Resourses

CIF is the shipping incoterm we use when exporting our products, it stands for Cost, Insurance and Freight.  Under this incoterms, we will pay the costs and freight includes insurance to bring our products to the port of destination. 

Sellers Responsibilities

1. Export Packaging: Ensuring the cargo is adequately packaged and ready for export. In some instances, exporting countries require specific markings on their products or packaging. This party is responsible for ensuring that the cargo can be exported appropriately. 

2. Loading Charges: Any costs associated with loading the shipment onto the first carrier from the sellers’ warehouse. 

3.  Delivery to Port/Place: All transportation costs associated with delivering the cargo from the seller’s warehouse to the port.  

3. Export Duty, Taxes & Customs Clearance: Any customs costs associated with exporting the cargo. In the event of customs examinations and additional fees, the responsibility falls on this party.

4. Origin Terminal Charges: These are handing charges at the loading port.

5. Loading on Carriage: Charges associated with loading the cargo onto the vessel.

6. Carriage Charges: The cost of freight to move the shipment from the port of loading to the port of destination. 

7. Insurance: Under CIF Incoterms, the seller is responsible for obtaining insurance policy on the shipment, up until the port of destination.

Buyers Responsibilities

1. Destination Terminal Charges: Also known as Destination Handling Charges, or DTHC, these are all costs associated with unloading to transferring the cargo within the terminal. 

2. Delivery to Destination: Organizing the logistics to move the cargo from the port to the final delivery destination. 

3. Unloading at Destination: Once the cargo arrives at the delivery destination, any costs associated with unloading the cargo for the truck. 

4. Import Duty, Taxes & Customs Clearance: All import requirements, including customs clearance, duty, and taxes. In the event of a customs examination or issue with the importation, this party is responsible for rectifying the problem. 

1. Shipping Method?

Our oversea orders are noramlly delivered by ship, it's the most common and cheapest shipping method for the big units.

2. How much is shipping?

Here is an example of 5 bounce houses shipped by sea to Houston, USA.
- Cost of 5 bounce houses: $704 x 5 = $3520
- Freight: $800
- Port charges and duties on arrival:  around $800
- Final total is around $5120

Please keep in mind, shipping costs are determined by the package size of the inflatables you order and your location.  Please add the units you want to your cart and check out on our website, we will add shipping freight within 12 hours and send you an invoice.  

3.  How long does shipping take?

Sea shipping takes around 25-40 days depending on your location.

4. When Will My Order Ship?

When your order is done, we will send you some pictures and the final invoice to pay. Your order will be shipped after we receive your balance.

5. How Can I Track My Shipment?

There's no tracking number for sea shipping, but the the shipping company will provide an ETA (estimated time of arrival) after the ship sails, we wil llet you know.  Our team will follow your order and keep you updated until you get your order. 

OVERVIEW

This website is operated by Omega Inflatables Factory. Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Omega Inflatables Factory. Omega Inflatables Factory offers this website, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here.

By visiting our site and/ or purchasing something from us, you engage in our “Service” and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions (“Terms of Service”, “Terms”), including those additional terms and conditions and policies referenced herein and/or available by hyperlink. These Terms of Service apply to all users of the site, including without limitation users who are browsers, vendors, customers, merchants, and/ or contributors of content.

Please read these Terms of Service carefully before accessing or using our website. By accessing or using any part of the site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the website or use any services. If these Terms of Service are considered an offer, acceptance is expressly limited to these Terms of Service.

Any new features or tools which are added to the current store shall also be subject to the Terms of Service. You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time on this page. We reserve the right to update, change or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and/or changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to the website following the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc. They provide us with the online e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.

SECTION 1 - ONLINE STORE TERMS

By agreeing to these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your state or province of residence, or that you are the age of majority in your state or province of residence and you have given us your consent to allow any of your minor dependents to use this site.
You may not use our products for any illegal or unauthorized purpose nor may you, in the use of the Service, violate any laws in your jurisdiction (including but not limited to copyright laws).
You must not transmit any worms or viruses or any code of a destructive nature.
A breach or violation of any of the Terms will result in an immediate termination of your Services.

SECTION 2 - GENERAL CONDITIONS

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time.
You understand that your content (not including credit card information), may be transferred unencrypted and involve (a) transmissions over various networks; and (b) changes to conform and adapt to technical requirements of connecting networks or devices. Credit card information is always encrypted during transfer over networks.
You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of the Service, use of the Service, or access to the Service or any contact on the website through which the service is provided, without express written permission by us.
The headings used in this agreement are included for convenience only and will not limit or otherwise affect these Terms.

