jfear Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 (edited) Hello all! I don't usually come here just to vent but I wanted to know if any of you are having the same issues. I've been a long time purchaser from Candlescience but I'm so beyond frustrated with basically everything about them lately that I wish I could just eliminate having to go to them. First of all, the shipping. Not only is it already expensive but now all of your items are coming from different warehouses and must be shipped seperately. Meaning you literally pay TWICE the shipping for your orders. For instance, my glass is coming from Nevada and my wicks are coming from NC. So I have to pay shipping twice. Not only is this absurd but the arrival time is no longer 2 days- I'm lucky if I receive my glass in 5 days but still pay the price for 2 day shipping. I use Candlescience for the black, white and amber tumblers; which for those of you who use them are well aware of the glass quality issues and unavailability in stock. For those who have ordered the "improved" version of this glass are no doubt incredibly disappointed as the lack of quality is worse! The paint is messy, scuffed and now that the paint is on the outside of the jar it makes label repositioning impossible because the paint peels and scratches. With the loss of Peak and the downward spiral of Candlescience I feel disheartened lately. I'm fortunate to have Aztec and Flaming Candle as my main suppliers, but like most of you I must use 4-5 different suppliers to get all the products I need. Anyway, for those who have been having the same issues thanks for hearing me out. Edited January 16, 2018 by jfear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I eliminated them as a supplier. The cost of shipping on wax is double anywhere else I can find it. Plus, the flat out denial that anyone has raised concerns over soy issues is unreal. I hate to think hey are circling the drain, but it is possible... the fragrance market is fickle, and cyclical. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Hello Jfear, I feel your pain with CS. And everything you say is so true. I for one think they pad their shipping. Why is it that some companies like Flaming, like Candle Cocoon and I know there are another handful can ship at great pricing and CS is so much more. I think it's bullsh.....t when you hear they have never heard any negative about the change in waxes or oils...Pure bull..... I will say their oils are exceptional and top notch without a doubt and I do order order from them fragrance oils for that reason alone. As far as those jars go, that is the reason why I never did order any of those amber, black and white because of the bad reviews seen on their site. The colors are sprayed on and they are not a pure colored glass. They scratch easily. And the fact they don't have lids is another turnoff for me. By the way, how do you sell yours without a lid????Or do you box them? I've attached a picture of an amber jar that I ordered from Container and Packaging. Pricing is pretty good and they have assorted lids I haven't sold any to a store since I do wholesale but I'm going to get some presentations ready to show. The few places I have showed the jars to just love them in the amber. A 1 1/2" square label fits them just perfect. And the pricing isn't that bad for a pure amber glass jar. The largest they make is the 9oz. Sure wish I could find larger so still are on the hunt. As far as them shipping from 2 locations I haven't had that problem yet as I have lucked out with them always having stock in their NC plant but I'm sure I will one day! Why can't you wait till everything you need comes in at whatever location you use. That is my suggestion. My main supplier being that they are close is Flaming and I just LOVE the fact that they will put wax, jars, oils, wicks etc all into one box instead of separate boxes like CS does. By putting in same box you have 1 shipping price. I believe I asked CS to do that one time and they said that the chance that an oil will leak if they put in the box of wax they don't want to jeopardize...I can understand that. Hasn't been a problem with Flaming, but sure could happen. Now Flaming double boxes and I see no reason at all why CS couldn't do that or for that matter any other company. That is my opinion. We are at all suppliers mercy if we want things bad enough. I know none of this helps you but I'm with ya and agree with everything you said! Have a good day Jfear. Geesh I remember when you put up pictures (just fabulous pictures) of things you make....Got any more new ones? You have a wonderful eye for presentation!!! Trappeur 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 jfear-- I feel your frustration and I'm sorry that you experienced problems with CS. I guess I have been lucky as I have not had any problems with them. But then I don't buy soy wax or jars from them. I only buy FOs, CSN wicks, UV, and dye chips. They always come in one box from their Carolina address. I have noticed that they don't ship as fast (one day) like they used to. Its more like 2-3 days now. But that is the only thing I have experienced and its not a problem for me. I buy palm wax and get it from C&S now. They ship fast and I have it within 24 hrs of ordering it online. I live in VA and they ship from PA so I know shipping is possible in 24 hrs and not sure why CS no longer does that. My glassware all comes from Fillmore now. They have colored jars that are true colored glass and not painted/sprayed on. Not sure if they have your colored jars but they have a lot of jar choices so they might. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 @Candybee do you think their sudden, overnight abandonment of palm users a few years back contributed to their slow decline? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerven Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Not certain where you're located, but if you're anywhere between NC and PA, I'd give Candlewic a try. I get almost the equivalent shipping times with them, and their stock is vast in comparison to CS's, although, I'm not fond of their selection of glassware. I must have been lucky with Candlescience. They're semi local (the UPS route is a straight shot from here to there) for me so basic carbon neutral shipping ends up being next day or one day if ordered before 4pm, so that justifies any increased shipping costs over other suppliers. Their prices seem fairly reasonable to me, although, the information on their site is terribly outdated and more suited to beginners... Then again, I used them when I was a beginner and the lack of [accurate] information was frustrating and sent me on a goose chase to figure out what I was doing wrong. Nevertheless, I haven't had to deal with their customer support so I can't speak on that. I can say that I've been satisfied with their glassware, tins, dyes, and most of the FO's I've used - it's hit or miss with those, Beach Linen was a total dud for me while Black Raspberry Vanilla, Apple Harvest, Fraser Fir, and others were great. I usually order glass and wax from them or anything that I need immediately. Unfortunately, with all the soy issues, their stock of waxes is limited and I'm probably not going to have reason to order waxes from them again (especially after this past order of 464)... it's probably not their fault that the wax is a mess, but they don't seem to be in any rush to find a replacement or even acknowledge the issue. I understand their stance on the more exotic waxes (palm and coconut), but, IMO, it's a little ironic that they sell paraffin but won't sell palm. Their stock of wick styles is also limited. They might pick up a little more business if they broadened it... just a suggestion. For now, I'll just be ordering the straight sided tumblers and boxes (until they get more lids). If they had more additives like natural waxes, oils, and butters, since they do soap now, I'd probably be interested in that... I know what you mean about the split shipping. I almost made that mistake once, due to -one- FO, and then realized I was going to be charged twice for a single order. Nope. I either wait for the item to be restocked at the NC location or opt for a different item. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 6 minutes ago, TallTayl said: @Candybee do you think their sudden, overnight abandonment of palm users a few years back contributed to their slow decline? Could have been. I like many others was very disappointed in their choice to quit selling it. I know there have been issues with the wax and their decision not to sell it any longer had to have been a difficult one to make. But they made their own bed and have to sleep in it so to speak. I do think others like myself were not only disappointed but a little less eager to rely on them for all their candle needs. I really think the bulk of their problems started when they opened up their second warehouse in the midwest?. Out of stock and shipping became problems we were constantly hearing about. At least on this forum we had several threads that would pop up about the same issues; shipping from different warehouses doubling shipping costs to the customer, and out of stock items happening much more frequently frustrating those of us that needed to fill orders for our customers. I know they definitely had problems managing stock in their warehouses for what seemed like months and months. I don't hear so much about the out of stock anymore but the double shipping is still an issue that rubs. And sprayed on glass? I always thought those amber glassware was genuine colored glass not sprayed on. How tacky! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighten Up Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I've loved Candlescience for a long time and still do! I did have a recent issue, but it worked out in the end. I pretty much just buy oils from them, occasional jars, but no wax or wicks. I must be in the right area to get my order in 2 days from NC with reasonably priced shipping. I'm waiting on my first order from the NV location, which will be 6 days, but over the long weekend, that was pricier shipping, for sure. The split shipping thing does bother me, I have almost fallen for it a few times. I can play with my cart until I find the offending product(s) and decide if I can live without. After the terrible time I had last fall with my wax, I have had to look long and hard this year to decide what I can do with my candle business. I really can't quit, but I am going to try to streamline a little bit, and at the same time, add an oil supplier or two(since I'm re-testing everything anyway). Between what happened with Peak, the fire in Germany, and other iffy vibes, I feel it's prudent to spread the risk. I would rather pay a little more shipping to use several different suppliers, than be dependent on one or two for survival. