HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
----

BASIC SELLING SKILLS

“CAN YOU SELL?” PROJECT REPORT
GROUP MEMBERS

1. Nguyễn Cao Phương Anh 21DH717781

2. Đinh Thị Hà Chinh 21DH710635
3. Trương Ngọc Khanh 21DH718143
4. Hoàng Văn Long 21DH718828
5. Lê Đặng Quỳnh Như 21DH716900

Ho Chi Minh City, February 2024

 REPORT

I. Introduction of company

1. Business name: SILLAGE SCENTED BAG

2. Logo:

3. Slogan: Timeless Aroma

4. Location: Hoc Mon Campus, University of Foreign Languages and
Information Technology
5. Staff/members: 5 members
6. Products:
a. Ingredients
- Fabric bag (Quantity: 40)
- Roses
- Lavender
- Star Anise
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
- Extract Oil
- Quartz
b. Production price
Item Name Price
 Half-flower Mesh 8,100 VND
Embroidered Brocade 10,800 VND
Fabric Bags Red Velvet 3,000 VND
Red Mesh with Apricot Blossom 2,000 VND
Pattern
Rose 110,000 VND/200 grams
Lavender 75,000 VND/200 grams
Dried
Rosemary 46,000 VND/150 grams
Flowers
Cinnamon 59,000 VND/200 grams
Star Anise 43,000 VND/100 grams
Purple Amethys Quartz 17,000 VND/100 gram
Quartz Pink Quartz 28,000 VND/100 grams
Multicolored Quartz 17,000 VND/100 grams
Cinnamon Oil 28,000 VND/10 ml
Lavender Oil 32,000 VND/10 ml
Extract Oil
Rosmary Oil
Rose Oil 34,000 VND/10 ml
c. Labour (hour)
- We spent 18 hours researching the market and ordering the
ingredients, and we also took 48 hours to come up with ideas for the
business name, logo, and slogan.
d. Other expenses
- Transportation fee: 61,000 VND
- Logo tag: 150,000 VND (Quantity: 100 items)
e. Selling price
Item Name Price
Fabric Bags Half-flower Mesh 10,000 VND
Embroidered Brocade 12,000 VND
 Red Velvet 5,000 VND
Red Mesh with Apricot Blossom 5,000 VND
Pattern
Rose 7,000 VND/10 grams
Lavender 5,000 VND/10 grams
Dried
Rosemary 5,000 VND/10 grams
Flowers
Cinnamon 5,000 VND/10 grams
Star Anise 5,000 VND/10 grams
Purple Amethys Quartz 5,000 VND/2 pieces
Quartz Pink Quartz 5,000 VND/2 pieces
Multicolored Quartz 5,000 VND/2 pieces

f. Revenue: 732,000 VND

g. Loss: 135,000 VND

II. Difficulties during the production & selling process

1. Difficulties

a. Supply chain management: Managing the supply chain in selling

aroma bags was challenging due to several factors.
- Supplier Relationship Management: building and maintaining
strong relationships with suppliers to ensure reliability, quality, and
timely delivery of goods and service. In the first time, we could not
connect with any enterprises because they didn't believe in our new
business.
- Demand Variability: Forecasting demand accurately can be
difficult, especially in industries with fluctuating consumer
preferences or seasonal demand patterns. For example, in Tet holiday
or Woman’s Day. Variability in demand can lead to challenges in
inventory management and production planning.
b. Production price
- Determine the correct and appropriate product price to avoid
losses
- Finding a good price source
c. Lack of selling time: In our group selling process, a key challenge
was the limited time available for sales. After we agreed on the
product idea and completed the production phases, we only have 1
week left to sell online and 3 class sessions to sell our products
offline.
d. Cost management: Managing expenses is truly challenging when
the group's budget is limited (because most of us are students) and
there are too many expenses to cover. Additionally, there are
unforeseen expenses and constantly changing market prices, making
cost management extremely difficult.
e. Competitors: Customers have been using tips, dehumidifiers, and
air purifiers depending on their needs and budget.
- Using tips: The advantages of this method are simple, natural,
benign, and easy to find.
- Using dehumidifiers and air purifiers: The advantage of this
method is that it is the best value for money. It provides an excellent
dehumidifying effect within a short time.
- In addition, other brands of scented bags have been widely used
and sold in supermarkets and stores across the country.