SECTION 3 - ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION

We are not responsible if information made available on this site is not accurate, complete or current. The material on this site is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon or used as the sole basis for making decisions without consulting primary, more accurate, more complete or more timely sources of information. Any reliance on the material on this site is at your own risk.
This site may contain certain historical information. Historical information, necessarily, is not current and is provided for your reference only. We reserve the right to modify the contents of this site at any time, but we have no obligation to update any information on our site. You agree that it is your responsibility to monitor changes to our site.

SECTION 4 - MODIFICATIONS TO THE SERVICE AND PRICES

Prices for our products are subject to change without notice.
We reserve the right at any time to modify or discontinue the Service (or any part or content thereof) without notice at any time.
We shall not be liable to you or to any third-party for any modification, price change, suspension or discontinuance of the Service.

SECTION 5 - PRODUCTS OR SERVICES (if applicable)

Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the website. These products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Return Policy.
We have made every effort to display as accurately as possible the colors and images of our products that appear at the store. We cannot guarantee that your computer monitor's display of any color will be accurate.
We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to limit the sales of our products or Services to any person, geographic region or jurisdiction. We may exercise this right on a case-by-case basis. We reserve the right to limit the quantities of any products or services that we offer. All descriptions of products or product pricing are subject to change at anytime without notice, at the sole discretion of us. We reserve the right to discontinue any product at any time. Any offer for any product or service made on this site is void where prohibited.
We do not warrant that the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you will meet your expectations, or that any errors in the Service will be corrected.

SECTION 6 - ACCURACY OF BILLING AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION

We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same credit card, and/or orders that use the same billing and/or shipping address. In the event that we make a change to or cancel an order, we may attempt to notify you by contacting the e‑mail and/or billing address/phone number provided at the time the order was made. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers or distributors.

You agree to provide current, complete and accurate purchase and account information for all purchases made at our store. You agree to promptly update your account and other information, including your email address and credit card numbers and expiration dates, so that we can complete your transactions and contact you as needed.

For more detail, please review our Returns Policy.

SECTION 7 - OPTIONAL TOOLS

We may provide you with access to third-party tools over which we neither monitor nor have any control nor input.
You acknowledge and agree that we provide access to such tools ”as is” and “as available” without any warranties, representations or conditions of any kind and without any endorsement. We shall have no liability whatsoever arising from or relating to your use of optional third-party tools.
Any use by you of optional tools offered through the site is entirely at your own risk and discretion and you should ensure that you are familiar with and approve of the terms on which tools are provided by the relevant third-party provider(s).
We may also, in the future, offer new services and/or features through the website (including, the release of new tools and resources). Such new features and/or services shall also be subject to these Terms of Service.

SECTION 8 - THIRD-PARTY LINKS

Certain content, products and services available via our Service may include materials from third-parties.
Third-party links on this site may direct you to third-party websites that are not affiliated with us. We are not responsible for examining or evaluating the content or accuracy and we do not warrant and will not have any liability or responsibility for any third-party materials or websites, or for any other materials, products, or services of third-parties.
We are not liable for any harm or damages related to the purchase or use of goods, services, resources, content, or any other transactions made in connection with any third-party websites. Please review carefully the third-party's policies and practices and make sure you understand them before you engage in any transaction. Complaints, claims, concerns, or questions regarding third-party products should be directed to the third-party.

SECTION 9 - USER COMMENTS, FEEDBACK AND OTHER SUBMISSIONS

If, at our request, you send certain specific submissions (for example contest entries) or without a request from us you send creative ideas, suggestions, proposals, plans, or other materials, whether online, by email, by postal mail, or otherwise (collectively, 'comments'), you agree that we may, at any time, without restriction, edit, copy, publish, distribute, translate and otherwise use in any medium any comments that you forward to us. We are and shall be under no obligation (1) to maintain any comments in confidence; (2) to pay compensation for any comments; or (3) to respond to any comments.
We may, but have no obligation to, monitor, edit or remove content that we determine in our sole discretion are unlawful, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, pornographic, obscene or otherwise objectionable or violates any party’s intellectual property or these Terms of Service.
You agree that your comments will not violate any right of any third-party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, personality or other personal or proprietary right. You further agree that your comments will not contain libelous or otherwise unlawful, abusive or obscene material, or contain any computer virus or other malware that could in any way affect the operation of the Service or any related website. You may not use a false e‑mail address, pretend to be someone other than yourself, or otherwise mislead us or third-parties as to the origin of any comments. You are solely responsible for any comments you make and their accuracy. We take no responsibility and assume no liability for any comments posted by you or any third-party.

