.  You can bring a credit/debit card to make large purchases, such as a bed/mattress at a mattress store or at thrift stores. Page 2 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013 Frequently Asked Questions – Students IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day 3. What kinds of furniture can I expect to find? How much will it cost?  Furniture at IFI Only Sales. Here is the list of recommended prices we provide to the folks hosting IFI Only Sales. There are price ranges because the price can vary depending on the quality and condition of the item. These are GREAT deals! o Desk/study tables: $10 ‐ $50 o Desk or office chairs: $5 ‐ $15 o Dining tables for 2, 4 or 6 people: $10 ‐ $100 o Dining/luncheonette chairs: $5 ‐ $10 o Lamps for table or floor: $3 ‐ $5 o Coffee tables: $5 ‐ $15 o Bookcases: $5 ‐ $25 o Shoe racks: $1 ‐ $5 o End Tables: $5 ‐ $10 o Dressers or chests of drawers: $10 ‐ $50 o Microwave ovens: $15 o Microwave carts: $5 ‐ $10 o TV stands: $5 ‐ $20 o Sofas with 2, 3, or 4 seats: $10 ‐ $75 o Upholstered living room chairs: $5 ‐ $30 o Bed frames: $5 ‐ $10  Beds & Mattresses: (purchased from a mattress store) o New twin mattress & box spring: $100 ‐ $250 o New full mattress & box spring: $250+ o Bed frame: $30 ‐ $50 4. I notice that it’s call Used Furniture Shopping. Will there be any NEW furniture for purchase? Most likely, no. We collect and sell you used furniture because it’s much cheaper. Here is a comparison of what you might pay for new furniture compared with used furniture: Type of Furniture Desk Dining table & 4 chairs Coffee table Twin mattress, box spring, & frame New, from Value City Furniture $200 ‐ $300 $230 ‐ $700 $100 ‐ $200 New, from Walmart $30 ‐ $100 $170 ‐ $280 $25 ‐ $60 $300 ‐ $1,000 $225 ‐ $325 Used, from IFI Only Sale $10 ‐ $50 $30 ‐ $140 $5 ‐ $15 New from Mattress Store: $130 ‐ $280 

Obviously there is a difference in quality (the new furniture is VERY nice), but you will pay a lot more for the newness. Also, we don’t deliver furniture from stores like Value City Furniture or Walmart because they will not allow the furniture to be picked up at a later time or by someone else who doesn’t have the receipt. 5. What are “IFI Only Sales”? We have partnered with local churches to collect the good stuff that students want ‐ desks, chairs, tables, etc. These churches agree to host the sales on the day of the IFI UFSD and only allow our international students to shop the sales. Many students find everything they need at these sales at greatly discounted prices. Often, the furniture is donated or collected for months leading up to the UFSD by volunteers. Sometimes the churches donate the money they make back to IFI or to support their mission projects in Columbus or in other parts of the world. Page 3 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013 Frequently Asked Questions – Students IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day 6. What are SOLD tags? SOLD tags help identify the pieces of furniture you have purchased and where they should be delivered. We will provide you with 12 SOLD tags (see picture below) that have your contact information on them: o Name o Phone number o Address (this is where your furniture will be delivered) o Apartment Complex o If you know that your contact information has changed or was input incorrectly, please email shopping@ifiusa.org immediately and let us know what has changed. You will be assigned an ID number for ease of tracking data.  In the below example, the student is #107.  Her tags are 107‐1, 107‐2, 107‐3, 107‐4, 107‐5, 107‐6, 107‐7, 107‐8, 107‐9, 107‐10, 107‐11, and 107‐12. You will securely attach one SOLD tag to each piece of furniture to be delivered. A table and 4 chairs would require 5 tags.  Missing tag = missing furniture! SOLD tags are color‐coded and include a stop number that helps us deliver the items efficiently to you and your neighbors on a pre‐planned delivery route. 7. What is a Student Purchase Log? The Student Purchase Log is a blank form that you can fill out as you purchase items (see picture below). Since you have 12 SOLD tags, you can have up to 12 items on this list.  The list is helpful for your driver as he/she calls in purchases to the IFI office.  The list is also helpful for you to keep after shopping is complete, while you wait for delivery of your items. When an item gets delivered, you can check it off and make sure you receive all your furniture.  