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What types of products do most people want in their gift baskets?
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Are
sausage products okay for get well baskets?
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Can I buy products at retail cost and then mark up the price to sell
to a customer?
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Is it okay to buy baskets at garage sales?
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Where can I
find local products and supplies?
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Should I buy products that have “Happy Mother’s Day” or
“Merry Christmas” written on it?
Visit to the FAQ Index page for a full list
of all of the frequently-asked questions pages.
Also
visit the Success Articles
section.
Individuals
love all types of open-and-eat snacks. Pretzels, popcorn, candy, nuts,
cookies, jelly beans, and chocolates are reigning favorites. These
items can be added to most all-occasion gift baskets.
The only caveats
are making sure a recipient isn’t allergic to a product and
non-inclusion of a product due to religious beliefs. You must always
question customer preferences and dietetic restrictions before creating
a basket.
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Sausage
is a great addition to just about every gift basket.
When a client
orders a get well basket, make sure that the recipient can eat sausage.
The product might not be a good candidate for a person recovering from
certain types of hospital procedures.
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This is acceptable as long as the markup
price is both affordable to the customer and money making for you.
For
example, if you buy a package of cocoa at the supermarket for 49 cents,
you can easily double the price and include it in a gift basket.
However, if you buy a medium-sized basket for $8.50 at a craft store,
doubling the price might make the gift most costly than buy baskets from
a wholesaler.
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Wholesale suppliers and discount stores
aren’t the only places to buy baskets.
You can purchase baskets from any
source as long as the basket is of good quality, the right size for your
needs, and at a good price.
Some
designers swear by finding great buys at garage sales, and some swear at
this practice.
Finding and using wholesale sources gives you greater
control with inventory when multiple designs are needed by customers who
place large orders.
The
Baskets site displays
many basket types, and the
Basket Sources Directory puts a list of over 70
wholesale suppliers at your fingertips.
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New designers find low-cost products at
discount and retail stores. Supermarkets sell cocoa, crackers and baby
items made by lesser-known manufacturers. Also visit local specialty
stores for unique snacks and foods. Ensure that all products are fresh
by checking the packaging for an expiration date.
Your yellow pages will contain a
listing for “floral wholesalers.” This type of outlet carries baskets,
flowers, ribbon, balloons, bags and other items. It’s best to obtain
your business identification license or tax identification before
purchasing.
Many of these wholesalers will not sell to the public. Ask a
representative about the company’s policy.
The audio CD,
How to Find Products in and Around Your State, share solutions that
are found close to your backyard.
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Buying products emblazoned with words for
a specific holiday or occasion means that you can sell the product only
for that event. When that event is over, you will have to store gift
items for the next year. Hopefully, the item will become out of style or
dated during that time.
As for snacks and other edibles, you will have
to eat it, give it away, or throw it out. This is the prime reason that
most designers stay away from products of this kind.
There are plenty of items packaged in red
for Valentine’s Day that don’t contain the words, and others products in
gold boxes which can be used for Christmas as well as birthdays.
Designers usually select products that can be used for multiple
baskets. Set your sights on doing the same.
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