Gift Baskets Canada

Delivery Status in the Client's Hands

2006-05-30T21:20:00.000-04:00

I recently ordered an item online that had an expected delivery of 4-6 weeks (a personalized children's item). I did not receive a tracking number, and at the 5 week mark found it almost 'inconvenient' to have to look up the company information, email them and then wait 36 hours for someone to get back to me. By that point the shipment arrived, but had I received the tracking number with my original order- or at least a second email when it shipped, I would have been more satisfied.

Situations like this enable me to look at our site, re-evaluate our program and our customer service, and decide how we can improve to better serve our own clients. Luckily, our latest website version already addresses the issue of order tracking. When placing an order, a client account is automatically created. This account tool is useful in many ways – one of which is the tracking feature. By logging into their account, customers can view the status of their gift at any time – from the moment we receive it, to when it goes into production, to when it is ready for packaging/shipping and out the door in the hands of the courier / shipping carrier. From there the information is update to In Delivery and is subsequently changed to Delivered once it has reached it’s intended destination. The customer is kept informed through their account, which they can check at their convenience. Very soon the system will also have direct integration with our main carrier FedEx, and the status will be updated to show the shipment status at the various FedEx hubs. This will enable our clients to be completely informed at all times with regards to their package status.

Create an account today at our Gift Baskets Canada site!

Fun Fundraising! Earn for your cause!

2006-04-04T21:38:00.000-04:00

Occasionally Gifted recently partnered with a local independent school to assist in their fundraising efforts. See our press release here : Fundraising Opportunities

We are working towards building partnerships with local and national organizations and committees to fundraise in a similar manner. Gift baskets are a natural means of building and maintaining client relationships, and are therefore an ideal fundraising tool. By partnering with our company, you have access to our full line of gifts and baskets and the ability to earn towards your fundraising targets. Since many companies send gifts and baskets to employees, clients and colleagues already, why not start earning on the orders they intend to place?

The setup takes about 30 seconds and we welcome inquiries. For further information please contact us today!

Facelift for Gift Basket Website

2006-03-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

Occasionally Gifted’s main website www.occasionallygifted.com has recently undergone several changes. Many of our repeat clients will notice the cosmetic changes, and as they proceed to enter orders, they will notice some fantastic new functionality changes as well. We have transferred our website to a network basis which also offers a multitude of enhancements not offered by other gift basket retailers.

Some of the highlighted changes include:

*~ Automated account creation as clients enter their orders online,
*~ Detailed tracking information available for viewing at any time directly through client accounts,
*~ Network referral service that allows clients to order form our site for same or next day local delivery in cities across Canada & the US – all the while trackable from their own account,
*~ Automated account history to view past orders and the ability to re-print invoices for accounting purposes,
*~ Client maintained address book with automatic address book upload/spreadsheet/database upload for multiple addresses,
*~ Ability to order multiple gifts to multiple addresses all on the same order,
*~ Corporate account features to allow for consolidated business accounting for offices with multiple locations ordering under the same account,
*~ Fundraising opportunities and enhanced affiliate program for revenue potential,

And MANY MORE fantastic features that make our gift basket company the best choice for your gift & basket needs!

Winter Sunshine

2006-01-28T15:06:00.000-05:00

Every year the holiday season hurtles towards us and then leaves in a gale force of crushed wrapping paper and chocolate headaches. And every year, in the week between Christmas and New Years, I get into a funk because after the mania of the preceeding weeks, I'm just let down by how it's all over. Nothing to show for it but empty boxes and drooping Christmas trees. Adding to my misery, I don't really enjoy New Year's Eve - I've always subscribed to the philosophy that each day is new, why wait for one night to make changes?

So, I never make a resolution. But today, sitting in my office looking out the window, I resolve to really, really try to enjoy life more fully.

Having young children forces you look at life moment by moment (sometimes, to maintain your sanity, that's all you can do!) They certainly live in the moment - they acquire knowledge and become changed in an instant; if you're not looking you miss it.