SECTION 10 - PERSONAL INFORMATION

Your submission of personal information through the store is governed by our Privacy Policy. To view our Privacy Policy.

SECTION 11 - ERRORS, INACCURACIES AND OMISSIONS

Occasionally there may be information on our site or in the Service that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may relate to product descriptions, pricing, promotions, offers, product shipping charges, transit times and availability. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions, and to change or update information or cancel orders if any information in the Service or on any related website is inaccurate at any time without prior notice (including after you have submitted your order).
We undertake no obligation to update, amend or clarify information in the Service or on any related website, including without limitation, pricing information, except as required by law. No specified update or refresh date applied in the Service or on any related website, should be taken to indicate that all information in the Service or on any related website has been modified or updated.

SECTION 12 - PROHIBITED USES

In addition to other prohibitions as set forth in the Terms of Service, you are prohibited from using the site or its content: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts; (c) to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances; (d) to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others; (e) to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, race, age, national origin, or disability; (f) to submit false or misleading information; (g) to upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code that will or may be used in any way that will affect the functionality or operation of the Service or of any related website, other websites, or the Internet; (h) to collect or track the personal information of others; (i) to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape; (j) for any obscene or immoral purpose; or (k) to interfere with or circumvent the security features of the Service or any related website, other websites, or the Internet. We reserve the right to terminate your use of the Service or any related website for violating any of the prohibited uses.

SECTION 13 - DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

We do not guarantee, represent or warrant that your use of our service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free.
We do not warrant that the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable.
You agree that from time to time we may remove the service for indefinite periods of time or cancel the service at any time, without notice to you.
You expressly agree that your use of, or inability to use, the service is at your sole risk. The service and all products and services delivered to you through the service are (except as expressly stated by us) provided 'as is' and 'as available' for your use, without any representation, warranties or conditions of any kind, either express or implied, including all implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, merchantable quality, fitness for a particular purpose, durability, title, and non-infringement.
In no case shall Omega Inflatables Factory, our directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents, contractors, interns, suppliers, service providers or licensors be liable for any injury, loss, claim, or any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, special, or consequential damages of any kind, including, without limitation lost profits, lost revenue, lost savings, loss of data, replacement costs, or any similar damages, whether based in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, arising from your use of any of the service or any products procured using the service, or for any other claim related in any way to your use of the service or any product, including, but not limited to, any errors or omissions in any content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the service or any content (or product) posted, transmitted, or otherwise made available via the service, even if advised of their possibility. Because some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or the limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, in such states or jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

SECTION 14 - INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Omega Inflatables Factory and our parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, officers, directors, agents, contractors, licensors, service providers, subcontractors, suppliers, interns and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third-party due to or arising out of your breach of these Terms of Service or the documents they incorporate by reference, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third-party.

SECTION 15 - SEVERABILITY

In the event that any provision of these Terms of Service is determined to be unlawful, void or unenforceable, such provision shall nonetheless be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and the unenforceable portion shall be deemed to be severed from these Terms of Service, such determination shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any other remaining provisions.

SECTION 16 - TERMINATION

The obligations and liabilities of the parties incurred prior to the termination date shall survive the termination of this agreement for all purposes.
These Terms of Service are effective unless and until terminated by either you or us. You may terminate these Terms of Service at any time by notifying us that you no longer wish to use our Services, or when you cease using our site.
If in our sole judgment you fail, or we suspect that you have failed, to comply with any term or provision of these Terms of Service, we also may terminate this agreement at any time without notice and you will remain liable for all amounts due up to and including the date of termination; and/or accordingly may deny you access to our Services (or any part thereof).

SECTION 17 - ENTIRE AGREEMENT

The failure of us to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
These Terms of Service and any policies or operating rules posted by us on this site or in respect to The Service constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between you and us and govern your use of the Service, superseding any prior or contemporaneous agreements, communications and proposals, whether oral or written, between you and us (including, but not limited to, any prior versions of the Terms of Service).
Any ambiguities in the interpretation of these Terms of Service shall not be construed against the drafting party.

SECTION 18 - GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of China.

SECTION 19 - CHANGES TO TERMS OF SERVICE

You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time at this page.
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to update, change or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check our website periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to our website or the Service following the posting of any changes to these Terms of Service constitutes acceptance of those changes.

SECTION 20 - CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions about the Terms of Service should be sent to us at info@omegainflatables.com.

Start an inflatable bounce house business by following these 10 steps:

You have found the perfect business idea, and we've compiled this simple 10-step guide to help you set-up, operate and grow your own profitable inflatables business. So let's get started!

