TNT

Thursday 5/6

I saw an ad from TNT Fireworks Co. for people to run a stand for them for two weeks (late June to early July, of course) in the central NM area. It's a well-known company; we sold their brand of fireworks at Bowlin. You work as an independent contractor for them, selling stuff on consignment. So I called and Kevin sent me an contract and a credit app. It can be good money, as fireworks are good sellers.

Well, you know me. I read the contract very carefully. For some odd reason, it was set up on an Excel spreadsheet! The first thing I saw was the table of costs, and some were refundable and some weren't (like a $200 cleaning deposit). Hmmm, I said. The ad said "no upfront costs" but then why would some be refundable, if you hadn't already paid them? Hmmm #1

Oh yeah, his email called this work a "fundraiser." Also odd. Hmmm #2

Then, in the "contractor agrees to" area, there's the statement that we would provide such things as tools, tape, staple gun & staples, and a cash register. Now, they deliver, by semi, the tent and merchandise and put it all up. They don't have cash registers? They expect me to travel around with a cash register in my rig? Hmmm #3

The next statement that gave me pause was the one that said the contractor must acquire a State Sales Tax License (as well as local permits) and must provide the license number to TNT before work. This strikes me as exceedingly odd. After all, I'm working for them, all monies will be turned over to them for an accounting before I'd get a dime. If this were true consignment, I'd only turn over to them what I owed them for the merchandise and, say, rental of the tent etc. I'd keep the profit. It wouldn't be their accounting that would figure my profit. Hmmm #4

Oh yeah, the split is 80% to them and 20% to me, and the prices are set by them.

The next thing was the requirement that all unsold goods must be returned by the contractor to TNT. You'd think they'd have a semi that would go from stand to stand, picking up unsold good, but no-o-o-o. Kevin didn't say where the delivery place would be, but a further statement said that no payment would be forthcoming until it was all received and inventoried at their warehouse in Lubbock TX. Does this mean I have to drive to Lubbock to deliver the unsold stuff? And how long will all this inventorying take? Hmmm #5

So, you can see my concerns. It sounds like TNT has no company presence in NM and wants to avoid same, so it makes its contractors shoulder the burden of sales tax accounting to the state. I'm not a NM resident, which could mean that I couldn't get a license anyhow. TNT does say it will "assist" in obtaining permits. Humph.

It all sound very weasely, don't it. I'll make a decision after I talk to RQA. If I start getting jobs from them, I won't do the TNT job.

JUST GOT MY 1ST JOB WITH "THE CO.! And the rep said he thinks a lot of work will be coming through soon, so I'm going to turn down the TNT job. Hooray hooray.