wthomas57

Here is my two cents.. because yes, wholesale can eat into your profits if they sell them for what you sell them at BUT they get it to you at 50% So, I'd offer them a couple options: 1) Agree at 35% 2) Tell them they can bump up the price a dollar or two from your retail rate if they want 3) Offer PRIVATE LABEL. This is such a key a lot of people forget about. First, many retailers like to have their own private label products anyways. Secondly they can charge a bit more for it over yours and no one would think anything of it. The only issue with private label is that you dont get your name out there from those sales and that is a bummer. 4) Hybrid Private Label - This is something I do myself. Basically I make them a label for their shop just like private label. But its a shared private label. So it would also say "made by "xxxxx"" or something to that affect in small text or with my logo appearing somewhere. That is a nice balance between the two. Plus they can still charge what they want for it and still no one would think anything of it. 5) Lastly, only sell certain jars for wholesale and certain ones for your own retail. That way there is no conflict of interest on pricing with what you are selling verses them. I dont like this option as much because I want to sell everything I have to offer from my own retail side... but I know some who have done it this way. I'd consider option 3 or 4 if you haven't before. IF not, then go back to 1 or 2. Or... dont do wholesale.

Yep, that is what I am moving towards. Thank you for all the suggestions. Most of my recipes and their color I want to keep as is, so Ill just break those down into increments for each jar and rebuild each recipe. I dont mind doing that. Thanks

Thats a great post and things for the pictures. I actually use web software to manage all my recipes and have monitor is where I do my blending so I just open the recipe I am working on and it shows me exactly what I need and how much of everything (wax, FO, dye, wick, labels... everything) Its nice But its currently done by 1 pound batches and then I just multiple the batches depending on how much I need (the software does that too). Regarding the color, which has been the culprit.... Ill try the color blocks of wax. Will doing that dilute or lose some of the color at all if it sits for a while before being used? The other issue is I use a lot of softish blends for my containers, take 6006 for example. Im not sure how well that will store in baggies. Ill need to find some small mold I can use and then a way to store them for sure when needed

Actually this is what Ive been referring to. This is what I'd like to when I need to make specific items and batches. This is why I started this post. The problem preventing me from doing this is the coloring. I have many recipes that do not break down to full drops of color per jar. Many would be like .68 drops or 1.23 drops. Thats insane to try and accomplish. And I cant just create recipes for each jar to make them easier drop amounts to work with because then my colors won't be consistnt between products or jars, hence... my issue. :/ But, yes.. what you do is what I am after. I dont want to keep building unneeded stock at the moment or having waste doing what I do now Thank ya

You were of great help... you all were. I am taking each into suggestion and trying to figure out what I want to do. Batches by pound is just.... so much better than "what i need as needed" as far as recipes go and other reasons. But I think its mostly about consistency which is why I do. I would totally switch to recipes to make just 1 if I could find a simple efficient way of doing it. As far as the waste goes... what I normally do is just make tarts and little sample scent tins. Problem is... sometimes then ends up being a TON of tarts (or tealights sometimes as well). But I dont sell tons of tealights so thats kinda still like a waste to me. And tarts... well I dont need to keep accumulating so I have 40 on hand. lol. I did consider keeping the leftover and mixing it in on next batch.. but something about that just doesn't jive with me. Maybe its because I am so anal retentive about my candles, but I feel like I am kinda shortchanging the next batch ya know? Especially since it would have to be melted down which means it just lost a bit of scent. I know it would be minimal... but I guess I feel like thats not a good thing to do. I have in the past often used dixie cups for when a little was remaining and then just used those at home in warmers after peeling the paper away. But again... thats a waste of product I could be using for sales. Doing any of the above over and over adds it very quickly. I am totally ok with stocking up... problem is... I have multiple containers I use and so over stocking up on certain containers really stinks when I end up needing more of a different container when ordered. So then I have turned waste management problem into inventory/stock management problem, lol. So.. Im still thinking through this

I do stock, but even doing big batches, they are based off pounds which is how I do my recipes right now. And pound increments don't make exact number of candles. There is still waste wax left over. That is the issue I'm trying to resolve. Not about how many I make, by about how to formulate recipes (based off each candle or by batches of wax). Doing it be each candle is much more difficult and tedious and inconsistent... but doing it by batch means I'll always have extra wax.... because it won't ever be enough to our make exact number of candles perfectly. If that makes sense.

I've only used dye blocks a couple times and had a hard time getting same amount every time. That's why I kept using liquid dyes. Any tips if I try blocks again?

These are all fantastic suggestions. Thank you. I'll probably try them all!

Inventory when you make your own items is SO critical to be successful long term anyway.... so might as well do it correctly from the beginning which means you have all the info you need to deduct COGS correctly come tax time. Its a lot of work upfront to put your current inventory numbers all together and add in all the inventory you bought leading up to that point.. but after that, its pretty simple to manage. And when I say inventory, Ia m referring to not just finished products, but all the ingreidents and supplies that go into to your finished products (other than outgoing shipping materials)

