Vernie1 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Hi All, I have been making soaps for a year now and feel I'm ready to sell them. I thought about starting out with wholesale accounts but know I must be very efficient. I discussed this with my husband. I told him, I think I should make up several soaps with different scents to have ready on hand once they decide to place an order. I feel like no soap is lost even if they don't place an order, I can sell online, locally or at a flea market. He said that I should get the wholesale accounts first, and when they ask how long it will be before the order comes, tell them 6 weeks. I totally disagree because I don't want to lose out on business and need them to feel they have a soapmaker who is efficient and dependable. I feel like out of sight is out of mind. We live in a I want it now society and no one should have to wait that long to receive an order. What do you all think and how have you handled your wholesale accounts or attempt at it. Thanks in advance for your feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 What if you don't have the scent the customer wants? If they want that scent then they are going to have to wait the 4-6 weeks. If you approach it right I'm sure they will be understanding and willing to wait the time it takes to have the best possible product they can have. I've only done wholesale a couple of times, and never had a problem having the client wait for their order. I know a lot of soaper's that wholesale and don't have this problem either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Jcandleattic, It makes sense that they will have to wait if, I don't have the scent they want. I just didn't know if they would wait that long. Like you said, it's all in how I approach it. Thank you so much for your feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Keep your offerings manageable. Your seasonal fragrances, colors and types of soap (goat milk, salt bars, shampoo bars)and nothing more. That way you always have the soaps on hand. Custom orders always require a waiting period. I recently had an account text me that they needed 41 regular bars of soap as wedding favors. Nope. You could offer an order form (bar size, color(s), fragrance)and inclulde a rider that you require a six week turnaround on all custom orders. Shop owners think you can magically produce anything at the drop of a hat. HTH Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Chuck_35550, Thank you so much for your advice. I appreciate your input it gives me a lot to think about. I've never wholesaled before and really didn't know what approach to take but this really helps me think how to approach it. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Hi Vernie! I am strictly wholesale and have been for at least 7 or 8 years. When new or existing clients asked me to make CP soap for them I always made it to their specs. They were already aware of the cure time. I would make the soap, slice it, and ship it within about a week. The cure/maturation date was included in the package - for example, this soap will be ready to sell by June 1st. The curing and storage of the soap was then their responsibility. I don't know how many prospective wholesale clients you have, but I think it would be nice to get the soap out of your hands, paid for, and into the hands of the client a quickly as possible- unless you have unlimited space. There is also a freshness factor. If I was considering making the soap in advance, I would only want to offer soaps that are really fresh - like less than a couple of months past their cure date so the soap would have a long shelf life. Buying a few bars of soap that are possibly 6 months old probably doesn't appeal to most shop owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I have a pretty good relationship with my wholesale accounts. I have one that the shop owner comes to the market and buys what she wants off my table. I tally the soaps and give her the wholesale price. She buys a ton of soap from me several times a year. This method works great as the soap is all ready for her to sell. Another account is a private label for a foundation. They selected 12 scents for their line and I have special labels I make for them. Since I let them select scents from current stock I only need pull the bars and put their labels on them. I let them know if anything is out of stock and they know they have to wait 4-6 weeks for a special order. Most of the time they will just take what I have and the next time they order they will fill in the missing ones. For me what works is wholesaling soaps that I currently carry in stock. If they want something not in stock it becomes a special order and they have to wait until I make it and its ready to sell. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 OldGlory, Thank you for your feedback! I guess it's up to the client as to what they prefer. I like how you make the soap, cut it and ship it out and advise them of the cure/mature date, that's awesome! You certainly don't have to worry about space. I currently, have one prospect for soaps, she wants me to come talk with her. I didn't know if I needed to take a few sample bars with me that's already made. I don't have a lot of soaps in stock at this time but I was considering making up some and presented those. You gave me something to think about, that maybe I don't really need to make soap in advance, just let them tell me what they prefer. Have you ever had any issues with them wanting a fragrance but didn't like it once they smelled the soaps. I am concerned they may not like the fragrance I choose although it may be a fragrance they want. This was part of my reasoning for taking soaps that were ready in 6-8 weeks to allow them to