Gift Ideas Under $25 - Green Tomato Pickles from Lauri Jo's

Green Tomato Pickles - the item that launched Lauri Jo's

Holiday entertaining and gift-giving will drive business for the remaining 8 weeks of the year, and your customer will be looking to you for fresh ideas to make their events unique and memorable.

Lauri Jo's is not only a welcome gift idea, it is also an easy way for your customers to add that special ingredient to their holiday meals and parties that will have their friends begging for their recipes.

Lauri Jo (she's a real person!) started the company with a few of her great-grandmother's recipes and began home canning - launching a growing and successful business that now offers over 40 products.

The first item was Green Tomato Pickles:

The Green Tomato Pickle is my HERO!!  It is what started my business and is still to this day my favorite product.  They are the real deal.  It takes 4 days to make this old-fashioned lime pickle....Chopped up, they make the best deviled eggs or chicken salad you will ever eat.  Some people eat them on grilled hamburgers.  Food Network serves them on Turkey Cheddar Melt sandwiches.

She works with local growers and suppliers to bring you the agricultural bounty of South Georgia, producing award-winning pickles, pepper jellies, salsas and other gourmet products, using locally-sourced and all-natural ingredients.

Pepper Jellies are available in 14 different flavors

The pickles and pepper jellies can retail for $8.95, making them easy additions to gift baskets and ideal for multi-unit selling because just one isn't enough!

The pickles are available in 6 different varieties, while there are 14 flavors in the pepper jellies.

All items taste great on their own, and they are often used as ingredients to add a new flavor dimension to common dishes - like with her meatball recipe which I had the good fortune to taste last week and can affirm they are delicious!

Gift Ideas Under $25 - Handcrafted Soap Bars from ManHands

A hearty welcome to ManHands Soap - the newest addition to my line package.  I don't normally take on new lines this time of year, but I'm so excited about this one that I made an exception!

ManHands Soap is the manly scented soap company that you need in your shop immediately - especially in your men's gift section. 

The line was born one day when founder Adam Anderson went to wash his hands and noticed the only soaps he could find in the house were a bunch of girly scents - scents no man should ever have to smell like! 

Among the unique, manly scents are such evocative names as Bacon (#1 seller - no surprise), Cash, Cedar Log Cabin, Pine Tar, Pizza, Zombie Repellant, Lumberjack, Corn Chips and...well, you get the idea.  There are many more.

Bacon is the #1 selling scent

Each 3-oz bar is handmade individually and tested on dudes, not animals.  It is a glycerin-based soap formula that is palm oil-free and vegan. 

Retail each bar for $6.00.  Opening order minimum is only 50 bars, so let's get these in your store right away so you can delight your customers with the gift suggestion for the man who is so hard to buy for.

Gifts Ideas Under $25 - Hand Cremes from Lollia

Hand cremes from the Wish and Breathe collections

Luxury hand cremes from Lollia are always a welcome gift.  For your customers seeking a thoughtful gift that is not too personal, make Lollia's hand cremes your go-to suggestion this season.

Available in seven distinct, romantic fragrances, each hand crème is a rich formulation of shea butter, aloe and avocado oil.

Lollia is well-known for beautiful packaging, but it is also an exceptional product.  Each collection also includes an eau de parfum, a shower gel, bath salts, bubble bath and a soap.  Because each one is a consumable, users will return to your shop when they need more.

Relax is Lollia's #1 selling giftable fragrance collection

Still not convinced this is an ideal gift suggestion?  The hand crème is such a popular item that Lollia offers it in 3 sizes:

• Full size (4-oz) - retail for $25
• Travel size (1.25-oz) - retail for $15
• Petite Treat size (.33-oz) - retail for $7.50

Not sure which scent to get someone?  Relax (pictured above) is Lollia's #1 best selling giftable fragrance collection.  It's hard to go wrong with this lavender & honey based fragrance.

Keep in mind that the smaller sizes are also great impulse items, so fill a jar or vase with them to promote multi-unit sales.

If you're not currently a Lollia retailer, it's not too late to get the collection in your store for holiday sales.  All you need to choose is which 3 fragrance collections to start with (and I'm here to help you with that), and the opening order assortment is already set.

Gift Ideas Under $25 - Canvas Pouches from Emily McDowell

Another hot category this season is zippered pouches, especially among younger female customers.  You know what else is hot with this demo?  Emily McDowell's humor!

So having her signature humor and graphics in a collection of 9 zippered pouch design means you need these in your shop this season!

Your retail customers already know Emily's greeting cards that put into words their feelings on the quirky, complicated relationships we have with friends and family.  Now they can express themselves with a fun twist on an everyday accessory.

This is an ideal holiday gift for so many occasions - girlfriend, secret santa, stocking stuffers, office or book club gift exchanges - but is also a popular impulse purchase.  They also make a fun addition to a girly or beauty-themed gift basket. 

