Quentin

On 10/1/2018 at 7:47 PM, Testing123 said:

Thanks for your reply Quentin!  Can you help with this scenario please? Let's say I have a satisfaction guaranteed policy and the customer wants to make an exchange. The customer ships the candle back to me. I know the customer would have to pay for shipping to ship it back to me. But should I require that THEY pay the shipping for me to send a new candle back to THEM? Or do I pay the shipping?

 

I hope I'm being clear.

Yes, you're clear. I've thought a little about that part. I'm not really sure what I would do. Actually I do know how I would handle it. Example: If I made a defective or dangerous product, I would certainly want to get the candle back in my hands ASAP.  Since it was my fault, I wouldn't feel right making them pay the return shipping for my mistake. I would get a prepaid return label through UPS, USPS or whichever way it was originally shipped to the customer as fast as possible. That can probably be done through email.  If they don't want an exchange but just their money back, then once I got notification that they had dropped it off at the carrier or the carrier picked it up, I would immediately issue a refund. You could wait for it to actually arrive back at your place, that would be fair too. I'm going to lose money regardless, but the customer would be satisfied and that would end it. If they want an exchange on the defective product, I still feel I should send them a new candle and that I should pay the shipping back to them. At that point, I'm losing even more money. Remember that this is also a liability issue. I can't take any chances. Now I'm bleeding money, but I've gained something I could never buy at any price. My reputation is still intact, I have a paper trail to prove I dealt with the safety issue, the customer is relieved and feels good. 

What if the customer says, "I accidentally bought the wrong candle?"  If I had a bricks and mortar store, common practice would be for them to bring it to me for a return or exchange. That's just the way it's done. They have to use their gasoline and time.  I'm in the mail order business. They just admitted it was their fault, so now I can expect them to treat me fairly. Asking them to pay return postage both ways would be reasonable under my policy. I realize I just walked into my own trap because my policy said "at no additional cost to them" and I know someone is lurking out in forum land to catch me on what might seem like a slip on my part.  No one should infer from that part of the policy that there are never exceptions. I realize there is that customer out there who will wave that in my face. I've met this type too many times but it doesn't imply a privilege to defraud me. As @TallTayl stated, the market is always evolving and people are coming up with one new scam after another. If the customer yells loud enough, I'll cave and give him what he wants. I've worked in stores where the manager stood his ground and the customer stormed off saying "I'm never going to buy anything here again". I've also seen the same guy come back down the escalator minutes later with a shopping bag full of stuff he just bought upstairs in another department, like nothing had ever happened!

I like this type of discussion. It's fun. I could have avoided writing all this if I had just said that I would treat them the way I would want to be treated. That would have sounded really corny. Testing123 you said "I hope I'm being clear."  I'm really not sure I am now. I think I may have just unloaded the biggest bunch of BS ever written! 3:25 AM. I had no idea it was so late. I'll read anything anyone wants to say tomorrow. Goodnight. 

On 10/1/2018 at 7:25 PM, birdcharm said:

 

I think Kerven guessed it!! 

I think it's a possibility. Now for the fun part of testing. Wish me luck. 

On 10/1/2018 at 7:23 PM, birdcharm said:

I covered the pot and leftover wax with wax paper

 The minute I pushed the Submit Reply button, I said to myself "Hmm. Someone is gonna pick up on that one."  It's like firing a rifle or pistol, once you pull the trigger, you can't call it back. But hey, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 

On 10/1/2018 at 9:33 PM, Kerven said:

IDK. If it was covered with wax paper, I suppose moisture could have been introduced while uncovered. I'd suggest melting down those candles and repouring just to rule moisture out, although some of the moisture, if present, may be "cooked off" during the remelt. After reading that the wax wasn't brought to maximum melting temp, I'm inclined to think that may have been the culprit. Bringing it to 180-190F allows all the components, such as the naturally occurring stearic and palmitic acids, to fully melt and redistribute. The unmelted components may have encourage rapid crystal growth, resulting in the frosted surface. That's not to say the humidity had no part in it.

You could have it figured out there, Kerven. It's plausible. 

On 10/1/2018 at 9:33 PM, Kerven said:

it was covered with wax paper,

Condensation during the night maybe. I have three of them that are now fully "cured". I don't want to melt them down. Matter of fact, I'm going to light up at least one of them, just to see what happens. Maybe one of them will explode! Now THAT would be exciting. It might blow steam up in the air like Old Faithful. That would be pretty cool too. Hopefully, I'll have my cellphone  handy and catch the video. Snatch victory from the cruel jaws of defeat. 

On 10/3/2018 at 1:29 PM, Scented said:

If you want more consistency while using pots, you could warm your FO in a bottle in warm water (just takes a while sometimes) ...

Good idea.  Warming it by any amount would have to help the situation some. 

18 hours ago, strugglebrother said:

Just add the fragrance at 5 degrees higher temperature than the temperature you want to mix it with...

 

My temperature usually drops 3 to 5 degrees when I add the fragrance oil.

