Whenever I pass a Godiva retail store after Valentine’s Day, I see all of their specially-wrapped boxes on sale for half price. That’s how Godiva sells their after-occasion merchandise. But we’re different.

Gift basket designers don’t mark down; we find ways to sell this merchandise at full price.

When these items are added to other baskets, no one will know it’s left over because the product fits the new theme. That’s why we do our best to not buy merchandise that says “Valentine” on the product.

Here are three ways you can sell your Valentine’s merchandise before it has time to collect dust.

1. Team It with Complimentary Colors. Red looks great with white, purple, black, or pink. What’s in your inventory to create a corporate power theme or girly gift?

Visit the ribbon pages for great ideas to unify colors with stripes, solids, and sheers.

2. Create an “I’m Nuts About ‘Cha” Basket. Combine various packages of nuts (jars, cans, bags) with a leftover plush animal (bear, gorilla, puppy). This one’s great for husbands and boyfriends who need to apologize fast.

3. Decrease Your Orders for Mother’s Day Merchandise. Lots of Valentine’s Day products fit into gifts for this occasion, provided that it doesn’t say anything about February 14th.

See this article on Baskets for Mom. Now’s the time to start choosing products.

It’s not easy to buy the exact amount of merchandise for any special occasion. In fact, it’s practically impossible. But your products will still sell when you create special themes and make customers aware of these great, new baskets.

Technorati Tags: gift baskets, Mother’s Day gift baskets, Valentine’s Day gift baskets, bowmaking ribbon, plush animals

© 2008-2010 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is the world's expert on the gift basket industry, professional speaker, and author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business: Solutions You Can Use Today. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for DVDs, CDs, reports, tips, and more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.

Read these related articles:

1. How Many Rolls of Ribbon Do You Own?
2. How to Sell More with Every Order
3. Money, Ribbon, and Fame

YOUR BASKET SELECTION MAY VARY
Why can’t there be one formula for every gift basket designer who buys empty baskets for the first time? There’s a simple answer: it’s just not possible. I show you in Wednesday’s newsletter how many baskets I’d buy if starting business today and why your choices will always be different.

WHO WON THE VALENTINE’S DAY CONTEST?
Meet the three winners who won How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business, plus get pointers from a top gift basket designer on how to get the work done if you become sick.

IT’S TIME TO RAISE YOUR PRICES
Hershey’s increased the price of chocolate twice last year, and everyone’s still eating sweets. Are you following their lead? Learn in this article why the nation’s largest candy maker attached a premium price to their product, then follow the five-step plan to raise your gift basket prices.

Technorati Tags: gift baskets, Valentine’s Day, where to buy baskets, increase your prices

© 2008-2010 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is the world's expert on the gift basket industry, professional speaker, and author of How to Start a Home-Based Gift Basket Business, The Gift Basket Design Book, and Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business: Solutions You Can Use Today. Visit GiftBasketBusiness.com for DVDs, CDs, reports, tips, and more to learn, grow, and profit with gift baskets.

Read these related articles:

1. Welcome to the Gift Baskets Newsletter
2. Gift Basket Pictures, Buying Baskets, Learning Online
3. Mother’s Day, Price Increases, Wrap a Basket