1. Start with research:

Your first step is to do some research on the competition. This will give you a good idea about how much money you can make and how many other people like you are offering a similar service. If you have a phone book, that’s a great place to start. The categories to look under include “Party Supplies” or “Party Planning.” You should also do a Google search with your location and the category. For example, if you lived in Azusa, you would put the following terms into Google to search: “Azusa Party Supplies” or “Asuza Jumpers.”

Gather as much information about the companies in your area that are renting inflatables. Either visit their website or call them on the phone number listed. Try to answer these questions:

• How many companies are listed?
• How large are their ads?
• What types of products do they offer? (Jumpers, slides, obstacle courses, play zones,)
• How much do they charge, and is it the same for Saturday, Sunday and weekdays?  Is a deposit required?
• What payment methods do they accept? Are they able to take credit cards or checks?
• What hours do they work, and which time slots do they offer (2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours)? How early do they deliver, and how late do they pickup?
• What other items do they offer (cotton candy, snow-­‐cones, tables and chairs, balloons, )?
• In which areas do they deliver? Do they deliver to parks?
• Are they insured?
• Do they have anything available for the upcoming weekend?
• Do they leave a company attendant?

Your goal is to get as much information as possible about all of the existing businesses in your area, so that you can determine how you can best fit into the market. Understanding how others are operating will give you ideas about how to set up your business structure, pricing, etc. Ideally, you want to find something these other companies are not doing (or not doing well) that you might be able to do better!

2. Set up and organize your business:

There are many decisions to make on how to set up your business. The following is a checklist of issues that need to be addressed in order to start a business.

a. Choose your company name

When deciding on a name, pick something unique! You want something fun, colorful and upbeat that will be easily remembered by customers. Many customers like to incorporate their own names in the title for example: Jenny's Jumpers, Smith's Inflatables, or Mike's Moon-­‐walks. Another idea is to use names from children's fairy tales or nursery rhymes like, Bo Peep's Bouncers, Jumping Jack's or Tom Thumb's Tumbler.  Stay away from trademarked or licensed names.

Consider your choice carefully. Settle on something you are happy with and won’t change. If you do change your name, it can be confusing to customers or they might think that a name change implies that you have changed your services or raised your prices. If they are returning to you, they want the reassurance that you’re still offering the same reliable service and the same great units.

b. Establishing a place of operation

The best place to store your inflatables is your garage, because there is no additional overhead, and you can spend your money on growing your business instead of paying rent. You might be able to write off part of your home expenses as long as they are business-related. Check with your accountant to see which expenses apply.

If you live in an apartment or in an area with a homeowners association you might need to rent a storage facility. A storage unit is less expensive than a warehouse and requires no additional overhead such as electricity, water, gas, etc. Check with the storage rental companies in your area regarding their time restrictions. You might need to negotiate the hours in order to accommodate your weekend schedule.  Storage companies are generally very flexible.

c. Getting a business license

You will need to purchase a business license for rental equipment. City halls or town halls are the usual locations to purchase a business license.  Normally it costs around

$45.00 -­‐ $65.00 per year for a standard business license, but it varies from city to city. Look in your blue or government pages under the listing business licenses. You can also go online and search for your city name and business license. Most city websites will have detailed instructions on how to obtain a business license.

The type of license you get depends on the type of business you will set up. If you are opening the business on your own or with your spouse, you are considered a sole proprietor. If you plan to have a partner (who is not your spouse) then your business is a partnership. Make sure to indicate which type of business (sole proprietorship or partnership) on your business license application.

d. Insurance

Liability insurance requirements vary by city and state. Additional insureds may be required by larger companies, schools, or parks. What this means is that they have a copy of your policy listing their name as an additional insured, on your policy.

Insurance companies will either charge for this service in one flat fee or per addition, it depends on the carrier. Ask in advance about the charges for adding additional insureds. You will need from 3-­‐10 additional insureds per year, and as your business grows so will that number. The best place to start looking for insurance is your local insurance broker; however, there are many national insurance brokers that handle inflatables insurance. You can search online for a local broker and ask for rates.

e. How many inflatable units should you start with?