In the rare case that something is missing, you can help us track down the item because you’ll know where you purchased it and what tag number should be on it. Page 4 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013 Frequently Asked Questions – Students IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day 8. Can we go shopping at a sale not included in the driver packet? Yes, you may shop at sales or stores not in the packet, but there is some extra work for you to do.  First of all, you will need to explain to the person hosting the garage sale that you are going to pay for the items and leave them there with the SOLD tag. IFI volunteers will stop by later in the afternoon to pick up the item(s).  Secondly, you will need to get the contact information of the person hosting the sale, as well as the street address with zip code, and time that the items need picked up by. You must call the IFI Office and communicate this information to the staff to make sure it gets picked up. o Items that end up missing are often a result of us never picking them up, which is often because we didn’t have the correct information for random garage sales. o Many stores will not allow you to leave items at their store after purchase, but you can ask. 9. Can we got shopping at stores like Target or Walmart? Absolutely – but the driver is responsible for delivering all items purchased at these stores. IFI will NOT pick up/ deliver anything bought from a store like this (there is just no way for you to pay for the item(s) and allow a different person to pick them up without a receipt). Delivery: 1. How does the UFSD work? Check out the Behind the Scenes document posted on our website. 2. When will my furniture be delivered? Delivery is on Saturday from 2:00‐10:00pm and Sunday from 1:00‐8:00pm (or earlier). Students must be home to accept delivery.  If you are not home when we deliver, we will leave the item(s) outside your door.  We will usually call you (on the phone number you provided) as we are pulling up to your apartment. You should look for a large white or yellow rental truck, and you can help us find your apartment by coming outside and flagging us down as we pull up. 3. Can you deliver my furniture at a specific time? No. With 200+ student addresses and ~700 pieces of furniture to deliver, we cannot promise or guarantee when your furniture will be delivered. We cannot hold your furniture until a later time.  If you are not home when we deliver, we will leave the item(s) outside your door. 4. Can you hold my furniture until sometime after the UFSD? No. We rent trucks and have volunteers committed for Saturday and Sunday only. We do not have the ability to hold on to furniture.  If you do not move into your apartment until after the sale date and you still want to participate, you will need to find a friend who is willing to accept delivery of your items. Then, you will need to figure out how you are going to transport the items from your friend’s apartment to your apartment at a later time.  We must have a delivery address that is valid for Saturday and Sunday of the UFSD weekend. Page 5 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013 Frequently Asked Questions – Students IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day 5. If I don’t buy anything, do I get my $5 back? No. The $5 fee is a participation fee, and it is not refundable. We use the money to reimburse the costs of renting the moving trucks, printing papers, buying supplies, and providing food for volunteers who are working all day.  Plus, we charge you the $5 so you feel more committed to show up; we think you are less likely to stand us up if you “have skin in the game.” We put a LOT of effort into planning this whole event, so we want to make sure you are just as committed to it as we are.  If you were to pay a delivery fee from a store, it would be ~$50‐$100. We are only charging you $5 to deliver up to 12 items. That is a DEAL! Tricks of the Trade from Past Years: 1. Make a Strategy: On the way to your first IFI Only sale, decide what type of furniture you and the people in your car want to try to find. Keep in mind that the first stop of the day is a good time to buy a lot of items because the selection is good. Because there are so many students, there may not necessarily be a good selection left as the day continues. Shop the “IFI Only Sales” first and then hit up stores later for items that are more of a “sure thing” like mattresses or housewares. 2. Avoid heavy and long furniture = Avoid heartache: Items that are too heavy for our delivery volunteers to lift or too long to fit through your apartment door will only result in disappointment later in the day. Please follow these guidelines:  NO sleeper sofas or wide/long sofas.  NO large, heavy desks or entertainment centers.  