Episode 2 Trade Your Way to the USA

The search is on for this year's Best Young Traders.

For months, CBBC has scoured the country

hunting for Britain's budding entrepreneurs.

They need to know how to buy, how to sell, and how to close the deal

if they want to win the day.

From more than 2,000 budding young entrepreneurs, just 14 teams

have made it through to the heats.

Now they battle it out, head to head, in Trade Your Way To The USA.

Each team will be given £75 cash and a tough trading challenge.

They must decide what to buy...

-What's your biggest seller in the whole shop?

-(Yes!)

Anything pretty, really, is going to sell.

..negotiate the lowest price...

-Six for 1.95.

-No.

..and then sell, sell, sell.

AIR HORN SOUNDS

High quality balloons, only a pound!

On sale here!

The best fudge ever!

The team that makes the most money wins the challenge

and a place on the all-important leaderboard.

Get in there!

At the end of the heats, only the top four teams go on to fight it

out for a place in the grand final...

Argh!

..and the chance to be crowned this year's best young traders.

Everything's been reduced! Just down the road!

I'm Saira Khan and I run my own business.

Follow my top trading tips and one day, you too could

Trade Your Way To The USA.

Trade Your Way To The USA is back and this time it's even tougher.

Today, we're putting some of Britain's most dynamic

and determined young traders to the ultimate business test.

Time to meet the two teams bold enough to take on today's task.

It's Team Sterling versus Cha-Ching.

ALL: We're Team Cha-Ching and we're going to bring the money in!

This Cornish gang of Charlie, younger brother Henry,

and best mate TJ have business in their blood.

They've been trading on the fun fair since they were four.

Maths-brain TJ likes to keep his cash box in the pink.

Just like my candy floss I know how to sweeten up my customers

and sell, sell, sell.

Henry is the lungs of the team.

Roll up, roll up, come and have a go!

He thinks he's got the skills to smash the competition.

I've raised loads of money with my striker.

Not just for myself

but I also raised £150 for a charity that I'm really fond of.

Finally, rounding up the customers is Charlie.

He's one tough negotiator.

I don't go in circles for the perfect price,

I go straight in, grab it and get out.

With all their years' experience, this team reckon they're unbeatable.

Our top trading tip is...

-Early to bed...

-Early to rise...

-..Work like hell... ALL:

-..and ADVERTISE!

But they've got some tough opposition.

Team Sterling are one sporting trading trio from Essex.

We're Team Sterling and we're here to trade our way to the USA!

Isaac, Aiden, and Rachel reckon

they can run rings round their opposition.

I think my main skill is confidence

because confidence is my key to success.

They call me the Seller because I bring the customers in.

Cheeky chap Aiden always seals the deal.

I've made money by selling sweets and drinks on the way to school.

I have earned up to £100 a week. So that's why I'm good in business.

And team haggler Isaac only plays to win.

To anyone who doubts me, watch your back.

I've got the drive to take my team to the USA.

They're convinced they can trade their way to the USA

to become Britain's best young traders.

A message to our opposition - watch out cos Team Sterling's about.

ALL: Yeah!

So it's Cha-Ching versus Team Sterling.

But only one team can win today's challenge and only they stand

a chance of trading their way to the USA.

Today's trading Trojans have arrived in Bath.

They've no idea what their challenge will be but they know

they have to win to stand a chance of competing in our USA Grand Final.

Welcome to Bath, one of Britain's oldest spa cities

and important tourist destinations.

Last year, over four million people visited the sites here, including

these 2,000-year-old Roman baths.

Your challenge is to keep them smelling sweet by selling

your very own selection of super soaps and bath bombs.

You'll get to choose which flavours will fizz,

negotiate the lowest prices and then sell, sell, sell.

The team that makes the most money wins the challenge.

Here are your trading funds. I've given you each £75 to trade with.

-Teams, are you ready?

-ALL: Yes!

Let's go!

The teams have £75 each to buy their soapy stock.

Winning tomorrow means choosing the right products to buy today.

I've brought you here today to meet your expert Robert.

Now, he's been in business for 15 years selling and making

super soaps and bath blasters. Here are your notebooks.

-Are you ready?

-ALL: Yes!

Let's go.