Good, helpful stuff from both of you. These comments are the type I'll print out and add to my notebook as well as any others that come along. I think I take a lot of stuff I hear and read a little too seriously some time, which causes distraction that can lead to the really serious mishaps.

This is the perfect time for me to drop this question in here. Do any of you operate you're manufacturing process using some sort of Production Schedule like a big factory would do? I've just started to do that. Before, I would just wake up in the morning and say to myself, "Hmm, I think I'll make pillars today. No, on second thought, I'll make containers." By the time I made it out to the shop, I would see something else to do. As a result, very little was getting done. On my first attempts at having a production schedule, I was overloading myself and was over enthusiastic about my real capacity. I must say though, that even if I don't fully make my self imposed deadlines, I do seem to be putting out a little more useful work.

1 hour ago, TallTayl said:

As functioning adults we have things that must be done periodically and routinely....

Pay rent/mortgage, pay utility bills, pay credit cards, etc.

Check bank accounts to make sure there's enough money to cover the bills when due.

If you have a car it needs to be insured, registered, maintained, etc.

As a partially functioning adult (many friends and family even doubt that) that's why I have direct deposit and automatic debits on everything.  But you're right. Even I check in on things from time to time. 

2 hours ago, Darbla said:

At the organization where I work, I keep a Winword document that I type notes in every single day of what I have going on, emails from people that I copy/paste in there, whatever.  

That's wise. That way you've always got a paper trail. If the boss comes up and asks you why this or that hasn't gotten. Pop! You just show him your notes. It's also  known in some circles as C.Y.A., but I never use words like that. 

On 10/2/2018 at 10:50 AM, Jcandleattic said:

To do lists are the ONLY things that work for me, no matter how long they get. 

 

I agree with TT as in once a task is done, take it off and forget it. 

That's my problem. I don't complete the tasks on a To Do list, so I never have anything to take off.

I have had these question in the back of my mind and keep forgetting to post them. When I've been instructed to add fragrance at xxx degrees, I've noticed that there is an immediate drop in the temperature of the mix. Sometimes a dramatic drop. Often dipping below the pouring temp. range. I know WHY that is happening, but not sure what to do about it.

Do I just keep stirring for two minutes or so and pour regardless of the what the thermometer tells me, or do I need to raise the heat back up to the pouring temperature? The other question is similar. As I'm pouring from the pot to the mold or container, the temperature obviously starts to drop. Do I stop pouring and heat it back up again or just pour till I'm finished?  

The only information I've found that is even slightly related to this subject has been something to this effect: "Never put the pot back on the heat source and leave it while you're working. This could cause your fragrance to "dissipate".    I'm not buying THAT idea. If that were true, you would never be able to reheat your wax for the second pour!  You could never save any leftover wax to use on another project. I think the candle making hobby/business is full of folklore and anecdote that has been passed down from generation to generation and accepted as truth but never checked out by many of us. What IS the answer to my two questions?  This makes me wonder about the consistency of the product I'm producing. Calgon, take me awaaayyyyyyy... 

On 9/27/2018 at 10:03 PM, Kerven said:

By chance was the humidity higher the second night? Had it rained? Maybe the cool down was too slow and crystals grew... It almost looks like what happened to me once when I poured far too cool, a little beyond the slushy stage. You got me with that one.

As I mentioned, the conditions were similar, but that's about as much as I can tell you from looking at my notes. I always make a note of the ambient temperature, but the humidity, no! Didn't use a heat gun on them at all. I was tempted to do that. As far as the cool down being too slow, somewhere in this thread I mentioned that the messed up ones cooled much faster than the "good" ones. We may never know what happened here, but you've given me a good excuse to go on Amazon and buy a humidity gauge. In a couple of days, they will be cured and I'll report how they burn.

11 minutes ago, birdcharm said:

So, what's the matter with "all sales are final?" 

There's nothing wrong with that at all. However, what would you do in the unlikely event where you accidentally made a product that was obviously defective or even dangerous?

21 hours ago, Jcandleattic said:

I don't use a planner. They never work for me. I use my own hand written notes in my blank notebook and my spreadsheets. Love me my spreadsheets. 

So many times in the past I've tried a "To Do" list. For me, they just keep getting longer and longer.

21 hours ago, TallTayl said:

this little guy will become the travelers notebook.

Very nice. At first I thought it was a piece chocolate. I was ready to eat it.

21 hours ago, iansmommaya said:

I'm actually thinking of creating my own because none of the ones I've found are even close to right.

That's what I would do. Actually that IS what I do. 

I was going to use "Satisfaction Guaranteed Or Your Money Back", but Sears had already grabbed that one.   But here's mine:

"Return Policy: You get to make the choice! We will gladly replace the item you purchased or refund the purchase price at no additional cost to you. We reserve the right to make replacements with merchandise of equal value if the product you purchased is no longer available."

I can live with that. I think it's more than fair and it's printed on all my receipts.  I don't want any fights. I want return customers. Can it be abused by a customer? Certainly! But I'll be able to spot those people with a trend of abuse and deal with them in a polite but businesslike discussion. Then, if they can't handle my feelings that I will no longer be able to accommodate them, they can choose to shop elsewhere. If I can document their trend with a paper trail, I should rarely have any problem. As long as I'm consistent with everyone! I won't lose that customer. I will have only lost a bad debt.

