Worked scenario
Free gift wrapping, paid materials, uncounted time
Wrapping is a service with material and labour costs, offered free because everyone offers it, and costed by nobody.
3 min read
Gift retail competes on service, and wrapping is the most visible part of it. It is also material and labour, consumed at exactly the busiest moments.
Peak is where it hurts
Wrapping consumes staff time when the queue is longest. The cost is not just the ribbon; it is the sales not served while someone is folding paper.
Free is a choice, not a given
Most shops will keep offering it. The point is to know what it costs, so that personalisation, gift boxes and premium wrap can be priced deliberately rather than absorbed alongside it.
What changes
- Wrapping materials tracked as consumption, not general expense
- Time recorded at peak so its real cost is known
- Personalisation priced separately from basic wrapping
- Cost per wrap known before deciding to keep it free
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