NO king‐size beds. 3. Tag EVERY ITEM that can get separated: Make sure EVERY ITEM gets its own SOLD tag. Items like bedframes (usually 4 pieces), mattresses and box springs (2 pieces), or multi‐piece bookshelves can possibly get separated when loaded on a truck and moved across town. If it doesn’t have a tag, we don’t know who it belongs to – so make sure you tag every item individually. 4. Take small or breakable items in the car: Save your SOLD tags for items that clearly need delivery. Don’t use SOLD tags on small items like stuffed animals and bedding that could get dirty or lost, or lamps, mirrors, picture frames, or other breakable items that will travel much more safely in the car than the back of a large rented moving truck full of heavy furniture. Take them with you! 5. Make sure your drivers calls the IFI Office to report your purchases: We need the driver to call the IFI Office after you purchase items. If you don’t call, we will have no record of the item, and this is where we have the potential to lose furniture.  We have tried to make this easy for you by providing a Student Purchase Log. Record purchases as they happen; the questions on the log are the same as the office worker will ask the driver on the phone.  When recording purchases, try to describe the items with color, size, type of material, etc. A green wooden chair is much easier to identify than a chair; a wooden desk with Page 6 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013 Frequently Asked Questions – Students IFI Used Furniture Shopping Day drawers is easier to locate than a desk. Consider having the student take a picture of the items he/she purchases for records. 6. Don’t leave a voicemail – Please keep calling: If you call the IFI office and get the voicemail, please hang up and try to call again. It is important that we talk with your driver on the phone to make sure we pick up all the furniture. 7. Stop shopping by Noon to avoid having to DELIVER furniture yourself: You MUST stop shopping at 12:00noon. We will stop taking calls at 12:30. No exceptions. If you call in items after 12:30, IFI will NOT deliver. DRIVER must deliver items to students’ apartments. 8. Finish strong:  Eat lunch together after shopping. It’s a perfect opportunity to get to know each other better and possibly try some new cuisine – it may be your first experience of Chipotle or Arby’s. The expectation is for everyone to pay for himself/herself.  Exchange contact information – Get phone numbers and emails from your driver and the other students in your car. You may want to get together later to watch an OSU game, carve pumpkins, share Thanksgiving, or attend Bible study.  When you get dropped off at your apartment, make sure to get all your belongings from the car (jackets, purses, small items you purchased, etc.).  Take the completed Student Purchase Log with you so you can check off the items as they are delivered. Student Registration: 1. When will student registration open? Student registration will open on August 9 and close on August 13. Most students don’t know their address in advance of this, so it wouldn’t really benefit us to open it any earlier. 2. Can you deliver furniture to my host family’s house? We prefer to deliver the furniture near to where you (the student) will be living – even if you haven’t moved in yet – because that makes it easy to move later. Yes, we will deliver to host families, but if you can find a friend who lives nearby, it may save everyone some hassle to only have to carry across the parking lot, rather than all the way from Westerville or Dublin. It is also easiest for us to deliver to campus addresses. 3. Is there furniture available for students to purchase before or after the sale date? In some circumstances, we may have furniture for students after the event (if it didn’t all sell, for example). However, this event takes a lot of planning and coordination, so every effort is put on delivering furniture over Saturday and Sunday exclusively. We will probably not ever host more than one UFSD per year. 4. Why do you charge $5 for students to participate in the event? The $5 is partially a commitment from the student, to “get some skin in the game” so they feel more compelled to show up. The other reason is to reimburse some of the costs of renting trucks (and gas), supplies for the event, etc. We feel that $5 is very reasonable for us to charge to participate in the event, especially when compared to a delivery fee of $50‐100 that many stores would charge. Even if the student does not purchase anything, $5 is a minimal fee to charge the student to at least give them the opportunity. Page 7 of 7 Updated: 8/15/2013