So here's another one from my idea book. If you remember, this blog is about taking ideas that have been smoldering away in a closet somewhere and releasing them to the world. Hey, maybe someone out there really needs an idea like this! If not, there is still some great satisfaction for me in dropping another proverbial "message in a bottle" into the internet sea.
So this idea stems from an experience that many of us have and is one of those "nuisance solver" or "convenience adder" ideas that may not solve world problems like the announced Google contest, but may make a few people's lives a bit easier.
The experience is this:
My wife and I are heading to a birthday party a few years back and realize halfway there that it would have been a nice gesture to bring a present. Not necessary, of course, but sometimes you feel a little more welcome when you enter a room with gifts. Agree? Of course, we should have thought of getting a gift the day before but we didn't. So there.Now we are on the road and looking for a place to stop that won't take forever to park, will have a few reasonably priced gift ideas and has some decent wrapping paper plus tape, etc suitable for a guy in his 40's. Not flowery or pink, right?.
So we stop at a Target where we assume all will be found. Of course they have it all but it is not a small store and you don't want to pick up JUST ANYTHING. Long story short, we spent $30 on a surf branded t-shirt and $8.00 on a gift bag, colored tissue, ribbon and tape to make it look nice. I will not tell you the story of the wrap job in the car - I'll just say I'm glad it wasn't me doing the wrapping - I'm bad enough on a flat, non-moving surface.
So the idea is this:
A drive through store carrying only pre-wrapped gifts. I'd call it Redi-Wrap™. It would carry only a limited selection of popular items ranging from $9 to $99. You can either pre-order online for speedy pick-up or drive through and select on the spot.
Now the fun part:
PROS
1. Convenient and easy to use
2. Solves a problem for busy America in an easy, known format (drive thru)
3. Has wide appeal - everyone drives, everyone goes to parties, everyone gives gifts
CONS
1. I've seen pre-wrapped gifts before at the mall - have not bought them
2. Don't people like to see/be sure of what they are giving? What if there was a mistake?
3. Can you really come up with the right selection and price points?
4. Isn't the hand-wrapping part of the gift?
What do you think?
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