A good amount of inflatables to start with is 2 to 4 units. One person can easily handle that number, and it's enough to keep you busy when you start. When deciding how many units to purchase initially it would be good to first look at what you are planning to use to deliver. A small pickup (Ford Ranger or a Chevy S-­‐10) can easily accommodate 3 jumps at one time. A large truck (Ford F-­‐150 or a Chevrolet half-ton) can accommodate 5 jumps at a time. While a smaller truck can return to reload, a larger truck when full will keep you busy all day. (Units aren't necessarily only rented once per day; if the times are well slotted they can be rented up to three times per day.) If necessary, a trailer will accommodate many more, depending on the size trailer. A good rule of thumb is to only schedule one delivery per hour or one pickup per hour, even though it is sometimes possible to do more. It takes a minimum of 10 minutes to set up a jump if it's clean and the location is easy to get to. It takes a minimum of 20 minutes to clean a jump, deflate it and get it into the back of your pickup.

f. Determine how much to charge

When determining what to charge many questions will be answered by the initial research you did in step 1 when planning your business. The going rate is determined by what the local market will bear. As the owner of the business, the pricing will be set up and determined by you. However, it is wise to offer the customer several different price points. For example, if you have licensed equipment you might want to charge extra for the use of that specialty unit. Some customers will want the most expensive unit that you have to offer.

g. Determining chargeable and free delivery areas

Determining the parameters of your delivery area is depends on how densely populated your area is and how far you're willing to drive.  Most of your day will be windshield time. First look at the map of your area and figure out how far you can go in any direction from your business location in twenty minutes. If it takes longer than twenty minutes to get there then add an additional $20 to $100 dollars for delivery. (If there are areas of the community that you feel are unpleasant you may want to remove them from your delivery zone immediately.) The best way to determine delivery charges is to find out what is currently being charged by your competitors.

h. Setting up business bank accounts

Finding good bank rates requires time on the phone. Try at least 4 banks to find the best rates, paying particular attention to monthly fees and any minimums they require. Credit unions offer very good rates, but not all credit unions handle business accounts. If you belong to a credit union, call them first.

i. Determine what type of payment you will accept

Many inflatable businesses start off taking only cash. Most start off taking checks and cash. Accepting credit cards is an expense, but makes it very convenient for the customer. Accepting credit card payments will cost you a percentage of your sale— typically 2-­‐4%. Exactly how much of a percentage is determined by several variables, including the rate given to you by the payment processing service. If you decide that you want to accept credit cards, call around for merchant services. Pay close attention to the monthly fees and remember that fees are negotiable.

j. Set up phone services

You can easily change your home number to a business line just by calling the phone company. The advantage of doing this is that even if you don't purchase an ad you will still be listed in the yellow pages under the business category heading, usually “Party Supplies.” Having a business line will cost you around $10 extra a month, but the first rental that you book will more than cover the cost. You might consider adding an additional phone line to your home to accommodate your business calls. Answering your phones yourself is preferred since you can respond to any questions the customer might have and schedule their party immediately. If you intend to use your home phone, instruct family members to answer with the company name. For example, have them say, "Hello this is Susan with 'Susan's Jumps', how can I help you?" Cell phones have become an industry norm and keep you mobile. You can use your cell number for your business line and list it in the yellow pages.

k. Contact your local parks

Parties are often held in the city and county parks. Requirements for set up in parks can be obtained through the recreation and parks department in your community.

Contact your local parks department and ask them the following questions:

1. Do they allow inflatables?
2. Are there any size restrictions on inflatables?
3. Do the parks require you to add them as an additional insured?
4. Do they have electrical outlets and can they be used for inflatables?
5. What are their hours of operation?
6. Can they provide you with maps of the parks?

If your local parks do allow inflatables and have electrical outlets for the customers' use, you need to inform the customer that the blower requires a dedicated outlet. If they intend to plug in anything with a heating element to the outlet where your blower is plugged in it could blow the circuit. If the customer requires additional power suggest they rent a generator.

l. Purchase additional equipment needed

The following is a list of equipment you will need in addition to your inflatables.

• Truck (or vehicle with tow bar and trailer)
• Heavy-duty hand truck with fenders (1 per truck)
• 5-pound sledgehammer (1 per truck)
• Sandbags (4 per inflatable)
• 100 ft. heavy duty extension cords with reels (1 per lower)
• Legal-size metal notebook (1 per truck)
• Handheld vacuum 1.5 hp with 20 ft cord & power strip (1 per truck)
• Clean rags
• Diluted cleaner (approximately 1cup per gallon of water)

3. Purchase your inflatables:

You need first to decide how much you have to invest when buying your inflatables to rent. Starting with 2-4 inflatables is a good place to start, but make sure to invest in your marketing strategies as well.

Some customers opt to use credit cards to buy their first inflatables to rent. While the downside is that you are using credit, the upside is that you can begin making money right away on your investments. If you intend to use credit cards make sure your rates are reasonable.

