As long as you are in the gift basket industry, you will be faced with expired products. There's no way to completely avoid it, but there are some things you can do to minimize the amount and free up space at the same time.

These are 5 tips to take the headache out of dealing with those pesky expired items.

1. Buy what your customers like.

Avoid items you like or things you think your customers will like. I know sometimes we like to try new things. But, I also know the old saying, “if it ain't broke, then don't try to fix it."

2. Don't overbuy.

Just because an item sold well last year, doesn't mean it will sell this year. Reorder on an as needed basis instead of stocking up.

3. Use them as promotional and marketing tools.

Products that are a month away from expiring are great for soliciting new business.

4. Donate them to food banks.

This is a great way to give back to your community and it's also tax deductible.

5. Use them in sample baskets.

Because you never know when someone will want to see your work, pre make the sample baskets to prevent you from making them the day before a meeting.

The expired date only means you can't sell to the public. Continue to seek creative ways to use the expired items other than throwing them in the trash.

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