Get in on Gift Wrap
Growing demand for pet-themed packaging creates opportunity.
By Tom Barthel
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Pet-themed giftwrap by Whimsy Press
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As the public warms to the idea of hosting pet-themed parties and lavishing attention upon the furriest member of the family, pet-oriented gift wrap has tapped into a growing need.
“People are having canine birthday parties for goodness sake,” said Kim Crisler, owner and designer of Gifty Idea Greeting Cards and Such in Austin, Texas. “That alone says you need gift wrap and gift bags. People are taking their dogs and making them part of the family, which means you give gifts to them. You need gift wrap.”
Gift wrap appeals to a segment of the population who looks to their pets for more than just companionship. It gives customers an opportunity to indulge their need to nurture.
“There’s a bunch of people out there like me,” Crisler said. “I’m 40 years old. I don’t have any children, but I have a dog. I spend on my dog like she is my child.”
The number of people like Crisler is increasing, as indicated by the success many retailers have enjoyed from selling pet-themed wrapping paper, gift bags, tags and ribbon.
“I find that it’s not only a good seller, but I always underestimate it and I have to keep going back for more,” said LuAnn Gevaza, owner of pet boutique, Bark Lane, in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. “I not only use them in my own packaging, but I also sell it as a product. I do very very well.”
Often purchased and used for giving gifts to pet lovers, themed gift wrapping lends a personal touch many consumers are looking for. It amplifies the act of giving.
“It shows that you’ve taken time,” Gevaza said. “You can give something very small to someone, but if it’s presented gracefully or with something warm and personal, like a breed tag, it just means so much more.”
Breeds Sell Big
Breed-specific wrapping paper and accessories top the list among consumers with the passion and loyalty which is common with pure breed owners.
“We have a customer that has two daschunds who decided that our daschund paper would become her signature wrap,” said Lisa Maloof, chief inspiration officer at Whimsy Press in Atlanta, Ga. “Whenever she gives a gift, it’s wrapped in daschund paper because everyone knows her and her dogs.”
Capitalizing on fanaticism isn’t always easy. With so many breeds to choose from, stocking the right gift wrap for your local clientele can be a challenge. Several factors affect which breeds may be popular in your area.
“We’re in a beach community, so we have a lot of large water dogs,” Gevaza said. “Here, they tend to go for the Newfoundlands, labs, goldens, Portuguese water dogs, spaniels and so forth. They run the whole gamut. I just cross my fingers and hope I order well. The one dog you decided not to order, that’s the one they come in looking for.”
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Holiday Promotions, Unwrapped
A positive of pet-themed gift wrap is its timeless appeal. All year long, for any occasion, these products win over consumers enamored of their pets. However, the holidays present great opportunities to intensify sales.
Holiday-oriented special events remind shoppers to stock up on gift wrapping supplies.
“A lot of retailers hire a Santa Claus and have people come in and get their dog’s picture taken with, ‘Santa Paws’ or ‘Santa Claws,’” said Kim Crisler, owner and designer of Gifty Idea Greeting Cards and Such in Austin, Texas. “That would be a great up-sell opportunity to have the gift bags out.”
Try pre-wrapping gifts at different price points to facilitate grab-and-dash purchases during this often hectic time.
“All of our treats are pre-wrapped for the holidays to make it easy for customers,” said Amy Sheppard, owner of Wet Noses Boutique in Norfolk, Va. “If they’re going to a holiday party and they need a little hostess gift and they happen to know their hosts have a dog or cat, they can run in and pick something up. I also have price points – gifts $20 and under, $50 and under – so they’re able to run in and quickly scan for something.”
Though full-service wrapping is often popular with boutique customers, make sure to stock up on do-it-yourself supplies during the busy holiday season, when customers like to add their own personal touches at home.
“Ten months out of the year it’s, ‘Yes. Please wrap it,’” said LuAnn Gevaza, owner of pet boutique, Bark Lane, in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. “But, during Christmas, they like to purchase their own and do their own wrapping.”
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Before making your final decisions on which lines and themes to carry, try conducting a preview to gauge the reaction to the products you’re considering.
“It always helps to have a little preview party with your friends and ask them for suggestions,” said Amy Sheppard, owner of Wet Noses Boutique in Norfolk, Va. “Your friends are your customers and they’ll be brutally honest – sometimes painfully so.”
Dynamic Displays
Designing a solid gift wrap display depends mainly on positioning. Experiment with different locations to find the one that most effectively demonstrates the add-on potential to a gift purchase.
“I have it positioned next to gift items, near the register,” Sheppard said. “When you’re asking if it’s a gift, it’s an easy way to suggest a sell. It’s positioned strategically in the store.”
When sold by the sheet, consider showcasing the colors and designs of gift wrapping by hanging it. These displays often double as space savers.
“We do a hanging display, like a wall ladder,” Maloof said. “We have found that everything sells much faster because it looks like a piece of art and it doesn’t take up a lot of floor space because it’s vertical.”
Sometimes, simply planting the seed of a gift idea in a consumer’s mind can be enough to convince them to go for gift wrap. Gevaza said showing them what can be done with their products by pairing them up throughout the store helps consumers see the potential.
“I don’t have a whole display for gift wrap,” Gevaza said. “It’s all intertwined with the gifts. So, instead of looking at a product they could pick up for themselves, they can look at it as a gift.”
Coordinating your gift wrapping items in one location also helps send the message that your store functions as a one-stop destination for gift giving.
“For people who know they’re going to take it home and wrap it up and send it across the country to a loved one, it’s easy to get it right here,” Sheppard said. “I have cards, labels and the paper all in one spot.”
If sales seem sluggish, try something new. Experiment with locations and conditions to find the optimal spot in your store.
“Overall, not just for seasonal gift wrap, if something’s not moving in your store, it might not be because the product is not sell-able,” Crisler said. “Move it around and change the display. Try it on a different wall. Try it on a different color background. Try it away from the window.” <HOME>
Tom Barthel is a Lansing-Mich. based freelance writer specializing in pet industry topics.
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