Giftwrap: how much to charge?

[Former_Member]

I'd like to offer this for the holidays but can't figure out how much to charge because the costs can vary so much:

1. Product costs (box, paper, wire-edge ribbons) purchased wholesale, depending on amount needed: $2 to $5

2. Shipping increase: an item that I would regularly ship via First Class in a Tyvek envelope (up to 13 ounces), would now be over the First Class limit and require a Priority box, which can add $3 to $9 dollars depending on location.

I'm not looking to make a profit on wrap, but I'm worried about losing all of my profit on the sale if I undercharge.

How much would you pay, as a customer?
Or if you are offering wrapping, how much do you charge (if anything)?

[Former_Member]

You can offer gift wrapping but you cannot charge for it. This is from the DO's and DON'Ts

http://www.etsy.com/help/article/483#listings

http://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/business-topics/discuss/10086704/

[Former_Member]

I don't offer gift wrapping but I have shipped an item purchased as gift directly to the recipient at the request of the buyer. They didn't ask for it to be wrapped but I keep a large stock of pretty tissue that I picked up on sale that I wrap all of my items in then tie with raffia so that seems to suffice. All of my prayer beads and jewelry are shipped in a pretty origami box that I make out of scrap booking paper. Both options are economical and don't require a different method of shipping.

[JaneStaufferPaperCo]

Nice thought...but if I were to order a gift off of Etsy I would want to see the item before I give it to the recipient. A gift wrap would stop me from doing that.
Again...as Maggie points out you cannot charge for gift wrap as per Etys rules.

Again...a thoughtful idea.

[Former_Member]

Did Etsy change the rules?

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2007/holiday-how-tos-sellers-wrap-it-up-with-gift-wrap/

[TOMgirlApparel]

You can charge for it, but it has to be a stand alone product. Meaning, customers can purchase the gift wrap by itself without buying anything else from you.

If it is just wrap, box, bows, etc. you must list as supply. If it is something you created, like a decorated box, you can list as handmade.

[Former_Member]

Janet - you're citing an article that's 5 years old. The thread I referred to is from 2012.

I have not been on Etsy all that long (about 1 year), but all I have ever known is that you cannot charge for gift wrap. Those are the rules that I follow.

This question has been asked multiple times, if you search by "gift wrap" on teams and forums, you will return a lot of similar discussions. I remember this being brought up before, which is why I linked to a similar thread from the business forum (2nd URL in my first post)

[Former_Member]

Offer an item to be wrapped in cellophane with matching bow and gift card if they request it at checkout.

Works well !!!

[TOMgirlApparel]

Maggie, the 2007 article was refreshed and current. They mentioned this in an online lab. The rules are still:

The gift wrap should be a stand-alone listing in your shop. The buyer must not be required to make a separate purchase from your shop in order to buy the gift wrap.
List the gift wrap as a commercial supply if you’re using paper and packaging you’ve purchased. The top-tag (Category) should be Supplies; the second tag should be Commercial. Be sure to also tag it as gift wrap.
If the gift wrap is handmade by you, you may list it as a handmade supply or paper good. In this case, the top tag (Category) could be either Supplies or Paper Goods. Be sure to also tag it as gift wrap.
Be prepared to sell only the gift wrap if someone purchases it without also buying an item from your shop. (You’re selling the gift wrap as an item, not the service of wrapping. It’s possible a shopper might just want the wrapping paper.)
Be sure to include the details about this gift wrap (dimensions, materials, colors, embellishments, etc).
Make a note in your shop’s item descriptions that you offer gift wrap, and the buyer must purchase the gift wrap in addition to the item they would like wrapped.
Also note this gift wrap will only be available for items in your shop. (Some new shoppers may not realize Etsy is made up of many unique shops.)
You may want to make a note that your customer should purchase the item and the gift wrap at the same time. You can note this in your gift wrap listing and your item listings.

