Distro Procedure: How to Fill and Ship an Order

email account:  icarus.orders@gmail.com

password:  “icarusorders”

If you know what they want skip to Step Three: Estimate.

If you know what they want and how they want it shipped, skip to Step Five: Pack and Record.

Step One: Who?  We ship to Icarus groups (discounts), individuals and organizations (pre-pay, full price), and bookstores on consignment (paid after sale, we pay shipping, media mail only).    Knowing who they are will help you price accordingly.   For consignment, close this file and follow the directions in “Consignment Distro Procedure.”

Step Two:  What and how much? 

    A.    Send them an email with the price list and ordering info.   Price List is on open plans:         (http://www.openplans.org/projects/icarusproject/price-list-for-distributors)

    B.    Star the email in the inbox. You may have to send a reminder if you do not hear from them.

Step Three: Estimate
When you receive confirmation on the order, add up their merchandise subtotal on the "Estimate Price Letter” which can be found on open plans: (http://www.openplans.org/projects/icarusproject/price-estimate-letter).

    **Note on Shipping Priority Mail:  A flat- rate priority envelope ships 3 readers at $4.60.  A flat- rate box ships 20 readers and postcards at $9, no weight limit.  If they want priority, and the merchandise fits in an envelope or box, skip weight estimate and enter the shipping amount.

1)    You will need to enter the merchandise on the estimate price letter, and then estimate the package weight.

a)    Estimate the weight of the package.  There are a few ways to do this:

i)    Go upstairs to Clerical (4th Flr) and ask to use their scale.
ii)    Use these general weight estimates:

•    The Icarus Care Package: 13oz.
•    1 Navigating Reader solo: 8oz.
•    20 Navigating with Postcards: 11.5 Ilbs.
•    30 Navigating with Postcards: 18 Ilbs.
•    10 Friends Zines: 1 Ibl.
•    20 large postcards: 4.7oz
•    20 small postcards:  1.6 oz
•    20 stickers: 1.7 oz

2)    Once you have an estimated weight, visit http://ircalc.usps.gov/.  Enter the type of package, weight, and zip codes (Icarus Office 10036).

3)    Enter the Shipping Estimate

a)    If you know what shipping they want, add in the shipping cost.
b)    If you do not know what shipping method they prefer:  Cut and Paste the USPS Calculator chart into the estimate letter.  They will choose media mail, priority, etc.

4)    Add $2.00 for packages over $50.00 (insurance)

5)    Send the estimate letter, mark the email “Waiting for Payment.”

Step Four: Notify Them
Payment Verification:  Once you have sent the estimate price letter, they should respond with mailing choice and verification of payment (a simple email is fine, or the confirmation email from ‘Just Give’).

However, often people will disappear in cyberspace. Please send them a reminder email if you have not heard from them in a few weeks: http://www.openplans.org/projects/icarusproject/check-in-payment-letter.

Do not mark the email “PAID.”  Wait for confirmation from FJC or a check in the mail (may take a few months).  You can still move to Step Five

Step Five: Pack and Record It
1)    Now you should know who they are, their address, how much they want, how they want it shipped, so…

2)    Fill out an invoice!  Please don't use the last invoice without copying some more to replace it!  Invoices are also available on opens plans: http://www.openplans.org/projects/icarusproject/invoices

i)    Make a copy of the invoice and put it in the distro binder under “Waiting for Payment.” Put the original invoice in the box/envelope with the order to be shipped. 

3)    Inventory the items.  Record how much we sell by either marking the INVENTORY WALL or directly filling out the Inventory sheets in the Distro Inventory binder.

4)    Pack the order: Package materials are underneath the packaging table.  Reuse boxes and envelopes anything other than Flat Rate Priority.

a)    Media Mail:  Pack books, postcards, zines, or stickers in either a brown envelope or brown box.
b)    Posters in a poster tube, or flat across the the top of a box if you're filling someone's order in one of the long 11" x 17" boxes that our readers come in from the printer.
c)    Priority Mail Flat Rate: Pack up to 3 books in a Flat Rate Envelope. Pack 20 books in a Flat Rate Box. 

   
Be sure to include the invoice, a few postcards, and a couple stickers in each order. If there is extra space in the box, pad it with wadded newspapers or scrap paper. Address the envelope/box, tape it up, and take it to get shipped.

Step Six: Shipping
1)    Take it to the Post Office baby. Here are the closest three. 52nd street seems the least busy and easiest walk.  There is a cart in the office for larger packages:

Post Office - Times Square Station    0.29 Miles

340 W 42nd ST (btwn 8th & 9th Ave)

 Post Office - Radio City Station    0.30 Miles

322 W 52nd ST (btwn 8th & 9th Ave)

Post Office - Port Authority Convenience    0.40 Miles   

625 8th AVE STE 104a

2)    Mark the email “Order filled” in the inbox. (Still do not mark PAID)

Step Seven: How to Pay for Shipping:
    Keep all receipts and put them in the distro envelope when you are done!!!

1)    If you are shipping an order via the US Postal Service

i)    Priority Mail Flat Rate: check the Distro Binder to see if there are any prepaid flat-rate stamps that you can use. Then you just have to drop the order at the post office. If not, buy stamps at post office.
ii)    Media Mail: pay out of Icarus petty cash. Keep receipts and record the expense in the petty cash log at the back of the Stamps and Labels binder.

2)    If the items are going by some other method, pay out of petty cash if it's going to be $20 or less.

3)    Otherwise pay out of pocket and FJC will reimburse you.

Step Eight: Follow-up and Confirm Payment (for long term volunteers)

1)    A payment is confirmed when:

a)    The customer forwards the FJC email AND it is designated to “The Icarus Project.”  Its very important that the Icarus Project is listed in the email.
b)    The check or cash is received directly. Checks should be sent to FJC: 

FJC/ The Icarus Project
520 8th Ave, 20th Floor
NY, NY 10018

2)    If you don’t receive the payment, keep checking the FJC account, email Jessie or the current bookkeeper to ask FJC bookkeeping.  If the payment was made by Just Give, but the Icarus Project was not in the designated field, you must contact FJC to let them know the amount, date, and name to receive the funds!

3)    When payment is confirmed:

a)    Mark the date, amount, and confirmation in the Payments Received binder.    
b)    Mark the original invoice (filed in the “waiting for payment” section of the Distro binder):

i)    PAID
ii)    Date of payment
iii)    Method (justgive, check received, etc)

c)    Place the invoice in “Payment History” Binder
d)    Mark the email “PAID.”

Thanks for all you work and for spreading the word of The Icarus Project throughout the world!