The sun is glorious right now. The sky is blue and if I stop typing, I can hear birds chirping at the feeder. The shadows on the grand old split maples that surround my house are rippling in an occasional breeze. My son is downstairs babbling to his two year old sister and all is right with the world. We're healthy, happy and together enjoying the winter sunshine. It doesn't get much better than that.

The Laundry Spa...

2005-12-08T00:38:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading one of those pithy self help columns in my parenting magazine, you know the ones - that while bonding with your adorable infant, (that is always smiling, content and clean) you can treat yourself to some "me time" by easing work out routines into your schedule; de-stress and get your killer pre-pregnancy figure back while going about the business of your day! I just about gagged. These authors and the advice they give. They say Men are from Venus and Women are from Mars but I think the columnists in parenting magazines are also out of this world. Have any of them tried to "go about the routine of their day" with actual children? The pictures of the a trim smiling mom, in full makeup and designer lycra, joyfully doing crunches with her baby on her firm calves. Give me a break! If I'm getting on the floor of my home I'll be in the fetal position and crying because I'm so bloody tired of changing diapers, nursing and doing laundry! I don't need to work a squat into the movement of taking my laundry out of the washer and putting it into the dryer because I do so much laundry, the repetition alone would make a personal trainer weak. Forget about designer lycra. If I can find something that isn't stretched, stained or five years old I'm happy. No, if I want to pamper myself I'm going to use "Calming Chamomile", or "Milk Bath", or treat myself to the "Stressed Out" package that is available through Occasionally Gifted. These gift baskets allow me to lock the door of the bathroom, take some "me" time and simply relax and not do laundry!

Tis' The Season

2005-11-08T17:30:00.000-05:00

As the holiday orders continue to filter in, it seems that the mad rush we will feel in about 3 weeks is months away.

Our loyal repeat clients will be receiving their friendly reminders from us over the next few days - we don't want any of them left out in the cold, no gifts in hand!

It seems that no matter how high we set our forecasts each year - (and believe me, we feel we take a chance by increasing our holiday as much as we do!) our stock sells our quickly and there are ALWAYS people who are left disappointed those last days before Christmas.

We'd like to encourage EVERYONE to resolve to have their holiday gifts ordered EARLY this year! Remember, we offer pre-selection of your delivery date with every order, and the sooner you place it, the greater the chance the it will be delivered exactly when you want!

As always, if you have questions regarding our holiday or every day gift basket selection, feel free to contact one of us!

Warm Regards,
Krysta

Occasionally Gifted Inc.

Thank Goodness Halloween Comes But Once A Year

2005-11-02T07:11:00.000-05:00

Never underestimate the resourcefulness of a two year old.

Halloween was Monday night, but visions of a pint sized pumpkin will linger much longer than that. My daughter was a pumpkin with passable face painting completed by yours truly. She went around the block with her daddy and got a grocery bag full of loot for her efforts. The makeup was on for less than two hours.

Apparently, sickly orange and black triangles on the eyes and nose are a good look for her because yesterday morning, she tried to recreate the magic herself - with permanant marker no less! The fact that she drew on herself is of little concern, call me a bad mother but I lost my will to care after removal of the zinc oxide diaper cream, lipstick, vaseline, tempera paint and body butter - materials she has utilized in the past in her zest for creative expression.

She's been rooting through my makeup draw since she could toddle so she probably has better application skills than I do. No, the fact that she found this marker that only days before I'd been looking for, in the linen closet on a shelf about six feet up is what has me concerned.

What was she doing in the linen closet? Refolding my whites? How'd she scale the shelf? How'd she even see the stinking marker? The fumes from the noxious ink usually make me high, how'd she manage to do her cheek and hand without passing out?

I suppose I should console myself with the thought that she is a genius - the thought process going into this little mission is awesome, but as mentioned earlier, I've lost the will...Lest you think I was lax in my vigilance, I wasn't idle; I was out stuffing garbage into stickered bags and putting out the recycling, at 8:00 a.m., in the rain, for about four minutes. That should have been an omen of the day to come. Ah, thank goodness Halloween comes but once a year.

