By Spring, 1994, all 45
Western Region Bay Stores carried the Barbeque Beer Can Aprons on a
licensee/consignment basis, with Kosc Creations supplying aprons based
on monthly telephone follow-up and intermittent store requests.
The licensee
arrangement gave the Bay a percentage of each apron sold. However, it
should be noted that the Bay did no advertising of the aprons, with
sales based solely on attracting shoppers through in-store displays.
Decisions regarding the location, size, and effectiveness of apron
displays were at the discretion of individual store licensee managers.
Additionally, until
May, 2000, the Bay had requested - and received - exclusive rights to
market these aprons in a major retail/department store setting.
Sales
Record: Between October,
1992 and the end of the Western Region Bay contract in May, 2000. nine
thousand five hundred and forty-five (9,545) aprons were sold through
the Bay stores. Retailing at $26.97 Canadian, the aprons generated
gross sales of nearly two hundred fifty-seven thousand five hundred
dollars (rounded from $257,430.)
The record sales month
was December, 1994, with gross sales reaching twenty-nine thousand two
hundred thirty-one dollars ($29,231.76).
Company
Offering: Although Kosc
Creations has enjoyed a great deal of personal satisfaction from the
popularity of the Barbeque Beer Can Aprons, the owner wishes to
retire. Therefore the company is offering the following for sale, as a
unit:
-
Two apron designs:
World's Best Cook, and Golfer's 19th Hole. - US Patent ownership
on the Beer Can Apron designs. - Canadian Industrial Design rights
ownership.
-
Canadian Trade Mark
ownership for apron pocket slogan/designs.
Mary Kosc, the
principal of Kosc Creations, is asking fifty thousand
dollars ($50,000) to facilitate a quick sale of the rights listed above.
As well, Kosc Creations
is willing to provide such advice or information as may be reasonably
required for a short period of time to assist success for the
purchaser.
Potential:
As mentioned, the Bay retained exclusive
major retailer rights throughout most of the market history of the
Barbeque Beer Can Aprons until completion of the Western Bay contract
in May, 2000. This agreement of major retailer exclusivity
understandably constrained advertising by the owner in Canada and the
United States.
The impact of such
previously limited exposure of the aprons is the potential now created
for an enthusiastic purchaser willing and able to promote a unique,
novel-yet-practical gift item.
Western Canada has an
entire none-Bay market segment to be actively pursued. Eastern Canada,
the United States, and Europe are virtually untapped marketplaces.
With fresh promotion energy, the purchaser can see these aprons become
household companions to everyone who barbeques.