Retail them at $20 with a comfortable margin.  Each pouch is made of sturdy 100% cotton canvas with a cotton lining and gold zipper with fabric pull.  The dimensions are 8.5" x 6.5" - perfect size for makeup, meds, note pads, phone chargers, pens and personal items.

Gift Items $25 & Under - Drinks for Mundane Tasks from Knock Knock

You can always rely on Knock Knock for fun merchandise, so you won't be surprised that they have a plethora of items under $25 for all categories of gift-giving.

Drinks for Mundane Tasks features 70 convivial cocktail recipes to make even the dullest to-do lists more intoxicating.  The tedium of daily life requires at least as much spirit as special occasions do, and the recipes here will make you look forward to your household chores.

Author and aspiring mixologist David Vienna serves up drinks like The Grass Chopper (for mowing the lawn, pictured below), Three Sheets (for making the bed) and The Debt Charge (for paying bills).

It is a 128-page book that is easy to read with colorful graphics.  It's a humorous option for stocking stuffers, co-worker gifts, girlfriend gifts - but maybe not a teacher gift.

Retail it for $14.95 with some breathing room in your margin.

Let's get your store stocked now so you aren't caught off-guard when holiday business kicks in.  If you order at least $400, you will also receive a free half-dozen Fill in the Love Notes, Family version - a $48 retail value.

Gift Ideas $25 & Under - New sock collection from rockflowerpaper

Dachshund Navy pattern

Socks remain a HOT category at retail and is truly one of the must-have categories for your shop this season.  The new sock collection from rockflowerpaper includes 11 designs, some of which are inspired by popular designs already in the line and others that are completely new.  Each pair is an all-over pattern with no words (or profanity) like you find on some other sock companies.

Socks have become the perfect impulse purchase - for a gift or for self-purchase - and a favorite stocking stuffer.  They add life to your store displays and a touch of whimsy to your customers' outfits.

Fair Isle Red pattern

The socks are crew length in women's one-size-fits-most.  They are a cotton/nylon/elasthan blend that makes them durable and easy-care.  

Retail them for $10-12 with a comfortable margin.  Since it's not uncommon for customers to purchase more than one pair, consider offering a price break on a multi-unit purchase ($10 each or $28 for 3).

Holiday Gift Ideas $25 & Under - Aromatherapy Shower Bursts

Shower Burst Variety Packs - Signature, Wellness, Pure Essentials, Lifestyle & Citrus Collections (left to right)

Shower Bursts are the signature item from Hydra Aromatherapy and will quickly become a must-have item for your shop.  They are popular products because they are like a bath fizzie for use in the shower, are handmade with pure essential oils, come in fun packaging and are consumable - which means customers will return to buy more!

Shower Bursts are sold both individually and in boxed variety packs (pictured above).  The variety packs are an easy way for your customers to try different blends to discover their favorite.

Each variety pack includes 4 different scented shower bursts, a sachet that enhances the aromatherapy experience, and instructions for use on the back of the box.  Sachets help shower bursts last longer by allowing them to dry between uses.

To use, unwrap the shower burst and place it on a dish or in a sachet.  Wet briefly to activate.  As it dissolves, aromatherapy oils mix with the rising steam to provide a true spa experience.

Retail the variety pack for $20-$22.

If you order with me before the end of the year, I can offer you two promotions:

• Order $300 or more - receive 1 FREE case of individual shower bursts (your choice of fragrance)
• Order $500 or more - your freight charges are capped at 7% (in addition to the free case of shower bursts)

Let's get these on your shelves.  It's the unique gift that keeps your customers supporting you as a local, independent retailer.

Do you have enough gift ideas in the $25-and-under range?

So.....October is here.  That means 84 more days before Christmas.  That means 12 more weekends before Christmas.

No doubt you are already up to your eyeballs unpacking daily deliveries, and your shop is starting to look festive.  You probably also have glitter on your floor, on your shelves, and in your hair.

Don't forget to carve out time to review your fall buying and ask a very important question:

Do you have enough gift ideas in the $25-and-under range?

Every year I hear from retailers in November who are in need of more product in this magic price range.

Since it's my job to make your job easier (and I know how much work you get done outside of regular business hours), this year I will share suggestions from my line package throughout the month of October.  It just so happens my line package has oodles of ideas that will make your customers happy and your cash register sing!

Note: if you want to be sure you don't miss anything, you can follow me on Instagram or Facebook where I will provide a link to each new post here.  You will find more detailed info here than I can fit on social media. 

Heat up summer sales with FinchBerry

This was originally posted May 31, 2017 at my old blog.

Are you looking for simple ways to light a fire under your summer sales?  Then we should talk about FinchBerry.

