Gift Basket Shopping? Some Things You Should Know.

A gift basket is a gift basket is a gift basket; right? Wrong!

If you're looking to give a gift basket to a friend, family member, volunteer, client, business prospect, etc., price shouldn't be your main concern. Price is important, of course, but you've probably asked yourself: Why does one basket cost more than another? How come these people are wanting me to pay so darn much? After all, how hard can it be to throw a few items in a basket, wrap it up, stick a bow on it, and deliver it?

There's much more to "it" than you'd ever think, and let me tell you why.

Not just anyone can pilot a jumbo jet, and not just anyone can or should put together a gift basket. All gift baskets are not created equal. Shop wisely. The old saying, "You get what you pay for" certainly applies here, especially when it comes to making a good impression on a potential client or business associate.

A gift basket professional spends many years learning about and refining his or her craft. Note the use of the word "professional" as there are many amateurs who think they know about what goes into the makings of a gift basket.

A professional attends trade shows in or out of their state and pays dues to belong to various organizations to acquire and keep their certifications. A professional subscribes to trade journals and magazines. Many takes classes on design and floral arranging and learn about the use of colors and textures, and much, much more. They're always on the lookout for new and unique items to present to their customers and their gift recipients. Why? Because this is their job. While you may find an occasional food or gift item in a gift basket that you can purchase yourself from a big-box store or grocery store, your gift basket should be filled with gourmet treats and keepsake gifts that can only be purchased by someone in the trade.

When you're purchasing a gift basket, not only are you purchasing a basket or container that's made of quality materials, you're purchasing every bit of its contents, both inside and out. You're purchasing sometimes quite a bit of the professional's time. There's shopping involved, there's assembly involved (because there is no "throwing" items in a basket; all items need to stay secure in their place by using things such as tape, ribbon, glue dots, skewers), and sometimes quite concentrated time involved in making sure an unwrapped fragile item doesn't get broken in transit. Nothing's worse than your gift recipient receiving a gift that is broken.

Once the gift basket is completely assembled and wrapped in cellophane or tulle (a fine netting), or shrink-wrapped, the remaining finishing touches come next. Are you purchasing a bow that resembles how you tie a bow on your shoes or are you purchasing a hand-tied bow that your recipient thinks is so beautiful, they don't want to unwrap their gift? Then when they do unwrap it, they'll be proud to reuse the bow on another gift or use it within their own home.

Curling ribbon or other enhancements complete the gift as well as a handwritten (hopefully) gift card with your personal sentiments affixed to the basket. Some gift basket companies provide computer-generated gift cards. Not very personal. Be sure they know how to spell all the words and your name on the card!

A gift basket must be securely wrapped for travel, either by a courier or UPS or FedEx. A sturdy box is chosen, and materials such as "puffed air" bags, bubble wrap, and blank sheets of newsprint paper are used to keep the basket from shifting during transit. Think Jim Carrey as the delivery driver in "Ace Ventura" kicking a box down the street so that it's barely recognizable once it's left on the customer's doorstep. What potential for a disaster!

A gift basket professional takes into account that even if a damaged box is received by your gift recipient, what's in it is still in perfect condition. Your gift basket must arrive at its destination looking as pristine as it was once the gift basket professional placed it in its shipping box.

Billing and tracking information is provided to the customer, and followup is made by the professional to make sure your gift was successfully received at its destination.

Phew! Does all this make you tired? This is another reason to allow a professional to assist you with your gift-giving needs.

In case you're wondering, the photograph above is one of my custom sympathy gift baskets. I actually lost track of how many hours I put into this gift basket between shopping for all its special components, including a custom photograph, and making it as beautiful and as perfect for the gift recipient as I could. Tying the bow alone took me at least a half hour. But this is what I do. This is what I love to do for my friends and customers. THIS is what you should expect from your gift basket professional to get your money's worth.