I'm curious about what formula you use when making fruit and gourmet baskets. My husband says we should be making more off of them since you have to go out and hand select each item.
Fruit baskets are a tricky item, as florists we really cannot offer the same value on this item as we are buying everything at retail as the grocery stores can. As well we have to consider the time it took to go to the store, stand in line, gas to get there, replace the employee at the store etc.
We used to use the same forumula as you are using, but in the end, not only were we not able to offer a good value to our customers as we are marking fruit up from retail, but the time consumed, especially with those orders that come in just before Christmas ( so we got to stand in long lines) and the effort for a very small profit made it an item that we have removed from our selection.
I guess my question would be, what mark up are you taking on the fruit?
I just stopped making them last month. Someone called for a 40.00 fruit basket and by the time I closed the store went and got the fruit, came back called the customer who had left a message because I wasn't in the store.. etc etc.. I have decided they are not worth the hassle.
so that 40.00 was my last fruit basket!