Hopie Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Since the table space in our vending booths is limited (we sell full time out of 300 sq feet, which is mostly filled with sundresses, tops and tie dye specialty clothing), I wanted to add perhaps 20 candles to it. I'm wondering what type of containers sell better, how many ounces and whether I should make the candles in jars or tins? We already carry about 300 body oils and bin loads of hand dipped incense, I am trying to appeal to candle lovers in our scent line. Also, what scents are best sellers? I did buy several scents, but I'm not sure if they are sellers as far as candles go. I primarily make and sell incense, so I know what our best sellers are in that medium. I already purchased these: Lemongrass Nag Champa Dragon's Blood Hot Apple Pie Frankincense & Myrrh Sage Eucalyptus Raw Sugar Mandarin White Sage & Citrus Asian Sandalwood Black Ginger & Bamboo These all came from The Flaming Candle If you had these oils, which would you make first to sell? What would you add to it? Any help is so appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebleo Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I do not sell candles so I can not help you with popular containers or sizes. But, I can give you my opinion on the scents you have. Since you already sell incense in these fragrances I would go ahead and sell them in candles as well. That way yout have a cohesive line. Then you can expand from there with other fragrances. You say you have limited space. So, if you are not selling a particular scent as a candle, drop it and replace it with something new. Maybe just do 2 to 4 of each scent to start (depending on your space) and keep making the ones that sell quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Your line totally depends on your market. Make what sells to your people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfroberts Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 All I can add to this discussion is to say that Flaming's Asian Sandalwood is very nice in wax. And pretty darn potent. I'd definitely use it in your candle line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopie Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 12 hours ago, Sebleo said: I do not sell candles so I can not help you with popular containers or sizes. But, I can give you my opinion on the scents you have. Since you already sell incense in these fragrances I would go ahead and sell them in candles as well. That way yout have a cohesive line. Then you can expand from there with other fragrances. You say you have limited space. So, if you are not selling a particular scent as a candle, drop it and replace it with something new. Maybe just do 2 to 4 of each scent to start (depending on your space) and keep making the ones that sell quickly. I agree that I should try to use some of the scents that I've been selling in incense, or expand a bit beyond it. I want to start with container and a few pillars and see which ones get the most attention. I think I've chosen the Frankincense & Myrrh that I just got...I actually like it, and I can test that in incense as well. My older F&M was a much different scent, but I want to see if my customers like it. I'll also do the lemongrass...I sell a lot of body oil in that scent, so perhaps I could upsell on that? My sandalwood is good too, but I do want to try the one I got from Flaming Candle, I like it! I've finally got most everything I need to do my first pillar candle now, had to go get a hot plate, because in the RV we're traveling in, I only have propane *gasp*, so that won't work to melt wax. We worked today with FIVE booths, so that was really exhausting...ah, but fruitful, so who's complaining? It also hit 94 degrees here, so we were loaded up on lots of water in the ice chest! Thank you all for the suggestions, I will try to keep my scents classic and earthy for starters, like my incense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebleo Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 43 minutes ago, Hopie said: I agree that I should try to use some of the scents that I've been selling in incense, or expand a bit beyond it. I want to start with container and a few pillars and see which ones get the most attention. I think I've chosen the Frankincense & Myrrh that I just got...I actually like it, and I can test that in incense as well. My older F&M was a much different scent, but I want to see if my customers like it. I'll also do the lemongrass...I sell a lot of body oil in that scent, so perhaps I could upsell on that? My sandalwood is good too, but I do want to try the one I got from Flaming Candle, I like it! I've finally got most everything I need to do my first pillar candle now, had to go get a hot plate, because in the RV we're traveling in, I only have propane *gasp*, so that won't work to melt wax. We worked today with FIVE booths, so that was really exhausting...ah, but fruitful, so who's complaining? It also hit 94 degrees here, so we were loaded up on lots of water in the ice chest! Thank you all for the suggestions, I will try to keep my scents classic and earthy for starters, like my incense. You may want to look into a presto pot instead of a hot plate. There are a lot if current threads on them and how people use them. Especially since you're making them in a small space. It will save you on the steam! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopie Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 I was just reading about them a few nights ago...I may upgrade to that in the future, it looks like a great idea! Most places we "dock" the RV in provide picnic tables in our site (we usually stay in RV "resorts"), and that would give me more space to work with. We also have 3 of the 6 foot tables I can put outdoors to work on. Where there's a will there's always a way! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopie Posted April 14, 2018 Author Share Posted April 14, 2018 On 4/1/2018 at 1:09 PM, bfroberts said: All I can add to this discussion is to say that Flaming's Asian Sandalwood is very nice in wax. And pretty darn potent. I'd definitely use it in your candle line. I made a small pillar with this scent last night, it smells simply divine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted April 14, 2018 Share Posted April 14, 2018 I'm late to this post I know but I might as well go ahead and give you my opinion. I agree with what Sebleo and TT say. It really does depend upon your market. Also too you already have established "your" market of what you make so I'm sure you have a following which is wonderful. But you definitely could branch out slowly and offer slowly new scents in candles that you haven't done yet. Now I sell wholesale and have shops totally different in the areas of what one store caters too and the other couple accounts of what they cater to. Now these shops cross over one another and have a little bit of everything in them a tad. To cater to all walks of people I would think you might want to add a couple spa'ish scents, maybe some clean cotton types and a couple bakery. These are what sell for me. Now I'm in the mountains of Georgia and I see you are in Arizona so there is a big difference. But some ones that cater to all I would think about: Lemon Verbena (Flaming) Maybe a basic vanilla (I use Candle Cocoon) Clean cotton or I use Luxe Linen from Community candle (but something like that) Pineapple Cilantro sells all over (Flaming) Macintosh apple (don't know how that would do in Arizona) (I use CS) Basil-Sage-Mint (Flaming) What about Pinion Pine? (Is that somewhat native to Arizona?) Orange Creamsicle, (It's unbearaly hot out there in Arizona, right?) I was thinking growing up of buying those orange creamsicles off the ice cream truck at the time....but then maybe that is a northern or New England type scent. For me when I first started with this scent over a year ago I never thought it would be such a hit as it is and all the shops I sell to it is a number one seller... How about some custom blends like maybe Egyptian amber blended with vanilla and some type of pine? Or a Cactus and sea salt? I am doing a great blend right now for a store that we came up with....Blending Fillmores Daffodil with Fresh Cut Grass....oh my is that ever Nice! (Do you have grass in Az? lol) Another new one for me is Tropical Mango Vanilla As far as baking scents go well, you could go a million different ways...for me oh my that is a toughy....Iced lemon biscotti, nutmeg and ginger, oatmeal milk and honey, chai (from Flaming is awesome....geesh the list goes on.....lol Maybe a fig or fig blend? How bout a lavender? Like Sebleo said maybe start off with 2 in a scent so it doesn't cost you a fortune.... You sure have a lot of nice incensey type scents in your line to start filtering in some other scents.. Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopie Posted April 14, 2018 Author Share Posted April 14, 2018 What a lovely list @Trappeur! I just received a big load of oils to play around with. Since our cherry incense is a top seller, I made a soy candle with black cherry to test, as well as Caribbean escape, creamy vanilla (we carry four vanillas in body oils). I LOVE the Asian Sandalwood, and made a small pillar with it to test, so that should be a good one. I also just got the Baja Cactus, so I'll make that in either a pillar or in soy this week to test. Of course, I got some oils in standard scents, like lavender and jasmine, both of which are staples in our body oils and incense. I also wanted to try the fresh baked bread, I like the scent OOB so far. Most of our buyers are snowbirds from the northern states or CA,. as we're in a tourist destination. We do have a big following in the Arizona market, as well. Many return a lot of times to see the "new goodies" in clothing, so I'd love to offer candles, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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