Valmek Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 So I've become interested in making candles and didn't think too much on shipping costs. It turns out anywhere I look the shipping cost is outrageous. I was only going to start with 10lbs of wax to try because I've never made any candles and that cost of 10lbs like $15.60. The shipping cost is over $20! I planned on making and selling the candles but with shipping costing more then the price of the wax itself I will out to price candles way more then they would need to be. I've looked at the supplier list on this website and only one sells for my state and offers same shipping rate. The lowest I found was $16 shipping and that still cost more then wax itself. I'm new to this stuff, is this was the price of shipping is normally? I'd look for somewhere close and pickup but nothing close and I'm not going to spend 5 hours driving just to not spend on shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venetti Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Have you tried amazon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I'm afraid you are going to find that shipping prices are gonna be high everywhere you look. You're best bet is to comparison shop. Also, always buy your candlemaking products from a reputable candle supplier. One that specializes in candle supplies so you know exactly what and what brand you are buying. This will play an important role in your testing when a question about a specific wax comes up. Once you get more into candlemaking you can buy in larger bulk quantities which will start saving you money. Buying wax in 10lb increments will almost always cost more than the wax. Once you start buying in 55lb bag quantities the price becomes more economical. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmek Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 I'm just going to scrap the idea and not make any candles instead. I was looking even more today and the shipping cost really kills, i wouldn't be able to make much profit. =/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailC Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I started out buying 10 pounds of wax too, but soon was buying 50 pounds at a time. Sometimes I buy from The Candlemaker's Store. Let's do some rough math...... GW444 wax 50 lb - $58.00 Shipping - $27.00 (rounded off) Total for 50 lb - $85.00 That is $1.70 per pound or 10.6 cents per ounce. So an eight ounce candle would cost roughly 85 cents for the wax. It's not so bad when you look at it like that, right? Also sometimes you can add a couple of bottles of fragrance oil and the shipping barely goes up. I have added 50 lb of wax to an order of a few 16 oz bottles of FO at Candlewic and FedEx shipping only increased by about $15.00. I was amazed. You want to talk about shipping charges for jars? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmek Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 Yes if I buy big instead of small I can reduce price but first time doing this I'm a little wary of doing that. My original cost was around $2.50 for a 5oz candle but if i buy big, scent and wax, I can bring it down to $0.90 - $1.05 per 5oz candle, that's including wick, container, wax, scent, label (no packaging). It takes it down to more reasonable but I have to shell out a bunch to start off with learning. I'm just not sure I'd want to shell out as much as it cost to have that price to just start learning. Here's my breakdown if I buy bigger quantity. wax : 0.28 wick : 0.08 scent : 0.26 - 0.31 label : 0.03 container : 0.10 - 0.20 shipping : 0.15 total : 0.90 - 1.05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 1 hour ago, GailC said: I started out buying 10 pounds of wax too, but soon was buying 50 pounds at a time. Sometimes I buy from The Candlemaker's Store. Let's do some rough math...... GW444 wax 50 lb - $58.00 Shipping - $27.00 (rounded off) Total for 50 lb - $85.00 That is $1.70 per pound or 10.6 cents per ounce. So an eight ounce candle would cost roughly 85 cents for the wax. It's not so bad when you look at it like that, right? Also sometimes you can add a couple of bottles of fragrance oil and the shipping barely goes up. I have added 50 lb of wax to an order of a few 16 oz bottles of FO at Candlewic and FedEx shipping only increased by about $15.00. I was amazed. You want to talk about shipping charges for jars? Good job....good job Goldie....that's the way I do it too! Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 22 minutes ago, Valmek said: Yes if I buy big instead of small I can reduce price but first time doing this I'm a little wary of doing that. My original cost was around $2.50 for a 5oz candle but if i buy big, scent and wax, I can bring it down to $0.90 - $1.05 per 5oz candle, that's including wick, container, wax, scent, label (no packaging). It takes it down to more reasonable but I have to shell out a bunch to start off with learning. I'm just not sure I'd want to shell out as much as it cost to have that price to just start learning. Here's my breakdown if I buy bigger quantity. wax : 0.28 wick : 0.08 scent : 0.26 - 0.31 label : 0.03 container : 0.10 - 0.20 shipping : 0.15 total : 0.90 - 1.05 There you go! You can't beat that! Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I'm not sure you can count on making any kind of profit to begin with anyway. You'll probably have some failures at first while you experiment. Making a profit shouldn't come until you've consistently made good candles, with as safe a burn as you can make them, and then there's going to be other expenses like packaging, booth fees, insurance, etc. