Merchandise

Merchandise A. Merchandise Selection and Standards All merchandise sold in the MMS is: a. Compatible with the mission of MDAH, its sites, and MMS, b. Relevant to Mississippi history, c. Of exceptional craftsmanship and quality production and presentation, d. Visually appealing and quality packaged, e. Reasonably priced with an acceptable margin of profit, f. Kept in minimal inventory except for items with established purchase minimums, g. Marketable with a demonstrated marketability. Authors and publishers may submit requests to sell their published materials at the Mississippi Museum Store using an online application. Submission of an application does not confirm acceptance. All submissions are subject to review by the Mississippi Museum Store committee. Additionally, published works must meet the following criteria: a. The book has an ISBN number and/or bar code. b. The book is professionally published, printed, designed, and bound. c. The content directly relates to the history and culture of Mississippi. d. The content fits the mission and vision of the Mississippi Museum Store. e. Books published by individuals will not be accepted. Merchandise or works created by current volunteers, donors, or MDAH staff members will NOT be considered, except in the case of publications sold through a professional publisher/distributor. B. Merchandise Categories a. MMS Merchandise categories include, but are not limited to, the following: b. Artisan Crafts – handmade items of exceptional quality and originality that represent and are created by Mississippi artisans (baskets, pottery, wood items, prints, quilts, art, etc.) c. Books & Media – books, CDs, DVDs, and other published materials about Mississippi history and culture d. Gourmet – Mississippi-made snacks, candies, nuts, jams, jellies, preserves, honey, and other high-quality gift food items e. Jewelry – handmade Mississippi items, Mississippi-themed items, and authentically sourced Native American items f. Kids Items – historical and fiction books, games and puzzles, plush toys (such as teddy bears), etc. g. Souvenir – high-quality souvenirs related to MDAH programming and/or sites, or memorable reminders of the museum experience. Items may include coasters, keychains, magnets, mugs, paperweights, letter openers, pencils, pens, etc. h. Paper Products – historic and Mississippi-themed maps, notecards, postcards, stationary, prints, and reproduction items i. Textiles – logoed and non-logoed merchandise items made of fabric which represent MDAH sites. Items may include t-shirts, bags, potholders, quilts, etc. j. Body Care – Mississippi-made lotions, soaps, face wash, bath bombs, etc. k. Fine Art – original, creative visual art that demonstrates great skill and accomplishment and is appreciated for its imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content. Items may include sculptures, paintings, etc. l. Home Goods – Items for the home including, but not limited to, pillows, glassware, kitchenware, candles, etc. m. Temporary Exhibits & Seasonal Products – holiday and seasonal merchandise and items relevant to temporary exhibits n. Two Mississippi Museums Memberships – includes membership for sale off-site C. Item Identification Each item shall be assigned an individual inventory number and bar code. D. Unsolicited Merchandise a. All unsolicited merchandise must be officially submitted with the required documentation. b. NO unsolicited merchandise will be accepted or evaluated by the store committee until the required submission procedure is complete. c. MMS reserves the right to refuse any unsolicited merchandise. There are no guarantees that unsolicited merchandise will be accepted for sale in the MMS. d. All unsolicited merchandise owners will be notified to pick up their goods within thirty (30) days or it will be considered abandoned and may be disposed of at the discretion of the Store Committee. The store is not responsible for unsolicited merchandise. E. Inventory An inventory of all physical merchandise must be conducted on an annual basis during the last week of June and all counts must be completed by the last business day of June. A copy of each store's inventory report must be submitted by the MMS administrator to the Museum Division director, site directors, and MDAH finance department by July 15 of each year. The following rules will be observed: a. Each store shall close for the annual inventory. b. No sales are to be made during inventory. c. Each store must utilize the point-of-sale inventory physical count procedures to formally create, count, and enter the inventory physical count results. d. All merchandise is to be physically counted, verified, and recorded on inventory forms generated by the current point-of-sale (POS) system. This physical count should be compared to the POS inventory for each site. e. In the case of any discrepancies between the physical count and the POS inventory reports, the inventory will be recounted. If the count continues to reflect a discrepancy, each item in question should