Gifts

T
ype in “Gifts for Baby” into any search engine and you will come up with a huge variety of websites offering a variety of presents. Then there are any number of gift shops on the High Street. So how can a nursery retailer compete?

Firstly any item can be a gift if it is presented correctly. There’s nothing stopping you gift wrapping any item in your shop though I do concede wrapping a pushchair may present some difficulties! A supply of pretty carrier bags with a bit of ribbon can go a long way. Gifts are generally bought not by your usual customer – the expectant parent – so you may have to entice window shoppers inside.

In general though, when baby gifts are mentioned, retailers often think of things such as decorated china or bracelets and other pieces of jewellery – small, expensive (and it must be said, generally useless) things that are a target for a shoplifter and often don’t sell. But there is still a wide range of alternatives.

Thinking about present buying has brought me to the conclusion that there are two main types of present buyers. The first is the person who is looking for a specific present for a specific person – usually at a specific price. Sometimes they can be persuaded to spend a little more if they are convinced that the item is just what is needed, but often they are constrained not only by what they can afford but also by a ‘social contraint’– they need to spend enough so that they are not thought of as mean; but not too much as it becomes embarrassing for the recipient!

The second sort of buyer is the ‘impulse’ buyer – they see something nice and buy it! These tend to be at the lower price points and can be frivolous rather than practical! And of course, the giver and the receiver can be one and the same person – we all need to treat ourselves occasionally!

So what does this mean for the nursery retailer? For the impulse buyer, suitable products need to be on display where they are seen by casual passer-bys. For the planned purchase, we need a selection at a variety of price points.

One key element as to what makes a product suitable for a gift is the packaging. The perfect product in a tatty box just isn’t on. A useless product in a beautiful box all tied up with ribbon is much more acceptable! More mundane products can easily be turned into a more acceptable gift, especially if you have the wherewithall to gift wrap. If you can learn a bit about the mechanics of wrapping and can do a better job than your average punter then you could always charge a small fee for it!

The key aspects of gift wrapping are
  • use a decent quality of paper. Cheap paper is often thin and tears easily wasting both time and paper. Buying it in a large roll is the most economical way.
  • Don’t use too much paper! An overlap of an inch or so is enough (fold the cut end under). Unless the package is very thin, the ends should only be around two thirds of the way up. Cut the paper to size even if bits end up in the waste.
  • Wrap the ribbon around – in the centre of the longest side and two thirds up on the shortest side looks classy – and tie off with a bow. A few extra lengths tied in and all ends curled with the back of the scissors
Et voila! Add in gift tabs and a selection of cards and you could soon be running a gift shop!
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