When you're looking for hamper packaging ideas for small budgets, the good news is that successful gifting doesn't have to be about huge lavish hampers in the first place. A small, quick and easy hamper at the right price point can be every bit as beautiful.
At WBC we have many simple gift and hamper packaging ideas that cost just pennies per hamper, but when dressed with the right finishing touches, can help you pack on extra profit. Clever gifting is all about minimising your outlay and maximising the perceived value of your hamper box. Get that ratio right and you'll be on to a winner.
'Self-selection' is a wonderful concept for those who have time and space to offer it. But having a few simple pre-prepared gifts to hand takes indecision out of the equation, along with the embarrassment of customers holding up a queue. Ready-made hamper options save time, lift profits and bring in new customers.
1. Gift trays that always pay
If you're on a tight budget or new to hamper gifting, start with the humble card gift tray. Affordable, quick to assemble and fully recyclable, it's an easy option for anyone to use.
Our card gift trays are available in packs starting from 30 units. Delivered flat-packed, they are easy to store by the till or on the shop floor. Prices start from £1.22 per unit. Standard trays are versatile and can complement a wide range of gifting themes throughout the year.
The trays come in a range of colours and sizes, and acetate lids are sold separately. If those aren't quite in budget, wrap the tray in cellophane gift wrap instead. It's a solid hamper wrapping option that holds contents in place for pennies per unit.
When the budget is very tight, don't overcommit to seasonal-specific packaging. A standard carton accessorised with ribbons and bows or stickers and gift tags is often the more economical route year-round.
- Small card gift tray (packs of 50) | £1.22
- Black very fine shredded paper (5kg box) | £0.50
- Black recycled tissue paper (480 sheets) | £0.15
- Christmas sticker (100 p/roll) | £0.08
Total | £1.95
Don't forget to do your homework when it comes to your hamper content. Many retailers miss this crucial detail. There's little point in making up a beautiful hamper if it doesn't make you a profit. Know your customer and what they will pay, but also do your sums, breaking down the cost of each component, the cost price of the contents and what you can sell it for.
2. Bags of profit
During the busy holiday season, many retailers need a simple gift packaging solution. Unlike gift boxes, fabric bags require no assembly.
Plus they take up as little storage space as possible, when storage is at a premium.
Fabric bags can be a wonderful alternative to wicker hampers or gift boxes, and they can be quickly and easily filled. Simply add your product with a little shred to keep them secure and add a seasonal gift tag or accessory to top it all off.
Especially useful for retailers who have a wide range of products that are not uniformly shaped. Fabric bags are available in a variety of sizes and can easily be used for any shape, and padded out with hamper shredded paper. Despite your odd shapes, you'll be creating a more uniform display with your bagged products. Perfect for gifting chutneys, marmalades, jewellery, candles, hand cream, beauty products, chocolates or miniature bottles.
All our fabric bags are made from a natural material, cotton or jute. We suggest keeping your stash by your counter for a quick and budget-busting gift wrapping option. Or better yet, set up a point-of-sale display to boost add-on sales with your new festive gift bags.
- Mini red jute bag (packs of 10) | £1.09
- Very fine shredded paper (5kg box) | £0.50
- 95mm Raffia pull bow (packs of 50) | £0.29
- Foil gift tag (packs of 12) | £0.17
Total | £2.05
3. Post it or gift it in store
This cheap and cheerful packaging idea for small budgets is right on the money. While self-seal ecommerce boxes may have been designed primarily for mail order hampers, we like the utilitarian and natural feel of a box like this packed to the brim with contents.
Stylishly dressed with shred and fill to match your brand colours or offset the tones in your chosen products, it looks every inch a hamper in its own right.
Self-seal ecommerce boxes are made right here in the UK from 100% recyclable card. Like gift trays, they also come flat-packed for easy storage. The tear-away strip saves time, keeping contents secure and professionally finished. Perfect for subscription hampers and postal packs.
- Premium self-seal ecommerce box (packs of 20) | £1.27
- Very fine shredded paper (5kg box) | £0.50
Total | £1.77
Which build is right for you depends on volume, storage space and what's going inside. Card gift trays win on presentation and colour, jute bags on speed and awkward-shaped products, and ecommerce boxes when the same hamper needs to work both in-store and by post.
To shop the components used above, browse our gift trays, jute bags, shredded paper or ecommerce boxes collections. For a broader look at hamper packaging, our gift and drinks packaging landing page is a good starting point, and the team is on 020 7737 4040 if you'd like advice on a specific build.