Christmas Gift Baskets are now Available!

2005-10-14T11:16:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to advise that our Christmas Gift Baskets 2005 are now available for online purchases!

Our line up this year consists of beautifully adorned selections in elegant containers, incredible gourmet and sweet delights from Canada, as well as imported specialties from around the world.

We have also modified the layout of our holiday selections this year, by moving our Christmas Gifts Under $40 onto a separate page. We feel that it will assist our clients when comparing price points to have them grouped together in this way. (There are still a few photos we are waiting for to complete this particular page)

As always, we recommend that our clients place their orders as early as possible (Remember, we allow you to choose your future requested delivery date!) because our popular selections sell out quickly once the rush hits! We anticipate shipping out just over 1300 gifts in the next 8 weeks!

Gift Baskets Canada - Emergence of an Industry Leader

2005-04-11T23:13:00.000-04:00

The Canadian Wholesale Drop Ship Scene
From a company perspective...
By Krysta Chapman, Owner of Occasionally Gifted Inc.
Posted 11 April 2005, 20:13 EST; Ontario, Canada

Becoming a drop shipping supplier in Canada is definitely on our list of priorities. There is a huge deficit in wholesale suppliers as well as drop ship suppliers in Canada. We pale considerably to the US and its not relative to the demographics. We have a long way to go to catch up, but I firmly believe that the demand is certainly there - due mainly to the fact that starting a small home based businesses or micro business is such a growing trend. More and more we are hearing about 'hidden' companies that are showing steady growth and appearing from the woodwork as strong, well built companies.

So many things work against a small business - particularly with respect to costs. Maintaining storage facilities and office space as just one example, (I.e storing shipping cartons alone takes up a good chunk of valuable space!) can eat up a large portion of your return. Staffing to meet demands is also important in building and maintaining your company's integrity - utilizing a drop shipping supplier immediately resolves many of these issues.

Sourcing individual products and staying fresh with ideas takes up a large percentage of a work day. If you have a reliable dropshipping source that you can count on for quality product, they have already done the ground work for you. They will have spent hours on product research and determining what items will be saleable, thus earning the resellers more of a profit. Use the supplier's creativity and resources to increase your profits and save you time. The time you save can be well used in marketing & advertising your business!

Ensuring quality of the product, consistent output and unfailing reliability are all paramount in earning and KEEPING new customers. By relying on a company that has a proven track record, years of experience and the ability to grow their own customer base, you can be certain that this image will be reflected back to you. It is of great importance to maintain a great working relationship with your suppliers - to be sure that you are kept abreast of changes and, so that together, you may face new challenges and work through them together to maximize growth potentials.

The best drop shipping suppliers might not be those that offer the highest rate of return per item, but rather, those that allow you the greatest sales advantages. Variety, new products, reliable customer support, ease of ordering and informative sales reports all come with a cost attached to them - however, if all of these considerations are held in high regard by your partner, the drop ship supplier, you too will succeed.

Our company, Occasionally Gifted Inc. is in the process of designing a dropshipping program that will provide all of the above mentioned elements. We love what we do, and have had fantastic sales success over the years as an online retailer of our corporate gifts and baskets. We firmly believe that the industry has a long way to go in increasing the perceived professionalism, and by becoming a partnering drop ship supplier, we feel we can contribute to this.

We anticipate the launch of our Canadian drop shipping program by the fall, thus giving retailers a great advantage by carrying our products on their websites for the busy 2005 holiday season.

For more information about the planned drop ship program,or to add your name to the list of interested resellers, contact
Krysta Chapman
Occasionally Gifted Inc.
Ph: 705-730-5541,
Fax: 775-806-1736
dropship@occasionallygifted.com

Corporate gifts-How can they help your business?