If you intend to finance through a leasing company, expect to pay the same rates as you would with a credit card. When starting in the inflatable rental company, the leasing company will be looking at your personal credit, since your business has no credit history. On the upside, the loan is completely tax-deductible and some leasing companies can offer very competitive insurance rates which include replacement value of your jumpers. Leasing doesn't tie up your revolving credit line. Many financing options allow you to defer payments for three months or more. This allows you to start building up your business and making money before any payments are due.

4. Plan your daily operations with a process and business forms:

Running an inflatable business is not complicated, but having a process in place to manage orders and schedule deliveries make it much easier. Here is a sample process that anyone can utilize to manage daily operations. Sample forms are included as well. Forms are an important component when running a business. They structure your conversations and keep you focused. Your process should go something like this.

a. Take the call and review your reservation book or calendar. The customer will initially call you for pricing and availability. Check your rental book to see what you have available.

b. Reserve the inflatable and fill out an order form. Reserve the inflatable as requested by the customer and fill out a delivery order form with the customer's information while you have them on the phone. After the call transfer that same information to your rental book and your database.

c. Confirm a few days before the event. At least three days before the event, call all of the customers you have scheduled in your rental book and verify their orders.

d. Map out all of the deliveries. It will be necessary to map your delivery day's activities by scheduling your deliveries on a flow chart. (Thursday is a good day to fill out paperwork for the weekend.) Print a map on the back of the delivery order form, so that you have a copy of your original agreement. Fill out the rental agreement form.  Staple the delivery order form map side up to the rental agreement form. Put all your forms in the order that you will deliver witha copy of the flow chart visible on the other side.

e. Deliver and provide forms to the customer. Deliver the inflatable on time; have a customer sign the rental agreement form, and provide them with a copy.

f. Pick up and clean the unit in a timely manner. Thank your customer.

g. Send your customer a friendly periodic reminder. Contact your customers on a regular basis to see if they are having any events that you can provide inflatables for. The minimumamount of contact should be once per year, but every 3 months or 6 months is ideal. Use the information provided on your delivery order form or in your database.

The delivery order form is a worksheet. It's what you fill out when gathering information about your customer. This information will be used to file in your database for customer profiles and used the following year to send out postcard reminders for the customer's upcoming birthday party. It's a good idea to have these preprinted to fill in, then flip over the original to print a computer-generated map on the other side, that way you have all the information when doing the actual delivery. Always ask for 2 phone numbers. If you're delivering to a park make sure you get a cell number.

5. Hire professional help when needed

Although there is an abundance of accounting software on the market, nothing beats an accountant to walk you through the process of keeping your books in order. Even if you merely use them to set up and do your taxes monthly, it will save you lots of grief, not to mention penalties and fines for late and incorrect payments.

Attorneys are also highly recommended when setting up the legal aspect of your inflatable rental business. It is recommended that you have an attorney read your rental agreement form (even if you intend to use the form provided here) to make recommendations for changes. It is also good to have an attorney to call in case you receive a bad check. You might want to sign a contract with a collection firm to handle bad checks, but an attorney usually has more impact.

6. Set up a database to keep track of customers

Keep track of your customer information by creating a simple database. Customers should be categorized by month of rental in order to contact them the following year with a reminder card. Databases are essential to maintain your customer contacts. Customers like to feel that they are important to you. In turn, they will respond by giving you their business year after year and referring you to their friends. You don’t need special software to set up a database, but programs like Microsoft Excel or Access make it very easy to input and locate records.

Add the following information to your database:

1. Month and date of rental
2. Customer name including spouse name
3. Customer address
4. Customer phone numbers
5. Inflatablerented
6. Children and their ages
7. Birthdate

7. Advertise your services 

To start generating business, you need to start advertising and getting your new business name out to potential customers. It’s all about reaching the right audience with the right message. Start with family, friends, neighbors, co-­‐workers, and associates; these are all potential customers. Plus, every time your inflatable goes up its great advertising for your business. The market for your business will be families who want to throw large parties or business and organizations who what inflatables at their events. Examples of organizations that rent inflatables include churches and schools, grocery stores and chain stores, flea markets and swap meet, and car dealerships.

Schools and churches have parent groups PTO's or PTA's, carnivals, festivals, classrooms, and congregations full of children. Every child in that school or congregation is a potential client. Your objective is to persuade those potential clients to rent from you. Provide the PTA or Church with a coupon that offers a $5 to $10 discount on a jump rental. That $5 isn't for the customer, but a donation for the church or the PTA.

Grocery stores have grand openings, events, remodeling, and holiday events. If you don't know your local grocery store manager, get to know him or her. (All mothers shop at grocery stores.) Ask the manager if you might schedule a morning (double coupon day if available) to set up a jump. You can either charge the store or if not just volunteer the unit. (You might need to add the store as additional insured to satisfy the corporation.)  Take plenty of business cards.

