A Basket Wrap

Take a break thru the Insanity.....

2011-12-16T16:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I came across a blog that said to take a break when you are in the middle of "craziness" for about an hour; as a result you will be more effective and efficient for the rest of your day. Amidst the holiday rush and work room filled with cello, baskets, and shredd, we did and guess what..IT worked!! So much so that I can sit down and write our December blog.

We had more basket orders to fill today than yesterday yet yesterday we worked the entire day, not eatting lunch but munching throughout the day, exhausted at the end of the day, and didn't meet our shipping goal. Today was a new start with a new plan, to set aside time to take a break (we met our goals for shipping and delivery, YEAH!!!).

Happy Holidays and remember to take a break; it will get you through the insanity!

My favorite basket...

2011-11-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

I have probably created and shipped thousands of gift baskets throughout my 12 year career. My favorite basket to make is the "Baked Goods" basket. It is mostly sent as a sympathy gift basket during the repass. It arrives with a banana nut loaf and various baked goods items including croissants, muffins, and turnovers in a tray container. Once received, all the recipeint need to do is unwrapped and serve.

What a thoughtful gift to send.

Sugar Free Gift Baskets

2011-10-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Did you know that October is National Diabetics Month? According to the US Dept of Health & Human Services, diabetes affects 25.8 million people of all ages, 8.3 percent of the U.S. population. About 1.9 million people ages 20 years or older were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 in the United States.

A Basket Wrap has a selection of sugar free gift baskets for just about every occassion including Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter, Birthdays, Get Well, or just because. Choose from premade sugar free gift baskets or contact us about customizing any of our gift baskets for a diabetic.

10 Unique Occasions For Gift Baskets

2011-09-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

Patriotic Theme

We all know that gift baskets are the perfect choice for holidays and sentiments! We've come up with 10 special and unique reasons to send a gift basket.

Thanksgiving: Lots of people spend Thanksgiving alone and this would be a wonderful way to let them know that you are thinking of them. If sending for business purposes, send Thanksgiving baskets instead of Christmas baskets. Its a unique approach to let them know that you appreciate their business.
Patriotic: Great for Millitary personnel or someone celebrating their American citizenship.
Exam Time: Exam time means countless hours of studying & many times the person studying is so focused on the task at hand that they forget to eat.
Grandparents Day: (First Sunday after Labor Day) Grandparents are like second parents, show that you appreciate their support with a basket of healthy food items or themed gifts based on the hobbies of the recipient i.e. gardening, golf, fishing etc.
Bosses Day: Another holiday that has gained popularity is acknowledged on October 16 each year. National Boss Day offers employees an opportunity to recognize those in supervisory positions.
International No Diet Day: Do you know someone who is constantly dieting? May 6th has been set aside just for them. A basket of junk food is perfect for this holiday!
Cinco De Mayo- Celebrated on the 5th of May each year throughout the United States and Mexico. A basket of snacks and margarita mixes is perfect for this holiday!
Congratulations on Your New Job or Welcome A New Employee.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month -Celebrated each October to bring awareness to the disease. Show your support for those touched by this disease with a basket of a variety of themed gifts supporting breast cancer awareness.
Relocation, Visiting: A welcome basket filled with regional food and gift items from that particular state is always well received.

Regional Gifts

2011-09-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

Colorado is a beautiful and picturesque place to live and visit. The mild climate surprises everyone. Tourist choose this great state for conventions and conferences and according to the Denver Post over 30,000 people relocated to the state last year siting state's mountains, sunny weather and recreational amenities. Whatever the reason whether visiting, relocating, or conventions, we can provide a wide varitey of gifts filled with made in Colorado food items or gifts.

Just The Right Sentiments

2011-08-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

We know how difficult it can be to come up with just the right words for your gift. It's easiest when the the occasions are joyous such as birthdays, the birth of a new baby, and gifts for new home owners but what do you say when there is a death in the family or someone has been diagnosed with a terminal illness?

A Basket Wrap has compiled a list of message suggestions for our customers who are looking for just the right sentiments.

Keeping the Customer first in Customer Service

2011-08-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Recently I took advantage of a Groupon. The deal was soooo good I could not pass it up. I can clean my carpet in my entire house for $54.00. Wow!! Normally, just to clean three rooms was approximately $100. Purchasing the Groupon was quick and easy, but when it was time to redeem it, well that was another story. The company asked that all Groupon holders book their carpet cleaning appointments online and someone would bet back to you and confirm the date. After several weeks and numerous attempts, no one ever confirmed my appointment so I finally called the company. When I told the customer service agent that I was a Groupon holder, she asked that I book online however I insisted that she book my appointment. Interestingly enough, after sharing my story, she never suggested to take my order and was directing me back to their online appointment scheduler.

That is just one of the many issues that I have had with companies lately. They have seem to forgotten that the customer is a very important part of "customer service."

As an small online retailer, we don't have the big advertising budgets, that is why we rely heavily on referrals and repeat customers. Our focus is on the customer. Our goal is to answer the telephone within 3 rings and if we don't, will return the customer's call within 30 minutes. We also have an online contact form which is available to customers of which someone answers within 30 minutes. All customers received email notifications to let them know that their gifts our out for delivery and most importantly, and if a customer is already on the phone, we will never direct them to place their order online.

The Internet

2011-04-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Within the last twenty years or so technology has taken us by storm. We launched A Basket Wrap on the Internet in 1999 because we could not afford a print catalog. One day, back in 1994, as I was standing in line behind two older women I overhead their conversation regarding their disdain for the Internet. One said she would never use it while the other said that it was a fad that would go away. In addition, in the early years of A Basket Wrap, vendors would not sell to us because we did not have a brick and mortar/storefront. Today, some of the biggest E-tailers do not have storefronts i.e. Amazon, Zappos, Ebay, and a certain 800 flower company.

