Selling food in your gift shop

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JunieBJones (JBJ)

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What price points do you find most effective for selling (packaged) food items in your gift shop? Jam, Coffees, Teas?
Example: $3.79, or $3.99 or $4.25?
 
Nothing sells in my gift shop.
BUT, as a guest buyer, the $4.25 sounds the best. The others sound like Wal Mart prices.
 
My items range from 1.50 (postcards of the Inn) to $23.95 (GA B&B recipe book and the Iloveinns guidebook) and everything in between. The items sell at about the same pace. In fact I sold the 1st recipe book the day they came in.
At a stay at an inn a few months ago, I spent $60 on a lamp that I liked, so I think it's more finding the right products, than the price ..... although they both go hand in hand
 
My least expensive jam (strawberry) is 5.25 up to the black raspberry that is $8.95. A pint of apple butter is 7.50 and a pint of honey is 8.50. Coffee is 5.00 for 4 oz. - your choice of 14 countries of origin.
Forgot to say tea is $11.95 a tin and I have sold a LOT of tea. Have not gotten cranked up on the coffee yet. Working on that for 2009.
 
Items with prices in whole dollars are perceived to be "valuable", while prices with cents are perceived to be "a value." I currently price homes for a living. Think about your reactions to a house priced $399,999 versus $400,000. Now think of your coffee at $7.99 versus $8. The difference is miniscule, and yet tremendous.
BTW, there was some research a while back that indicated that the magic number of 9 is being replaced by a 7. Bargain items are now commonly seen with prices ending in .97.
 
Even though this is now a walmart nation, I think a gift shop should avoid the 7 ending. I like a single digit - it looks nice for a bedandbreakfast gift item. $6
 
oops sorry FOOD, mine range from about $4.50 - $9.50... I really think the personalized stuff moves better and people will pay more for.
 
oops sorry FOOD, mine range from about $4.50 - $9.50... I really think the personalized stuff moves better and people will pay more for..
agoodman1963 said:
oops sorry FOOD, mine range from about $4.50 - $9.50... I really think the personalized stuff moves better and people will pay more for.
Yes, I like the personalized items as well as regional items. I would pass by all the stuff made in China, I can get that all day long in my town...
 
We sell an addicting local cheese for $8 and are getting locally made jams made with local wine (Norton Grape Jam, Voignier Grape Jam, Rose Grape Jam) which the producer says retails for somewhere around $5.95.
We also have a local candy maker who was discovered by Rachel Ray for some of their candy which I may also sell. Depends on the shelf lift.
I may once I'm up to all rooms do some local artwork - we have lots of artists and woodworkers in the area.
Riki
 
I think the personal stuff and/or the locally made things are great sellers. I would rather buy a jar of homemade, local jam at a B&B than a jar of Smuckers. If you used it on your breakfast table, you might sell more. Same with coffee. JBJ, I think you offer the coffee you'd be selling?
 
I think the personal stuff and/or the locally made things are great sellers. I would rather buy a jar of homemade, local jam at a B&B than a jar of Smuckers. If you used it on your breakfast table, you might sell more. Same with coffee. JBJ, I think you offer the coffee you'd be selling?.
I think you are right. We use the jam at the table, and there is a highly addictive local cheddar cheese ball we use at check in or they can order it to be in their room. It sells well all over the area!
Riki
 
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