KommonScents

Being relatively new to the business side of things, I have been lucky to avoid this issue so far. It looks like that luck has now run out. I am signed up ( I was one of the first vendors to sign up for the event ) for a cancer benefit, and I just received an email that a direct sales company selling Soy Candles will also be participating. The organizers felt that they did not want to limit people since this was a fundraiser (20% of the sales to the foundation). How assertive should I be about placement, similiar products, heck everything. I am obviously a little taken back by this, but I want to "be a good sport" for the cause.

Thanks in advance for any and all guidance.

Wow, I can only imagine and aspire to make my product look THAT good. Had I stumbled across the picture, and it not be attached to the forum, I would have thought you were in the Pillsbury Bakeoff.

I just saw the Palm Wax on candlescience site today, and thought of trying it out for my own personal use candles. After seeing your pillars, I know I have to try it now. VERY, VERY, pretty.

I love how you have most of the product off of the table, and the colors are great (both the table and candles). I hope your customers recognized all of the hard work you put into the product and the display the way we do.

Since we are mainly show driven at this point, we always do an inventory check as we are packing the truck, and do it again when we unload. This way I double check myself off of the sales slips, and record what we need to stock for next year. On a side note, I have noticed an increase in the baking scents, which I never expected at this time of year. My florals are doing ok, but I can't keep Blueberry Muffin and Banana bread in stock.

I have used Network Solutions, and being totally website illiterate, it hasn't been very hard. I have had the site about 6 weeks, and the traffic has just started to pick up. I like the user friendly help guide, and templates - ALOT of point and click, add your text type of pages.

I use Total Merchant Services. My only complaint is I need to have 2 accounts with them - one for online, and one for the wireless terminal. For both accounts, there is a monthly fee, and I pay an extra fee for the wireless terminal, but it is well worth the cost. I buy the paper for the terminal at Sam's Club, super cheap. The terminal allows me to provide receipts for cash sales, which has really helped with my inventory and stats from each show ( I can track times of purchase for the busy times, # of items for each purchase, etc) I also like the statement format, it breaks it down in easy groupings for my accounting / tax purposes.

I signed up with them the Monday after Thanksgiving last year, and had the terminal in use at my show the following Saturday. I can't say enough about the customer service!

Hope this helps!

I would love to be added to the list for any further gatherings. I am doing the Mebane Dogwood Festival that day and won't be able to attend.

I have used 123print.com, and they did a fantastic job. So far they have printed business cards, labels, and banners for me. Max time from order to delivery has been a week. When I figured up the cost of buying the card stock, print, and throwing away at least 3 pages at a time for off center, not to mention the paper nubs on the sides, it was well worth the $15.00 for a box. I purchased the candle burning at both ends, and most of our customers seem to love it.