The gift of gifts
Editors Letter
Jenny Heinzen York -- Kids Today, 7/1/2009 12:00:00 AM
I want to talk this month about the power of a gift.
Gifts are wonderful, magical things that can transform a purchase from a guilt-inducing experience to a guilt-allaying experience. What am I talking about?
Picture this: You visit a store and buy something for yourself. The way things are going right now, you probably feel guilty about doing so. Or picture this: You visit a store and buy a present for a child’s birthday. No guilt there, right?
So, in these times of challenge — are you marketing the “giftable” side of your business? Is your store a place someone thinks of to buy gifts? Think beyond baby shower gifts to birthdays, Mother’s Day, hostess gifts …
Most moms who are visiting your store are there to meet a need. What if while they are there, they are also able to take care of some gift shopping, too? Easy sale, because everyone has to buy gifts for someone.
But it takes imagination and initiative on your part. Maybe you keep some gifty items already wrapped in adorable paper and ready to roll. Or you set up an area in your shop dedicated to the gift shopper, including the all-important greeting cards.
No, you won’t be able to offer gift solutions for every holiday or every demographic, but I bet that a lot of what you do carry can work in that context, if you point it out in that way.
Further power of a gift? Margins. Many gift items are quite inexpensive at wholesale, and because they are unique and you can package them to make them more so, you can charge a little extra. Little items can go a long way toward a big bottom line.
We are in the thick of the summer gift market season as you read this. Beginning on page 26, we offer a look at some of the items debuting during this month’s Atlanta Gift and Home Market.
But even if you are unable to get to Atlanta, there are lots of great gift shows going on this summer — everywhere from Dallas to New York to Seattle to Los Angeles to Boston to Portland to Chicago and many places in between. Find one that you can get to and get busy shopping.
Think of it as the gift that keeps on giving.
We would love your feedback!
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