A gift basket design business is a specialty service to provide unique and quality baskets that are filled with products that you can be presented as a gift to friends or business associates. Gift baskets are great for special occasions and themes where all of the products in the basket are related. Many "themed" baskets are not only beautiful but they can be quite useful such as a "new baby" basket which includes towels, nappies, powder etc.
You will design and create the beautiful baskets for the special recipient. Your business includes design, procurement of product, assembly, order taking and then final shipment of product. Baskets can include anything from a few body products to a trunk with "off to college paraphernalia", the sky and your imagination are the limit. You will often find that a basket entrepreneur has actually been in the business for quite some time - the only difference is they did it as a hobby.
To be successful as a business you need to funnell some of your creativity into understanding your market and creating a series of baskets at a good price that can actually net you a nice income once you factor in all of your costs. With that being said many basket designers are truly creative types and enjoy the design process immensely. Most people could sit all day and try to tie the perfect bow and it would still look as though it had been run through the washer a few times. A beautiful basket has all of the elements of quality and style that a good designer puts into it.
Your sharp eye for market trends and understanding (listening too), your customers are what set you apart from the competition. Once the orders start flowing in your time-management skills will become key. This can be a seasonal business with rush orders at holidays such as Christmas and Valentine's Day.
You will also need to respond quickly to a key client who may need a large rush order, so you must be able to allocate resources to meet the need. A basket designer needs a workroom or "studio" as you can call it. You need to have plenty of good lighting and a workbench where you do not need to bend over or reach to far to assemble your masterpieces. You should have plenty of storage to sort all of the specialty products that will go into the final baskets. Spools should be installed where the ribbon can unwind without getting tangled.
Of course all of the materials for the final products will need to be purchased up front so your cost in basic inventory will be high at first. This can include baskets, and all of the specialty items including such items as food, beauty products, garden items etc. Remember - you cannot be all things to all people. Other items include, containers for storage, basket wrap, and the beautiful ribbon, heavy duty glue gun. Just for your basic business functions you will need a computer for keeping inventory, placing orders to suppliers and accepting customer orders, keeping accounting files, and processing invoices. Most designers set up online fax ordering.
To market your business effectively your customer will need to see your work. This can be accomplished through an online website, a colorful brochure or taking it door to door. Find out about the competition in your area, read some books on business, as well as gift basket business, check out gift basket businesses on the net, watch some videos on designing gift baskets. Learn the tools of the trade by training with another basket fanatic. You can learn bow design from experience with another master bow maker.
When you are ready to start, go and get a business license, and a resale number. This will help you tremendously, as you can get all your products at wholesale, as opposed to retail. It can cost as little as a few hundred dollars for supplies to several thousand depending on how you want to begin. The station can start at your kitchen table and then evolve to a specialized workbench in a convenient location in your home. Your computer, software, fax and printer willl cost about $1,200+ depending on the power and upgrades you choose. For billing software you can evaluate the products on the market - many like Quickbooks for their small business needs. Determine your clients needs and the scale of your business. Corporate purchasing is typically bought in bulk and they expect more for less.
Gift Basket Business Supplies
It may be tempting to buy everything you see that might make a good basket, but you should use restraint when you're just getting started. You may not be able to offer every type of themed basket to start.
Take it from Adriana Copaceanu, owner of ABC Gifts and Baskets, "Refrain from buying everything that looks cute or you'll soon realize all your start up money is spent on things you can only rarely use. I still have about $1000 worth of Valentine's Day items I bought for my first Valentine's Day!"
"Start off buying kits that are offered by many companies. That way, you won't need to meet the minimum for each company and you'll have the opportunity to see what works for you."
