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What do you say when a customer asks..


Candybee

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you where do you get your essential oils for your soap? Or more specifically what is the company where you buy your essential oils? I have been getting asked this latter question a lot in recent months starting sometime last year and still getting asked frequently.

 

I ask because I am reluctant to tell who my supplier is and because there generally is no company name, just the supplier I purchase from. But that info I consider proprietary, as in part of my recipe.

 

I am guessing that a lot has to do with more and more people buying or knowing someone who buys or sells DoTerra or YL EOs. I assume they are trying to determine if my EOs are pure. Or worse, "therapeutic" or grade "A" or some such nonsense.

 

I usually end up saying I buy from several sources that sell soaping supplies to the professional soaper and try to leave it at that. If they do ask or mention companies like YL I simply say I would never buy my oils from them. If they want to know why I can give them a tidalwave of answers... but generally I don't like even discussing that as I don't like badmouthing another company even if I think they are dishonest and overpriced. Gossip just makes you look bad.

 

So I was wondering what others say to their customer that ask you this?

 

 

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I'm pretty honest, cut and dry....

 

All I say is "I'm sorry, but I don't divulge my sources".....but of course very nicely....

They get the point.....real fast.

 

Trappeur

Edited by Trappeur
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I figure if they have the nerve to ask me who my sources are, I certainly have the nerve to tell them basically it's none of their business, but I never word it that way.

I used to get asked that quite a bit and it used to bug the heck out of me and quite frankly it really rubbed me the wrong way and found it very insulting and so wrong they would even ask that improper question.  It's like one of us calling up Yankee and asking them who their source was so we could go and get the same scent to make candles from.  You just don't do that.    Respect......

 

Trappeur

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Ok... Some quick soapmaker's questions: Do you ever say that you buy FO's from a Chandler's supply? Also does anyone know if FO's have a "base oil" that the EO is blended into or are most FO's like CS or BB just straight EO's? I usually frame it as "I have a bunch of different Professional Candle and Soap making Suppliers that I buy from." This always beget's the shocked look and (I quote) "CANDLE MAKER'S SUPPLY!!??" Yep. "Most soap makers will buy from candle maker's because the FO's are the same for candles and for soaps. SOME FO's can't be used in soap and those types are clearly labeled as 'not skin safe' "

I also tell them I sometimes will blend the FO's to create something unique... Which is true, I DO have a couple of scents that I DO blend... I'll never tell what my mix is and I'll never tell if a soap has one of my FO blends my ingredients label clearly states: "fragrance oil blends". If they push the issue I don't have any problem with telling them who my suppliers are, hell I'll give them my soap calc sheet with the method laid out for the soap, they still won't be able to make MY soap in any other quantity than what's on that sheet, (well maybe a experienced soapmaker might be able to figure out what the secret is but I wouldn't withhold that info from an experienced soap maker anyway). You see I thoroughly believe in helping other professionals (yes even my competition) in becoming successful. I don't always get the same in return, but the real point is don't ever forget "You are being watched. You are being judged. Play nice. ALWAYS."
The truth of the matter is that if your competitor flourishes you also garner SOME of that business to yourself especially if YOU help them. It gets noticed. Also, people get into talking about buying small batch hand crafted soap and candles and more people start BUYING small batch hand crafted soap. At some point your competitor will not be able to keep up with HANDCRAFTING small batches of soap to meet the demand and if they UPGRADE to bigger batches, then TAG, YOU'RE IT because they aren't making small batched stuff anymore... If they DON'T make bigger batches then TAG you're IT for the overflow. If there's a HUGE hand crafted small batch soap makers presence in your area you're not going to be able to sell around there anyway unless you have something really unique.  

You see... There really isn't any actual competition in this kind of endeavor, because the product is unique to the maker. It's art...

Sponiebr: The Executor of Call-me-Naive-but-don't-call-me-late-for-supper.  

 

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I think that they're asking because they sell YL and probably would like for you to buy from them ? I love my sister in law but she's a little out there sometimes.

Everything is about YL this YL that. She takes the lemon EO internally. She puts it in water or directly on her tongue, I don't remember. She wanted to have me 

take some once .... I said thanks but no thanks lol ! Im not ingesting any EO EVER lol !

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Many times that is truly the case moon stars. When I told him I buy in kilos it blows their minds.

 

you need to somehow get your sister to read about the FDA crackdown lawsuits currently going on against DT and YL. So many are faked. Once the personal injury claims start both mlm's will be done. 

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What a nice way to put it Sponey.....looking at it from a different perspective in a different way.  Sort of like kill them with kindness....and in a positive way.   I could agree with your thinking too.   I came across somewhat bitter in my post because I used to think along the line as you but I guess after getting burnt and hurt one too many times I had an attitude change.  

 

Trappeur  

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4 hours ago, Moonstar said:

I think that they're asking because they sell YL and probably would like for you to buy from them ? I love my sister in law but she's a little out there sometimes.

Everything is about YL this YL that. She takes the lemon EO internally. She puts it in water or directly on her tongue, I don't remember. She wanted to have me 

take some once .... I said thanks but no thanks lol ! Im not ingesting any EO EVER lol !

who is YL Moonstar?

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5 hours ago, Moonstar said:

I think that they're asking because they sell YL and probably would like for you to buy from them ? I love my sister in law but she's a little out there sometimes.

Everything is about YL this YL that. She takes the lemon EO internally. She puts it in water or directly on her tongue, I don't remember. She wanted to have me 

take some once .... I said thanks but no thanks lol ! Im not ingesting any EO EVER lol !