Robert sells his bath products in over 1,000 shops.

From beautiful bars to exploding blasters, there's nothing

bomb cosmetics boss Robert doesn't know about how to clean up.

The teams have just 15 minutes to pick his brains.

Every question counts.

Robert, what's your biggest seller in the whole shop?

(Yes).

In the whole company, I'd say the bath blasters

or any of the bath brulees

that look like cakes, these are really pretty.

Anything pretty, really, is going to sell.

Are all your products the same price?

They all retail at between £2 to £2.50 for single products

so all pretty similar.

We've established the retail price. Well done, Rachel.

Is there any unique effects that are different than normal bath bombs?

These big bath brulees do about four to six baths,

that's a good selling point.

You can tell people that once they've got enough from their bath

they can take it out and use it again.

Asking a question about its unique selling point or the USP

is fantastic because it helps you to sell it better.

-Do you do package deals?

-Well, we've got some empty boxes

that you can use. So you can do a pick and mix option.

Robert has just given them

a great idea about how to sell more than one product at once.

OK, teams, it's now time to decide what to buy.

They need to choose carefully.

Getting it wrong could cost them the competition.

If I was doing this task,

the first thing that springs into my mind are gifts.

These products are stunning.

You just need a lovely box to create the perfect present.

'So what are the teams going to do?'

Have we got enough money to get 15 each of those?

No. Cos look at...

You know, you've got one of these but they won't be as popular.

So, guys, at the moment, you haven't really thought about exactly

-how much of what you're going to buy.

-Not yet, no.

What's the one thing you want from this negotiation?

It would have to be maybe having freebies,

maybe a couple of cheap freebies for the samples.

Guys, I am concerned. Lots of great talking

-but you need a plan.

-All right.

OK, good luck in the negotiation.

'Cha-Ching really need a strategy and quick.

'What about Team Sterling?'

-These little ones, we could use that for the box.

-Yes.

So have you decided exactly which product you're going for?

We're going for some smaller products for the pick and mix.

We're going for the cakes cos I know that was a great seller.

'Having a clear strategy like team Sterling's gift boxes is

'essential to success in any business.'

So, Isaac, what's your pricing strategy?

We're going to try and get all these products

for a pound of under or maybe just slightly over for the bigger ones.

'That's less than half the price in the shops. Very ambitious!'

But it's down to who can negotiate the best deal for their smellies.

This will be the toughest negotiation they've ever faced.

They can't afford to let those soapy deals slip through their fingers

if they want to win the Trading Challenge.

First up, Team Sterling.

-Hi, guys.

-Hello.

Hi, Rachel.

To begin with, we were enquiring about the small bath bombs.

How much are they?

Well, they retail, typically, between £2 and 2.50.

-How many of those are you looking to buy?

-Altogether, about 30.

This team have come in with a plan.

They've thought exactly the products they want to buy. Fantastic.

60p.

HE INTAKES A BREATH

That would be difficult. How about 90p?

Hmm...

We're looking more halfway, 75?

OK, let's say 75p for those small mallows, yeah?

'Less than half the retail price. A great bargain but I spy a problem.'

They've got a calculator there and they haven't used it yet.

I hope they're on top of their prices.

OK, for the brulees, how's £1.20?

£1.10, we said.

That's a good price...

OK, we'll do it £1.10 for you guys.

Also, could we get eight of the crazy cupids, please?

For 85?

OK, yes, we can do that, OK.

'Another good deal but no-one's adding up what they're spending.'

We were wondering if, possibly, we could get packaging free

with what we got?

-Do you know how many of those you need?

-30 of those boxes.

We can arrange for 30 of those to be free of charge.

-Um...then adding on the...

-Brulees?

..24 to the...

One sec, sorry.

'At last, they're adding everything up.

'At the moment, they've no idea if they can afford

'what they've bought!'

Total - times that by eight.

We may need to take down the prices for some of the prices

for the other items which I apologise for.

'Robert is not impressed.'

Our calculations were too high.

That's what happens when you don't use a calculator -

you make a mistake.

'They've overspent and have to renegotiate.

'That's no way to do business.'

Would it be possible to have 25 of the small ones?

25 of those at 75p, yes?