The Internet has changed the way Americans live as we do everything online. One click and bills are paid, invoices are sent, baskets are ordered :) and social networking sites keeps us constantly connected to friends and family all around the world.

As an E-tailer, the Internet has allowed us to expand our customer base nationally, internationally, in addition to allowing us to service our customers 24 hours, 7 days a week.

I am glad the Internet didn't go away and am looking forward to what it will bring us in the future!

The Green Revolution

2011-04-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

As a basket company we started looking at ways in which we can alter our business practices and join the green revolution. As an Internet company; we were in some ways already doing so:

We use electronic methods to produce receipts and invoices. In the event that we do need to print we do so on recycled paper.
We donate older baskets and reuse shipping containers in addition to recycling our shreds, cellphone scraps, and ribbon.
We support other eco-friendly suppliers.
95% of our suppliers are based in Colorado which helps to cut down on carbon emission.
We use eco-friendly products to clean our shop in addition to energy star compliant products.

Gift Gifing Should Be A Happy Task

2011-03-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Gift giving should be a pleasant and happy task. As Martin Luther puts it, "The heart of the giver makes the gift dear and precious." For stress free giving, planning ahead of time is essential. Keep a schedule of the special dates (like birthdays, wedding anniversaries) and put a reminder on your calendar one or two weeks before the occasion so that you can start doing your shopping.

If the recipient lives very far away and you need to mail the gift, then advanced planning is even more important! This will ensure that your gift gets to the recipient on time without spending large amount of $$$ on shipping costs!

Make Any Guest Feel Like A VIP with A Hotel Gift Basket

2011-03-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

Imagine checking into a hotel and finding a gift basket filled with wine, cheese, fresh fruits, and gourmet chocolates. What a great way to start a vacation, welcome convention or wedding guests, or special guests visiting from out of town. Hotel gift baskets can make anyone feel like a VIP and adds an elegant touch to the guest hotel stay.

Recently, a customer contacted us wanting to surprise newlyweds on their way to Hawaii but laying over in a Denver hotel. The buyer had fresh leis flown in to us to accompany their basket of chocolates, cheeses, crackers, and fresh strawberries, the message read "Congratulations on your wedding and have fun in Hawaii!"

Etiquette for Sending Sympathy, Condolences, or Bereavement Gift Baskets

2011-02-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

Gift baskets are great for just about any occasion but sending gifts at a time when someone has experienced a loss requires a different type of etiquette. In our experience, sympathy gift baskets are probably the only gifts that you may not get an immediate response to. Although your gifts are appreciated and well received, and whether the death was expected or unexpected, remember this is a difficult time. It may take weeks or maybe even months before the recipients acknowledge your gift.

It is most appropriate to send gifts to the home and if possible a day or two before the funeral. If you can, avoid sending gift baskets to the funeral home or even on the day of the funeral. Do choose gift baskets with prepackaged, nonperishable, gourmet foods items. You have no control over when the gift will be opened or actually consumed. Avoid sending items that must be consumed immediately including most fruits. A good selection of cookies, crackers, cheese, spreads, quick dip mixes, nuts, cakes, soups, tea, coffee, chocolates, meats, and gift items like comforting books are a great selections of items that the family can enjoy before or after the funeral.

Receiving a belated gift can be a blessing. Often the recipients will receive a great deal of support immediately following a death but then life goes back to normal for everyone except for the family experiencing the loss. Don't hesitate to send a Comfort Basket or Thinking of You Gift Basket weeks or even months later. We recommend a basket of comfort foods or even some much needed pamper items, candles, a cuddly plush, and some comforting words to let them know that they are still in your thoughts.

Valentine Day Baskets-Not just for lovers anymore.

2011-02-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, we noticed that our customers were not just sending baskets to their signifant others but to:

Children (away at school)
Parents
Grandparents
Friends
Teachers
Aunts & Uncles

And just about everybody in between. Feeling charitable, don't forget your local nursing homes, "They really appreciate gifts and visits this time of the year," says a recreational director at a local nursing home here in Denver.

Customize Your Basket

2011-01-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

Although we carry an array of items which satisfies the regular buyer's needs, at times, customers are just looking for something a little special. This brings to mind a few years ago when a customer contacted us for a 'Plane Basket'. She wanted to purchase a gift for a friend who recently purchased a private plane. After speaking with the customer, we decided to go with a model airplane of the actual plane and some accessories for the newly purchased aircraft, all wrapped up in a basket, of course. We love making gift baskets but we also like when customers give us a chance to allow the creative juices to flow. Needless to say, the plane basket was a hit.

If you are looking for something special, give us a call. We are happy to work with you to develop that special gift.

Thanksgiving, A Time for Thanks

2010-11-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving seems to be the least recognized holiday, yet one of the best times to send a gift. What better time to say 'Thanks' or 'Thinking of You' then at Thanksgiving? I've come up with a couple of reasons to send Thanksgiving Baskets:

*Your gift will probably be the only one, which will make it stand out। And if it is sent as a thank you for referrals will possibly generate more business for you। *Great alternative to sending during the holiday season especially when you are not sure what holiday is celebrated, i।e। Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah. *Your gift will be truly appreciated when sent to someone who will be alone, or can't make it home for Thanksgiving. i.e a student or someone serving in the armed forces.

Choose from snack filled baskets or mini meal baskets। Fresh baked loaves, meats, crackers, and fruit spreads are some of the delicious things we include in our Thanksgiving Baskets.