2005-02-01T16:01:00.000-05:00

Corporate gifts can be vehicles for motivation, incentive, retention, recognition, and appreciation in the business world. Employees can be your most important asset, but only if they are working to their potential. Giving employees incentives to make a sale, solve a clients problem, or simplify an internal process are all things that corporate gifts can accomplish. Furthermore, retaining your top performers and valuable executives is a sure way to keep your business successful and growing. When you show recognition to your most valuable asset, they are more likely to stay with the company and perform at a higher level. Corporate gifts are an effective alternative to cash compensation for your workforce. As opposed to cash, corporate gifts are tangible and visible to all and may be shared with fellow co-workers, who further recognize the achievement

Corporate gifts: are a product given by a business to its customers, employees, friends or other influentials for goodwill and without obligation.

Incentives and Awards: are recognition merchandise, often personalized, used to acknowledge performance and milestones and motivate people toward a specific behavior or objective, be it more sales, fewer accidents etc.

Choosing your corporate gifts.
So, you know you want to utilize the effectiveness of corporate gifts, but what do you get for gifts? Etiquette dictates that you present your recipient with a gift that is not too personal or could be taken in the wrong context. You want to keep in mind that you would like the person to remember the reason for receiving the gift every time they see it or use it. For this reason corporate gifts such as desktop items, clocks, gourmet food items, wine, and golf accessories are very popular among employers. Your choice for corporate gifts should be based on a case-by-case basis, as you wouldn't want to duplicate gifts that were previously given for a different reason.

"...Although it's traditional to thank customers during the holiday season, you'll help your business tremendously by sending thank-you gifts at other times during the year. Ideally, you should do this immediately after a customer has made a purchase.

...Clients, of course, shouldn't be the only people you thank when you make a sale. If colleagues, customers or friends have referred new business to you, don't forget to show your gratitude to them, either. Even if they pass along a lead that doesn't pan out, you should still show your appreciation for their efforts.

...And because so few otherwise savvy business people avail themselves of this valuable means of communication with clients, you'll undoubtedly stand out."
-Andrea Nierenberg, author "Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career"

Presenting corporate gifts to recipients.
Once you've decided to give corporate gifts to your employees, and have chosen the items, you must now present them to their recipients. Appreciation and praise are powerful things, so use them to your advantage. With the proper words of recognition your employees will remember your kind words and cherish the corporate gifts long after they are given.

Setting up a program for corporate gifts.
If you want to reward corporate gifts more than a once, then you might consider setting up a program for managing corporate gifts. Occasionally Gifted offers reward programs and makes the process of giving corporate gifts very easy. Ultimately, it will be your company's bottom line that will benefit.
Courtesy Business to Business

Related Articles:

FORTUNE SMALL BUSINESS
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
Show your appreciation to key clients without blowing your budget.
By Alan S. Horowitz

In an uncertain economy, it's more important than ever to show clients you appreciate their loyalty. And there's no more natural time to do so than the holiday season. But if you're like many small business owners, you may be facing a Catch-22, because your budget right now may be very tight. So how do you thank your customers without going into hock? By thinking creatively. These ideas will help get you started.

Personalize it The best gift isn't necessarily the most expensive item you can find -- it's one chosen specifically for the recipient. For instance, for a golf-loving client you might opt for a set of high-quality golf balls and emboss her initials on them. Laurie P. Selzer, national director of marketing in the Houston office of Metro Networks, a radio network, likes giving stationery items imprinted with the recipient's name. Tip: If you haven't gotten to know major clients well enough to select gifts based on their interests, make a mental note to have lunch with them in the coming year, so next year's shopping is easier. "Speak with the people you're giving a gift to, find out their interests," says Adrian Gostick, director of corporate communications at O.C. Tanner, an employee recognition company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. "You want them to know you've spent time and effort thinking about the gift."

