Ask The Gift Basket Expert » Design Tips

How to Customize Baskets and Containers

Shirley George Frazier — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:37:07 +0000

Brandy asks:

“How can I customize some of the baskets and alternative containers I use to build gift baskets?”

There are several methods available to customize these vessels.

Baskets can be sprayed with non-toxic paint to change the wood color or style. For a Mother’s Day event, I spray painted numerous baskets before bringing them to Macy’s to create gift baskets for customers and topping them with matching bows.

Boxes can also be sprayed, but it may be better to cover the thin cardboard material with light cloth and tacking it down on the inside with glue. One designer I met in the 1990s mastered this technique with great results.

Some home decor shops will provide you with more ideas on customizing your baskets and containers, and the photographs at BasketsGiftBaskets.com may also be helpful.

If you’re a designer who specializes in customizing your vessels, what advice can you share with us?

© 2008-2010 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is recognized as the leading authority on the gift basket industry. She is author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for videos, CDs, reports, tips, online newsletter, and much more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.

Three Tips to Make Spa Gift Baskets

Shirley George Frazier — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:27:16 +0000

Jamie asks:

Are there tips you can give me about making spa gift baskets?

Creating gift baskets with soaps, scrubs, and other skin soothing products is similar to making baskets filled with food. However, there are certain methods to making these specialty gifts that are different than the basic snack assortments.

1. Try not to combine too many fragrances in one basket. Two or three at the most are agreeable without too many scents clashing.

2. Baskets are a terrific vessel. Also, look for miniature claw tubs and other containers that can be found through many of our favorite local and national wholesalers.

3. Don’t shy away from the high-end products that ladies and men appreciate. There are times when lower-priced spa baskets are appropriate, but when it comes to pampering, customers and receivers want to see lavish items, such as products you’ll find on the Organic Wholesale Supplies site that cannot be found everywhere.

I remember seeing the first spa gift baskets ever photographed, which appeared in a New York-based magazine back in the early 1930s and cost less than $25 for a grand basket given to a family of four. Since then we’ve come a long way in product selection and price. I know your spa gift baskets will be everything your customers want, and they’ll also return to buy more.

How to Pack the Inside of a Gift Basket

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:28:45 +0000

Paula asks:

“Can I use Styrofoam peanuts to elevate products in my gift baskets, or is newspaper better?”

Unprinted newspaper, the type that resembles brown grocery bags, is a popular item that’s placed inside of baskets or containers. Newspaper is also acceptable. Many designers shun newspaper because of the ink transference from the paper to hands.

Some designers add peanuts inside of baskets, but this technique seems to be reserved for those who know how to stabilize them properly.

Peanuts have a habit of shifting inside of a basket or container, and if products are not set on top firmly, snacks and gifts can shift, causing the design to become unattractive when it finally reaches its destination.

Try adding peanuts as part of your exploration into gift basket designing. You’ll know if that material is best or if newspaper will make gift basket creation more manageable.

Must All Gift Baskets be Wrapped?

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:08:55 +0000

Tanya asks:

My customers want to see what’s inside of the gift basket before they buy it, and this costs me money because I have to take the cellophane wrapping off the gift, which wastes money since I have to re-wrap it.

Now I’m wondering if my gift baskets have to be wrapped in the first place. Is there a rule that says it has to be wrapped?

You’ve not explained the environment where you are selling gift baskets.

If you are in a retail shop, it’s best not to cellophane or shrink wrap gift baskets placed on store shelves.

An unwrapped example allows customers to see exactly what they’re receiving and the styling that complements it. This is the way most retailers display everyday and custom designs.

You’ll see a quick-and-easy cellophane wrapping technique in this video:

Additional help is found on the CellophaneWrapTips.com site.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule that states gift baskets must be wrapped. However, each design is enclosed in cellophane, a basket bag or shrink wrap before delivery whether by courier or worldwide shipper. That rule stands in terms of security and overall presentation when delivered to the recipient.

How Many Items in Each Basket?

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:50:48 +0000

Ann Marie asks:

“Is there some kind of formula to figure out how many items goes into a small, medium, or large basket?”

Someone, somewhere may have created a formula, but in my experience, none exists because the size of each basket or container and product determines what fits and how much to include.

Look at your inventory. There are slim boxes, wide jars, and flexible packages. Each one fits differently into every design, so there’s no way to match number of items to every basket.

Like veteran designers, you’ll develop an eye for configuration so there is less guesswork in deciding what and how much to add.

Ask The Gift Basket Expert » Design Tips

How to Customize Baskets and Containers

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Three Tips to Make Spa Gift Baskets

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How to Pack the Inside of a Gift Basket

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Must All Gift Baskets be Wrapped?

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How Many Items in Each Basket?

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