What better way to beat the heat of summer than to think about the cool cash you will be bringing in this holiday season? Summer is prime time for putting together holiday plans, inventory strategies, brochures and catalogs. With a recession-tinged holiday coming up, it might be wise to think about inventory along more resourceful lines.

Keeping a majority of inventory in non-seasonal packaging means you can keep selling it through expiration dates, even if those dates go far beyond the Christmas season. However -- and this is a BIG however -- putting a segment of stock into seasonal packaging is VERY SMART.

Coffee is a common stock that can be used in virtually every gift basket theme. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to stock up on coffee in holiday packaging. Add a solid red mug (that can cross over into Valentine’s Day), and a touch of holiday-themed enhancements, and a year-round gift basket becomes an instant HOLIDAY best seller -- with just ONE specific holiday item.

There are not many products that I have personally endorsed through my 25 years as an editor in the gift field. But Don Francisco coffee is a gift item that has consistently earned my vote as an inventory “must-have”. The packaging is classy, and the taste is so good I personally buy it every week as the coffee of choice for our home.

You can’t go wrong with this brand on your holiday inventory list.

Debra Paulk, editor
Gift Basket Review Online