lpoitras

Way to go!

Thanks much for the tip. Will do.

I have not done their shows personally but heard from vendors in another chat group that they also had buy/sell and that they did not do well in the Ocean City, New Jersey show. I would love to hear about your experience if you do attend one as a vendor.

The favors are a tiny 4 ounce candle of which I have already wicked those. The spa line is new so of course I will have to test the wick, new jar for me, so some time spent there.

I finally need help charging for my services. haha. Okay, first situation: 1. Someone wants me to fill their 300 containers for favors for a corporate luncheon. So I only have to buy wax, wicks and scents, plus any added packaging I think to use to dress it up. Plus my labels (somewhere). First off, has anyone labeled favors? I hate to think of 300 of my candles going out there without my name on them. Anyhow, what do you charge for just filling someone else's containers? Labor? 2. A new spa is opening near me and the owner has asked me to come up with a signature scent for her (with her input of course) plus a container candle with a private label. How in the heck do I charge for this besides the cost of materials??? I haven't a clue on this one. thanks in advance....

Personally I love them. Glad to hear the metros are good because a spa asked me to design a line for them and I think metros would fit their place perfectly.

I agree with you there.

Thanks. I think on my apothecary jars I will switch to labels on lids only for now and hang tags on my other sizes. Just always looking for that special something to make set them apart.

I am wondering what you experienced sellers think works better-labels on the glass or hang tags or both? I don't have the volume to order sheets and sheets of 1 particular fragrance and get stuck with the labels. I was thinking of having labels printed (I have done my own but don't think they look good enough) and have the hang tags specify the scent. I myself personally do not like labels, I think they are a pain to get off, but a well designed one can add so much to the package. Thoughts???

I was looking around at sites this am and found Old Virginia Candle Company using wooden wicks so you have a cracklin' fire sound when the candle burns. Wouldn't that be awfully sooty? Why would anyone want to use wooden wicks? I can't imagine controlling the flame on that.

me too. although I think if I have a big fundraiser again I will definitely get those wick centering plastic "crosses". The only thing is they have to fit the jar so a little homework is required before ordering. I think for a lot of candles at once that will be the way to go. For now I eyeball carefully, then pull them up and make sure they are centered. Don't ask me how many I pull off and do over, I am NUTS about centered wicks.

customers are asking for tart warmers and someone posted at link to www.jackel.us earlier. This doesn't work. anyone else have a good supplier besides Levine's Gifts that sells tart warmers?

Christmas Tree Shops is my favorite. They have really nice glass etched tumblers for 69 cents and mini loaf Christmas pans for a buck, mugs for 50 cents, etc. If you have one in your area they are worth the trip.

I just finished my last show of the season (I did 3 in a row) and each one got a little bit better. None great. I had a small Christmas tree on my table to attract customers and highlight the candles, 2 women actually thought that was what I was selling (duh). They made me laugh. I noticed anything with lights was selling so next year will get plenty of battery powered candles (as we are not allowed to use warmers or open flame) to attract customers, heck I'll wear a lighted necklace if I have to. The day after the show I got a phone call from a customer. I thought, Heck, what is the complaint? but she ordered 4 more wickless and candle warmers and will be picking them up next weekend. I think the thing with shows is that if you look at them (at least these little ones that I go to) as anything more than marketing and a small profit you will be sorely disappointed. I have done 12 this year and this is my first year. At every show the vendors would say how much better the fall shows were, at the fall shows they were saying how much better last year's fall shows were. Needless to say I will be going after wholesale accounts and fundraisers with more energy this year and do probably 3 spring and 3 falls shows at the most. I do enjoy them, though, just wish I could make more $ at them.

Anyone weigh in on this? I have been looking at the archives and my head is spinning. I use Nature's Garden wax right now and love it but found a closer distributor. They carry EcoSoy and CB Advanced. I want to do a lot of layered cleared containers (shriek) this spring and need a good 100% soy wax. Which one is better? Right now I am getting great scent throw hot and cold, good burn, little frosting once it is burning, but some occasional wet spots and a little frosting when it cures near the sides. So which one should I switch to? I am more concerned about scent throw then I am about wet spots/frosting.

what did you think? Was it worth the $? The one I am thinking of it Wildwood, NJ but I will take any info from any of their other state shows. Thanx in advance.

