Football inflater business
Discussion
Now before you lot laugh -I've been asking on Facebook for anyone to inflate a football. It's a world cup branded size 5 football and I was surprised to get an un-inflated one in the post. 3 times I've posted a request on the local facebook page and got no response. Checked Timpsons site as the 'do anything ' but they don't inflate footballs.
A football pump costs from £4-15 depending on various attachments and whether you get a pressure sensor or not. How viable do you think this business set up would be? I was thinking of charging 50p to £1 to inflate a ball
A football pump costs from £4-15 depending on various attachments and whether you get a pressure sensor or not. How viable do you think this business set up would be? I was thinking of charging 50p to £1 to inflate a ball
As I said, you can laugh -but where could a person that receives an uninflated football in the post get it inflated? Nowhere it seems to me. I have a £60/month membership of a gym and asked there the other day. No, was the answer.
That's a gym that has fitness balls - so how do they get inflated? The reception staff haven't a clue either.
I'm now thinking of a UK wide series of football inflaters via a franchise
That's a gym that has fitness balls - so how do they get inflated? The reception staff haven't a clue either.
I'm now thinking of a UK wide series of football inflaters via a franchise
PBDirector said:
OK, I’m up for this. Let’s work it through from first principles to customer feedback.
How do you see this working? Will people come to you with their uninflated balls? Where will you be? Etc.
I was thinking of doing a doorstep leaflet drop - leave your ball out on the doorstep and I'll pump it up, if you leave 50p/£1 on the side. Not too sure on the pricing yetHow do you see this working? Will people come to you with their uninflated balls? Where will you be? Etc.
The costs would be to buy a football pump - from the very cheap £4 to £20 depending on whether I get an accurate pressure sensor with it. Previously I'd just want to get the football inflated without ot costing me much ( not happy that it was sent uninflated), if going into business I'd get the one with the accurate pressure sensor.
Minimal costs then.
Minimal costs then.
PBDirector said:
Ok awesome! Tell me more.
Will you walk around using a foot pump or a compressor driven from a car cigarette lighter socket, or cycle around with a gas canister?
How will you choose a route and time of day(s)?
How will they tell you they want your service? Will you just assume that balls by doors are for inflating?
What if people’s balls blow away or get stolen?
etc etc
No - will be hand pumped , that's what is recommended for footballs.Will you walk around using a foot pump or a compressor driven from a car cigarette lighter socket, or cycle around with a gas canister?
How will you choose a route and time of day(s)?
How will they tell you they want your service? Will you just assume that balls by doors are for inflating?
What if people’s balls blow away or get stolen?
etc etc
I walk dogs everyday, so can happily do different routes to accomadate customers.
People would call or text me to say they've left a ball out for me to inflate. Possibly to say it's in the garden shed if it's windy
No money left...no inflation
PBDirector said:
OK, this sounds good.
So how much do you think the leaflet printing will cost you? And will you deliver them yourself?
How long do you walk your dog for/ how many miles?
Do you think you might leaflet drop one route and inflate those balls for a while then do the same with a different route?
I can always print them myself - or put an ad in the local shop/notice board. and let the local Facebook group know I'll be able to inflate balls.So how much do you think the leaflet printing will cost you? And will you deliver them yourself?
How long do you walk your dog for/ how many miles?
Do you think you might leaflet drop one route and inflate those balls for a while then do the same with a different route?
I walk dogs for at least 2 hours a day - probably 6 miles.
I've not even inflated a football yet - I need one to be inflated, hence my not being able to access this service is why I thought it was a good idea to offer it. Can't be too difficult
If there was a way locally I could get my un-inflated football inflated, then I would use it. I don't want extra stuff litterring up my kitchen/house.
I've asked on the local facebook pages for help - no response. Asked at the Gym, told to buy a pump from Sports Direct.
It's one football that I want pumped up - why was it sent to me uninflated? air doesn't cost money, but size probably does.
How many people on here would like a football pumped up to proper size?
I've asked on the local facebook pages for help - no response. Asked at the Gym, told to buy a pump from Sports Direct.
It's one football that I want pumped up - why was it sent to me uninflated? air doesn't cost money, but size probably does.
How many people on here would like a football pumped up to proper size?
j80jpw said:
You need to think about insurance, those needle valves used to inflate the balls are known to snap off and be left inside the ball rendering it useless or at best extremely annoying to use.
