5 things I wish I'd known when I started my gift wrapping business

Are you thinking of setting up a gift wrapping business? Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed wondering where to start? Or it could be that you have already made a start in getting set up but are wondering if you have covered everything?

Here are my 5 things I wish I'd known when I started my gift wrapping business.

No 1: Deciding early on who your customers are going to be

You need to decide how much time you can give to your gift wrapping business. It's easy to fall into wanting to offer a gift wrapping service to everyone, a private customer to big corporates. You could end up feeling very overwhelmed as they are going to have very different needs. A couple of small gifts for a private customer may not take you too long but a corporate may want several 100 or 1000 of gifts wrapped.

No 2. Deciding prices and don't forget to factor in P&P 

Gift wrapping is still quite a niche business to be in, so deciding on how much to charge can be quite difficult as there is very little out there to compare to. Work out all of your costs before you do anything. Take into account everything you will need for whichever groups of clients you chose to work with. If you are offering a local service for private clients - are you going to collect & deliver the gifts back to the client? If you are, don't forget to include your travelling expenses. A large number of gifts for a corporate may need to be returned on a pallet using a courier service. Check these out early so you can include them in your quote. 

No 3. Setting up wholesale accounts  

The retailers sell so many beautiful gift wrapping paper designs and accessories that it is so tempting to buy from them. If you do, you're never going to make a profit. Do your research. Many online retailers offer wholesale accounts, even to small businesses. If you want more information about where to start with this, contact me.

No 4. Choosing what services to offer

This may seem obvious, but being absolutely clear about the services you offer will prevent any confusion down the line. If you aren't able to wrap hampers, say so. If large items (bikes, cars...) are not your thing - make it clear.

No 5. Setting up clear Ts & Cs & FAQs

Be absolutely clear in your terms & conditions what is and is not included when someone asks you to gift wrap for them. Think about liability if something gets broken! You may want to include the days and times that you work in your gift wrapping business too, especially if it's not your full time job. Consider when you're available to answer questions - you really don't want a client calling you at 11pm at night. In your FAQs, think about all the questions that people have asked you and make sure that every client gets a copy. 

If you're thinking of starting a Gift Wrapping business and you are unsure where to start, book my Power Hour. During the hour I will share all the things you need to consider and have in place before you start. Book here.

Louise is a Virtual Assistant with a side hustle teaching people how to gift wrap like a professional.

Louise has gift wrapped for Carnival UK (P&O/Cunard Cruises), Fuji and the Banking Circle as well as many private clients. She specialises in teaching people the simple steps that can easily transform your wrapping, either on a one to one basis or as part of a group. 

And since 2020, has run classes for corporates looking for something different to do with their teams (particularly as an alternative to the Christmas party)

The Start a Gift Wrapping Business Power Hour is an opportunity for anyone wanting to get started with a gift wrapping business to learn everything they need to consider when starting out.