How to Prepare New Year’s Gifts for Your Store: Assortment, Packaging, Handover, and Inventory

To prepare your store to sell New Year’s gifts, choose products for shoppers’ specific needs, calculate the full cost of each offer, and determine how many orders your team can assemble and hand over on time. Before advertising begins, count the products and packaging, assign staff responsible for assembly and dispatch, and confirm timelines with the carrier.

Shoppers should know in advance what a gift includes, its price with additional services, when they can receive it, and how to contact the store about an exchange or a defect. Holiday packaging does not cancel consumer rights. The legal requirements below apply to retail sales to consumers in Ukraine.

Choose gifts to suit the recipient’s needs

Start with products the store already sells: staff know their features, can assess their quality, and can explain how to care for them. A seasonal selection could include home textiles, stationery, craft supplies, and everyday accessories. Choose the specific items based on their purpose and shoppers’ requests.

Train sales staff to ask three questions: what the person uses, what their preferences are, and the shopper’s budget. For textiles, also ask about dimensions and care preferences; for craft items, ask about experience level. This helps staff recommend a suitable item and explain their choice.

Inspect samples before placing a large order. The employee responsible for purchasing should compare the actual product with the supplier’s description, check that the contents are complete and verify the labeling, and record any visible defects. Ask the supplier to confirm the quantity, dispatch dates, and procedure for handling defective items.

Prepare three price levels

Divide the selection into a few clear price ranges so sales staff can quickly find suitable options. The following is a hypothetical planning example, not market price data. Adjust the ranges to the store’s purchasing costs and assortment.

• Up to UAH 300: one small item with simple packaging, such as a notebook or textile organizer.
• UAH 301–700: a main item with an add-on, such as a sketchbook and pencils.
• UAH 701–1,500: a higher-priced main item or several items with a complementary purpose, such as a throw blanket and decorative pillowcase.

Prepare an offer card for each price level with the exact names and quantities of the items, color options, type of packaging, and final price. Sales staff should be able to see which changes can be agreed with the shopper and how they affect the price and preparation time.

Calculate the cost of a gift set

Include the cost of purchasing the products, the box and filler, staff time, fees, delivery paid by the store, and expected return costs. Also account separately for a share of rent, advertising, and other overhead. The owner needs this calculation to set the price; it does not replace accounting records.

Hypothetical example: the store plans to sell a set containing a sketchbook and pencils for UAH 650. In this example, packaging and delivery are included in the price, and the payment processing fee is assumed to be 2%.

After these costs, UAH 650 − 478 = UAH 172 remains to cover overhead, taxes, and profit. The owner should assess whether this amount is sufficient for the store. The planned UAH 20 for returns is an internal pricing assumption; actual costs may differ. Before launch, replace all assumed amounts with the store’s actual rates and measure the time needed to assemble a trial batch.

Determine how many gifts are actually available

The warehouse employee should count products fit for sale, separate defective items, and set aside components for orders already accepted. Track expected deliveries separately: sales staff should understand which items can already be handed over and which depend on incoming stock.

Hypothetical example: each set requires one sketchbook, one box of pencils, and one gift box. After setting aside items for accepted orders, 24 sketchbooks, 19 boxes of pencils, and 16 gift boxes remain. So, 16 sets can be assembled. If the manager holds back two boxes in case repackaging is needed, offer 14 sets for sale.

Also set aside a reserve for fulfilling orders: these are products and packaging the team temporarily withholds from other shoppers so it can complete agreed purchases or replace a damaged component. Record the quantity and assign an employee to manage it. If an order is canceled, return the components to available stock after inspection.

Putting several items in a box and recording their movement in the inventory system are separate actions. Prepare a list of components for each set and decide with the employee responsible for inventory records how to record their sale. Ensure that each sold item is recorded once after the gift is handed over and that stock records match the actual quantities available.

Organize packaging and quality control

Assign one employee to assemble the gifts and another to check that they are ready for handover. In a small store, one person can perform both duties by following the checklist in order.

1. Check the order. Verify the names, quantities, colors, sizes, and agreed add-ons.
2. Inspect the products. Check for stains, damage, faulty fasteners, or missing items before closing the box.
3. Keep product information intact. Do not remove tags or discard care instructions. Decorative packaging should leave the shopper access to the information they need.
4. Protect the contents. Secure the items inside, protect the corners, and choose shipping packaging that meets the carrier’s requirements.
5. Label the order. Add the order number and handover deadline so staff do not mix up similar boxes.
6. Record readiness. In the shared order list, note who assembled the gift and who approved it for handover or dispatch.

Before purchase, the seller must provide the shopper in Ukrainian with information relevant to the product about its properties, use, price, manufacturer, and other required details. This is provided for by Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Protection”. Describe each component of a set specifically enough for the shopper to assess whether it is suitable.

Set order, dispatch, and pickup deadlines

The employee responsible for delivery should check the chosen carrier’s working hours, parcel acceptance times, and delivery times for the required destinations. Count back from the last possible dispatch to allow time for assembly, inspection, handing over the parcel, and a buffer for delays. Use this to set the final order acceptance deadline for each delivery method.

