Wholesale News & Articles

Many distributors start off as traditional wholesalers, stocking goods in warehouses and relying on field reps and faxes for orders. Conversely, National Gift has its roots in the online world, founded by Internet-savvy entrepreneurs who designed the company to take advantage of the web, right from its launch. That sets National Gift apart from the competition, and makes it a logical choice for ecommerce retailers. "National Gift was formed in 2004 by several Internet marketing professionals and a professional gift basket designer," says owner Anthony Richardson. "We have backgrounds in retail finance, accounting, Internet marketing and business management." The company is the wholly owned subsidiary of HapCaps LLC.

Richardson elaborates on how the wide ranging tech talents of the company's founders have made National Gift a compelling source for online retailers. "What sets us apart from everyone else in the industry is that we have such a strong background in Internet marketing and practices as a whole. We offer this expertise to our customers in the form, for example, of keyword research, social media advertising and marketing lessons," he says. "Customers can get a website through us, preloaded with all our products so they do not have to do it themselves." National Gift not only sells products, but also solutions in the form of ecommerce sites and dropshipment programs.

However, it is not just in web expertise where the company shines. National Gift also has a deep background in its core gift basket products. The company's gift designers revise and update the products offered on an ongoing basis, constantly improving their product lines and rotating inventory so all ingredients are fresh. The company's lines of flower and candy gift baskets are especially strong. "We are very well known in the industry, and we have a pretty strong alliance with the Gift Basket Association," says Richardson. "We follow the professional principals of gift basket design," which focus on higher quality goods. As he explains it, when a customer buys for someone else, the quality of the gift, the "wow" factor and the presentation are key, and are just as important as price. Richardson emphasizes that combining great products with several unique online services is what really distinguishes National Gift. The company prides itself on being a partner for retailers that offers design, website, and turnkey solutions that spring from a deep well of experience. "Our number one competitor does not know anything about Internet marketing and advertising," he says. "They know about gift baskets. We've been doing search engine marketing and website development successfully for a long time."

That is important, Richardson says, because the gift basket industry for manufacturers and designers has a reputation as a craft, rather than as a scaleable and sustainable business and source of income. National Gift's professional services and Internet competency makes it a standout as a business. For example, the company offers a complete ecommerce solution to would-be online retailers, whether they are start-ups or established brick and mortar retailers. The company offers fully stocked electronic retail sites that require minimal start-up time and maintenance. National Gift puts all the images and product descriptions into place, allows the use of over 40 payment systems, and is fully customizable in terms of selecting products from any source. For a small fee, the site will work with any domain name owned by the retailer. The pricing is also very reasonable, starting at about $50 per month and coming down to as low as $37 per month with a year's commitment. The company also offers a wide array of services that will prove useful to any ecommerce retailer, from low cost logo and graphic design to web programming and marketing.

National Gift can even take charge of a retail partner's product, handling delivery to the online customer. With the dropshipment program, the company will ship ordered product directly from its facilities to the consumer, skipping a step as the product never touches the ecommerce retailer's hands. Joining a dropship program, of which the company offers several, also entitles the retail partner to a range of Internet marketing lessons, a feature that is unique in the industry. The most economical dropship program, says Richardson, is the Keystone Package, which requires a minimum order of $100 per month. "National Gift offers the largest profit margin in the wholesale gift basket business," Richardson says. "With our Keystone Package, our best seller, we offer keystone margins. We're the only ones in the industry who offer that." The Premium Package offers the same pricing, but without a one year commitment, and the cost is a little more. Other packages offer variations on the price/commitment spectrum, including a Starter Package with smaller margins and a very small commitment level. "The Starter Package lets retailers get a taste," he says.

Richardson also says the site can generate a report on abandoned shopping carts, which may be used to follow up with potential customers. "Everybody's got tire-kickers," he says, referring to online customers who load up a shopping cart with no intention of placing an order. "Our website does have that capability, but we have not put it to use yet." National Gift hastens to reassure customers that it has no interest in stealing away customers. "It is true," offers a helpful guide on the website, "that some dropshippers will send email, postcards or even catalogs to customers in an attempt to steal them away. We know how important having repeat customers is, and we are the one dropshipper that will help you keep your customers and not steal them from you." The company does not put its logo or contact info on boxes or packing slips, so the product seems to come directly from the retailer.

Richardson is committed to offering a great value. "As a retailer, you will not be disappointed on quality, presentation, or customer satisfaction," he says. He is proud that his company is a family run business that is well regarded in the industry and accredited with the Better Business Bureau, with a BBB rating of "A." According to the National Gift website, "Although the company does make money, our highest purpose is to see new and existing web business owners succeed. We want to be the company you'll remember years from now, that gave you the little extra profit on each product; that one new marketing idea, or that nugget of information that made your business a success, rather than one of the thousands of failures each year."

For more information:
HapCaps, LLC dba NationalGift.com
9084 Marshall Court
Westminster, CO 80031
Toll Free new customer info: 888-658-8714 x101
Toll Free member customer service: 888-658-8714 x103
Fax: 888-658-8714 x 0
Website: NationalGift.com