Hey everyone, I did a lot of searches and couldn't find a topic discussing this, so if its already been discussed please feel free to point me in the right direction. Otherewise, where is what I've been debating with myself for months. I have always made my recipes for batch size of that specific wax and FO. And I typically do this as a base amount of 1pound batches. In other words, if I am going to make a 1lb batch of 6006 with Cinnamon Vanilla, I make a recipe based off of the wax, FO load, and how much dye get the color I want. That is for a batch of 1lb. Then I always make in 1lb increment batches. So double batch or triple etc. This has worked for me so far because I know roughly what I can make with this batch size and the remining little left I use for either tealights, clamshells, samples, etc. Here is the problem... its a bad method if I need to do just one candle and its a bad method if the number of candles I need falls somewhere in the middle of my batch sizes and I end up with waste. You may be thinking "so do a half batch, or qurater batch, etc". Well, I cant really do a half drop of dye or a quarter drop. And there in lies part of my issue. I want to keep my color consistent across all products (whether it be candles, clamshells, tealights, different jars, etc). I can do that with the method I use now.. but end up with waste or making more than I need to each time. The other option is making recipes PER item and at a quantity of 1. The issue with this is.... especially with dyes, I have many recipes that break down to less than a drop of dye per candle so there wouldn't be a way to match that color with the others. And if the recipes varies from product to product since I cant replicate the exact dye... then all my products will vary some in their color of the same fragrance. Which I dont want. I was curios as to what most of you do and how you handle this. It may seem like I am making a mountain out of a mole hill, but consistency is important to me and I cant see how to maintain consistency with having to vary the recipe per container or type of candle. Whereas, making the wax in a batch and using it accordingly solves that problem 100% but has other problems of its own including wasted finished wax and/or making more than I need of a product. Any tips or suggestions? I feel like there is no way I am alone on this! Lol Thanks

I'm so jealous of you right now.... no one really close enought to me. And that's a bummer considering I am in the midwest. :/

Thanks everyone and yah I know nothing is replacement for testing... but thats why we have these forums... to help facilitate that. Just looking to see if there was any general consensus on favorite Love Spell type FOs. There are plenty of general agreements on bad ones, lol, so figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Thanks again

So so far it sounds like what I have experienced... lots of one good ones, but not necessarily the "best " dupe or a consensus favorite, lol. Darn. Anyone else using BCs? I assume you mean Bitter Creek? (just to be certain) And anyone else using what I currently use (CS and NG) that would comment on their preference out of those two? Thanks everyone

have never tried them

awesome thank you. Ill check it out. This is a tough one.. every supplier has nothing but good reviews from customers on their version. Ha!

Hey everyone, I was curious on feedback about Love Spell Type scents from different suppliers and which might be the "best". I have tried both Candle Science and Natures Garden. I know others have it as well and wanted some feedback from others who have tried Love Spell. Its a tough one for me to pick between suppliers. Even CS and NG is hard for me to choose between as they are very different. My experience with those are as follows: CS - seems to be more accurate to the VS scent but has a bit of a pungent chemical smell as well. Its very bold VS - This seems to smell more orangy to me rather a perfect match to VS, BUT... I actually think its more pleasant. So... hoping for feedback and suggestions. Thanks

oh good point. thanks for the tip

Thats a lot of candles since May! Lol Is that for testing and personal use or sales? Way to go

not to shift gears from the topic too much, but you mentioned new wicks you sue for your tealights. Mind sharing which wick you use for them?

Good to know. Every pout pot Ive ever used when I go to clean them out with paper towels, there is always some black that comes off from the outside of the pots. Which is not a big deal.. unless I plan on sitting them on a griddle or in a melting pot to heat them up. But it may be an issue only when wiping them with towels. (not talking about the inside of the pots)

I'm glad you mentioned the electric griddle. I had a question about that. Pouring pots often have a black residue when you wipe them down the outsides and bottom especially after being heated. I was afraid this would leave that residue on the griddle and affect other things I put on the griddle. Anyone had an issue with that?

I have two ways... and depends on how im feeling that day. 1) I have heat lamps that I made a pulley system for (I also lower those to pre-heat my containers as well. I never use oven anymore. Heat lamps do the same thing just as fast So I use those often to preheat the pouring pots as well/ Your articular setup is up to you 2) Heat gun, Either hold and move it around to heat the pot. Or, depending on the type of heat gun, mine has an outer case that sticks out further than the metal nozzle that stays cool. In other words, I can lay my heat gun down on its side. I do this with the heat nozzle pointed into the pout also laying on its side. All of this is done in a confined area so no risk of damage to anything else if it moves. But I am always right there anyway

Thanks everyone. I found these, and look to be the closest so far: http://www.candlewic.com/store/product.aspx?q=c24,p1416&title=31-oz.-Libbey-Cylinder-Jar I personally looked at status and anchor jars as well that have the little flared base at the bottom since you are right Trappeur.... can find those anywhere. But the response Ive been getting back is "those are ok, but we really like the big tumblers better"... or something along those lines. So, Im still digging.

Its not so much the overall size I am looking for. Im looking specifically for larger tumbler, not just larger size of any jar. That being said, I am also looking into some larger jars as well. The Apothecary was a bit thin for me when I am going for a jar of that style. I think the Colonial jars from Peak looked like a better option. Still looking at them. But for the tumblers, Ive seen them other places so I know they are available... I've also found what appears to be the same ones, but I have no idea if they are. Thats why I posted on here, in hopes that someone else uses large tumblers. Here are the ones that look similar to me (albeit with a different lid): http://www.candlewic.com/store/product.aspx?q=c24,p1416&title=31-oz.-Libbey-Cylinder-Jar

Sure thing. I currently use the 11oz Tumblers with lids from Peak: http://www.peakcandle.com/products/115-oz-Straight-Sided-Tumbler-(CASE-of-18)__C1039.aspx I am looking for thing, but a larger/taller size. For example, Yankee has small tumblers (I believe the same size I use form the link above). And they have larger tumblers. These are what I get request for frequently. Especially around holidays. Here is basically what I am after: http://www.yankeecandle.com/product/white-gardenia/_/R-1230627 Thanks