What Should I Buy to Make Gift Baskets?
Erica asks:
“I’m trying to decide what products to buy for my business, and I can’t make up my mind.
There are so many choices. I’m starting to get dizzy.
How can I choose the best products to offer my customers?”
Before you buy anything, make sure you thoroughly understand the people who will buy your gift baskets.
What are their likes and dislikes? Popcorn, nuts and chocolates are products that regularly appear in baskets, but plush animals are a specialty item. If customers aren’t the plush-loving type, buying plush will be a waste of money.
You’ll find basket ideas at the Baskets site and product/supply ideas at GiftBasketWholesaleSupplies.com.
Many designers start by buying enough inventory to make 12 baskets. Others start with more or less; it all depends on the amount of capital on hand and the initial size of your business.
Try not to buy products that you think are cute. If it’s too unique, customers won’t want it in their baskets, and that case of product will decorate your home while depleting your money.
What’s Your Brochure Question?
I covered a lot of ground this week on the GiftBasketBusiness.com blog’s Create a Brochure series this week, but you may have other questions or comments.
Let me know here if you have specific questions about creating your brochure or catalog. I may know the answer or have an idea, or you are welcomed to share your experience or answer someone’s question.
A catalog is one of the most-expensive business investments, and it’s also one that proves your commitment to clients who are ready and able to buy from you.
What’s your question?
[tags]gift baskets business, how to create a catalog, questions about gift basket brochures catalogs[/tags]
Where Can I Find Gift Basket Industry Information?
Darlene asks:
“I am writing a business plan and I wanted to know if there are any Trade Publications, Trade Organizations or Associations that I can get information about the Gift Basket industry?”
There is no definitive place to find gift basket industry facts. Reports have been issued in the past through various magazines, but those reports do not provide a complete snapshot about the many individuals and corporations making gift baskets.
The main stumbling block in creating an industry report is that participating firms are privately owned. They are not required to report their income to anyone outside of the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental agency outside of the U.S.
For U.S.-based firms, the IRS is neither in the position nor obligated to compile this information for us.
I’ve done extensive research to locate information dating back to 1913, which I documented in The Gift Basket Design Book. I’ve also compiled data from an assortment of publications including Specialty Food, Gourmet News, and Gifts & Decorative Accessories.
While those publications did a splendid job at giving us an industry view, the data did not uncover information from all angles. It could not because of the above-stated boundary.
My suggestion is to plan your business according to regional information which is available your county’s administration office.
- How many people live in the area (population)?
- How many established businesses exist (corporate sales potential)?
- How many hotels and conference centers exist, and how many more are planned (out of town sales potential)?
The answers to these questions and others that uncover the town “makeup” and future plans tell you whether or not a gift basket business will not just survive but how quickly it will thrive.
If you wait for an industry report, you’ll never start, and that’s not an option.
[tags]gift basket, gift baskets, gift basket statistics, gift basket industry[/tags]
Featured Book