If you live near a flea market or swap meet to make a trip to visit it on a Friday or Saturday evening and see just how busy it is. Some businesses have been built solely on the referrals they get from flea markets. Set up a jump, (it's a good idea to take folding chairs, people are always looking for a place to sit) and charge a dollar or two for kids to jump, and while they're jumping pass out business cards to the parents.  Take your reservation book.

The bane of car dealerships is children. Children can make or break a deal. Bored children often become restless and distract potential buyers. On the weekends when the traffic is heavy dealerships will be more inclined to spend the money on inflatables. These are just a few examples of organizations to start with to begin building up your business.

• Website

Setting up a website, even if it’s just a very simple page with all of your contact information is essential. It will add credibility and professionalism to your business. The ability to see the bounce house before it is delivered and possibly schedule the unit on-­‐line at your leisure is very convenient for your customers. Having a web site for your business will cost very little per month, after the initial setup.  It is a very inexpensive form of advertising.

• Search Advertising

When you did your initial research online you found maps of your area with all of your competitors listed. When a potential customer searches for inflatable amusements in your area, you want to show up on this search, too. Make sure to list all of the cities and communities that you serve on your website. This will help you appear in searches for particular areas. To do paid search advertising, you can sign up for Google AdWords and pay a flat fee for each click on your ad.

• Social Media

A very inexpensive way to start getting your business name out there is by using social media. Start by setting up a Facebook page for your business. You can add photos of your inflatables for rent, detailed information about your services, prices, and more. Share the page with your friends and family, and ask them to share with their contacts as well.

• Business Cards

As a sales tool business cards should not be underestimated. It is the most requested, easiest form of advertising you can carry, and if you fail to provide it, more than likely you will lose potential customers. You can easily turn your business card into a refrigerator magnet by purchasing business card sized adhesive magnets at an office supply store.  If you plan to do this have your cards printed in full color so the customer will be more likely to display them. This advertisement reminds the customer who they rented from and saves them the trouble of leafing through the yellow pages, and seeing the ads of your competitors.

• Thank you & Reminder Cards

Make the most of the database you created and keep in touch with your past customers. They more than likely are happy to hear from you and remember the great event you helped them with. Send them thank-you notes, reminder postcards, and ask for referrals to friends, relatives, and co-­‐workers. The most effective thank you notes are done by hand.  They should be sent out the week after the event. Postcards are cheaper as reminder notes than letters.  They can be colorful, fun, and feature your newest units. Reminder cards should be sent out a month prior to the previous year's rental. For example: If Billy Brown had a jump delivered in September of last year for his birthday, you would want to send out a reminder in early August. The reminder should read something like this, "It's Billy's 7th birthday party on September 14th.   Let's make a date! Happy Birthday Billy, Susan's Jumps."

There are many forms of paid advertising including Yellow Pages advertising, coupon advertising, television, and radio advertising. As discussed previously, the Yellow Pages are initially the easiest way to get your name in front of the buying public. The size of the ad initially should be small, no larger than a 16th of a page. Even if you buy eight or more jumps, ease yourself into the business, become familiar with it before aggressively marketing yourself. Consider establish your style of operation and familiarize yourself with the industry prior to pushing for growth.

• Print Advertising

Contact your local newspapers and community publishers (those that send out newsletters, magazines, flyers). Ask them what they charge for a print ad. Usually a quarter or 1/8th of a page will be a reasonable cost. Coupons can be inserted into a newspaper or packet of coupons that are mailed ads that can be costly. If you go with a mailing publication they will charge based on the delivery area. Your salesperson can provide you with the demographics of the area that they will mail to. Make sure that you are targeting areas with families and small children.

Print flyers and ask local merchants if you can leave several of them on their counter or near the door. Many local businesses are happy to help promote other local businesses. Make sure to build a relationship with the merchants in your community. You might also offer to have an inflatable outside of their store in exchange for some free advertising, especially if it’s a store that has a lot of traffic from families that might be your future customers.

• Television & Radio Advertising

Television advertising is expensive but effective. You will get business from it, but initially, you won't have the equipment or staff to accommodate all of the events or the calls. Cable TV advertising is a better choice because it offers time slots at a fraction of the price. Radio advertising is also expensive, but if you can barter with them to offer your inflatables at their next event, they may be willing to help you advertise. Radios frequently broadcast from locations. They are paid to air their programs from these locations by the merchants. The job of the radio stations is to use their celebrity to draw customers to that location. Offer the radio advertisers a supervised jump whenever they are broadcasting from a mall, toy store, car dealership any event that can be construed as child-related, and their part of the deal is to tell consumers who are providing the inflatable and let you pass out business cards to advertise your company.