-£18.75, is that right?

-Yes.

£74.45.

OK.

'Finally, Team Sterling seem back in control.

Not to push our luck, could we, with the little change we've got left,

get a sample of these?

-Yes, absolutely, we can arrange that.

-Thank you.

The way to make any budget go further is to ask for freebies

and that's exactly what they've done -

free packaging and samples, well done!

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, cheers. Thank you, guys.

-Lovely, thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Wonderful.

'Despite the hiccup, Team Sterling got some great deals plus free

'packaging for their gift boxes.

'Next up, Cha-Ching.

'I hope they've sorted out a clear strategy for what they're buying.'

-Hello, guys.

-Hello.

-OK, we were thinking of buying five of each product.

-OK.

Let's just start on all the items that cost £2.

The blasters and the smaller mallows.

The boys seem to have a very simple plan here -

they're buying five of everything. What could go wrong?

-So six types, five of each, that's 30 units in total.

-Yes.

Would you be willing to make an offer for, let's say...

75p per item?

Could I squeeze a little more out of you? 95p?

85?

Shall we call it 87?

-87 pence.

-It's a deal.

Cha-Ching pride themselves on their negotiating skills

but they've paid 12p more per bomb than Team Sterling.

That will make it tougher for the boys tomorrow.

Now onto the soaps.

-So that's 25 units.

-25 units.

92?

Uhh...

25 units at 92p. I can't go quite that low.

-90...

-No, no, that's fine.

98?

98p for 25 units...

Would you like us to do puppy eyes?!

HE LAUGHS

THE BOYS WHIMPER

-OK, on these smaller ones, we'll do 98p.

-OK.

Puppy eyes or not, after buying 11 kinds of bombs and blasters,

I think they've got a problem.

It can't be £34.

It's come out as £340.80

Have you got the answer?

'Come on, Cha-Ching. Asking your supplier to keep track of the deals

'is not a good idea.'

Oh, yeah, £78.15.

That's what I've got.

'That's £3.15 more than they've got to spend.'

They've got themselves into a right lather here.

OK, knock off three...four of them?

-Four of the wild strawberries?

-Yes, please.

-Happy?

-Yeah.

'Well saved. A cool head got the deal back on track.'

Thank you very much, guys, a pleasure doing business.

-There you go.

-Wonderful, thank you very much. Cheers, guys.

For their £75, Team Sterling have got eight bars of Crazy Cupid soap

and 73 bombs and blasters, including 22 of the best-selling cake brulees.

They're planning to do gift boxes of several items which

will help them shift more stock with each sale.

For their £75, Cha-Ching got 25 soaps and 56 bombs and blasters.

They're planning to use their free samples to show off their stock.

They reckon this and their years of trading experience will set them

on their way to the USA.

Tomorrow, one team will bathe in the glory of victory

while the other one can only... bomb!

Today Team Sterling go head to head with Cha-Ching.

Both will do anything to win and get the chance

to compete in our Trade Your Way To The USA Grand Final.

The team who makes the most money today is one step closer

to becoming Britain's Best Young Traders.

Good Morning, Team Stirling. Good Morning, Cha-Ching.

In a few hours, thousands of people will be visiting Bath

with money to burn.

You have just two hours to sell them your bath-time treats.

Remember, the team that makes the most money wins today's challenge.

Only they stand a chance of trading their way to the USA

and becoming Britain's Best Young Traders.

-Teams, are you ready?!

-ALL: Yes!

Let's set up the stalls!

The teams need to get ready. Every sale takes them

that bit closer to the USA!

Now, tell me about your pricing.

Our normal bath bombs are £3 each or 2 for £5

-because people like bargains.

-So you're doing a deal already?

-Yes.

Are you going to put those in gift boxes?

Yes, we have gift boxes behind here.

-And you've got some ribbons?

-Yes, we have ribbons.

-Perfect.

These gift boxes should get them £7 in one hit -

more than selling the products individually.

How are Cha-Ching doing?

We've been shouting out ever since we were younger,

selling stuff on stalls, so we know what we're doing.

Listen, what prices are you selling your products at?

-We're going for four for the big ones.

-What about the soaps?

They're £2.50 each or 3 for £6 so we've done a deal there.