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailC Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 35 minutes ago, Valmek said: Yes if I buy big instead of small I can reduce price but first time doing this I'm a little wary of doing that. My original cost was around $2.50 for a 5oz candle but if i buy big, scent and wax, I can bring it down to $0.90 - $1.05 per 5oz candle, that's including wick, container, wax, scent, label (no packaging). It takes it down to more reasonable but I have to shell out a bunch to start off with learning. I'm just not sure I'd want to shell out as much as it cost to have that price to just start learning. Here's my breakdown if I buy bigger quantity. wax : 0.28 wick : 0.08 scent : 0.26 - 0.31 label : 0.03 container : 0.10 - 0.20 shipping : 0.15 total : 0.90 - 1.05 Ah! You've already done the math...but where on earth do you find jars for 10-20 cents each? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmek Posted December 7, 2017 Author Share Posted December 7, 2017 21 minutes ago, GailC said: Ah! You've already done the math...but where on earth do you find jars for 10-20 cents each? I'm not buying from anyone I'm going to be making them. They won't be glass containers but I'm almost certain they will work and what I will design on the container will still be more cost effect and look as nice as glass containers. I just have to finish the mold and try some out with scrap wax I already have to make sure my idea will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailC Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 47 minutes ago, Valmek said: I'm not buying from anyone I'm going to be making them. They won't be glass containers but I'm almost certain they will work and what I will design on the container will still be more cost effect and look as nice as glass containers. I just have to finish the mold and try some out with scrap wax I already have to make sure my idea will work. Well, now you have me curious so you have to make candles and show us a picture of your creation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 1 hour ago, GailC said: Well, now you have me curious so you have to make candles and show us a picture of your creation! Me too, I'm very curious! Sounds so unique. Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Okay I am curious too. I have to see this to believe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary in Canada Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 On 12/6/2017 at 9:52 PM, Trappeur said: Me too, I'm very curious! Sounds so unique. Trappeur I remember "back in the day"...sand molded candles were real popular. You would make a form out of wood...fill it with sand...make an mould of any shape in the sand, then pour your wax into it...let it harden, then remove. Haven't seen those candles for a long time!! Is that what your plan is Valtek? And as another note...up here in Canada...the wax I am testing now is $137 per 50lb...plus shipping! $85 sounds REALLY good to me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 12 hours ago, Gary in Canada said: I remember "back in the day"...sand molded candles were real popular. You would make a form out of wood...fill it with sand...make an mould of any shape in the sand, then pour your wax into it...let it harden, then remove. Haven't seen those candles for a long time!! Is that what your plan is Valtek? And as another note...up here in Canada...the wax I am testing now is $137 per 50lb...plus shipping! $85 sounds REALLY good to me.. Hey Gary, I have no idea what a sand molded candle is even after you described it...lol Sounds pretty cool....and "back in the day"?.....oh shit that sounds old....I don't even want to go there....lol I don't know how in the world you guys can make candles at the prices you pay with the shipping....God love ya. And what Goldie said about pricing wax with shipping for 85.00 delivered....that is what I pay also. A good price you are correct in that. Geesh I kringe buying some paraffin to experiment by adding to soy. I would have to adjust my prices as I sell wholesale to shops and I just can't do that but I'm going to experiment when I have a breather. Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootgirl Posted December 20, 2017 Share Posted December 20, 2017 Really depends on where you live verse where they are shipping the wax from. I live in Illinois and a 50 pound box of wax from Fillmore that I just checked a shipping quote on only stated $16.09 and this is residential delivery. Other places I've seen priced upwards of $40 shipping at their lowest given rate. Some suppliers also add some cost into the retail cost of wax imo to cover some shipping as a marketing scheme and this makes shipping seem lower. I take the final shipped price into consideration when ordering. I won't spend more than $109 on a box of wax. I'd suggest researching which wax you want to use and then do a search for suppliers who carry it...then price check them along each other. This also gives you some good reviews from multiple sites to get a better feel for the wax and it's fit for your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgregww Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) On 12/6/2017 at 6:21 PM, Valmek said: Yes if I buy big instead of small I can reduce price but first time doing this I'm a little wary of doing that. My original cost was around $2.50 for a 5oz candle but if i buy big, scent and wax, I can bring it down to $0.90 - $1.05 per 5oz candle, that's including wick, container, wax, scent, label (no packaging). It takes it down to more reasonable but I have to shell out a bunch to start off with learning. I'm just not sure I'd want to shell out as much as it cost to have that price to just start learning. Here's my breakdown if I buy bigger quantity. wax : 0.28 wick : 0.08 scent : 0.26 - 0.31 label : 0.03 container : 0.10 - 0.20 shipping : 0.15 total : 0.90 - 1.05 Im not sure your math is correct, it should be about .40 for wax unless your only using 2 oz. And what containers cost only .10-.20 ? Edited December 21, 2017 by wgregww Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmek Posted December 21, 2017 Author Share Posted December 21, 2017 17 hours ago, wgregww said: Im not sure your math is correct, it should be about .40 for wax unless your only using 2 oz. And what containers cost only .10-.20 ? This how I did my math, I'll use price at of today. 