• Giveaway & Promotional Items

Shirts, car panels, pens, and other giveaway items are fun to have but not the most effective advertising. T-­‐shirts or polo shirts are a form of advertising that not only reminds customers who are providing their jumper but also adds a touch of professionalism to your business. If you use T-­‐shirts to advertise, make sure you keep them clean and pressed, toss the old ratty ones out. Only use magnetic door panels on your vehicle to advertise if you have an attractive vehicle to attach them to. A door panel can be a mobile form of advertising and every bit of advertising counts. Pens may or may not be effective advertising for you. You do need pens and they add to name recognition.

8. Take orders & payments

Once you start telling people that you are in business and start advertising, you can expect to get phone calls. It’s a good idea to have a system for how to handle general phone inquiries. "What do you have available?" "What are your prices?" The two most commonly asked questions in the inflatable rental business. It's easy to rattle off the themes you carry and your prices. It takes a little salesmanship, enthusiasm, and belief in your business to convince a customer that they found what they are looking for.

For example, Joe Customer: "What themes do you have available?" You: "We have lots of fun themes to choose from. What is your event?" Joe Customer: "It's a birthday party." You: "Wonderful, is it for a little girl or a boy?" Joe Customer: "My son." You:  "Does your party have a theme?" Joe Customer: "I think my wife said it's going to be Harry Potter." You: "Excellent, I have the perfect unit for your party. We have a green dragon with big red toenails and a ridge of orange tips down his back he's fun, whimsical but not scary and couldn't be more perfect for a Harry Potter theme." Joe Customer:  "Let's do it."

Customers are looking for a reason to stop calling around. You have convinced them that they just found the perfect inflatable for their party or event. The rest of the call is fairly easy after that. Fill in all the blanks on your delivery order form, repeat all the information back to the customer, and promise to give them a reminder call a few days prior to the party to reconfirm their reservation. Reminder calls are very important; they remind the customer that they have an event coming up. If they have had an emergency and aren't going to have the party, after all, you'll know. That gives you several days to find another customer for that time slot and inflatable.

9. Deliver your inflatables

The organization is key to the rental business. If your events are scheduled for the weekend, get all the paperwork for your deliveries ready by Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. Flow charts should be done by Friday afternoon at the very latest. Plan a dry run before you set out on your first delivery. Choose a location and determine the time it takes from load up to set up. You need to allow for any unexpected issues that might arise or if the customer is late or the setup location is difficult to get to. Many things can happen to slow the delivery process.

Being early by at least a half-hour is a good habit. Most business owners will tell you they'd rather be an hour early than 5 minutes late. Customers will rarely complain about an early delivery but will expect a discount if you're even a few minutes behind schedule. If you are more than a half-hour early call the customer to okay the delivery time and to confirm that they will be at that location to accept the delivery.

Just as key as being prompt for the delivery, picking up a unit on time is very important. A prompt pick up demonstrates the professionalism of your company. Particularly when delivering to a park, you need to watch the clock. Generally, when a customer has given a time for the pickup they are ready to leave either at that time or prior to that time. Giving them your cell number is helpful, but explain that it may take you some extra time if they call the last minute to request an early pickup.

10. Tell everyone you're in business

Once you officially start your business, it’s time to tell everyone. Let your friends, family, and co-­‐workers know you’ve started your own inflatable business. Ask them to refer business and tell their network about your services. And consider telling your completion as well. Getting to know your competitors is both the most difficult and the most constructive thing you can do to move your business ahead. There is a certain amount of apprehension when one considers the prospect of calling up your competitor and saying, "Hi I just went into business and noticed that you were doing the same exact thing. I'd like to get to know you and find out what you're doing and how it's working for you."  You might hear a click or you might be surprised, and they might have a very enlightening conversation. This business owner may regard you warily at first, but as time goes on they might begin to trust you and eventually be helpful to you. You might someday use each other's generators when you have exceptionally busy weekends or occasionally do a pickup for each other. Of course, this won't happen overnight and certainly shouldn't be suggested in the first conversation. But when that competitor runs out of equipment for the weekend, don't be surprised if he doesn't spend that extra business your way.

Conclusion

There is hardly an industry that is more fun, more satisfying, and more profitable than that of inflatable rentals.  It is doubtful that you will ever find a business that is so affordable to get into, with so much potential for revenue.   In today's demanding market there is yet the promise for more growth. The industry has expanded tremendously in the past ten years and if the enthusiasm of the customers is any indication, it will continue to do so. So let’s get started!