At first I thought this article about retailers under the threat of six months’ jail time for adding liquor to gift baskets was based in the U.S.

Then I saw the story is about Bangkok, Thailand merchants. Still, it’s an interesting story because it’s about our industry.

The fine shown for this offense, “up to 10,000 baht,” is the equivalent of $288.60 U.S. dollars.

I’ve yet to see a story about alcohol basket arrests in North America, but that doesn’t mean one hasn’t been published somewhere. There’s simply too much to lose, and at the same time, everything to gain when non-alcoholic alternatives are added.

Last year I discussed alcohol at Ask The Gift Basket Expert, and there were lots of comments from many of you.

Now that the holidays have passed, you’ll certainly see wonderful beverages and syrups at the upcoming trade shows. Aside from that, your mission is to check your inventory levels now to determine what you’ll buy and which products are must haves, maybes, and considerations.

I plan to return to posting trade show reports, as shown in this section, but this time they’ll be part of a special site I’ll launch early next month.

Did you learn anything about your customers this holiday season, whether about alcohol preferences or overall design appeal, that will extend your success in 2009?

Shirley George Frazier

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We all know how popular wine is as part of a gift basket, and we also know that many of us cannot legally include wine with our designs.

I thought about this as I read an article in New York’s Observer Today. Last week, the online paper featured a story about a winery that’s just hired a “new staff member with background in gift basket production.”

She’s now in charge of creating the winery’s gift baskets, and of course, the firm expects their gift basket sales to increase, especially in the fourth quarter.

You may not be able to buy wines, and perhaps that’s not what your customers prefer. However, you can expand your line by designing with crates and other containers that are often selected for wine inclusion.

Look at the above picture. It’s a prototype I created a few years ago for Total Wine. It includes the wine, breadsticks, and peanuts, a super-simple combination.

It’s very easy to create a crated design, so why not replace the wine with a sparkling cider or another beverage in a wine-type bottle?

This is not only easy to make and shrink wrap, it’s also easy to ship and easy to transport to the receiver’s front door.

What items are a good pairing with non-alcoholic beverages?

Wine-based containers aren’t just for alcohol. What do you think about this alternative?

Shirley George Frazier

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Liquor licenses continue to be a frequently-asked question at gift basket classes. I also talk about liquor laws at Ask The Gift Basket Expert.

A newspaper article recently made public on the Web explained another side of getting a liquor license that I didn’t realize, and perhaps you also want to know.

Most cities have reached their maximum for issuing these licenses, so if you want one, you must buy it from a licensed store that’s closing. The inflated price must be staggering. And it doesn’t end there.

Once you and the seller come to a price agreement, transfer paperwork must be completed to let your city, county, or other issuing department know that you are the person purchasing the license.

Is all of this worth it just to tell clients that you can add liquor to their gift baskets?

This transfer option is, of course, only available to retail stores, not to home-based designers.

Wine and liquor alternatives are abundant. From ciders to flavored beverages, in traditional bottles or unique containers, there’s something non-alcoholic to include that will intoxicate your clients without liquors’ involvement.

If you are still searching for a liquor license, how do you see it increasing your business?

Shirley George Frazier

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