Thanks, all good points. 1. Maybe you are right about a hodgepodge of items. We should have 2-3 classic glass and stick to them. Then add some gift items on the side, 3X as many scents. 2. No handlabeling. All computer generated hang tags and people have commented they like them. 3. No chairs for me either and I don't read or talk on the cell during the show. I talk to people plenty and have plenty of table traffice, sniff, sniff, sniff. So we are definitely getting their attention. I think more scent choices are what we need the most. 4. We have evolved our table throughout our shows, first had no height to it, then added height, then niceer tableclothes, etc. I have a fundraiser going on and had to limit to 3 containers for that, should have done the same for the shows. 5. It's strange though, no one bought an apothecary jar or a mason. they seem to go for the double wicked mini loaf pans and enamelware for the last show, the show before that was Christmas China sets. Can't figure it out so will pick a look and stick to it.

Thanks guys! You make me feel a little better. My partner thinks we ought to stick to 1 container and present like 3X as many scents, with a few gift items on the side. I don't know if I agree with this or not. I told her I would take a gamble at a show and try a new marketing strategy. She thinks we have too many containers choices, I don't see how that would be a negative. But maybe go for a new classy label. I did put pointsettas on the table and fake "snow". Everyone loved the "snow, I just had to keep it out of the candles (haha). I'll see how we do next week and keep plugging.

This is my first year, only in the biz since March. Did 12 shows this year. I would say none of them I would return to, maybe 1 or 2 because I like how they were run. The shows were either poorly run or I just didn't do well. I scope out the competition at every show. I don't know whether we are offering too many choices or what it is. Plenty of stopping and sniffing, that is so pretty, yada, yada, yada. I was not too upset because I figured first year is learning year and many vendors would tell me the fall shows are so much better than the spring shows. Well I just came from an Xmas show yesterday that was supposed to be "great", booth space 50 bucks, pretty crowded at least for the first 3-1/2 hours, sold a decent amount then, but the last 3 hours weren't worth staying for. I had 16 scents available on the table, moderately priced items, from $5 to $8 bucks and none higher. Christmas mugs, apothecary jars (10 oz), masons, enamelware mugs and lids (those were a hit), glass tumblers with evergreen etchings, mini loaf double wicked pans, Christmas china sets, wickless and warmers. What am I doing wrong or are these cheaper shows just not worth it? How do you pick a good show if YOU have never done it before? I find word of mouth just isn't cutting it. And can't wait to see if they advertise because then it's too late. Okay, let me have it.

Thanks for the tip. I have never seen this site and I don't know how many thousands of times I goggle "candle glass, wholesale" or numerous combinations of that to find more glass suppliers. But I am having trouble seeing prices, etc online. How do you get the prices? or I will just call customer service when they open. Do you know if they have a minimum requirement?

right now I have 6 wooden boxes that I make into 2 diagonal displays in each corner so I have some height. Then I have 2 dessert type trays with 2 trays each for more added height in the middle (you know, the kind made of wrought iron and plates?) they are pretty and a nice display. But I feel I am missing more uniform shelving and want to get more candles up off the table then too many on the table for too busy a display. Where do you get shelves that don't cost an arm and a leg? My husband is NOT handy in the least. Something that can carry some weight, I don't think plastic will cut it. My next show is Saturday.

Don't make candles when you are tired. You will either forget to scent them or color them or even what wick is what. Label them after you make them (black marker with 2 letters works for me) because candle nose is chronic. A few drops of wax on a white plate will give you the true color. Write things down, write things down, write things down. If you have a partner and she doesn't get excited every time you send her a new picture of a container, wholesale sight, etc. she is not a partner.

I have been in the "business" now almost a year. I don't care what the question, what the problem (glue dots suck, I can't get NG red the right shade), I just sit down and archive and there is the answer. I don't know what I would do without this site!!!!!!!

Time for a new scale. Thanks much.

well that makes sense but I always come up a little short on the liquid side.