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfear Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 5 hours ago, Candybee said: jfear-- I feel your frustration and I'm sorry that you experienced problems with CS. I guess I have been lucky as I have not had any problems with them. But then I don't buy soy wax or jars from them. I only buy FOs, CSN wicks, UV, and dye chips. They always come in one box from their Carolina address. I have noticed that they don't ship as fast (one day) like they used to. Its more like 2-3 days now. But that is the only thing I have experienced and its not a problem for me. I buy palm wax and get it from C&S now. They ship fast and I have it within 24 hrs of ordering it online. I live in VA and they ship from PA so I know shipping is possible in 24 hrs and not sure why CS no longer does that. My glassware all comes from Fillmore now. They have colored jars that are true colored glass and not painted/sprayed on. Not sure if they have your colored jars but they have a lot of jar choices so they might. Thanks for that. Yes, I do love Fillmore! Their tumblers alone are far superior to that of CS (thicker glass, no bubbles, etc.) I've actually been testing Fillmore tumblers that I've painted myself with a high-heat spray paint for barbecues with much success. At least I can control the quality of the paint job. Candlescience no longer sells my 4786 wax either, so other than LX wicks and a few key fragrances will be the only reason really that I'll continue with CS. "Apples and Maple Bourbon" I have been using regularly since you suggested it to me last year, my customers are obsessed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfear Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 8 hours ago, Trappeur said: Hello Jfear, I feel your pain with CS. And everything you say is so true. I for one think they pad their shipping. Why is it that some companies like Flaming, like Candle Cocoon and I know there are another handful can ship at great pricing and CS is so much more. I think it's bullsh.....t when you hear they have never heard any negative about the change in waxes or oils...Pure bull..... I will say their oils are exceptional and top notch without a doubt and I do order order from them fragrance oils for that reason alone. As far as those jars go, that is the reason why I never did order any of those amber, black and white because of the bad reviews seen on their site. The colors are sprayed on and they are not a pure colored glass. They scratch easily. And the fact they don't have lids is another turnoff for me. By the way, how do you sell yours without a lid????Or do you box them? I've attached a picture of an amber jar that I ordered from Container and Packaging. Pricing is pretty good and they have assorted lids I haven't sold any to a store since I do wholesale but I'm going to get some presentations ready to show. The few places I have showed the jars to just love them in the amber. A 1 1/2" square label fits them just perfect. And the pricing isn't that bad for a pure amber glass jar. The largest they make is the 9oz. Sure wish I could find larger so still are on the hunt. As far as them shipping from 2 locations I haven't had that problem yet as I have lucked out with them always having stock in their NC plant but I'm sure I will one day! Why can't you wait till everything you need comes in at whatever location you use. That is my suggestion. My main supplier being that they are close is Flaming and I just LOVE the fact that they will put wax, jars, oils, wicks etc all into one box instead of separate boxes like CS does. By putting in same box you have 1 shipping price. I believe I asked CS to do that one time and they said that the chance that an oil will leak if they put in the box of wax they don't want to jeopardize...I can understand that. Hasn't been a problem with Flaming, but sure could happen. Now Flaming double boxes and I see no reason at all why CS couldn't do that or for that matter any other company. That is my opinion. We are at all suppliers mercy if we want things bad enough. I know none of this helps you but I'm with ya and agree with everything you said! Have a good day Jfear. Geesh I remember when you put up pictures (just fabulous pictures) of things you make....Got any more new ones? You have a wonderful eye for presentation!!! Trappeur Aww, well thank you for all that! Your candles are stunning, I always love the upscale look of your work! I adore those amber jars and your embed technique is on point! 