Not the crafty type? Not to worry. You can make a business assembling gift baskets or themed kits for sale! Select and pack themed items into a pretty basket or decorative box, and market them as unique gifts with a personal touch. A pretty basket containing decorative soaps, scented bath oils, bath beads and a matching wash cloth would make a good Mother's Day gift item. Or put together kits that will simplify your customer's life. Children's craft kits, car emergency kits, or kits that contain all the basics for scrapbooking are some examples. Kits and baskets can really sell well during the holidays, if you plan creative products and market them at the right time. Easter-egg decorating kits, Christmas baskets with holiday items, and kits with the things needed to make a fun Father's day gift are some examples of how you can use holiday themes to increase your business. When planning your baskets and kits, be creative. Think of gifts you would love to recieve if someone were ordering for you, and start there. If you keep the options simple and plan well, there will be little work in packaging up the gifts or kits and shipping them off to your customers.
What Should I Charge?
The price you set for your gift baskets or kits will vary depending on there contents. First, you will want to plan out exactly what items will go into your packages, and determine how much it will cost you to purchase them. Buy the items as well as the baskets, boxes or other packaging, in bulk whenever possible to cut down on costs, and look for good deals on the internet and in your local paper. When you calculate your costs for the items filling your baskets, be sure the amount you use is the most the items could possibly cost you. This way, if you were able to get decorative soaps, for example, on sale this month, but you have to pay full price next month, you will not be losing money. Once you have determined the amount that each basket or kit will cost you to make, mark up the price of each package a fair amount to arrive at your selling price. Remember, you will need to be sure that you are making enough on each item for your efforts to be worthwhile. Do a little comparison shopping before setting a price, to see what other products similar to yours are selling for. When considering how much to charge for shipping, figure out what postage will be on each item (be exact) and what it will cost to package the items for shipping. The cost of paper, packing materials, and boxes can add up, so be sure to figure these costs into your shipping fee. Allow a little extra for your time in packaging up the products and taking them to the post office, and set your shipping fees accordingly.