2. Solutions
a. Supply chain management

- Define key performance indicators to measure supplier

performance objectively. Provide feedback to suppliers regularly and
recognize exceptional performance.
- Invest in robust demand forecasting techniques that take into
account historical sales data, market trends, seasonality, promotions,
and other relevant factors. Collaborate closely with sales teams,
marketing departments, and customers to gather insights and improve
the accuracy of forecasts.

b. Production price

- Calculate the cost incurred in capital price

- Identify the right target customer
- Search for more wholesale sources on social networking sites

c. Lack of selling time

- To address the lack of selling time, we focused on online sales for

a week through our website, using digital tools to reach the customers.
Additionally, we allocated around 2.5 hours during class sessions for
face-to-face selling efforts, recognizing the importance of direct
interaction. Despite the lack of selling time, we remained dedicated
and tried our best to maximizing our selling opportunities. Every
interaction, whether online or in-person, was essential for us to
connect with our customer and showcase the value of our products.

d. Cost management
 - To make cost management easier, our group has followed the steps
below:

+ Step 1: Create a Resource plan.

This includes all the necessary resources for the project such as raw
materials, necessary equipment, and the costs we will use to purchase
them.

+ Step 2: Budgeting and cost estimation

We created an Excel file to calculate all the expenses and estimate the
duration and allocated budget of each individual task.

+ Step 3: Cost Control

We accommodate cost overruns, reduce deviations from the budget,
and cap the budget when necessary.

By using those steps we can search for resources and processes that
help us make faster and better decisions about the current project and
avoid unnecessary as well as unforeseen mistakes.

e. Competitors

- Using tips: This method is too common, causing the methods to

become too widespread in too large quantities, but it is not very
effective, and often not applied sustainably.

- Using dehumidifiers and air purifiers: High price, unsuitable for

the affordable customer segment. In addition, this method costs
maintenance costs, and the users have to take time to learn and operate
it.

Besides, according to some research, some scented-bag brands

currently sold in supermarkets are often made from chemical
ingredients that can be harmful to human health.

Thus, by promoting the following competitive advantages on social

media and word of mouth also, our brand could attract the customer’s
attention:

+ Affordable price.

+ Easy to use.

+ Effective dehumidification and deodorization suitable for the

price.

+ Easy to reach many customer segments.

III. Self-reflection

1. Nguyễn Cao Phương Anh - 21DH717781

After starting up the business “Sillage Aroma Bag”, I gained

valuable insights and experiences that have contributed to my personal
and professional growth. Firstly, I learned the importance of strategic
planning and foresight in building a successful business. From
developing a unique product concept to implementing effective
marketing strategies, I understood the significance of meticulous
planning and execution in achieving business goals.
 Secondly, the selling experience such as negotiation, bargain
taught me the value of resilience and adaptability in the face of real
challenges. Building and scaling a business involves overcoming
various obstacles, and I learned to navigate through setbacks with
perseverance and a positive mindset. Moreover, I received useful
feedback from Mrs Lien, Mrs Uyen to enhance my weaknesses.

Additionally, selling the business provided me with a deeper

understanding of the financial aspects of entrepreneurship, including
valuation, negotiation, and exit strategies. This knowledge has been
instrumental in shaping my approach to future business endeavors.

In conclusion, my lessons and experiences obtained from selling

my aroma bag business have been invaluable, equipping me with
valuable skills and insights that continue to guide my entrepreneurial
journey in near future. Hopefully, I can turn my dream “Sillage
Scented Bag” into reality.