😍 Totally with you on Flaming Candle, I LOVE them. I wish so badly that they carried my wax, wicks and had a larger jar selection. But their oils are SO stellar, many from them are staples for me. Their shipping is the best, reasonably priced and super fast! I can't live without their Balsam Fir, Woodland Foliage and Mocha Mint! I have actually never used lids for my tumblers; I place them in super clear poly bags and tie off the top with ribbon. Then I place them in a 4x4x4 gift box with tissue and peanuts and then pop that box in a priority box. Thanks so much for your kind words sweetie, here's a few pics of some things I've done recently, I did some Nightmare Before Christmas themed ones, the other is a rustic jar and the last are my handpainted doll head candles. Have a great night and thank you as always! 🖤🤗 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Jfear-- I wish you would post pics of your remarkable candles more often! They are a total scream! Love them! Anyway, I think I am going to look into Flaming Candle and try some of their FOs. Glad you and your customers like the Apples & Maple Bourbon! Its always been a good seller for me in the fall! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grama Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I have been using Flaming Candles for several years. They have 4625 but I order 4786 from Aztec. I also like many of the oils from Flaming. I really stopped using CS years ago when they stopped selling 4786. Shipping from Flaming is great and also their customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 2 hours ago, Candybee said: Jfear-- I wish you would post pics of your remarkable candles more often! They are a total scream! Love them! Anyway, I think I am going to look into Flaming Candle and try some of their FOs. Glad you and your customers like the Apples & Maple Bourbon! Its always been a good seller for me in the fall! Really, like Candybee said, I love love your work Jfear....., and your caption of photography is unbelievable...the backdrops and even how you take photos on the angle is so very unique and totally YOUR look! And your candle scent name called "Nightmare" before Christmas is so clever and cool and just such a hoot! I wished I could think up original things like I've seen you do....Ok.....GOT ANY MORE?????We LOVE pictures..... Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightkeeper Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I happened to see this post, and thought I would jump on the bandwagon to RANT about my recent experiecne that I had with them too. Before Christmas I had a 16 oz bottle of fragrance in my cart that was 19.97. I left my cart for a little while to figure out what else I needed, and then when I went to place my order it said the 16 oz was out of stock. but I could order 2 of the 8 oz just fine. Being that the 8 oz are 12.88 that adds quite a bit more to the cost & of course who wants to pay an extra $6 for the same amount? I gave them a call to explain that it was just in my cart & when I went to check out it said not available, but the 8 oz were, could they just adjust my price so that I could still get it at the Pound price? They said they can not do that, as the price is already figured for the additional labor cost. Really? I realize there is a slight cost for extra bottle & cap, but I had over $100 in my cart, I just think it would be good customer service to do that. I know several other suppliers that run out, and just automatically send 2 8 oz or even 4 4 oz. So then I mentioned the high shipping cost. I asked why when I was ordering only a few bottles why it was so high, but I can order much more from other suppliers who will ship Flat Rate, for much cheaper. They said they have been trying to find a way to use the Flat Rate, but they haven't figured out a way to account for all the different items that someone could order. ???? I suggested, well how about at least offering it for Fragrance oil only orders? No, they can't do that, because they need to be able to ship other things in the same box. & they won't know what will fit with all the different combinations, weights etc. & they don't want to overcharge the customer, they want it to be accurate. Ok, well I said I have ordered from other suppliers, who have refunded me the difference if the actual shipping amount ended up being less. Oh no, they would never do that, they do not want to be in the practice of overcharging & then refunding - that isn't good customer service - Oh but just flat out overcharging for shipping is good CS? I ended up just ordering 2 items, and deleted everything else out of my cart. I don't plan on ordering again anytime soon, sometimes you need to bend the rules a bit or be flexible to meet your customer's needs. There are plenty of other suppliers out there that are more than willing to do just that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 CS Just keeps digging their hole deeper and deeper .....I have decided to ditch them and it does make me sad but 🤷♀️ There are many other suppliers out there even if it costs me a little more for my bulk material like jars and wax I just can't keep feeding them my business when I keep hearing all this crap and my own ongoing emails with them with zero resolution 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 @jfear In case you are not aware C&S also sells 