50lb is $54.49 then divide by 5 to get $10.898 a pound and then divide that by 10 for $1.0898 a pound and my calculation was for 5oz candles and 20oz in a pound so I divide by 4 for $0.27245. or in this case be $0.27 per 5oz. I never actually calculated my container costs until last week and it actually came to around $0.49 or more because I had to work on it to make more pretty to the eye. I was going to make plaster containers, gloss it up and ingrave it with stencil design but I figured cost would go more towards $1 after I put all that work into it. Also I couldn't get it to work quite right and rather not waste too much time and money figuring it out. Now however, I am trying something new in couple of days that will be around $0.60 a container after I work on it, and will hopefully look amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgregww Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 On 12/21/2017 at 5:06 PM, Valmek said: This how I did my math, I'll use price at of today. 50lb is $54.49 then divide by 5 to get $10.898 a pound and then divide that by 10 for $1.0898 a pound and my calculation was for 5oz candles and 20oz in a pound so I divide by 4 for $0.27245. or in this case be $0.27 per 5oz. I never actually calculated my container costs until last week and it actually came to around $0.49 or more because I had to work on it to make more pretty to the eye. I was going to make plaster containers, gloss it up and ingrave it with stencil design but I figured cost would go more towards $1 after I put all that work into it. Also I couldn't get it to work quite right and rather not waste too much time and money figuring it out. Now however, I am trying something new in couple of days that will be around $0.60 a container after I work on it, and will hopefully look amazing. So here is where I think your math is wrong. First you don't have shipping in there but thats not what Im talking about. Your good up to the 1.089 a pound. At that point divide by 16 because there are 16 ounces in a pound. Now your at .068 an ounce X 5 = .34 for 5 ounces. Let me know what you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Shipping costs get allocated to each ingredient used in a candle "recipe" wicks have shipping costs. Wax has shipping cost. Fragrance has shipping cost. I assign the cost as part of the receiving process when items arrive into the shop. I use the same formula when shopping around to ensure I'm comparing apples to apples. example: wax from candlewic Cost per 50 lb case of wax: $56 shipping of that case of wax: $24.50 total cost of 50# wax: $80.50 cost per lb: 80.50/50= $1.60 oz in 50#: (50x16=800 oz) cost per oz: $0.10006. i do the same for each ingredient. when I buy multiple things in a single shipment, the shipping cost gets portioned equally across ALL ITEMS in that shipment based on the total number of units in that shipment. Units, in my system, are standard by product. Meaning, a single wick is a unit. An ounce of fragrance is a unit. An oz of wax is a unit. I total the number of units and divide shipping across all units. You can do this in a spreadsheet or on paper. It is the only way to know exactly what each candle (or whatever I make) really costs. It is the only way to calculate wholesale and retail costs accurately enough to ensure a profit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmek Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, wgregww said: First you don't have shipping in there Look again, it's there. Also everywhere I looked up says 20 ounces in volume in 1 pound of wax, as I'm measuring volume not weight when I'm pouring I divide by 20 not 16. Yet I have never tested this, I think it's close to truth as can be since my one pound batch of wax once melted and poured can fill 3, 8 oz candles, which would be 24 ounces. Edited January 7, 2018 by Valmek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Always use weight. It is the only way to get a standard variable and accurate costs. Many Chandlery items vary wildly in specific gravity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmek Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 6 minutes ago, TallTayl said: Always use weight. It is the only way to get a standard variable and accurate costs. Many Chandlery items vary wildly in specific gravity. Using weight as the variable wouldn't make much sense because if I do that then, I would no way be able to fill 3, 8oz candles with just 1 pound of wax then since you say I should go by 16 oz and 3 x 8 = 24oz so really I'm a wizard and I should invest my life somewhere else then with these newfound powers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 You are confusing volume and weight. Measuring and inventorying by weight works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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