Pay attention to packaging. Using creative wrapping techniques helps add flair to inexpensive gifts. David Little, president of the website, www.nouveautesusa.com, which sells marketing and promotional items, had a client who manufactured plastic tubes used as packaging for golf balls. He had the client place his logo on the tubes and fill them with candy. Tory Johnson, president of Women For Hire, a producer of career fairs for professional women in New York, gave customers coffee mugs imprinted with, "Smart Women Thirst For Knowledge," making sure each one was beautifully wrapped. Even gifts clients can eat can be personalized. Nouveautesusa.com, for example, will sell you chocolate with your product or logo sculpted into the chocolate. These types of gifts stand out but won't put you into hock.

Give something lasting. Many business owners send small gifts to all of their accounts, but spend more on key patrons. For a significant client, you may want to invest in a high-quality desk clock, writing instrument or picture frame.

Who to Give to and How Much to Spend

There's no hard-and-fast rule as to who should get a gift, but consider including all of those who work with you regularly. Johnson sends the same gift to her roughly 500 clients, but gives more personal gifts to people she interacts with frequently, such as those at her bank and accounting firm. The amount of money you have available to spend, of course, will determine how many people you thank. Establish a set budget and then add 10 or 20 percent because you'll always add people to your list later on, recommends Robyn Spizman, an Atlanta gift consultant. For an idea of what some companies are spending, corporate gifts bought at Mrs. Fields Cookies typically run $50 to $65, says Jodie Erickson, the company's brand manager. Colleen Goudie, vice president of corporate gifts at upscale pen maker, Montblanc, says this year the most popular gifts are in the $100 to $200 range. With the right amount of imagination and flair, however, creative entrepreneurs can get their message of thanks across for much less.
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FORTUNE SMALL BUSINESS
Thursday, May 25, 2000
Corporate Gift-Giving 101
Shelve the corporate mugs and bottles of wine. There's a better way to show clients you care about their business -- and it's so good it may win you new ones, as well.
By Laurie Joan Aron

When Scott Black, president of TimePiece Public Relations in Dallas, Texas, sent two dozen gift baskets to his clients, every single recipient called to thank him. Black's technique was to fill baskets with uniquely North Texan items, like hot and sweet jalapeno jelly, locally-made soap, and pecans he considers the best in the nation. "We wanted to communicate our Texas friendliness and generosity," says Black. It was a coup in corporate gift-giving, an endeavor that's often goes awry.

The safest turf in gift-giving is to choose something that's made in your locale and characteristic of it. It should also deliver the kind of message you want to convey about your business, says Cynthia Lett, head of The Lett Group, a consulting firm in Silver Spring, Md. Lett steered a major U.S. telecommunications firm in Virginia away from passing out cheap pens with their company logo that were made in Taiwan at a three-country Asian trade show, and got them to offer fine, solid pewter pieces made in historic Williamsburg instead. She similarly succeeded in persuading a business services firm in Stone Mountain, Ga., to distribute rulers made of locally quarried stone. And she gives her seal of approval to an Arizona graphic design house, which sends clients gifts of hot peppers, with a note declaring "Were hot for your business."

Development Counselors International, an economic development consulting firm in New York City, sends "Welcome to New York" bags filled with apples, tokens, maps and copies of New York Magazine to clients from other parts of the country who make occasional trips to Manhattan.

Letts' only warning about food gifts to teams or departments: they have to be shareable. Cookies, or even hot peppers, are a good choice, because everyone can get some. The last thing you want to be remembered for is the fight people had over who got the Brooklyn-made black and white cookie and who got the Fox's U-Bet syrup.

For business gifts to individuals, Lett suggests the most intellectual choices: books about the giver's town or region and classical music by a local composer. When she's called upon to choose a gift for a colleague based outside the United States, for example, she relies on recordings of Aaron Copland's works and a lavish book of photography depicting Washington, D.C.

Firms that want to showcase their own creativity to clients can also play on local themes. One Washington, D.C. photography agency distributes haunting black and white photographs of the city's monuments in mists, rain and snow.

People are tired of mugs, says Lett. And T-shirts, too.