 Not for nothing but there ARE some EO's that are safe to ingest... Peppermint is one that comes to mind, but SURE AS HELL you don't want to drop'm straight... I REALLY couldn't imagine doing straight lemoline on my tongue... (I mean DAMN... It MELTS PLASTIC...) Then again certain foods are prepared using lye, but that doesn't mean LYE is safe to EAT... 
My ex wife gave me some pure oregano oil liquid caps... Said that it would help with my digestive issues... That it would kill off all the yeast I obviously had in my gut from eating bread and drinking beer... (We were engaged at the time) It damned near  burnt a hole through my gut. She failed to mention that I had to consume the ENTIRE VOLUME OF LAKE MEAD inside of 1 hour after taking it, JUST to dilute it ENOUGH so as to NOT KILL ME. Then there was the colloidal silver... Take just enough so that your nails START to turn blue. (In retrospect that really should have been a "clue") When I pointed out silver was just TERRIBLE stuff to take into your body, "No... no... It's not... because it's (wait for it)... Coloidal..."   Then I told her to look up "Argyria", I never heard of colloidal silver again.  

 

 

1 hour ago, Trappeur said:

who is YL Moonstar?

It's Young Living....  JP Explains it PERFECTLY here: 
 

 

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On 8/13/2017 at 10:30 AM, Candybee said:

 

I usually end up saying I buy from several sources that sell soaping supplies to the professional soaper and try to leave it at that.

 

 

Like you, Candy, I am vague.  "I get my supplies from many different sources."  Done.  No need to explain yourself.  No need to apologize.  Just leave it at that.   :)  People can sometimes be nosy, and it's really none of their business.  LOL

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since I rarely use EO's and when I do they are almost always a mix, I see no harm in letting them know where I get mine from (although, my source is no longer in business, so it doesn't matter anyway! LOL) 

But I draw the line and will "go off" in a professional way if they start to talk to me or sell me YL or DoTerra, or any other type of pyramid scheme type products. I have my sources and I don't need new ones. 

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6 hours ago, Jcandleattic said:

I love the JP videos. And he looks EXACTLY like Simon Pegg, so the first time I heard JP speak I was expecting an accent that wasn't there and it threw me off. LOL 

 

At first I thought it was Simon Pegg he looks just like him! One of my favorite comedians. I watch all his goofy movies.

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Okay now I don't feel so bad. I don't like coming off rude, coy, or bitchy but I guess customers who have the nerve to ask should be prepared for the rebuff. Because I just don't want to divulge my supplier info, even for my proprietary scent blends.

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11 minutes ago, Candybee said:

 

At first I thought it was Simon Pegg he looks just like him! One of my favorite comedians. I watch all his goofy movies.

Shaun of the Dead is my absolute all time favorite zombie movie ever. LOL That's a Halloween staple for me every year.  And Hot fuzz. LMAO Also love(d) him as Scotty in the new Star Trek movies... 

 

All my favs too... but I also love Paul and must have watched that a hundred times! I love the actor who plays his sidekick.

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13 minutes ago, Jcandleattic said:

Quoted Candybee - 

All my favs too... but I also love Paul and must have watched that a hundred times! I love the actor who plays his sidekick.

Nick Frost! Yes, I love him too. 

It always makes me sad knowing he ends up a Zombie in Shaun. 

 

9 minutes ago, Candybee said:

Whoops! Hit the edit button instead of quote. Sorry JC!!! didn't mean to edit your post.

Eh, no worries. :)

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4 minutes ago, Candybee said:

Nick Frost! Yes! But my favorite 'bit' actor was the one who played Shaun's dad. The whole character role was a total hoot & a half!

Phil was the characters name, not sure the actor - Bill Nighy (just looked it up) 

My favorite skit/line of the movie is this scenario when they were making their plans, LOL: 

"Take car. Go to Mum's. Kill Phil - Sorry Phil - grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over."

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In reading this post, it seems that some of people asking this question might be concerned about the quality of the e/o, while some may be looking to actually sell their own brand of e/o to you ... it's probably hard to tell why they are asking, so I think I would ask them.  From a selling standpoint, if you look at that question as a "buying question" of some sort, then you can see if they are actually interested to purchase, being nosy, or viewing you as a prospective customer. 

 

"Where do you get your e/o's?"

"Why do you ask?"

 

If it is a quality concern, you can assure them that this is also very important to you so you purchase only high-quality oils, but due reasons (as others mentioned), are unable to disclose the sources.  Then you can move on to ask them which essential oil is their favorite or get into some other selling mode, i.e., "for instance, this one (hand it to them) is a mix of a couple of different oils, don't you just love the way that smells?"   :)

 

 

 

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On 8/14/2017 at 4:30 PM, Jcandleattic said:

Shaun of the Dead is my absolute all time favorite zombie movie ever. LOL That's a Halloween staple for me every year.  And Hot fuzz. LMAO Also love(d) him as Scotty in the new Star Trek movies... 

 

All my favs too... but I also love Paul and must have watched that a hundred times! I love the actor who plays his sidekick.

SO I finally got a roku stick. OMG I don't know how you guys watch those zombie movies lmao ! I picked what I thought looked like an interesting movie.

It turned out it was a zombie movie. I think it was called The Girl With Gifts ???? IDK it had my attention for bit then he started getting crazy and I had

to change the channel LOL ! I guess I just don't get the popularity with zombies lol ! So I found a movie that I never watched before... Benjamin Button 

OMG such a great movie. I typically don't like love type stories but this one was awesome. The part when Brad Pitt came around the corner on his 

motorcycle OMG  :) Besides zombie movies - can you guys recommend something :) 

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