The Art Of Buying A Gift

The Art of Buying A Gift

Every business should solve a problem, or so I have been told all my business life.

Customer has problem – Business solves it.

Seems pretty simple doesn't it and when you are selling plasters or head ache tablets, or even a car, there is a very distinct problem you are solving.

But I sell mainly gifts.

I used to struggle with this in my mind because I wondered how gift buying could be a problem. Yet it is to so many people. Not everyone knows how to buy a gift that people will like and use. Not everyone can put thought into a gift, not because they are not thoughtful, but because there is an art to buying a gift.

You must have heard people say things like, 'I just didn't know what you buy you' or 'They're so hard to buy for'.

I thought about gifts I have received in the past and what I have genuinely thought. For instance, I used to love a tipple of alcohol and would enjoy many a night out with friends and the main act was to drink and socialise. However, not so much anymore. I still enjoy the odd drink, don't get me wrong but it has been 10 plus years that I have openly told people I just don't enjoy it as much and that I suffer the next day far more than I want to.

Yet, despite this ongoing declaration, people still buy me booze as a gift. Bottles of wine or gin (I genuinely have never been a big drinker of either of those drinks). Don't get me wrong, I am forever grateful because it is so nice that they had the thought to buy me a gift which is always lovely so please don't think I am a spoiled brat. It is merely an observation in order to illustrate my point. The bottle goes under the stairs with the other 25 bottles of gin, wine, jack daniels, rum etc. And honestly, they rarely see the light of day. Note to self; host a party.

By contrast, my husband would put most people to shame with how thoughtful he is and how creative his mind works when it comes to gifts. Just this Christmas for instance, he sought a favourite toy I had when I was a child and bought it for me, just so I could have a trip down memory lane in real time. And, honestly that is just one of many little things he has done over the years. If I am honest, he has made me a better gift buyer.

But, I know it is not easy to buy a great gift, especially within a budget, which many of us are.

When I am buying gifts now, I make a list of what the person likes, hobbies, jobs, particular food etc. (I mean in order to do this you do have to listen to people but that is a skill I am not here to teach.) I then think about how I could buy them a practical gift that could incorporate those things.

I hate gifts that are stuffed in drawers, they are a waste of the buyers money and while they might feel like a cute gimmick, do they rarely fulfil any need at all? Money is too hard come by, so it matters how we spend it doesn't it?

Which brings me to our products and how they fit in.

When designing a product launch, I always want my gifts to fit three main criteria.

They must be personal

They must be playful

They must be practical.

I try to do the thinking for you. All you have to do is find a product that fits their personality.

I am sure you could go through my website and find products that don't fit all these criteria so let me clarify by saying 'most' products.

Our Mugs are very practical, obviously they hold drink, but they cross the playful line with a funny phrase and adds a personal touch with names and characters that resemble the coffee drinker.

Notebooks are so practical, even the most digital of people will turn to paper and pen from time to time. Personal because they mostly feature a character that looks like the recipient and they always include their name. Playful because I largely feature some funny phrases for adult stationery and very bold colours for the younger ones.

They can be used for list making, documenting things (think recipes, golf scores, gym routines), journaling, keeping memories to look back on.. The list is endless.

Cards are the same, personal, playful and practical. These have so much personalisation, people often put them in a little frame after the day. This makes me smile to know they are not always discarded. They really do act as a great keepsake.

Customers will always use our gifts, that is for sure, or that is the aim at least.

Our gifts are for life, not just for Christmas.

With that in mind, feel free to browse our site. And, of course feel free to get in touch if you are needing help with what to choose. I love to chat to customers, it gives me that old feeling of the bricks and mortar shop I used to own.

Let me do the thinking so you don't have to.