Hosted by Shirley George Frazier -- Author, Industry Expert

The change of year always ushers in higher costs in areas where your have no control.

If you can control costs, it’s still smart business to increase charges where necessary.

Here are three areas in your gift basket business to check today.

Shipping. Reviewing transportation records for the past 3-6 months often reveals that you’ve been undercharging. While trying to be conservative and keep costs low for customers, this sometimes means that you pay for miscalculations.

Deliveries. Has the courier that delivers your baskets increased rates this month? If so, you’ll have to do the same and notify your customers. If you are the courier, calculate how much mileage it takes to get from a general point A to point B and also factor in vehicle maintenance.

Appointments. If you haven’t been charging engaged couples for consulting with them on thank you gift baskets for family and friends after the wedding, now’s the time to start. I learned years ago at a flower industry convention that charging a consultation fee is mandatory because of the time spent giving couples ideas that may not result in a sale.

You cannot make money if you are covering costs that rightfully are passed to customers.

There are other areas in your business to review, but these are the most common. Which one will you adjust first?

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