Corporate Gift Baskets Buyer Guide

It’s easy to see why corporate gift baskets are a perennially popular gift choice with both recipients and givers. They’re a safe, one-size-fits-all business gift that shows recognition and appreciation. With an array of contents, your recipient will be sure to find something in the gift basket they’ll enjoy.

Who doesn’t like opening gifts? With the variety of goodies packed in a business gift basket, it’s almost like getting a grown-up Christmas stocking stuffed with treats and surprises.

The simplest definition of a corporate gift basket is an actual basket or bucket-like container with multiple contents inside, festively wrapped in clear cellophane. It’s sent for a corporate occasion or to strengthen a corporate/recipient business relationship, typically with some greeting from the sender.

Today, so-called gift baskets are often packaged as gift trays, gift towers, or gourmet gift boxes – gift baskets’ newer cousins, which typically hold loose snacks in the individual boxes, vs. the variety of packaged/boxed items you find in a traditional business gift basket.

(These newer gift styles often offer customization. If you want to add your name or logo, you can brand your gourmet gift box or tower boxes.)

In business, gift baskets are a classic corporate gift, evergreen in their popularity.  You’ve probably received one yourself, most people have at some point in their lives and careers. Their ongoing popularity makes them the top category on CorporateGift.com for holidays, thank-yous, new babies, and sympathy gifts. 

And choice is never a problem due to the expansive variety of business gift basket ideas, themes, and price points available. At CorporateGift.com, you’ll find hundreds of gift basket options ranging from under $50 up to $400 for the most lavish and impressive.

Unlike swag, given for promotional reasons, corporate gift baskets are a more subtle reward, and yet more substantial. Though some can be branded with your company name, logo, and colors, business gift baskets are not aimed at selling so much as celebration. 

They are the perfect gift – actually a basketful of gifts – to show appreciation, to mark a special occasion or milestone, or as a thank-you gift. Their business benefit comes long-term from a reinforced  and deepened relationship with clients and employees.

• Set your maximum price per head. You’ll want to factor in shipping costs, and if you’re sending the baskets directly to an extensive list of recipients (and not to your office to distribute) then you’ll want to also consider drop-shipping fees into that number.

(Looking for business gift baskets with free shipping? Look here)

• Know your minimum quantity. If you’re only planning to send a gift basket to one or a few recipients, then you’ll want to filter out those gifts that must be ordered with a minimum quantity. 

• Consider the occasion. Many gift basket providers have unique baskets themed for different employee milestones or events. Gift baskets can be sent for the holidays of course, but they can also be sent for birthdays, sympathy, get well, thank you, congratulations, new baby, and other significant occasions.

• Understand your recipient. While many gift baskets are one-size-fits-all, if you do happen to know a like or dislike of the recipient, that thoughtfulness can help set you apart. Perhaps they have a favorite wine? Or they’re vegan. Maybe they don’t drink at all? Take these preferences into consideration to go the extra mile.

CorporateGift.com offers eGifting solutions that make sending corporate gifts easier than ever before. No address? No problem. Never send a gift to an empty office or old address again. Send eGift invitations by email, social network message or text, and recipients provide their preferred address when they redeem their gifts.

Recipients can pick from a selection you choose, decline, or donate its value to charity. You also have the option to enable exchanges or upgrades for gifts in the CorporateGift.com Marketplace

Even better, CorporateGift.com also has "Let Them Choose" eGift Collections that allow your recipient to choose from a selection of gifts that you have approved! Choose your theme and budget and let your recipient enjoy the option to choose their own gift.

Pro - Corporate gift baskets are a safe choice; with a variety of contents, there should be something inside to please almost anyone.

Pro - It’s not just one present but an array of packages; gift baskets are simply fun to open and discover the varied goodies packed inside.

Pro - With the bounty of individual products inside, gift baskets are usually a hit – but not just one hit. They can be enjoyed for several days and can be shared with others in the office or in the family, multiplying the good feelings your gift creates.

Con - Though corporate gift baskets are usually a safe choice, if you don’t know much personally about a recipient, you could send a gift that isn’t appropriate. A diabetic can’t enjoy a basket of candy and sweets, for instance, and a non-drinker won’t appreciate a selection of wines. If this is a concern of yours, then sending a "Let Them Choose" eGift Collection is the perfect solution.

Con - So popular and evergreen, corporate gift baskets can be seen as a very traditional gift. If you want to give the gift basket idea a modern makeover, our gifting consultants suggest sending a beautiful and modern gift set or an impressive tower of goodies.

Gift baskets are popular, but they can sometimes be disappointing. You risk sending a food basket full of carbs and gluten to a diabetic/celiac, or wine to a teetotaler, or white wine to a red wine lover.

"Let Them Choose" eGift Collections allow you to invite your employees, clients, or business contacts to select their favorite gift from a curated set of products within a defined budget range.

The collections take all the guesswork out of giving by letting your recipients choose their favorite from a selection, or you can create your own collection! For example, you can create a gift that offers a choice between red wine, white wine, or a non-alcoholic gift – something to please everyone.

You also have the option to enable exchanges or upgrades for other gifts in the CorporateGift.com Marketplace.

Giving the right gift can be an essential step in building and reinforcing corporate relationships with both clients and employees. In surveys, 63% of companies credited gift-giving as a factor in their improved customer relationships with their clients. 

According to Glassdoor, “more than half (53%) of employees admit they would stay longer at their company if they felt more appreciation from their boss. In fact, four in five (81%) employees report they’re motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work, higher than the 38% of employees who say they’re motivated to work harder when their boss is demanding or the 37% of employees who say they’re motivated to work harder because they fear losing their job.”

Gift baskets have long been a top choice in corporate gift-giving. Their only potential drawback is that they are so well-known and commonly given. Newer versions, such as gift trays, gift towers, or food gift boxes, offer recipients a gift basket experience with a contemporary twist.

eGifts and “Let Them Choose” eGift Collections offer painless solutions to corporate gifting by letting recipients receive a gift or choose from a hand-picked selection of options, even if you don’t know their mailing address.

At CorporateGift.com you can find literally thousands of great gift ideas for your employees and clients, new and old. 

Beyond our massive variety of products, ranging from custom-branded kayaks to quality liquors, we also offer premium membership options for companies who have regular gifting initiatives or require large bulk orders.

CG Elite members enjoy access to premium products, storage and inventory management options, advanced tools for gift budget management and allocation, and automated/easy-sending options directly from their CRM, HRMS, or other enterprise platforms. 

Whether you want to welcome new hires, power up your pipeline, recognize employees or strengthen customer relationships, we’ve got your back. Check out our variety of corporate gift ideas here or talk to one of our experts today and see if you are eligible for a free CG Elite membership.