On the other hand, I'm not going to post big signs everywhere touting the policy like Sears did. I worked for Sears for 12 years (yes, another one of my many jobs ) and I saw absolutely ridiculous things happen when it came to returns. Things like people bringing back dirty underwear. That's not a joke. By the way, Sears no longer has that policy posted over the door of every store. I was there the day the sign company scraped it off the doors at the store where I worked.

22 minutes ago, Quentin said:

Different nights.

I got tired, over edited, got cut off, and that stupid emoji with the glasses is supposed to be a letter B. Don't know how that happened. 

6 hours ago, birdcharm said:

you got a marbled frosting effect.

That sounds a whole lot better than what actually happened. Let me clarify the time frame. I didn't explain that very well. I spent too much time telling y'all about the first night which was Saturday. All I originally intended was to pour the six status jars and that's all I did. Then there was the four hour period of waiting for them to solidify. They didn't. I was tired and it was late. I had a nice amount of leftover wax in the pot. I covered the pot and leftover wax with wax paper and a rubber band around the top and left it there on the workbench with the status jars to cool overnight.  I stopped for the night and went to bed. 

When I woke in the morning (Sunday) they had turned out just fine, other than the holes around the wicks on two of the six candles.  

End of "Event 1".

------------------------------------------------ I went through the whole day on Sunday doing other stuff.--------------------  That brings us to Sunday night and...

"Event 2" 

Sunday night I decided to use the leftover for something (anything). The little fluted jars were right there so I grabbed them, wicked them, heated them with the heat gun while the leftover from the night before was melting. I filled as many of the fluted jars as possible. This was done using the same instructions and procedures and under the same hot conditions in the garage. I did make one exception to the process.  The exception was that I re-melted only up to the recommended pour temperature, NOT all the way back up to the top point. My thinking went something like this: "I already mixed the wax and fragrance at the proper temperature last night, so why go hotter and possibly damage the fragrance?"  Not knowing whether it was even possible to damage the fragrance, I played it safe.

We can now conclude that we have---  A) Two separate events.  Different nights.  C) Same wax/dye/fragrance mixture.  D) Nearly identical working conditions and   E) I did make one exception to the process. 

6 hours ago, birdcharm said:

When doing a top pour, it's especially important to really let the wax really cool down

As you can now see, there was no top pour. Only a re-melt and using up the leftover wax poured into empty jars.  We're going to call it as you said "a marbled frosting effect". I like the sound of that. 

18 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Your answer is right there. 

What can I do to avoid that next time? I would have never expected such a dramatic difference.

18 hours ago, Kerven said:

Hole around the wick is probably from pouring too hot.

18 hours ago, TallTayl said:

The hole around the wick means it was likely poured too hot. 

I'll buy that. Like I said, it was miserably hot in the garage. Did I blindly follow Lone Star's instructions to "not accelerate the cooling process, perhaps?

Ahhh. I've finally stumped you.

9 hours ago, Trappeur said:

extra curricular activities.

 wow... I never thought I was THIS naive. 

7 hours ago, Quentin said:

And don't forget words that are spelled the SAME but have different meanings. If I write down the word "read" and just hand it to you on a piece of paper, what is it that I mean.  Or how about "lead"? Am I referring to a soft metal or to its other meaning?  I had a German teacher in college that had so much fun with things like this. She wasn't an American native trying to teach us German but was the real thing. Married an American soldier, moved here when he came home from World War II. She would laugh hysterically at things like this. She would be rofl when she would talk about some of our figures of speech such as "It's raining cats and dogs".  That was a biggee for her. Our word "pond", as in a very small body of water, would start her giggling.

 Uh oh. Somebody already said it before me. I should have read everything first.

On 9/21/2018 at 6:36 PM, Hopie said:

a candle I was smelling in a store smelled....like...dirty socks!

That's the one I've been trying to find for some time now for my new Locker Room Fragrance. The one I'm really in need of now is "Stale Tobacco Smoke" for my next collection, "Old Girlfriends That I Convinced Myself I Could Learn To Accept Anyway".

On 9/21/2018 at 1:13 PM, Jcandleattic said:

There are several along this same track with how words that are spelled different sound the same,

And don't forget words that are spelled the SAME but have different meanings. If I write down the word "read" and just hand it to you on a piece of paper, what is it that I mean.  Or how about "lead"? Am I referring to a soft metal or to its other meaning?  I had a German teacher in college that had so much fun with things like this. She wasn't an American native trying to teach us German but was the real thing. Married an American soldier, moved here when he came home from World War II. She would laugh hysterically at things like this. She would be rofl when she would talk about some of our figures of speech such as "It's raining cats and dogs".  That was a biggee for her. Our word "pond", as in a very small body of water, would start her giggling.

On 9/21/2018 at 1:28 PM, Jcandleattic said:

You would be surprised (or at least I was) how many people think the stuff we sell is food.

A credit to the quality you put out.