A couple of “snap offs” could be fairly costly, at 50p an inflation you could be months recouping the cost of replacing customer balls. You may also want to consider the maximum value of ball you are happy to handle, an ex World Cup match ball for example could be worth a fortune.
I'll use my ball to practice onA couple of “snap offs” could be fairly costly, at 50p an inflation you could be months recouping the cost of replacing customer balls. You may also want to consider the maximum value of ball you are happy to handle, an ex World Cup match ball for example could be worth a fortune.
Hugo a Gogo said:
give me your address, I'll bloody post you a needle, from Germany
Thanks for the offer, but I need a needle and a pump. Besides the postage for you to send it to me would be more than the cost of me buying it myself. The whole point being I shouldn't have been sent an uninflated football in the first place - the difficulty in trying to get said football inflated is why I thought others might be in the same situation and I could help them if I bought a football inflater pump. That's the whole point !
I want someone to do it for me - I don't want to go to the hassle of buying the gear to do it myself. Even if ebay says it costs 99p
In the real world, I should have had a fully inflated football sent to me.
I didn't get that, so I just want someone to inflate it and be gone. Happy to donate whatever to charity or to some paupers purse - I WANT MY FOOTBALL INFLATED!
That is my motivation
I want someone to do it for me - I don't want to go to the hassle of buying the gear to do it myself. Even if ebay says it costs 99p
In the real world, I should have had a fully inflated football sent to me.
I didn't get that, so I just want someone to inflate it and be gone. Happy to donate whatever to charity or to some paupers purse - I WANT MY FOOTBALL INFLATED!
That is my motivation
Hoofy said:
Condor, if you want to make more money on the side (ISTR you have a couple of side businesses), get into children's parties. Whether it's just face painting or catering or running the activities or party planning (for richer parents), there is always demand.
If you go down the activity route, just pick one that you can do based on your own interests. Depending on the area, you can charge from £50. I've been involved in one in the London area and have charged £300+ for a 1 hour party (just providing the activities, not food or planning or catering or hall hire). It's easy money and a lot of fun if you have the right personality.
Outside of London, a smaller party for just 10 kids, you could probably charge £80-100 without parents quibbling. (My £300+ party was for 30 cake-fuelled kids.)
I don't want to make more money on the side, not good with children - good with animals though If you go down the activity route, just pick one that you can do based on your own interests. Depending on the area, you can charge from £50. I've been involved in one in the London area and have charged £300+ for a 1 hour party (just providing the activities, not food or planning or catering or hall hire). It's easy money and a lot of fun if you have the right personality.
Outside of London, a smaller party for just 10 kids, you could probably charge £80-100 without parents quibbling. (My £300+ party was for 30 cake-fuelled kids.)
I'm house sitting in town next week and I think the owner still has a bycicle so should have a pump I could use. Otherwise I'll buy one and take you up on the suggestion of advertising my new service on Facebook and see how many takers I get.
Hoofy said:
Why bother if you don't want to make more money on the side. Seems like a faff of a business.
Animal parties probably not so good a business idea. I mean, you can't paint their faces and they will just look at you oddly if you wear a pirate outfit.
I'm being altruisic - to help people with uninflated footballs to get them back on the field and playing with them again. Animal parties probably not so good a business idea. I mean, you can't paint their faces and they will just look at you oddly if you wear a pirate outfit.
Dogs love playing with footballs but often puncture them. I bought a tennis ball covered one for a Lab I walk regularly and he managed to puncture it quite quickly, though it is still partially inflated. I can see there is a need for this service.
My plan for the football I've got is to give it to a football mad nephew when I visit him next month.
wazztie16 said:
Any sort of 5 a side place near you?
I play at powerleague, and I bet they'd do it if you popped in and asked,
There's a kid's football training team that often posts on the local facebook page and I was hoping that they might offer to inflate my ball, but no. They probably don't read other posts, as theirs is usually an advert for kids to come down for training. No 5 a side that I know of, there is a walking football group that meet in town, but probably easier for me to wait and see if I can use the bycicle pump next week.I play at powerleague, and I bet they'd do it if you popped in and asked,
I was thinking of N. Flator ball services as a name for my new business enterprise
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