4786 http://www.candlesandsupplies.net/IGI-4786-Wax-124-mp-Opaque-Jar-Multi-Pour-per-lb-60 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 That same thing happened to me what happened to you Lightkeeper and I got very aggravated. They just have you over the barrel and there is nothing we can do about it. It's a shame too. I had to chalk it up as I have a store that I sell to I have to have only certain oils from and CS is one of them. Now one day I placed an order with Fragrance Buddy and there were 2 oils that I needed a pound each and they didn't have the full 1 pound bottles so when I received my order and opened up the box I found 4 8oz bottles of oils in there instead of 2 1 pound bottle....and there was no extra charges for doing this. Now that is customer service which I call "the cost of doing business"... Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I don't order much or often from CS, but in the past have never had a problem. However the reason I don't order much from them, or often is because I can usually get what I want elsewhere cheaper when factoring in shipping, even though CS is only a state away from me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfear Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 On 1/16/2018 at 10:07 PM, Trappeur said: Really, like Candybee said, I love love your work Jfear....., and your caption of photography is unbelievable...the backdrops and even how you take photos on the angle is so very unique and totally YOUR look! And your candle scent name called "Nightmare" before Christmas is so clever and cool and just such a hoot! I wished I could think up original things like I've seen you do....Ok.....GOT ANY MORE?????We LOVE pictures..... Trappeur Aww, thanks so much! That means a lot coming from you! 🤗🖤 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfear Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 18 hours ago, Terry said: @jfear In case you are not aware C&S also sells 4786 http://www.candlesandsupplies.net/IGI-4786-Wax-124-mp-Opaque-Jar-Multi-Pour-per-lb-60 Yes thank you! I haven't ordered it from them but it's nice to know it's there as backup. I have been purchasing my 4786 from Aztec for about 2 years now; and it's always consistent. Oddly enough when I was first on the hunt after CS dropped it, I tried three different suppliers for 4786 and it was all totally different in appearance and performance. The suppliers thought I lost my mind when I told them that the texture, opacity and fragrance load was different, but I knew my 4786! Aztec has been awesome for me, but I will be ordering a slab from C&S just to check it out, and also to order their amber tumblers that Candlescience no longer carries. Exciting! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldieMN Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 @jfear I love all your candles. They are works of art. GoldieMN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 5 hours ago, jfear said: Yes thank you! I haven't ordered it from them but it's nice to know it's there as backup. I have been purchasing my 4786 from Aztec for about 2 years now; and it's always consistent. Oddly enough when I was first on the hunt after CS dropped it, I tried three different suppliers for 4786 and it was all totally different in appearance and performance. The suppliers thought I lost my mind when I told them that the texture, opacity and fragrance load was different, but I knew my 4786! Aztec has been awesome for me, but I will be ordering a slab from C&S just to check it out, and also to order their amber tumblers that Candlescience no longer carries. Exciting! I used to buy my 4786 from Peak then switched over to C&S. Nice to know about Aztec but C&S is much closer to me. Their coloring may be a bit more yellowish but performance is the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfear Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 4 hours ago, GoldieMN said: @jfear I love all your candles. They are works of art. GoldieMN Aww, well thank you so much sweetie! That means a lot. 🤗🖤 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 All of the candles posted are wonderful!! I too am running away from Candle Science. It's sad because when I started many years ago they were my first supplier so I tried to stay loyal. Flaming has some wonderful fo's and I've transitioned to theirs as well as RE's. I still have a couple of CS but I think they can be easily replaced like Hansel & Gretel's House. So sad what is happening in our arena these days with wax and suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strugglebrother Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 The problem is that there are NO black or white painted glass tumblers except the ones from CS that are decent. The Glassnow painted tumblers look terrible in my eyes and other painted glass I have found here in LA looks worse than the CS ones... We were waiting for the new ones from CS for our client and he had a look when they came and said, NO... We are bringing tumblers over all the way from Australia for him for this order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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