Designing Baby Gift Baskets
As the gift basket designer at Grenville Station, I have become well aware of the fact that the baby gift baskets are our number one selling category. We put a lot of thought and consideration into the designs and it is quite rewarding to see that our customers are extremely satisfied with the end result. We have certainly learned that there are “DOs” and “DON’Ts” to keep in mind when designing new baby baskets.
The first thing I do when creating a new baby gift basket is think of what the overall theme of the basket will be. Whether it is going to have a general bath gift theme, or perhaps something more specific, such as ducks or bears is an important consideration. Once you have a theme, decide whether you are going to make a unisex baby basket or for a specific gender. Colour choice is very important at this step in the design process. Those choices will help determine the colour scheme and what type of products you’ll use. For example, I tend to use bath products when making a frog-theme baby gift. I’ll include items such as hooded bath towels, washcloths, shampoo, lotion, dusting powder, and other such products.
We also try to use a variety of animals and colours to suit the preference of the sender/recipient. Chances are that if the person has a favourite type of animal, we have a design with that theme. That makes the design more special than if it was just cloths and blankets – basically something with less imagination. Another important aspect is designing a colourful gift basket. We try to use bright colours as much as possible because we feel that it makes the design seem “happier” and “more fun.” After all, a new baby is a joyous occasion! However, some people do prefer the traditional softer tones and we have designs that accommodate that preference.
Along with the things you should do, there are some things you should avoid doing as well. When using sleepers or outfits, refrain from using newborns sizes. Babies come in all shapes and sizes and aren’t always small enough to fit into them. To be on the safe side we use the 3-6 month size. The parents may have to wait a couple of months to dress the baby in the outfit, but it’s better than sending one that’s already too small. Same rule applies when sending a diaper cake gift. The size of the diapers should not be too big or too small. That would defeat the purpose of sending a gift in the first place! Remember that sometimes a customer may send a gift basket a little late, so the baby may be two or three months old when the basket arrives. You should be sure that the items in the basket would still be appropriate for that age.
Another important “DON’T” is to avoid using food products and bath products in one basket. You don’t want the scent of the bath products to get into the food. It’s the same principle as making sure you put cleaning products in separate bags than food items at the grocery store. If the customer would like to add food (chocolate, cookies, crackers, etc.) for the parents, we recommend creating a separate custom gift basket that suits their needs. Another option is to put the food items in a decorative fabric bag, which does NOT go into the baby basket.
The last suggestion is simply to use your imagination and have as much fun as possible. Think about your presentation. It’s one thing to have all of the appropriate products, but it is another thing to be able to arrange them in an attractive fashion. Appearance is the only factor that a customer has to go by when visiting a website. The effort expended when designing an imaginative gift basket for baby will certainly reflect on the outcome of the basket, as will lack of effort.
As you can see, consideration and planning are important elements in the design process. With a theme, focus and colour scheme, the design will essentially come together quite easily.
Following these suggestions should result in a well-rounded beautiful baby gift basket! Have a look at our baby gift basket category for examples of our wide selection available for new moms and dads!
