barncat

YEAH I'VE GOT WICKESS, VOTIVE , TAPERS ALREADY AND PILLARS NEVR DID ANYTHING FOR ME SO I DROPPED THEM 2 YEARS AGO. I LIKE THE PACKAGING IDEA AND THINKING MAKING COMBOS OF CANDLES AND POTPOURRI. I'M AT THE POINT WHERE I THINK I CANT ADD ANYTHING MORE....BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING:undecided

i WOULD SAY FIND A FURNITURE MAKER AND HAVE THEM MAKE YOU ONE. THERE IS A COMPANY IN TX THAT MAKED DISPLAYS...BUT DARN i CANT THINK OF THEIR NAME

They can still go after you assets in certain situations. There is a fine line between all of that...especially once you start dealing with letters of credit and business loans. Im a corpration and still confused about it all. My business is my biggest asset, so if I loose that I'm screwed anyway LOL.

I read a lot about liability insurance but you got to separate your business from your personal assets by forming a LLC.

as a shop owner myself...i did not like anyone stopping by unannounced as we may have customers or be arranging or something or do I make appts with potential vendors I dont know or did not request info. I would just drop off the information and a sample and tell them to call you if you have any questions or mail them one. However, do not mail one to every gift store in town becuase we will find out! Which is why the trapp candle sample went in the trash, UPS man informed me that he had a dozen of them on his truck.

I got grubby candles, jar candles, tarts, potppouri, air refreheners, room sprays..what am i missing? Need some ideas for 2010..no soaps or B&B items thats for sure.

if you plan on selling them and you have assets...YES!

im doing a dipped candle of either strawberry or cherry in the middle then coating it in white chocolate...such decisions LOL

Choc and Cherries

or Choc and Strawberries?

I had our church members bring them in and donated 5 cents to the church for every can they brought in! I had to stop after a few months, got way to many but the church was thrilled!

I havent pulled up my numbers for the year yet, but as of last quarter, even though sales were down, profit was up! Which means I'm being smarter busienss wise. I've picked up a few new accounts and lost a few due to closure. Over all we are stillawamped and have a long lead time, so thats what I would like to change.

Our wholesale co-op we are at seems to be going better than ever. Our sales were trmendous there, if only I could have kept up...oh my I would have had made so much more $.

New next year, I will slim down my jar line from 3 types to just 1. Add new sizes in pillars, which my sales testing have already proved they will go over well.

My main goal for next year is to maximize creative displays for my trade shows and catalog and do more customer relations....oh and put my competitors out of business

Buy it in bulk from WM or DT and add some scent and repacckage...much easier

I charge my customers for the insurance if i use it and I file the claim and reimburse them or reship the candles. I would also not send such a heavy box. I don't send boxes more than 50#. The heavier the box the more likely it will be damaged.

All of the shows around here have tanked over the years. I do one in 2 weeks that amazing! I'm hoping to top my sales this year from last year, as I have an awesome display planned.

i just got one in the seasonal section of Target

whoelsae show and retail shows are COMPLETELY different! what sells in a retail show will not neccesarily sell at a wholesale show.. Don't forget ...retailers and craft show vendors are compeitors! A typical craft show setup will not work. I invest $1000s in new displays every year. I never have the same setup and always try to attract somehow.

Take samples with YOUR name and phone number on it and give to everyone! Get there early and put them in the bathrooms as well. Also have your creams and butters out there to sample. People want so see and feel your product, that's what gets them to buy. Get a card from everyone you hand a brochure too, if they dont have one, have them write it down.

I actually had mine freeze and crack in half at a trade show. They turned the heat completey off at night then high heat in the morning. Ruined the candles completely!

Yes you need to go over thetop for theses shows. What show are you attending? I'm assuming you have gone to shows already and see how they are done.

I pay $1200 that covers my property and $1M liability. Last year I was paying almost $3k...its worth to shop around.

Yes you can get them in 2 or 3 part..they are like .20 ea THey definately give a professional look to you company.

Does OfficeMax print multi-part forms? That sounds like something I'd be interested in as well.

http://www.keystonecandlesupply.com/catalog.php?item=247&catid=8&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%3D8

They are out of stock but ecpected in Dec 1

I make up my own with all the info I need. Then take it to Office Max to be printed and they are done in a couple hours.

You can kind of tell by your eye and first pour. If color and scent is off...something is wrong. I've gotten wax in thats missing additives or contains too much adidtives. i dont test too often, only when I feel I need to, If i were to test every batch of wax i would never get anything made.

THe only thing i find that works is the metal (its shiney silver)duct tape. it is used for repairing metal pipes. I think I got it at Wal-Mart. I've repaired at least a dozen pots that way.

I should have took pics...but i still have the clothes to prove it!

Started out putting wax in my pouring pot. Fedex comes and I get my packages put away. Then I decided to check my email. Oops, forgot about the pot! Its gotten cold so I put it in my heater. I wipe the bottoms so I dont get any wax or dirt in my heater. Wipe my hands on my shirt and pants. Decided I needed to go back into the office and finish my email (Yeah I got a tad bit of ADD). I grab the door knob but then the phone rings. Its telemarketsers so I ginore it and go to go back through the door and realize the doorknob is all red and so are my hands!! Im completely covered in red dye!!! Apparantly the red dye fell over and I set my wax pot on it! I look like i just murdered someone. It was over everthing and my mom got it on her too cause she touched some other pots I touched too. So for like 15 minutes I was touching stuff without knowing my hands were blood red! Oh what a day!! Oh and I still have some red yet on my hands LOL!

i think this topic is going off track..but honestly...if my product cant sell itself and I have to do sales pitches. I would close my business! Either you want it or you don't, I'm not going to try to convince my customers to only buy something when I have a sale. Theat deveops a sale mentality for your customers and that is not a good business practice.