Corporate Gift Advice from THE Gift Expert
Everything you've always wanted to know about holiday business gifts in 2021, and straight from the gift horse's mouth.
Whether you're working in-person, remotely, or some combination of the two, one thing we've ALL learned these past two years is this: expect the unexpected and plan to change plans. It's hard to know what "surprises" 2021 still has in store. But no matter how this year plays out, Batch can help your holiday gift be one less thing you have to worry about. Stumped on gift ideas? We got you. Sending gifts across the country? No sweat.
We sat down (figuratively) with Batch co-founder and CEO Sam Davidson, to find out how to pull off the perfect corporate gift (literally) for your employees this holiday season.
Batch: What effect do you think the pandemic will have on corporate sales this year? How is it different this year than last?
Sam: This year feels a bit like “same song, second verse”—conferences are once again being canceled or going virtual, plans to return to the office are being shelved, and online orders are again expected to hit all time highs. But, one big difference this year is also related to our supply chain. As vendors—both big and small (like ours)—depleted stock levels earlier this year, they were slow to restore their inventory due to so much uncertainty related to COVID. We are hearing from many vendors that they could sell out or pause operations entirely. This is why we are emphasizing for our customers to order their holiday gifts as early as possible. (Not quite “same song, second verse” more like a remix feat. Supply Chainz.)
If a client has employees living in a bunch of different locations, how does the ordering process work?
Sam: The bottom line? We make it easy. COVID’s unpredictability means you may not know where gift recipients are working, even if they’re your coworkers. Will they be in the office? At home? At an AirBnB for a while? At mom’s house?
No address? No problem! When working with Batch, we remove that guesswork and let your recipients enter their preferred mailing address based on where they’d like to receive their gift this holiday season. We ship to all 50 U.S. states and over 100 countries.
Can Batch source local products from somewhere other than Nashville?
Sam: Hundreds of vendor relationships is one of our biggest advantages. So far, we’ve curated gift sets from more than 25 American cities. Want brunch from Brooklyn? Snacks from the Carolinas? Cocktails from New Orleans? Chocolate from California? We know hard-working small business owners here, there, and everywhere. In fact, we can also mix and match cities to represent where your company and its employees call home.
[Our "Illinois-themed" corporate gift we sourced, shipped, and curated for our friends at the Illinois State Museum, 2021]
What sorts of products or Batches do you commonly see for corporate gift orders?
Sam: When it comes to corporate gifts, you want to impress without offending or missing the mark. Usually, this means some combination of things 99.99% of people love: chocolate, snacks, candles, and more snacks. But, if you have someone (or several someones on your list) that you’d like to “wow” because you know they love to grill or are a budding mixologist, we can tailor any gift to any need. We can also curate gifts for recipients with allergies and other dietary preferences or restrictions.
What is the average value of a Batch corporate gift?
Sam: I like to say each gift is priceless because that’s the exact value of the sentiment you’re sending whether it’s happiness, congratulations, sympathy, or gratitude. But, if you’d like to know the gift budget for a lot of clients, they start around $59. That gift budget will get a gift with 4-6 items plus every gift includes standard shipping, a printed outer carton, interior gift box (with your logo for a small fee), printed tissue paper with a sticker enclosure, and a custom message card.
Which Batches do you predict will be the most successful corporate gift this year and why?
Sam: Because travel is still restricted, we’re already hearing about holiday parties canceling, and lots of people are still working from home. I bet our snack sets will be very popular again. Ditto for cocktails and home relaxation—all of us can use more of both of those these days.
How early should someone put in an order for the holidays?
Sam: Yesterday. We’re seeing this year—more than any other—many vendors running into hurdles making sure they’ll have enough inventory for the holiday season. Thus, they’re having to plan earlier than ever and so are we. In order for you to have your choice of gifts and to save the most amount of money, we suggest ordering as soon as you have a ballpark number of recipients and budget. Otherwise, be prepared for rush fees or to have gifts arrive after the holiday.
How large is the largest order Batch has ever done, and how large of an order can Batch handle?
Sam: Unlimited. Infinity. You want it? We got it. That said, we’re pros at handing orders well over 1,000 gifts, and that includes personalization and customization for each of those gift batches. Whether you need 1 or 10,000 we’d love to talk about great gift options for your intended recipients (contact us!).
"We’ve expanded our packing space to handle your high-volume orders and continue to negotiate with our suppliers to keep your costs as low as possible. All while adding over 50 vendors to our lineup in 2021."
In preparing for the upcoming holiday season, how is Batch different this year than it was a year ago?
Sam: For one, Zach is handling a lot of our content curation; therefore the quality is better than ever. We’re also better prepared as each person on our team has been here for over a year. We’ve expanded our packing space to handle your high-volume orders and continue to negotiate with our suppliers to keep your costs as low as possible. All while adding over 50 vendors to our lineup in 2021.
Are there any new and exciting corporate gifting options this holiday season?
Sam: Yes! Heather, our Product and Event Sales Director, has done an amazing job curating more distinct gifts than we have ever had. From "Winter Cosmo" to "Secret Santa" to "Deck the Halls Y'all" to "Winter Recovery" to "Merry & Bright", we have more new gifts than Santa has reindeer. And, like Rudolph we can help your holiday gift recipients shout with glee.