choose what's on hand so I wouldn't have this issue, although it doesn't mean it won't happen. I guess all in all it's really up to what the client wants and me setting their expectations. Thanks again, you have really helped me because I really didn't know which way to turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Candybee, It's great to hear you have a good relationship with your wholesale accounts, I hope I will too one day lol. I really like your approach because this is what I was thinking of initially until, I got advice as to how others wholesale. I really wasn't thinking outside of the box as to other available options. The other moderators gave me some great advice as well. They made me see how a client may want to order soaps and may not want something already made. I guess my husband was right in his opinion. Like you all have said, it's nothing wrong with having them wait 4-6 weeks for a special/custom order. Thank you so much for your feedback! You all have really given me a lot to work with, options I can provide for my upcoming wholesale accounts. I've always heard knowledge is power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I have both types of WS/PL customer. Some order directly from the shelf and i slap their custom designed label on them. Some order custom everything. I won't make any custom stuff ahead of time on my dime. I don't have room to store it, and will never be able to predict their selections well enough.The custom WS clients expect and get delivery in 2 weeks or less with instructions to cure for 2-4 more weeks before packaging and selling. Most never seem to order enough in advance and are always back ordered with their customer orders, which puts added pressure on me. I would rather they use their racks to cure so my own are not crowded with their things. I just know the curing instructions are ignored. They admit to it every time. They package and sell/deliver many immediately upon receipt. Very few hit their storage shelves to cure longer. I am Ok with whatever they do because i am very confident in my formula and process. The soap is safe, mild, formulated to be very hard & long lasting even fresh out of the mold. Plus, I steeply discount the water used to help minimize shrinkage during curing.Early on in my soap making career i would not have felt right sending it out so soon, nor would i have attracted or retained many good WS customers. The WS/PL customers i work with all want it NOW and will text and email almost daily to see if they can get stuff sooner. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 TallTayl, I was concerned that they may want it now and it may not be quit ready well, fully cured. It seems like they are ok with getting cure instructions. Like you said, some do not wait for the cure date before selling. However, I do like the fact that some will receive the soaps earlier than 4-6 weeks. I didn't want to have anyone wait that long, unless it's a custom order. I discount some of my soaps also to 32%. So far, I haven't went lower than that. Can soaps be discounted more to help the bars harden quicker? Thank you so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 TallTayl, I discount some of my soaps also to 32%. So far, I haven't went lower than that. Can soaps be discounted more to help the bars harden quicker? I usually discount to a 40% solution. Sometimes 45-50% for simple designs. Less water does not mean a shorter "cure". It just evaporates out less moisture during cure and allows me to package sooner. A nice long cure time is still best. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 What Tall is describing requires a thorough knowledge of soap making IMHO. I get the heebie jeebies in that area but maybe one day will become expert enough to handle higher lye concentrations. Even still, what Tall says about her formulas producing a ready to sell bar is the same for my soaping. The problem with selling a freshly wrapped soap is that as it evaporates the wrap becomes loose and the soap may look not so fresh. Another problem with out the door bars are the tendency to melt faster in the shower, but honestly this is not the problem. Market testing is the real issue. You don't know what will move until you get it out there. Private label is a buyer who knows their market and is looking for a cheaper but quality product to sell. Your reputation is still on the line if you rush your products and your quality is not always consistent. Wholesale accounts have to be worked on a regular basis and you may have to pull a product that isn't selling or agree to discount slow movers. Smart packaging, smart marketing and quality products are required for any type of sales account IMHO. HTH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 Hi TallTayl, I agree with you, I said it wrong as far as "harden quicker" but it makes a harder bar. I believe in curing soaps for at least 8 weeks but I now know sometimes it has to move out sooner. I have cpop, hot processed some soaps but didn't really like the texture of hot process but I'm glad to have that option lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 Chuck, I wouldn't dare put out soaps too soon without making sure it's safe for use. You're right about the market they will always let you know what they like and don't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flicker Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Just sell full logs, uncut and uncured. That way it's up to them to do the dirty work. I've done that for YEARS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 Flicker, that's a great idea, I've never thought of that as an option but I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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