momtohaley2004

Well to answer a few questions.....I'm talking like he said he'd buy 5 or so...yes, 5....that doesn't even showcase the product well in my opinion. Secondly, after thought and consideration I told hubby I don't want to mix business with his friendship. Thus, I'm probably going to pass on the whole thing. A few bucks now isn't worth a lot of disappointment/heartache later over mixing business w/friendship.

My husband's close friend owns an automotive repair shop. My husband approached him about putting my product in his shop and he had no problem with it and was willing to buy some but not a whole lot just yet. He knows my products sell as they sell in a similar business in the same town. Hubby told him that for the first month we would put them there on consignment basis so he could see how well they do but that he'd have to talk over profit sharing with me. So, here is what I was thinking....we won't be doing candles at first just air fresheners being it is a car repair shop. I sell my car air fresheners wholesale at 1.50 each and retail for 3.00 each. So I was thinking since i'm assuming more of the cost this way (if someone shoplifts, etc) and more of the risk, that we should do a 60/40 or 70/30 split. Instead of getting 1.50 off each as he would if he sold them himself and bought retail, offer him 1.00 each unless he buys them outright? What is thoughts on this? Personally I'm not much of consignment but hubby is trying to prove a point to the guy w/o the guy having to front money in the beginning.

I figure in EVERYTHING...my time, labels, dye, wax, electric, disposable supplies.....EVERYTHING so it makes my wholesale prices high as well as my retail prices. Thankfully my wholesale accounts don't seem to mind and they aren't really in it for the money. (they only mark up my candles by about $2.75 from from what they pay me). But, on the other hand, unfortunately I'm not really able to fully triple my cost and sell a decently priced candle either for my area at retail cost. My candle costs on average run 2.75 once you figure in everything. Wholesale I do 5.50 and retail 8.50. Doesn't make me much money this way but it's about all my area market can afford. Most my sales are wholesale personally though.

I also use pro pay only because for the amount of credit card transactions I do it's the only affordable option for me. So far I haven't heard anything about the PCI stuff but if/when I do then I probably will discontinue taking credit cards all together and just use paypal or cash/money order as my payment options.

Another reason I stick to my tried and true suppliers. I try to stick to my main list of suppliers for this exact reason. Good to know I didn't waste my time or money on this one.

Houston is close to several NrthTXwind....you have BCS in Stafford, Lone Star and Texas Candle Supply all very close. Off the top of my head I think Texas candle supply is in Houston and then BCS is a few minutes south.

I think if I got out of this completely I would want to do just that....get out and walk away. That's my feelings now though LOL. I did have an offer to buy my business not too long ago (when I wasn't even thinking of getting out of the business) but the company wanted to do all the paperwork using their forms and advisors and wanted to pay me out in 2 years at 7.5% interest. To me that was a big NO NO because I could easily see myself getting the shaft on that one. They wanted all supplies and rights to the business up front and wanted to pay me and not go through a finance company, etc. My thing is what if they defaulted? Who's left holding the bag with nothing to show?....ME so I turned the offer down fearing I'd get the short end of the deal. So I suppose I'll be "hanging out" for a little while longer before I make any drastic decisions. May regret that decision later, but I'm looking into other options that will allow me to use my education and focus on my dream. I've always wanted to operate my own preschool type daycare center where the children come to play and learn...basically a daycare but with focused learning activities. (I'm an educator but choose to stay home with my babies).

Spoke with hubby about this long and hard last night (in his eyes anyway LOL) and what we think we should do is just not try for wholesale business for a while (basically lay off some) and take a break. Fill orders should they come in on the website but see how things go through the next couple of months and go from there that way we (mainly me) are not making a decision based on feelings along but have some data to back it up if that makes any sense. See how the market is going and how things are doing and then go from there. The last time I was even lightly thinking of throwing in the towel, one of my wholesale accounts ordered an order 3 times what they normally do. So, wait and see I suppose....not that I'd be doing much more or less than I am now when it comes to putting time in the business. Moms and Dads out there will understand....I'm a stay home mom and my babies come before anything...hobby or work!

I am already down to one jar style...down from 4 that I once offered. Tarts don't do well here although my money when I do sell them is almost pure profit. Even if I don't do anything else I think maybe my scent list is about to get cut in half I believe.