Whatever your shop's focus, soaps are a smart addition to your product mix.  Scented soaps are interactive, inviting your customers to smell each one and identify their favorites.  FinchBerry's bright colors and unique 3-dimensional textures excite the senses and will keep customers in your shop longer, increasing the chances they will make additional purchases.

Whether your business relies on locals or tourists, here are some features that make selling Finchberry soaps a good idea:

• Impulse item
• Functional (you never have to answer "what do you do with it?)
• Self-purchase as a vacation treat that can be used at once
• Gift purchase as a souvenir to take home for the dog sitter or neighborhood teen who mowed your lawn
• Retails under $10
• Consumable item that will be used up, encouraging repeat business
• Merchandising options that give your display focus and keep it tidy

Promote multi-unit sales by pricing them at $9 each (which allows you some extra margin) and then offer 3 for $25.  All soaps are sold as individual bars so you don't spend time slicing and packaging them separately.

Moxie's scent is a pleasing summer blend of watermelon & cantaloupe

FinchBerry soaps are handcrafted in their North Florida studio which is filled with piping bags, baking racks and dough mixers.  It looks as much like a bakery as the soaps look like baked goods!

Each individual bar contains natural, food-grade ingredients, sports a unique and decadent appearance, and produces a lush gentle lather.  All soaps are gluten-free, vegan-friendly and made without any harsh chemical preservatives. 

FinchBerry soaps are not just cleansing bars but a sensory experience your customers can savor daily.

So let's get these in your shop right away.  Ordering is simple - order 9 different scents with a free set of display trays OR choose 12 scents for a free 2-tier tabletop display with FinchBerry signage.

You'll want to see and smell before making a decision, of course. Just say the word, and I'm glad to come see you with samples of all the soaps!

Neptune & the Mermaid

This was originally posted April 14, 2017 at my old blog

Brand spanking new from Tokyo Milk (a Margot Elena company) is the Neptune & the Mermaid fragrance collection.

Your customers will discover surreal fragrance notes in the Eau de Parfum (pictured above) in gilded bottles and housed in a keepsake storybook box. 

There are 3 fragrances to this collection:

• Song of the Siren No.49
• 20,000 Flowers Under the Sea No.31
• Anthemoessa No.21

The collection also includes Margot Elena's signature shea butter handcreme, perfumed mini soaps and a lip balm.

It's a beautiful addition for current Tokyo Milk retailers.  Early best-seller buzz is for Anthemoessa!

Creating ILLUME Fragrances

(Reposted from Illume's Burn Room blog)

Fragrance is often described as a unique language used to communicate a story and evoke emotions.  That's where the scents we create begin: with the stories they tell.  Each candle has a unique personality and our fragrance experts - or "noses" - are trained to develop that story by combining raw scents to create a complete fragrance.

Gen and Greta (our noses here at ILLUME) start with visual inspiration to develop the personality and fragrance story, putting together a mood board for each fragrance.  Once the story is created visually, a fragrance wheel is used to determine the scent's category.  The wheel consists of different scent families and helps us create well-rounded collections that offer fragrances from a wide range of scent categories.

We often look to fragrance trends as a guide when developing new scents.  Similar to a fashion expert following trends on the runway, knowing which fragrance trends are on the horizon is important when creating new products.  Current trends include:

• Super fruits and globally-inspired spices like turmeric and saffron
• Cuban-inspired scents like tobacco, leather and exotic fruit
• Gender-neutral/genderless scents

Each fragrance we create consists of raw materials that make up top, middle and base notes.  For example, the raw materials that create our Blackberry Absinthe fragrance are:

These raw materials are carefully considered and putting them together successfully is a combination of expertise, as well as trial and error.  Our experts know how each element smells individually and if those elements can come together to create an interesting, beautiful scent that reinforces the story.  Perfecting this comes with practice and there are often multiple rounds of revisions to ensure the scent is exactly how it should be.  The end result is always worth it!

Lollia - new for 2017

This was originally posted January 4, 2017 at my old blog.

Dream is the newest addition to the Lollia collection

The Margot Elena product collections are an exciting addition to my package for the new year.  I'll post about each one separately, but today's focus is Lollia.

Lollia is an elegant library of fragrance stories with romantic names like Wish (the top seller), Dream (pictured above), Breathe, Relax, At Last and others.  Each collection consists of classic, beautifully designed boudoir luxuries made from superior formulations in the USA. 

Hand cremes in Wish, Breathe & At Last

Lollia is known for its iconic look that is decadently luxurious while feeling sweetly familiar with signature mix-and-match patterns and fresh-picked color palettes.  The packaging attracts attention, and the quality of the product has created proven customer loyalty that brings you high repeat business.

In each collection you will an eau de parfum, a shea butter handcreme (pictured above), perfumed shower gel, bubbling bath and a beautiful fragranced luminary candle.

Make sure you are stocked for Valentine's Day gift giving and then beef up your inventory more as we approach Mother's Day.