In this day and age we are all working to find ways to cut down on our spending; as a corporation, as a business, as a family, and as an individual. Maybe in the midst of all this cutting down the value of your gift shop is questioned, whether by management or a nosy customer. Reviewing this blog post from the Gift Shop Mag will surely refresh your mind on why a beautiful escape, and a little bit of retail therapy, can make the hospital a little more bearable for patients and caregivers alike.
As someone who has worked in the gift shop as both a volunteer, employee, and manager, I have seen the places I work and the people I serve at every level, including the customer! From the very beginning at 14, when I started volunteering for the first time, I saw the importance of their being an escape for people who were often going through a lot. From the guy who came in to buy his girlfriend who was critically ill an engagement ring, to the family members who flood in with the excitement of a new baby the gift shop holds something unique for all of them.
Just this week I was reminded of the impact that the gift shop has for patients as well. I had come in to cover for a volunteer who was unable to make it on a Saturday morning, and for each person that came in I genuinely greeted them with a smile and asked how they were, looking them in the eye and giving them a listening ear if they chose.
Mid afternoon a very pregnant woman was wheeled into the gift shop by her husband, and accompanied by someone who looked to be her sister. I let them look for a bit, and then asked them how they were doing. We got into a discussion about life, opportunities, and her struggles with having a child. She told me that when she was 17 doctors told her she would never have children, but now at 26 and happily married, she was expecting a little girl. She had been dilated to a 7 for the last two days, and thankfully not in too much pain, but she had been stuck in her room for the last 48 hours. Her nurses had finally given her the go ahead to get out for a bit, as long as she stayed in the hospital. She decided to go right to the gift shop, and was excited to see the fun jewelry, baby clothes, and other trinkets as well as get some positive social interaction.
For a lot of the people that come into the gift shop there is a story that is not immediately visible, whether it be a volunteer who recently lost their husband or a patient about to have her first child. The opportunity for humans in all walks of life to connect on the basic level of pain, empathy, excitement, and joy is to me what makes the hospital gift shops a necessity. Not only are we providing trinkets and gifts, we are helping older people connect with their community, young people to learn the importance of giving and learning skills, and everyone who comes in a safe place to escape from the starkness of the hospital rooms.
Marketing in a Hospital Gift Shop 