Teach Soap

For those of you who sell at craft fairs, I'm wondering about gift baskets and how they sell for you. I've tried them, and they just seem to sit there. I think I've sold two, possibly three in all the time I've been doing fairs. They were pretty, with lots of goodies, and at a great price, but......nothing.

I've tried smaller gift packs, like a collection of four beer soaps, or four seasons soaps, a gardener's collection, and a small gift box with two soaps and a bath pouf. They've done better, but not great.

Now I'm trying to come up with some especially pretty packaging ideas for small gift packs, a limited edition type of deal, to see how that does. I always do really well selling single bars, but I feel I should offer customers some variety, especially at holiday time when people are buying gifts. But I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth my time and trouble. I only make soap, so I can't offer a package deal including say soap, lotion, bath fizzies etc. Maybe that's the problem. So I'm wondering if any of you who sell only soap, have gift package deals that sell well for you. I hate to give up, I keep feeling like I just haven't found the right idea yet. Should I keep going, or just be happy selling single bars? I enjoy coming up with packaging ideas, but if they're not going to sell, I really could be doing something else with my time. Like steaming the floor in the soap room to get all of those soap crumbs off it! LOL

I bring the things that I need to make one and if someone asks, I make one on the spot with the things that they want.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

My pre-made gift baskets rarely sell. I'm like you, I like to find something convenient but not store bought, so I thought it would be a good idea. I think the key for a lot of customers is being able to personalize it themselves. I've had several people ask me to make a basket and they specify the fragrance or items. So now I just make one basket for show and have a sign offering to make gift baskets to order. I don't carry all the stuff with me to shows though, I have an order form and web form.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks Irena and goodcleanfun. I appreciate the input. I guess I'm glad to know it's not just me. And yes, even when customers could choose what soaps they wanted in the gift baskets, they still didn't sell. I'm always trying to "grow" my business somehow, and because I make soap and only soap, and I only sell at craft fairs, it can be challenging. I enjoy coming up with new packaging, so if the gift sets don't sell for me, my friends and family will be getting some fancier soaps as gifts!