• For delivery, state the deadline for handing the parcel to the carrier and the expected delivery time based on its schedule.
• For pickup, provide the address and opening hours, and say when the gift will be ready for collection.
• For a changed set or packaging, agree on a separate deadline if the employee needs extra time.

Also limit accepted orders to what the team can handle. Hypothetical example: if assembling one gift takes 12 minutes and an employee has four hours specifically for packaging, the calculated capacity is 240 ÷ 12 = 20 sets. The manager can set a lower limit to allow time for reinspection and error correction.

Agree on a delivery deadline for distance sales before the purchase is placed. Under the general rule in part six of Article 13 of Law No. 1023-XII, unless the contract provides otherwise, the product must be delivered within an acceptable period, but no later than 30 days after receiving the consumer’s consent to enter into the contract. If the product is unavailable and the contract cannot be fulfilled, inform the shopper immediately, but no later than 30 days after receiving that consent. For a holiday order, agree on specific delivery arrangements upfront.

Set out the offer clearly and confirm the purchase

On the gift’s product page, state its contents, quantities, specifications, price, packaging and delivery charges, and payment, delivery, and pickup terms. The product price must include all taxes and mandatory charges paid by the consumer at the time of purchase. If several products are offered for one price, shoppers must also be told each product’s individual price, the offer’s validity period, and any restrictions, including quantity limits. This is required by part three of Article 15 of Law No. 1023-XII.

On the website, provide direct and permanent access to the seller’s details. For a legal entity, state its full name, address, and identification code. For an individual entrepreneur, state their surname, first name, and patronymic, place of registration, actual place of residence, and taxpayer registration number. If the entrepreneur has refused the number for religious reasons, officially notified the relevant tax authority, and has a corresponding mark in their passport, state the passport series and number. Also publish an email address and/or the online store’s address. State how taxes are included in the price and how much delivery costs. This list is set out in Article 7 of the Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Commerce”.

The manager should promptly confirm receipt of an online order. Before concluding a distance contract, provide the shopper with the seller’s name and address, the procedure for submitting claims, the agreed contents of the purchase, the total amount, payment and delivery terms, warranty commitments, and information about product maintenance or repair services, the period during which the offer is valid, and the procedure for terminating the contract.

Confirm these details in writing or by electronic message. Write electronic offers, contract texts, and electronic messages in Ukrainian; at the shopper’s request, the parties may agree to conclude the contract in another language. If the order uses a communication service with a rate that differs from the applicable maximum rate, disclose its cost. The electronic purchase confirmation should also state the seller’s name and address, the procedure for submitting claims, exchange and return terms, and information about product maintenance or repair services.

The shopper must receive the electronic purchase confirmation when the purchase is made or the product is handed over. In the offer or electronic contract, tell the shopper they can receive this document in a form that prevents its contents from being altered, and make that option available. Keep the messages so the employee handing over the product can check what was agreed. The seller may not change confirmed terms unilaterally.

Article 11 of Law No. 675-VIII sets out requirements for confirming an electronic purchase, while Article 13 of Law No. 1023-XII covers confirmation of pre-contract information.

No later than when handing over the product, provide the shopper with a receipt document in the prescribed form bearing the sale date, or enable them to receive an electronic document: send it to the phone number or email address they provided, or display a QR code on the screen of the software-based registrar of settlement transactions (PRRO) for the shopper to scan and identify the document. This is required by part eleven of Article 8 of Law No. 1023-XII. Explain to the shopper where to find the electronic document and how to contact the store after the gift has been delivered.

How to advertise holiday discounts

Use the word “discount” for products the store sells directly when the price is genuinely lower than usual and the offer has a defined, limited period. Show the previous and new prices. The advertisement should state the place, start and end dates of the discount, and its amount or the ratio of the new price to the previous one. For advertising in audio media, including radio, the law requires stating the source of information where the discount terms can be found. These requirements are set out in Article 15 of Law No. 1023-XII and part four of Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine “On Advertising”.

The employee preparing the ad should compare its images with the actual contents of the gift and remove any unsubstantiated claims about product features. If packaging is included in the price, say so clearly. If it costs extra, disclose the amount before purchase.

Prepare sales staff to handle exchanges and claims

Do not display a blanket notice saying “gifts cannot be exchanged or returned.” The employee should find out how the product was purchased, the reason for the request, the condition of the specific item, and whether the shopper has proof of purchase.

• Good-quality product bought in a store. Article 9 of Law No. 1023-XII provides for exchange of a non-food product within 14 days, excluding the day of purchase, unless the seller has announced a longer period, when the product did not suit the shopper in shape, dimensions, style, color, or size, or for another reason cannot be used for its intended purpose. The product must be unused and retain its appearance, properties, seals, tags, and paper or electronic receipt document.

  Before exchanging it, check the category against Appendix No. 3 to Resolution No. 172 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine: it lists exceptions to exchanging good-quality goods under Article 9, including bed linen and printed publications. If an equivalent product is unavailable, the shopper may choose another product with a price adjustment, a refund, or an exchange when the product is next available.

  The seller must inform the shopper of its arrival on the same day.