be investigated for cause of anomalies. f. An annual inventory report explaining any discrepancies and adjustments should be included with the physical inventory report. g. Any adjustments to the inventory will be made after the inventory physical count is completed and posted in the POS system by the MMS administrator. F. Purchases The MMS purchases merchandise on a direct-buy basis and pays via invoicing methods. There are instances in which purchases using the store procurement credit card are necessary. These purchases must be made by the cardholder ONLY. All purchases are to be reviewed and submitted to the Museum Division director. Procurement card purchases must be made in compliance with all state and MDAH financial regulations. Retail markup shall be consistent with suggested retail pricing. All purchasing must have the approval of the MMS administrator. Any custom items should be approved by the Store Committee before the order is placed. G. Consignment The MMS administrator may recommend to the Store Committee certain items be accepted for consignment—only at the Two Mississippi Museums location. These items may include pieces of art that exceed the normal price range of items carried in the store. There may be no more than two pieces accepted on consignment at one time. The artist receives 60% of the retail cost and MMS receives 40%. H. Discounts MMS may offer discounts in the following categories: a. Clearance – Inventory that has not sold according to the Store Committee's projected expectations shall be sold on clearance. The MMS administrator may place this merchandise on clearance with a minimum discount of 20%. If clearance items have not sold within thirty (30) days, the MMS administrator may either reduce the price further or process for disposal using the Merchandise Disposal form. Clearance merchandise is non-refundable and cannot be exchanged. b. Promotions – Merchandise may be discounted for promotional purposes at the MMS administrator and/or Store Committee's discretion. Store sites must submit promotion requests at least thirty days in advance for the Store Committee to review and provide a determination. c. Damaged Inventory – Damaged merchandise in resalable condition shall be reduced in price for a "quick sale." Damaged merchandise that is sold is non- refundable and may not be exchanged. After thirty (30) days, any remaining merchandise may be disposed of at the Store Committee's discretion. Criteria for merchandise disposal includes items that are broken, damaged, out-of-date, no longer fits mission, excessive amount of inventory with significantly diminished customer demand deemed inappropriate, or unsolicited. d. Wholesale – Wholesale discounts are for resale purposes only. Any group or organization requesting a discount for the purchase of specific merchandise in large quantities must gain prior approval by the MMS administrator and/or Store Committee. The following scale is used: Quantity Discount 10-19 15% 20-39 20% 40+ 25% e. MDAH related – Purchases for MDAH use, such as books for the library or special programming, will be at cost and must be purchased with a purchase requisition. The MDAH finance department will transfer the funds accordingly. f. The following discounts apply to regular priced merchandise only: 1. 20% – MDAH staff 2. 15% – MDAH Board of Trustees, the Foundation for Mississippi History Board of Directors, the Eudora Welty Foundation Board of Directors, and MDAH volunteers 3. 10% – Two Mississippi Museums members, Mississippi Historical Society members, and other groups deemed appropriate by the MDAH director I. Damages Damaged merchandise that cannot be sold may be disposed of using the Merchandise Disposal form. Methods of disposal include discarding, using for display, or transferring to another institution. The Mississippi Museum Store Financial Operations Committee ( MDAH finance department director, Museum Division director, MDAH director of amenities, and MMS administrator) must approve any items donated to the store. J. Donations The store is prohibited by law to donate to charitable or civic organizations as store merchandise is state property. Overstocked items may be removed from inventory and sold at no cost to other retailers or transferred at no cost to other state agencies, museums, or libraries. The Mississippi Museum Store Financial Operations Committee (MDAH finance department director, Museum Division director, MDAH director of amenities, and MMS administrator) must approve any items donated to the store. Items donated to MMS in resalable condition may be accepted with approval by the Store Committee. A Merchandise Donation form should be completed showing the names and address of the donor, quantity, and description of items donated and signatures of the donor and receiver. K. In Store Use Only Occasionally, special items may be ordered for in-store use only. The MMS administrator may purchase the necessary items by purchase order method or with a state procurement card and mark such items as "Display Only.''