2. Đinh Thị Hà Chinh - 21DH710635

Going through the group work and sales process we learned a lot
of lessons for ourselvesI think the most difficult problem for the group
is determining the appropriate product price to sell. We didn't
calculate the cost incurred in the cost price and sold at a low price
because our target audience is students. This leads to incorrect product
price calculations, resulting in a loss even though there is little
inventory. We learned how to calculate product prices and redefine the
customer base as our products are suitable for a wide range of ages.
There is also another difficult problem that we receive a small amount
of goods, so our group still does not have a competitive price for our
products compared to other places. If we have a larger business
project in the future, we will find more sources of goods with good
quality and cheaper prices.

3. Trương Ngọc Khanh - 21DH718143

Through this project, our team, or more specifically, myself, have

gained valuable experience. Despite the loss, I have had access to a lot
of valuable information.I have learned that business is not easy at all;
it's not just about importing goods and selling them at a higher price.
Myself and the team have had to face many challenges. For instance,
having a low budget, finding suppliers that offer both quality and
affordable prices, dealing with delayed deliveries despite having a
very short project timeline, the online shopping website constantly
having errors, etc. But what exhausted me the most was the cost
management. Allocating expenses for raw materials, delivery fees,
printing costs, etc. There were too many things to worry about, so I
had to create multiple planning sheets and clearly allocate for each
type. The management gradually stabilized; however, towards the end
of the project, we underestimated the budget for importing goods to
supplement the project, resulting in excessively high import costs,
exceeding the budget, greatly impacting our finances. Therefore, if I
were to venture into business again, I would create a resource plan,
calculate initial costs and additional expenses, and never
underestimate the supplementary costs of goods, even if the profits are
currently high.

4. Hoàng Văn Long - 21DH718217

Throughout the project, our team faced many tough lessons. In

my opinion, the biggest one being the short amount of time we had to
sell our products. Despite this challenge, i learned a lot and grew
through working as a team. Dealing with the lack of selling time was
tough. We tried to sell online and in person, but it felt like we never
had enough time. Personally, I learned that running a business is more
than just selling things, it takes hard work and smart decisions. I had
to learn how to make the most of the time we had. I also learned to be
flexible and quick to change our plans when things didn't go as
expected, such as when there's a delay in the materials shipments, or
when the budget calculation went wrong. Through this project, I
learned the importance of prioritizing tasks, managing time efficiently,
and delegating responsibilities where possible. By allocating specific
time slots for selling activities and streamlining processes, I aim to
overcome this obstacle and achieve better results in the future.

5. Lê Đặng Quỳnh Như - 21DH716900

By conducting this project, I have realized that green living is

becoming a lifestyle for a sustainable future and a trend of the new
era. In Vietnam, the scent-related industry, especially scented bags,
has not developed strongly, there are not many big brands of scented
bags in Vietnam. That's why when looking for the supplier of
ingredients, our team did not have many choices. Through the selling
process, I have learned some valuable lessons about detailed planning
and budgeting. Our team chose to sell products by letting customers
experience and choose ingredients directly, so we did not promote
them on social networking platforms. That's why revenue did not
reach the target, and we had to suffer losses because we still had
inventory. In my opinion, in the era of strong social network
development recently, advertising on social media platforms is
extremely necessary, which will bring about more potential customers
and enhance brand values. Besides, calculating the unexpected costs is
also crucial. Our team has calculated the selling price without
including the unexpected costs, so we should carefully calculate and
estimate in advance the costs that may arise to minimize damage to
businesses. In addition, customer service plays a key role in the sales
process. When customers ask many questions, we should patiently
answer the questions and make suggestions that suit the customer's
needs. In short, although there were many mistakes along the way, the
experiences are prized for implementing similar projects in the future.
 GRADES

Q1 Q2 Q3 Total

1. Nguyễn Cao Phương Anh

2. Đinh Thị Hà Chinh

3. Trương Ngọc Khanh

4. Hoàng Văn Long

5. Lê Đặng Quỳnh Như