• Distance purchase. Article 13 provides a separate right to terminate the contract by notifying the seller within 14 days after confirmation of the information or receipt of the product. Returning a tangible item also indicates termination of the contract. If confirmation of the information does not meet legal requirements, the period for tangible items is 90 days from receipt; if the shopper receives corrected confirmation within that period, they have 14 days from receipt of the correction.

  The exception for products made or processed to order applies if the contract does not provide otherwise and the product cannot be sold to another person or can be sold only with significant financial losses for the seller. Holiday packaging alone does not establish that this exception applies. The shopper must keep the product in its original condition, but opening the packaging, inspecting, or checking the product does not deprive them of the right to terminate the contract.

  This right also remains if the product is damaged or spoiled through no fault of the shopper. Under part seven of Article 13 and part five of Article 12, the seller bears return costs.

• Product with defects. If a defect is discovered during the warranty period, part one of Article 8 gives the shopper the right to request a proportionate price reduction, free repair, or reimbursement of repair costs. If, during that period, a substantial defect attributable to the manufacturer or seller, or a counterfeit product, is discovered and, where necessary, confirmed by an expert assessment, the shopper may choose a replacement or termination of the contract with a refund.

  Under Article 1, a substantial defect is one that makes it impossible or impermissible to use the product for its intended purpose, arose through the fault of the manufacturer or seller, recurs after repair for reasons beyond the shopper’s control, and also has at least one of these characteristics: it cannot be repaired, repair takes more than 14 calendar days, or it makes the product materially different from what the contract provides.

  If no warranty or expiry period has been set, part five of Article 7 allows the relevant claims for defects discovered within two years of transfer of the product. The seller must accept a product of inadequate quality and satisfy the shopper’s lawful request. Claims are considered after presentation of a receipt document; for products with a warranty period, the shopper must also present the technical passport or a substitute document bearing the sale date.

  The seller may refuse if it proves that the defect arose because the shopper failed to follow the use or storage instructions. The shopper has the right to take part in a quality inspection in person or through a representative.

Assign an employee to handle claims. They should record the date, the shopper’s request, the purchase contents, and the condition of returned items. Do not return them to available stock before inspection. When a contract is terminated under Article 9 because an equivalent good-quality product is unavailable, the money must be refunded on the day the contract is terminated or, if that is impossible, within an agreed period of no more than seven days.

Gift product inventory, prices, and labels in Torgsoft

Before launching sales, open «Склад → Стан складу» (“Warehouse → Stock Status”) and compare recorded quantities with actual stock, and the selling price with the agreed offer. An accounting center is a store or warehouse in Torgsoft. If gifts are assembled from stock at several locations, turn on «Усі склади» (“All warehouses”) and use «Вибрати склади» (“Select warehouses”) to choose the required accounting centers. Before confirming an order, the employee should determine where each component will come from.

After prices are approved, open «Друк» (“Print”) in «Стан складу» (“Stock Status”), choose to print labels or a retail price list, and compare the printed prices with the offer shown to the shopper. To replenish stock, set a minimum quantity for the required products and apply the «Закінчується товар» (“Low stock”) filter. The employee responsible for purchasing should compare the filtered items with the needs of accepted orders.

After the holidays, review «Рух товару» (“Product Movement”) for items with discrepancies. Before creating an inventory statement—the document used to compare recorded and actual quantities—select one specific accounting center and turn off «Усі склади» (“All warehouses”). Select the required products and click «Додати товар в відомість інвентаризації» (“Add product to inventory statement”): the software will create a new statement with those items. Count products separately for each store or warehouse, and check that the list in the document matches the location where the physical count took place.

Reconcile inventory after the holidays

The manager should schedule the count and ensure all product movements during it are recorded separately. Employees should count items on shelves, components inside assembled gifts, packaging, returns, and damaged products. Mark separately any orders still awaiting handover.

1. Compare the actual quantity of each component with the inventory records.
2. Find the cause of any discrepancies: an unrecorded handover, component substitution, return, damage, or counting error.
3. Record the relevant transactions and recheck the discrepant items.
4. Agree on which sets to keep for sale and which to disassemble to sell components separately, and record the changes in the inventory system.
5. Compare planned and actual costs for labor, packaging, delivery, and returns. Use these amounts for the next seasonal cost calculation.

Official regulations

• Law of Ukraine “On Consumer Protection” of 12.05.1991 No. 1023-XII: Articles 1, 7–9, part five of Article 12, and Articles 13 and 15 cover the definition of a substantial defect, warranty periods, claims concerning defects, exchanges, distance sales, return costs, information, and prices.
• Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On Implementing Certain Provisions of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Consumer Protection’” of 19.03.1994 No. 172: clause 1 and Appendix No. 3 list good-quality products that cannot be exchanged or returned on the grounds set out in Article 9 of Law No. 1023-XII.
• Law of Ukraine “On Advertising” of 03.07.1996 No. 270/96-VR: Articles 7, 8, and 10 cover advertising accuracy, discount notices, and the prohibition of unfair advertising.
• Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Commerce” of 03.09.2015 No. 675-VIII: Articles 7 and 11 cover seller details, conformity with the order, and confirmation of an electronic purchase.