Your office phone rings. It’s a new customer, and she’s prepared to order a custom birthday basket. But there’s a problem. She’s asking for products you don’t have in stock.

Is personal shopping an option so that you complete this sale with a smile on your face and hers?

Here are two personal shopping tips to help you sell as often as possible without going overboard on a shopping excursion.

1. Offer Alternatives. When asked for a product that you don’t stock, review your inventory and suggest something similar.

GiftBasketWholesaleSupplies.com lets you search your state to find specific products or research other states for everyday favorites. An on-site search tool is available as well.

2. Create New Terms. If you offer a personal shopping option, tell the client that you’ll be happy to find the requested item — for a fee.

The fee depends on your location and difficulty in finding the product.

Commit to the above tips, or years from now you’ll be looking at strange products in your inventory that no one wants, not even you.

© 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.

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