Their prices are higher than Team Sterling's

but Cha-Ching have a secret weapon...or at least, they had one.

Where are you testers?

Since the fact we don't have any warm water,

-it doesn't really do much.

-Are these all your free samples?

-Yes.

'Their bombs need a hot bath to work

'but the boys still have some great samples.'

With their stalls set, it's time for the battle of the bath bombs

to begin!

Team Stirling, Cha-Ching - are you ready?!

ALL: Yes!

Three, two, one...

start selling!

AIR HORN SOUNDS

Quality bath bombs, quality soap!

Can I interest you in any bath bombs?

Straight away, both teams split up.

Isaac and Henry head out into the crowds and the others man the stall.

For today and today only!

Come get your bath bombs!

£3.50.

Expert traders Cha-Ching are already

attracting lots of attention to their stall.

As we started selling, people were like, "bling, bling".

They wanted our stuff.

That's £6 straight away, but it looks like they're not

the only ones off to a roaring start.

This one? £2, please.

Enjoy, spread the word. please. Here you go.

That's four sales for £8

and they've only been trading for a few seconds!

Soap bath bombs, come and get your bath bombs!

Cha-Ching are selling well off the stall

but Henry is having less success.

I haven't sold anything. I don't know why I haven't yet.

Cos I haven't been loud enough.

Go up to a certain amount of people

and say "Would you like to purchase some of our bath bombs?"

That's what I've been doing, TJ.

Can I interest you in a bath bomb at all?

Although he's trying hard...

Can I interest anybody?

..Henry is making one big mistake.

These products are so easy to sell. All you've got to do

is get your customers to smell them.

Oh, no, Henry.

I think he needs a little help.

Henry, the thing is, you've got these products, great,

but what if someone wants to smell them?

Um... Ah.

Get one of those, and smell that.

-Gorgeous.

-Yeah.

-Stick it on there

-and get people to smell it, it will help you out.

-Thank you.

Can I interest you in any free samples?

He's is my brother, he's perfect.

You know, I complain about him, I say I hate him

but he's my brother and I love him to bits but don't tell him that.

They're lovely-smelling soaps, beautiful-smelling.

-They're long lasting. Do you want that one?

-Yes.

£1, thank you.

Henry's samples are helping him to sell,

but Isaac's got a unique selling point of his own.

# Come on, ladies, come on, men!

# Bargain bath bombs! #

That'll be £4, please.

Isaac, what are you doing?

Basically, I'm just singing to get the crowd in.

What's your song?

# Come on, ladies, come on, men

# Bargain bath bombs

# Brulees, bath bombs, soak some more

# Smells that you just can't ignore

# Come on, ladies, come on, men

# Bargain bath bombs! #

High five! Well done!

-Can I have that one?

-Yeah, sure.

You know, if you've got a skill like singing, use it.

Customers love it and it'll draw attention to your stall.

Thank you very much. Have a nice day. Spread the word.

We will, don't worry.

The selling is halfway through and though Isaac is doing well,

there's a problem back at Team Sterling's stall.

Team Sterling really have to make something of their gift boxes.

At the moment, they're hidden from view.

-Aiden, you've got some boxes. Where are they?

-Under here.

Should we use them to show them off?

-You could actually have it on display.

-No problem.

And that might be a nicer way to sell.

Gift boxes are a great idea.

More cash in one hit.

These ones are £3 each, but we'll do a deal for you - three for £7.

Would you like three? OK, pick three that you would like.

Your three favourite.

Thank you.

That gift box is £7 alone.

# I wish this moment would last forever... #

It's 90 minutes in and Cha-Ching decide to

get a closer look at the competition.

Not THAT close, Charlie!

-Any bath bombs for you today?

-Yeah, I'll get some... No.

Back at his stall, Charlie's really worried about what he's seen.

Basically, TJ, they're doing the big ones for two for five quid.

And also they're doing them singly for £3.

Seeing Team Sterling selling well at lower prices has really

knocked Charlie's confidence.

I don't think we've got this.

Well, we've only got a customer every three minutes.

I don't think we've got this. I think it's game over.

Selling is not easy. Not everyone will want to buy your product.

But don't get disheartened, just carry on. Somebody will buy.

