Can I Put “Not for Individual Sale” Products in My Gift Baskets?
Yvonne asks:
“I purchased four bags of candy that were combined in one package, and when I opened it, a label on each bag said that the product was not be to resold individually. Am I wrong to put each bag into four different gift baskets?“
Manufacturers often add such labeling to their products to persuade variety store retailers from buying certain products in bulk and then separating the product for individual sale.
If you visit flea markets or swap meets, you’ll also see “not for individual sale” labels on some products.
This is understandable. However, if you are not buying products packaged this way on a regular basis, then it’s okay to separate the products for individual inclusion in your gift baskets.
If these are edible products, make sure the expiration date is still valid, and also peel the “not for individual sale” labels from the items before including them in your gift baskets.
To buy products that are packaged and ready for resale (no extra package wrap to throw away), visit GiftBasketWholesaleSupplies.com and OrganicWholesaleSupplies.com for manufacturer and wholesale sources designers count on regularly.
Where to Find Baskets
Zena asks: “It’s becoming more difficult to find baskets to make gift baskets. How can I find basket sources when suppliers aren’t around?”
There are plenty of basket sources still available, especially if you’re located in the United States. Even if you’re not U.S. based, baskets are imported to your country from many places for many reasons, including gift basket making.
Before I qualified to buy baskets from wholesalers, I visited retail stores selling baskets, and these stores usually leave tags attached to baskets for sale telling you who made it or where the retailer purchased it.
Learning where florists buy their supplies is another way to locate suppliers.
The website, BasketsGiftBaskets.com, may also be helpful in leading you to basket sources.
Baskets are made mostly in Asian-based countries, and they’re not slowing down production. Keep looking in retail stores and through wholesale facilities that cater to florists and related professionals. You’ll find that baskets are plentiful in places right in your backyard.
Why Add Paper and Not Shred Inside the Basket?
Judy asks: “Why do I have to use newspaper at the bottom of my baskets? Why not use shred? Isn’t that easier and cleaner?”
This question is similar to one that was recently asked in the Start Your Own Gift Basket Business course that I teach online. You can read more about it and enroll through this link.
My experience with newspaper is that it stabilizes products more securely than shred, which tends to cause wobbling and also makes it easy for products to sink quickly into the basket.
It’s fine to add shred in the bottom of your basket. However, consider the cost of shred versus the cost of newspaper. The latter is less costly. Do your own calculations to determine how much you’ll spend.
It’s well known that the ink printed onto newspaper causes hands to become smudged and dirty. If you prefer not to use newspaper, the same paper in the plain, unprinted version is also an option and a popular choice for designers who add this cream, tan, or off-white color paper within their baskets.
You aren’t required to use newspaper, but the product is less costly than shred and provides more stability to the gifts and foods included within each design.