I am beginning to contemplate getting out of the candle business. It has become a very expensive low paid LOL hobby and I don't put into it nor get out of it what I used to now since my baby was born in January. I know it's probably the economy and such that is contributing to this with people not wanting candles since they are not a necessity to living. I just can't see letting everything go after I have spent so much time, energy and money out of pocket to get things going. However at the same time I've got tired of looking at candle supplies all over my house LOL. I know you only get out of a business what you put into it and that is part of my problem. I don't have the time to put into my business now as much as I did before. I've learned a lot of lessons along the way and picked up a few customers who order continuously and a few wholesale accounts. Only problem with wholesale right now is even the wholesale accounts are purchasing very little too. Only one is purchasing continuously and that is because she isn't marking up my candles much. Just enough to cover her cost and make a buck or 2. Otherwise in this area they aren't selling. I've already started thinning out my oils to make room as I had a lot that weren't popular sellers and were just sitting there. I"m not ordering new supplies either unless I "have" to for an order. I think right now I have a case of jars on hand and that's about it. I'll order when I get a large enough order and need to. As it is, I don't ever really see myself making a decent income from this. Not that I ever planned to but a good side income was nice when the economy was good. Hubby says the final decision is up to me and he's not going to say one way or the other but the idea of throwing in the towel is now on the table....whether or not I do it i suppose depends on me. I may give it til the end of this quarter and then see how things are and go from there........sigh Sorry so long. Thanks for reading my thoughts and rant. Anyone else contemplating the same thing with the way things are going or is it just me?

Thank You!

That's what I was thinking. I like the plain look of the label just on the lid but the wholesale people who ordered from me don't. They say it's hard to display them. I even thought of doing the jar labels only for that order but then how would that make my business look. I suppose as a business you try to make your customers happy whether it's wholesale or retail. If you look at my site www.texascandlefactory.net though you'll see on the right a picture of the jar and the labeled lid. No one else but that one wholesale account has said anything about the label on the lid.

I think it is not only wrong but also a turn off to buyers to put that buyer pays paypal fees. I know I turn away at that. If you are a business and operating as a business then there are business costs and you should either include these business costs in the product cost or absorb it yourself. But, you should not put it on the buyer. Maybe sellers need a system like Visa. With Visa you can't set minimum purchases BUT you can offer cash discounts to buyers. So if they want the buyer to pay the paypal fees then offer a discount if they pay by another means. Of course that would mean you'd probably have to wait for your payment. Paypal is a convience payment and you are a business. In my eyes both should be treated as such. Just my 2 cents though.

I saw that as well. I suppose if she isn't selling right away and is just getting paperwork in order that may take a while then she is on the right track to start, but just a word of caution to you on starting your business Wasabi and that is to test, test, test and test again because you have to find the combination that works for you with your wax, jar, fo, etc that is safe and burns effeciently. Another thing to consider Wasabi is insurance if you really are wanting to start your business.

I did that with the round labels on my lids, BUT a wholesaler I have made a complaint that they were too hard to display that way and she wants a label on the jar. Thus, I'm trying to find a label that will work with the jar.

I have been experimenting with different label looks for an 8 ounce square mason jar candle but cannot seem to find a style/size that I like that fits the jar and looks nice. Would anyone mind sharing what size labels they use on these and where you purchase them from? Thanks in advance.

My gosh...what are you buying?? Business must be great for you...if that's the case Congratulations. Kinda slow here. Personally, I've never got a box more than 65 pounds and that was a case of wax. Shipping killed me so I won't do that again. I just couldn't drive to go pick it up at the time so I had to have it shipped.

Well, if someone can sue McDonald's for Hot coffee (DUH..coffee=hot) then I suppose they can sue you for their ignorance when it comes to a candle too. A case of "the candle wax shouldn't have been hot anymore when I moved the candle." or "the jar got too hot" etc.... Anything to take the blame off themselves and their stupidity/ignorance. Thus, yes they can sue you for it but that doesn't mean they'll win it just means you'll be out attorney fees. Thus the reasonf or insurance....or as my hubby calls it "in case sh** insurance"

I just ran out of these and after 3 years I don't recall where I bought these from. Anyone know where I can buy some? Thanks.

Even better, I just went to the site and it says a $40 one time registration fee........so you save 15 dollars right there if it was 65 in the past.

It screams SCAM to me.......run the other way...far far away!!!! For future reference you can check here as well concerning scams: http://www.printnet.com.au/scammers_identified.html

Try caramel to your apple and caramel apple or cinnamon to have cinnamon apples Lemon...try adding a cake fragrance and calling it lemon bundt cake

I also need to add to my list of disgusting scents to make: patchouli, Nag Champa (basically any earth tone scent or hippy scent I guess you can say), Sex on the Beach (too strong and gives me a headache)

Cherry is horrible for me....reminds me of cherry cough syrup I had to take as a kid. Other ones include Buttered Rum, White Diamonds, and Gardenia. Lavender is an ok one but I don't like pouring it very often. Campfire is very popular for me too and I hate that one as well.

Can anyone tell me how to put pictures on a pillar candle? I'd like to put my daughter's picture on a pillar candle for her grandma for mother's day but I can't seem to get the rub on adhesive stuff to work. Any other ideas as to how to get the picture on there other than gluing a picture onto the candle itself? I tried the decal paper and found it wasn't working for me. Maybe this isn't possible to do I don't know but it sounded like a nice gift.