Gift Basket Making – How to Begin
Filling or stuffing the inside of an empty basket is easy if you’re familiar with gift basket making, but if you’re just starting, the process isn’t always simple.
I remember trying to figure out how to stabilize the basket’s inner foundation, thinking that I’d need a protractor, ruler, or compass to help me figure it out.
Then I saw a demonstration at a gift basket convention that revealed the secret foundation ingredient. Sounds like something straight out of a spy novel, doesn’t it?
That’s what I share in the above video tutorial for those of you who are starting to make gift baskets part time or full time.
If you’re a veteran designer, what material did you use to fill the inner basket when you began?
If you’re just starting, how helpful is this video, and what else would you like demonstrated in the future?
Where to Find Great Gift Basket Design Ideas
If you’re searching for new ideas and great inspiration, you’ll find lots of help in the gift basket magazines housed in your own storage area.
I recently looked at the first issue of Gift Basket Review, published in 1990, and counted no fewer than two dozen designs and techniques that still wow customers.
I often see old gift basket magazines being sold on the Internet and wonder if sellers are closing their businesses or fail to see the value on each page.
Look for magazines that you own, and flip through the content. You’ll refresh your idea bank and revitalize your designs.
Start with just one magazine. Then return here and share what technique you’ve forgotten and will start practicing all over again.
Help Clients Customize their Gift Baskets Online
Last year at this time, I pointed you to a Web story about a dollar store in the New Hampshire area that was creating a gift basket section.
Without knowing if the store now has that section up and running, it still seems to be a great idea that can work for you online, especially as the holidays approach.
As an example, your Web site can feature a page with two baskets and 10 or 12 items for the customer to choose from as a customization option.
The customer would select up to eight items to fill in one of the baskets, and they could also choose from three color themes such as blue, green, or gold (colors chosen for the shred and bow).
This type of Web site page is not difficult to create or maintain, and it’s also not a difficult task to select items with prices that are close in range.
If you already offer this type of online customization, what have you learned from the experience?
New Year Babies Get Gift Baskets
With every year change comes many stories about first babies and gift baskets. Here’s one such story published on KY3.com of Missouri.
You’ll see a photo of the newborn but not the gift basket mentioned in the article.
New babies are one occasion that keeps some designers very, very busy. As you read this, thousands of infants are born, and a gift basket will be ordered for many of them.
This is why some designers specialize in this gift and drop ship sources exclusively for baby gift baskets also exist. This specialty will always be requested worldwide.
I made two videos about baby gift baskets. One shows a large design, and another displays pre-made gifts in cute containers available from Stephan Enterprises. You’ll also find a list of potential products for babies on the products and supplies page.
If you still want to dabble in gifts for babies and want to offer something other than traditional baskets, this diaper gift at RetailWraps.com may be a great alternative.
Many of my baby gift designs, especially the ones created in upturned umbrellas, are topped with fans. One designer asked me about fan toppers at Ask The Gift Basket Expert, which is answered here.
Which of your baby gift baskets is ordered most often?
Lots of Bottle Anchoring Techniques Available Now
How do you stabilize bottles in your gift baskets? I’m talking about tall bottles of anything – cider, syrups, vinegars, etc.
I know how I anchor these items, but what about you?
I began wondering if you had a solid technique or need more help as I looked at the picture accompanying this gift article in LoHud.com.
Do you see the wine bottles in the short basket on the right held by a store executive? The store certainly doesn’t put pre-wrapped gifts in customers’ hands that way (I’m not calling it a design, as it’s not).
Looking at this picture gave me an idea for you: Visit some of the more-popular wine stores in your area to see how they anchor their bottles.
Of course, everything may be shrink wrapped. That’s probably their first option. But as mentioned in another article I linked to in this post, there may be a gift basket designer on staff that’s does more than shrink wrapping.
This is a good time (holiday gift giving season, etc.) to fit research into your weekly plans. Hopefully, you’ll see different wrapping and design styles that will expand your abilities throughout 2009.
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