Gift Basket Business Blog

Use Premade Gift Baskets When You’re Busy

September 29th, 2008 at 10:05pm Lorie Obernauer

I’m sure you’re busy planning for the upcoming holiday season, but even with the best laid plans, you may get unexpected orders. Although you’ll be thrilled to receive these orders, you might be caught without the products you need to get the order shipped per your customer’s instructions. Or you may have the products, but not enough staff to make the baskets so that they can be shipped by the required date. Or maybe you have a customer who wants a “themed basket” which you rarely make and you’re uncertain about investing in the containers and products to make a basket of this type.

If any of this sounds familiar, think about buying pre-made gift baskets. Flora Brown recently compiled a list of vendors who you can contact to buy pre-made baskets. These baskets will come to you already shrink wrapped and ready for you to deliver to your customer. While you may not make the same profit on these pre-made baskets as you might on those you create on your own, you’ll be making points with your customers when the baskets are delivered in a timely fashion. It’s better to make a smaller profit and be able to satisfy your customer then risk sending baskets that were made in a rush and may not be up to par with your usual quality.

Many of the vendors who sell pre-made baskets also offer drop-shipping options. Flora Brown also has compiled a list of companies who drop ship. You can have the baskets delivered directly to the recipient from the company that makes the baskets. Most often, you will be able to have a card attached to the basket with a personal note from the sender.

Whether you decide to buy pre-made baskets and deliver them yourself or have pre-made baskets drop-shipped, make sure you find out about the shipping charges and factor those into whatever price you establish.

Entry Filed under: Business Tips, Gourmet Gift Foods, New Products & Trends