The Home Business of Making Gift Baskets

by Charmaine Ferrer

The launch of the Internet has made it possible for a stay-at-home mom or stay-at-home dad launch a gift basket business and sell to the entire country. With a quick Google search, there are dozens of sites that allow for easy, do-it-yourself creation of websites. Web hosting is the new means of marketing and managing a business. Web hosting gives millions of people access to your website. The same can be said for email hosting in that a wide range of people can contact you. Both web hosting and email hosting are very cheap, starting from $1.99 a month. Once the web domain and email are set up, it’s time to market your business. Working with Google’s national and local advertising allows you to target broad or narrow down specific gift basket audiences you want to capture in minutes.

Gift baskets are an easy, cheap, and fairly inexpensive way to show someone you care. They come in all different assortments, such as:

Fruit Gift Basket

Wine and Cheese Gift Basket

Gourmet Food Gift Basket

Baby Shower Gift Basket

Bath Soap and Bath Lotion Gift Basket

In essence, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a gift basket. All it takes is some creativity and inspiration to design a gift basket that will attract consumers to your website to purchase your unique and special gift basket. But how do you get started? Where do you buy the supplies you need to make a gift basket? Retail stores offer baskets, but at high prices, and do not have the mass quantities available to make your gift baskets. If bought at retail stores, the business you just started would “go out of business”.

Time to think wholesale baskets! Securing wholesale suppliers is the key to success for your business. Working with a trusted wholesaler ensures that you are getting a good deal for your supplies. Wholesalers want to make your business succeed and will help you achieve that success. To find a good wholesaler for baskets, The Lucky Clover Trading Company is the place to go. They have a wide selection and variety of wicker baskets available for the type of gift you want to put together. Some of the baskets are beautifully hand-woven and are made from willow, bamboo, wood chip, and rattan. Aside from the hand-woven baskets, The Lucky Clover Trading also offers leatherette trays and wire baskets.

In addition, there is no need to go to another wholesaler for gift packing supplies. The Lucky Clover Trading Company makes it easy for your gift basket business to purchase your baskets and supplies all at one place. They also sell (wholesale) shreds and fill to stuff the bottom of the basket and add a decorated and homemade feel; cellophane, ribbons, bows, etc.

Of course, what you want to put in the gift basket is entirely up to you, the new business owner. It is also recommended that you contact a wholesaler that sells items you want to put in your gift basket—this saves time and money, and allows for more dedication to growing and expanding your business. The same goes for packaging materials such as boxes, Styrofoam, and shrink wrap—contact a wholesaler in order to get the best deals.

Once the gift baskets are assembled, packaged and ready to be shipped to your customers, having a reliable shipping carrier is another vital part to your web business. The two biggest carriers in the country are FedEx and UPS. You can also consider USPS (United States Postal Service). Establishing a good business working relationship with either of these carriers ensures timely delivery of your package to the customer and with their help, can make your business successful.

Now, with all of the tools in place: setting up a website, creating an email address, purchasing wholesale gift baskets and supplies through The Lucky Clover Trading Co., and having a shipping carrier, get off the couch and get started today! It is rewarding and worthwhile.