[TOMgirlApparel]

About price OP, I have mine listed at about the prices you mentioned. I don't plan on making a bunch of money off the gift wrap, I don't want to lose any either, but I want to offer it.

[Former_Member]

As far as I know, you can offer gift wrapping as a separate listing, so long as you are prepared to sell JUST the wrapping paper on it's own. Which is strange I know, but otherwise the listing would be against the TOU (you aren't allowed to sell an item that must be purchased with another). Check out this helpful blog post for how to do it right :)

Highlights on how to do it right:
•The gift wrap should be a stand-alone listing in your shop. The buyer must not be required to make a separate purchase from your shop in order to buy the gift wrap.

•List the gift wrap as a commercial supply if you’re using paper and packaging you’ve purchased. The top-tag (Category) should be Supplies; the second tag should be Commercial. Be sure to also tag it as gift wrap.

•If the gift wrap is handmade by you, you may list it as a handmade supply or paper good. In this case, the top tag (Category) could be either Supplies or Paper Goods. Be sure to also tag it as gift wrap.

•Be prepared to sell only the gift wrap if someone purchases it without also buying an item from your shop. (You’re selling the gift wrap as an item, not the service of wrapping. It’s possible a shopper might just want the wrapping paper.)

•Be sure to include the details about this gift wrap (dimensions, materials, colors, embellishments, etc).

•Make a note in your shop’s item descriptions that you offer gift wrap, and the buyer must purchase the gift wrap in addition to the item they would like wrapped.

•Also note this gift wrap will only be available for items in your shop. (Some new shoppers may not realize Etsy is made up of many unique shops.)

•You may want to make a note that your customer should purchase the item and the gift wrap at the same time. You can note this in your gift wrap listing and your item listings.

(from: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2007/holiday-how-tos-sellers-wrap-it-up-with-gift-wrap/ )

[Former_Member]

Whoops, look like someone beat me to the punch. Sorry :(

[TheDarkFen]

charging for gift wrap is tacky. no offense. i gift wrap every product that leaves my studio. because it's all part of the product. everyone should be doing this.

[TOMgirlApparel]

Just double checked....

They link the 2007 article about Holiday Gift Wrap in this Oct. 18th blog post:

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/boot-camp-week-4/

Still current! List away!

[Former_Member]

From Maggie:
Janet - you're citing an article that's 5 years old. The thread I referred to is from 2012......I remember this being brought up before, which is why I linked to a similar thread from the business forum (2nd URL in my first post)

Maggie... in the 2nd URL in your first post...that 2012 thread includes the same 2007 article (updated)

[Former_Member]

Anyway, my question wasn't whether or not you can charge for gift wrap; my question was how much to charge.

Katie, I understand the "tacky" factor. If I sold jewelry, I would automatically gift-wrap it. Takes very little in supplies (since you're probably already using a box), and probably doesn't change your shipping cost much. However it makes an enormous cost difference in larger items.

I love gift-wrapping. I was a professional gift-wrapper in a former career, I have taught gift-wrapping, I had a "gift-wrap-room" before my child was born. I ran the Fall gift-wrap sale at my daughter's school, and I managed the Holiday gift-wrap -service booth at her school fund-raiser.

That said, last week I received a request to gift-wrap an item in my Etsy shop, which I gladly did for free, but then I was dismayed to see that I lost money on the sale, not because of the wrap but because the shipping went from $3 in a First Class tyvek envelope, to $9 in a Priority box.

So that's why I'm considering offering gift-wrap for sale. I just researched it. and for anybody who is interested, the average price people are charging is $4 to $9.

Thanks everybody for the input, and sorry if I opened a can of worms, didn't know it was such an emotional topic!

[JaneStaufferPaperCo]

Ooops! You are right. You were only asking how much to charge.
Not IF you should do it. I read wrong. I apologize.

I say if it fits the rules and you want to do it...do it.
Don't be shy...do make a profit because that is why we are here.
Buying gift wrap is time consuming so you might be of good service to many who don't/can't get out much.

Best to you on this idea.