How to Get a Brand New Discounted Bell Tent

Discounted bell tents are easier to find than you might think.

Expect a discount if you’re purchasing more than one bell tent. However, depending on your circumstances, it may be possible to get a discount even if you’re only purchasing one tent. And if you don’t ask, you don’t get, right? Here’s how.

In our experience discounts vary between 5-25% The level of discount will vary due to a number of factors. Let’s take a look at some of those now: –

Stock levels

If the supplier has stock left over from the previous selling season (Apr-Sept for the UK), they might be keen to sell off a previous batch before their new batches arrive, especilly if they have made specification changes that they are eager to roll out.

January is the sweet spot to ask for a discount as sales will have been slow through the winter months and any stock remaining will have been costing the supplier in warehouse storage costs.

It’s a good idea to get a feel for stock levels and any specification changes ahead of asking for a discount.

Time of Year

Organised suppliers will take delivery of their first new stock in Feb/Mar in readiness for the coming season’s sell-through.

With the season kicking off as early as March at times (depending on the weather and when Easter falls), you’re unlikely to achieve a great discount from then until the end of the season in Sep/Oct. There are exceptions though, and it’s worth getting your thoughts together on the following points, before asking for a discount.

Exposure

Are you able to offer the supplier anything in return?

Do you have a large social media following who will be interested to learn about your venture?

Do you have any planned advertising campaigns in which your supplier can be accredited?

Give as much detail as possible here. Being specific will help a lot so try and answer the suppliers question ahed of them asking! If you’re thinking you can share three videos with your instagram followers about the purchase of your bell tent, then say so. Your supplier will much prefer to be fed the specifics than to have to ask for it.

The best pitch we ever received from a blogger came in the form of a detailed .pdf attached to the covering email. It left us with zero questions about what we’d be getting in return, and we were able to make a quick, positive decision: “Yes!”

Discounted Bell Tents For Charities

Are any of your profits earmarked for charity, is this part of your story and is it something the supplier can become involved with?

Maybe you are representing a charity? In this case there could be a tax saving also. If so it’s a good idea to highlight your charity’s status and supply the charity number for reference and credibility.

Occupation

Another angle could be to rely on your occupation. Do you work in the services, are you working in the NHS, are you a carer? If so, you’re doing great things and shouldn’t be afraid or embarrassed to play this card. Decent manufacturers will be upset if you don’t! A quick flash of your NHS identity card could ensure you get a decent discount, so attach a scanned copy to your initial enquiry email.

Go on!

Shared Commonality

Maybe you share a similar ethos with the supplier. Perhaps you both support the Leave No Trace campaign (for example). Is there anything you can highlight that will help align your stance with that of your suppliers?

Quantity

Expect a higher discount the more tents you are purchasing, but also expect to reach the upper limit. After all, the supplier does need to make a profit from the sale.

For example, if you wish to order 100x tents and can wait a year for the tents, you’re likely to get a much higher discount than a person ordering 100x tents who needs them tomorrow and during peak season.

If you’re a smaller start-up requiring just 2-3x discounted bell tents, consider checking with friends to find out if they’re interested in buying a discounted bell tent too. If you can find a few interested friends or friends of friends, you may be able to group your order together and achieve a higher level of discount that way.