Time for a pep talk.

-You've got to fight for this.

-OK.

You've got to sell with a smile on your face.

-You want to win and you want to get to the USA.

-OK.

-Let's go!

Now they know Team Sterling's prices...

We put the large ones down to three. Two for five.

Cha-Ching slash theirs to match.

Anyone like to test any of these bath bombs?

Go straight up to the red stall

and you can purchase them at extremely cheap prices.

That's £3, please.

-Thank you. Which one would you like, this one?

-Much better, Charlie.

In business it pays to stay focused. That's another £6 for your cash box.

We sold quite a lot, yeah. I'm very, very confident.

-Just ten minutes left.

-Come to THIS store!

It's an all-out selling war.

I think it's going quite well.

We've lowered the prices now, so we'll get more customers.

So we just want to try and sell out to get the maximum profit we can.

-Right, there we go. Those four, please.

-Thank you.

-£13.

-You can keep the change.

-Thank you very much!

Amazing! Aiden's been given a tip.

She told me to keep the change, er, because...

I don't know, maybe I was nice. I don't know.

I don't think Aiden sees himself as a salesperson,

but actually he's got all the skills to be an excellent one.

He's kind, he smiles, he's very polite and charming -

perfect sales skills.

-Thank you very much. MAN:

-Cheap at half the price! There we are.

-Thank you very much.

-Brilliant, Cha-Ching.

That's another £5 to add to your takings.

-Henry, well done!

-Thanks.

In the final minutes, the teams try every trick in the book.

-Come over here, we're doing two for a pound.

-Oh, wait! We'll do you...

Even pinching each other's customers.

They'll do anything to win.

-£3.50?

-We can do £3.50.

We went to the stall because they were selling cheaper

and they persuaded us with a brilliant deal.

That's how I roll!

Just five minutes left.

50p for everything! For every time, every place, anywhere!

Each team has slashed their prices to shift their stock.

Every penny will count.

Bath bombs for £2! Fancy one?

Only one team can win and the time is almost up.

Still feeling confident. We've still got to get out there.

I think we made about £20 in the last five minutes with these slashes.

Everything's been reduced! Just there on the red stall!

Thank you very much. The whole box for a fiver!

And we'll give you some soap!

Ten, nine, eight, seven,

six, five,

four, three,

two, one, stop selling.

HOOTER BLARES

That describes how I'm feeling!

-Team Sterling, can I have your cash box?

-You may.

-Thank you.

-COINS RATTLE

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

I hope we've done enough. Only time will tell.

Cha-Ching, can I have your cash box?

Yeah, maybe. COINS RATTLE

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

They gave it their all, but only one team can triumph.

Is it Cha-Ching...

or Team Sterling who've made the most money

and are in with a chance of trading their way to the USA?

I've been watching both teams very closely for the last two days

and I have to say I've been very impressed with what I've seen.

Over 2,000 top traders applied to be in your shoes,

but only 14 teams made it through this far.

You should be very proud of yourselves.

The team that makes the most money wins today's challenge

and only they stand a chance of trading their way to the USA.

The cash has been counted.

Team Sterling, you took...

..£152.50.

Cha-Ching, you took...

..£91.50.

I think Team Sterling won because we're all characters,

but we also all bring different traits to what we do.

I was just over the moon.

I'm just feeling completely gutted. Absolutely gutted.

They are extremely good and I hope they get through.

Commiserations, Cha-Ching.

You should be very proud of yourselves,

because the effort you put in was fantastic.

Congratulations, Team Sterling, you are today's winners

and it earns you a place on our leaderboard.

The winner of each heat goes onto our leaderboard

and only these teams stand a chance of getting to the final.

Today's winners Team Sterling's £152.50 puts them

in the top spot, knocking off Top Dogs.

But will it be enough to keep them there?

Because only the four teams that make the most money go on to

fight it out next week.

In business, there's always competition, but to be successful,

you've got to hold your nerve under pressure and not get distracted.

That's exactly what our winning team did today, and it's well

worth remembering if you want to trade your way to the USA.

..Two more teams do battle.

90p?

I will not go under £2 at all.

Come and buy these fantastic things!

-All one pound!

-£1.50.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd