Why Should You Sell Hampers?
In this series we guide you through the process of planning and
creating a top-selling range of hampers. In later articles we'll go into
detail on selecting your range, themes and components, but first we
need to explain why they should form an integral part of your offer.
In a hectic business it can be all too easy to look past the profit boosting and brand benefits of offering gift baskets and hampers. Here are our top 5 reasons to get them on the shelves.
1. High Margins & Added Value
Let's be honest, profit is key. Adding gift hampers to your range is an easy way to increase product margins and provide incremental price points for your customers to easily select from. Let's take wicker hampers for example:
- Hidden trade prices - At trade prices empty wicker hampers are a cost-effective, high quality gift packaging choice. By ordering in bulk, you can save even more on the unit price, maximising your margin. The beautiful gift hamper you create will raise the customers' perception of added value, so the margin on the wicker hamper or gift box itself can be high.
- Reuse & Repurpose - Traditional wicker hampers are a gift in themselves that can be reused as storage, home accessories, picnic hampers and for regifting. Their perceived value is far greater than that of single-use plastic or flat-pack product packaging.
- Eco-friendly - It's worth considering the increase in consumer awareness of sustainability and the environment. Consumers are looking for greener ways to shop and you can increase the perceived value of products by opting for sustainable and recyclable gift packaging which is kinder to the environment. Sustainability can also be a great sales angle.
- Accessible Price Points - Consider introducing a few different hampers covering a price range that will appeal to your diverse customer demographic, from the budget friendly to the pure luxury gift. You can even sell empty hampers as gifts or homewares.
2. Easy to sell online and ship
According to a report from Office for National Statistics, online sales as a proportion of total retail sales has been steadily increasing year-on-year since 2006 which suggests the growth won't be plateauing anytime soon. Buying online is fast and convenient and can be done without the crowds and queues so you can understand its popularity amongst today's consumers.
If you've been keeping your ear to the ground, then you'll be aware of the importance of multi-channel retailing. Making your product range available online is imperative if you want to increase sales and grow your customer base in this day and age.
So how can local retailers, independent farm shops and delis launch enhance their online offering and grow their retails sales? There are many opportunities to explore from themed hamper gifts to food hamper delivery services. The key factor is consumer satisfaction - When ordering online either for themselves or as a gift, consumers place huge value on the presentation and quality of the packaging. A wicker hamper basket, wooden wine box or high-end card gift box is so much better than a boring brown cardboard carton.
3. Top seasonal sellers
With intense pressure at Christmas to find a worthy seasonal gift for family and friends, customers will be looking for the perfect present that requires minimum effort but has maximum impact. This is a great time for businesses to push their products as gifts and increase hamper sales, it's too good an opportunity to miss.
Natural wicker is beautiful in appearance and exudes quality and luxury that will sell itself. Consumers demand these premium materials when buying gifts. It doesn't always have to be wicker though, wooden gift boxes, gift boxes and even natural bamboo all elevate the perception of the gift. Hampers are also ideal for customers who are under time pressure and are wanting a ready-made, minimum stress gifting solution.
It's easy to create eye-catching gifts using wicker hamper baskets, gift boxes, bottle boxes and more. There are endless possibilities for seasonal hampers; artisan food and drink hampers, craft beer and snacks gift boxes and cheese hampers to name a few.
4. Hampers help upsell additional items
Having too much merchandise taking up space in the stock room or on the shop floor can happen however good your inventory management due to factors out of your control. Hampers are a smart way to get rid of surplus stock and slower selling items that take up valuable shelf space. A common sales approach is to create an eye-catching item and then offer it at a lower price than the combined components would cost, which is always a winner with customers.
In this example it pays to think strategically. Consider grouping products that are tough to sell and excess stock with a few desirable top sellers. These 'magpie' products will allure the customer to your gift hampers and help you clear down unwanted stock.
5. Great for brand building & customer engagement
Marketing your brand can be an overwhelming and costly task, but instead of focusing on expensive methods, branded wicker hampers or gift boxes are a great way of building customer loyalty and generating referrals.
Unlike single-use gift packaging that gets thrown in the bin, wicker hamper baskets frequently get repurposed and regifted and are to be seen by even more potential customers, not just the recipient - just look at the iconic Fortnum and Mason branded hamper that is a desired accessory in homes worldwide!
In doing so, you are also reaping benefit from the cost of the product as brand marketing too! This trick doesn't have to be limited to household names, many smaller brands and stores have made clever use of gift packaging to build their own full range that's easily recognised either locally in the case of smaller shops or nationally when selling online. Having a strong brand (or even just the perception of it) can really boost sales as it's a great 'hook' for clients, so don't be afraid to shout about yourself, with a beautiful hamper as your 'hero' product!
