Sign up to Become a Magazine Seller

Are you looking for a way to earn money every month? You can start your own ‘business’ by becoming an official South African Conversations magazine seller, allowing you to be your own boss and earn a regular income. The best part is that you’ll almost immediately earn back twice as much money as you used to get started.

Please note: this isn’t a job application. It’s an opportunity for you to be an entrepreneur.

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The small print

This opportunity is open to South Africans with an ID and to foreigners with valid permits. Sellers must be 15 or older.

South African Conversations does not supply magazines directly to sellers. Instead, we partner with Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) that act as Distribution Hubs for our magazine. If you're not already linked to a Hub, we'll connect you with one near where you live.

Our Distribution Hubs must order 150 copies of the magazine for each seller they supply. They must also organise a safe sales space for each seller at busy places where many people walk around.

You can apply if you live near or can easily get to a place where many rich people shop or go for entertainment. The magazine doesn't sell well in areas with few people or low economic activity, nor does it sell on the streets – even in busy areas.

Here’s what you’ll need to have and do to build your business

A valid South African ID or proof of legal residence, like a valid asylum seeker, refugee, or work permit.

R250 with which to buy your first batch of 10 magazines, which you can sell for R500, earning a 100% profit on your initial investment.

A commitment to cash-purchase 150 magazines per month – minimum 10 at a time – from the NPO Distribution Hub that took you on.

You’ll also need R10 to buy a South African Conversations button badge or R150 to buy a high-quality, branded cotton T-shirt. You MUST wear one of these while selling to identify yourself as an official magazine seller. Wearing our branded T-shirt is like wearing an advertisement and it will help you sell more. If you cannot afford this, speak to your Hub to see if they can find a sponsor for you.

If you always buy 10 magazines at a time, you will need to do so 15 times in a month – once every second day or so. You may consider buying more than 10 magazines at a time to save time and resources.

You must commit to being an entrepreneur and selling 150 magazines per month. This is possible if you sell 6 to 8 magazines per day for 20 to 22 days, which will generate a monthly income of R3,750 for you. Some of our top sellers have sold as many as 10 copies per hour!

You’ll soon learn how to manage your business, find buyers, and sell your stock. You could even sell more as you get better at it!

If you struggle to sell 150 magazines per month, we'll work together to find a solution, like securing a better sales spot for you. If you fail to sell 150 magazines for two months in a row, the Distribution Hub that you are assigned to may decide not to continue working with you.

If you sell out your 150 magazines in less than a month, you may request your Hub to supply more than 150 magazines for the upcoming month. Since we print on demand only, we won't be able to restock any magazines that are sold out during any current month.

You may not return unsold magazines to the Hub. You must learn to be an entrepreneur, manage your business, find buyers, sell your stock and profit from your purchases.

No special skills are required. It will help if you speak English, have a friendly personality, are motivated and can manage your time and money well.

Let's get started

Are you completing this application through an NPO registered as a South African Conversations Distribution Hub?

Yes

What is the name of the NPO that signed you up?

Contact person

Telephone numbers

Email address

Physical address

A Place Where You Could Sell

Because the magazine does not sell in areas where there are few people or where people are poor, you must be able to easily reach a busy place where many middle-class and rich people shop or work. If you are too far from vibrant economic activity, then this opportunity may not be for you.

What is the name of the nearest suburb, town, or city where many people with money live or work?*

Do you have a particular building or place in mind where you think you would be able to sell?

Name of the building or place

Address

Do you know of a non-profit organisation (NPO) that operates in the area where you would like to sell?

What is their name?

Telephone number (If known)

Email address (If known)

Address (If known)

Personal information

First names*

Surname*

Known to friends as

Date of birth (Sellers must be 15 or older):*

Physical address line 1*

Address line 2*

Suburb / Township*

Town / City*

Municipality / District*

Postal Code*

Province*

Cell number*

Email*

Facebook address

Name of closest relative not living with you*

Relationship*

Cell number*

Name of a friend who lives in your community*

Cell number*

T-shirt size*

Small

Medium

Large

I agree that any photos taken of me as a seller, wearing South African Conversations identifying material, may be used to market and promote this job-creation initiative. I do not expect any compensation for the use of such photos.*

If you select 'No' below, please do not allow anyone to take photos of you while wearing or displaying South African Conversations branded clothing or materials.

Yes

Documents Required

Please complete the following questions and upload a copy or a photograph of each document listed – only if it applies to you:

Identity number / Birth certificate

Copy of ID or Birth certificate

Max. file size: 2 MB.

Passport no

Copy of Passport

Max. file size: 2 MB.

Asylum status

Copy of Asylum status

Max. file size: 2 MB.

Refugee status

Copy of Refugee status

Max. file size: 2 MB.

Work permit no

Copy of Work permit

Max. file size: 2 MB.

(If you are South African-born and don’t have a birth certificate or ID, please talk to us. Call us on 0860 333 034 and we’ll see if we can help.)

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Yes

No thanks

By submitting this form, I declare that all the information supplied is accurate and truthful, and that I would like to participate in this income-generating initiative, buying and selling South African Conversations magazines.

South African Conversations values the privacy and security of your information. We will never sell your personal information and will take every precaution to protect your data.