When shopping for Christmas gift baskets and holiday designs there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
1) A majority of the items in Christmas gift baskets are food (snack, gourmet, chocolate). As food has a shelf life, most gift basket companies will order in enough product for what they anticipate their sales will be, thus ensuring that they are not left with product which is rapidly expiring or no longer fresh. Most companies do SELL OUT of their Christmas designs before Christmas.
2) Many gift basket companies do have corporate customers who buy in large quantities, so although they think they have purchased enough product to last the season, one large order could wipe out their entire stock of a particular design.
3) Although the above may seem like negatives, they are actually quite positive comments. Who would want to buy from a gift basket company who does not put freshness and customer service at the top of their lists?!
What you can do?
1) Shop Early- Many gift basket companies begin accepting orders for Christmas as early as October (corporate orders even earlier). Take some time to visit your favorite gift basket companies' sites. Once you've made your decisions, place your orders right away and ask for DELAYED delivery. Request that your baskets be sent out a few days or weeks before Christmas.
2) If you need a large quantity of a particular basket or gift, contact the gift basket company as soon as possible. Early shopping will enable you to ensure quantities, as well as have your designs custom made if required.
3) Get on your favorite gift basket companies' email lists. Most gift basket companies have customer email lists or databases. If you give permission, (reputable companies will only add you to their lists with your permission), your name can be added to their database. This will enable you to be one of the first customers to be notified when a new item or holiday designs become available.
With a little bit of planning, you can ensure that this year's holiday gift basket shopping will be a stress free and enjoyable event.