Baskets in Your Backyard

Filed Under Baskets

“Where can I find baskets?” is one of the most-popular questions at Ask The Gift Basket Expert.

It’s asked most often by new designers searching for beautiful containers to start their businesses, but veteran designers also ask when they’re ready to begin marketing to clients in untapped industries. Do you fit into one of these categories?

One concern about buying baskets is the shipping cost. You’ll pay high freight charges when ordering from wholesalers located thousands of miles away from your location, especially if the baskets are sizes that resemble the ones on this page.

That’s why designers search for local sources, which saves them $50 or more in freight costs depending on the order size.

Keep these three tips handy to cut your search time and budget for baskets in half.

1. Find local floral wholesalers. These firms sell fresh flowers and supplies to retailers in your area. I’ve visited many throughout the U.S., and they all stock baskets.

2. Use Yahoo.com’s search directory. Yahoo’s search engine is very specific in locating sources by state. Placing the word “baskets” into this site’s page may also yield results.

3. Look at tags and labels on baskets at retail stores. Local retailers often purchase merchandise from state distributors. One shop in my area never removes basket tags. That’s how I found a basket wholesaler just five minutes from my shop.

Basket sources are out there. Find them now, and use the savings to buy postcards or another type of marketing tool to reach customers.

Here’s a two-page report on selecting great baskets for your designs.