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Gift baskets are
cited by Entrepreneur Magazine and Paul & Sarah Edwards as one of the best
businesses for the 21st century.
In 2008, the gift
basket industry will top $4.8 billion in sales. This figure reflects cumulative
gift basket sales at specialty shops, department stores and grocers and other
retail sellers. Home-based businesses and independent stops which cater to the
corporate market also add to the industry’s growth.
Gift baskets became
popular in the early 1900s, as an offshoot of a baby bassinet which was filled
with powders, lotions, a comb, brush and soaps.
Consumers buy gift
baskets most often in the south, west, Midwest and northeast, respectively. This
is due to each region’s population and regional migration patterns.
Postcards and yellow
page listings are top industry advertising methods. Newspaper and magazine ads
are expensive and generate few sales.
Gift baskets are the
top product added in retail stores. This gift is added more often than other
consumer products, which includes furniture, collectibles, stationery and
tabletop items.
The average price
for a single gift basket is $45-$50, depending on each region‘s economic
status.
The most popular
buyers are women, single or married, ages 35-49, with or without children, who
lead hectic lifestyles because of home, travel and work schedules.
Networking reigns as
the top word-of-mouth method for sales growth.
Gift Basket Q&A
Q. What types of snacks and gifts
are great in gift baskets?
A. Open-and-eat
snacks are the most popular items because the receiver can immediately enjoy the
contents. Popcorn, pretzels, chocolates, candies, nuts and crackers are examples
of popular snacks. Teas, cocoas, and coffees are also good choices.
Add gift items that compliment
the snacks, such as mini gift books, napkins, coasters, notepads, writing tools
and picture frames.
Q. Must a basket always be used
as the container?
A. It’s
good to use baskets, but gift basket designers who give customers alternative
choices are the ones who stand out in the crowd. Wagons, hat boxes, flower pots,
chairs, umbrellas and other vessels are terrific non-basket containers.
Q. What’s the biggest mistake that a novice
commits with gift baskets?
A.
The biggest mistake is combining perfumes or other fragrant items in the same
basket with chocolates. Chocolates are porous confections that will
absorb fragrances. It’s best not to combine any non-edible, fragrant items
with foods. Customers will understand this rule and respond positively to
alternatives.
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Questions about
promotional opportunities and other business relationships
can be Emailed to Cassandra Mosley at
cassandra@sweetsurvival.com.
Wholesalers
Want to become a wholesale
partner? Email John Beasley, manager of vendor relations, at
john@sweetsurvival.com.
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We are always happy to speak with the media.
Please Email your questions to Joan Jamison, media relations coordinator
at
joan@sweetsurvival.com. For a quicker
response, you are welcomed to call our office at (973) 279-2799.
Speaker's
Bureau
Shirley Frazier is available to speak to your group on small business
topics. Past speaking engagements have included women's groups,
students, trade shows, entrepreneurs and small business groups. Contact
Karen at
karen@sweetsurvival.com to schedule Shirley
for an event.
See
Shirley Frazier's Web
site for more information.
Our
Location
Sweet Survival®
P.O. Box 31, River St. Station
Paterson, NJ 07544-0031
(973) 279-2799
We are
developing additional campaigns to be offered on this page. If you do
not see a category here that you would like to discuss, please Email our
manager, Karen Smith, at
karen@sweetsurvival.com.
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