brudil18

Hey Steve, was that the same lot# from the CS fiasco last October? Its seems familiar. Bruce

Candles and Supplies carry GG. Little more expensive than Aztec. They also are a distributor for IGI as well though. May have the same problem considering it comes from the same source. Once again this is not good with Spring shows coming up. Why can't this happen during slow periods

keep us posted on the lot # if you can.

This is something I do for my local customers that buy from me as it wouldn't be an effective way for web customers. I go the green angle and offer a dollar off there next candle purchase if they bring the the old one back. Consider their used up candle as $1.00 off coupon. what makes this work is that I make sure the glass is recycled properly. A lot of people will just throw a candle jar away when their done. I let them know this too. Its the feel good part of it. I'm doing my part for staying "green" and recycling the jars properly and my customers are getting a buck off. Doesn't seem like much, but I get repeat business because of it. That old candle has value when it comes to getting a new one and it seems to work. One thing though. I never reuse the jars that are brought back. They do go into the recycling bin after I give them a quick clean. I would never reuse the jars as I have no idea what the customer has done with them. They could have accidently dropped, bumped, or dinged the jar. They may not break, but you can't see the tinest of stress fractures in glass and that could be bad news if you use it again and have a candle break or explode on someone. Anyway, I've gotten compliments for the recycling and those compliments usually come when they are buying another candle. Bruce

I agree with Silver and the others. There is no factual information to support the claims about parrafin wax causing cancer. Plain and simple wax bashing never looks good. Strictly from a business standpoint. Focus needs to be on the benefits of your candles, not why others may be bad.

Welcome! Your starter kit should be fine to get you started. But a few things... You won't know much if anything is right or wrong until you make a candle. Making a great candle is a process. Use the board to learn and get advice, but nothing beats making candles and testing them to see the results yourself. We all have had to do that part and nothing will be better than what your own eyes see. Document everything you do when make your candles and use that information to make changes and find what works and what doesn't. Also. A big also... Don't put the cart before the horse. Your talking about 10 scents and best sellers. Forget that for now. Start with making one great candle and go from there. If your eyes are seeing dollar signs already you may be disappointed as others on the board will probably tell you too. It takes time, money, lots of testing beofre the selling aspect comes in to play. The board is great for learning and everyone is really helpful. Again, welcome to the joys of candle making

Sorry guys, Didn't do my search first. Looks like Candlewic's may be what was known as "frost". Bummer if so, their prices are good.

Hello all, Does anyone know if the container palm wax that candlewic (candlewic.com) carries is Glass Glow? I've left a message but haven't heard back yet. Just curious. Thanks, Bruce

Outstanding point Candybee Consistency is key. Let your company name and logo carry the weight across all mediums (web,print,letterhead, etc).

I agree. It all boils down to marketing. we all know the time and personal touch we put in to our products. I suggest reading some books on the psychology of buying or something of that sort. When I began to sell my candles it always seemed easiest to just do a "list" of why my candles were great. I had mixed results. I did a show last year around the holidays and and didn't have much in the way of a set up. My candles were basically put on a table with minor little things like a small teired stand to "dress" them a little better. I did ok at the show, but thought I could have done better. I decided to try something different this year. I needed an image to be built in peoples head outside of just my candles. They need to "see" them in their home before they ever got there. Here's what I did. I have friend who works for a builder. I took my candles out to the model home. They are always decorated beautifully and look like something from a catalog. I set my candles on the fire place mantel, end tables in the family room, in the kitchen, the bedrooms, all over the house. Not in big bunches either... no one in real life will have 20 candles lined up on their fireplace mantle or in their kitchen. With my own digital camera I was able to take some really nice photos of my candles in a "real life" setting. I use those in my ads and at my display at shows now. My next point. The display for shows. I knew I needed them to be wowed by the presentation of my candles as well as the candles themselves. I spent about $250 and built minature book cases and faux mantle to display my candles on. It looked like something you would see in someones home. Dressed it with a nice runner for a dining room table and some flower arrangments and the "mood" was set. What were the results? I doubled my sales from last year. Now, was it all the extra effort in to presentation? some of it sure (if not most). I did have some repeat customers from the previous year. But I sure did get a lot of compliments on the display. So I have to think that "painting that picture" for people really did work. Marketing seems to be more about the story than a list of reasons why. Since I have changed my focus from spitting out facts to just telling a story it has been far more productive. Sorry to ramble so much, but hopefully this helps. Regards, Bruce

Too much time spent with GG to give it up. Besides I have many customers who are loyal because I use the wax. So NO, I will not discontinue using. As someone mentioned before, you can find an envronmental reason for just about anything. Cows farting was a big deal a while back and who knows if it still is or not. I get my gg from Candles and Supplies now. It's more expensive than what CS sold it for, but CS I believe got it direct from the manufacturer. where Candles and Supplies goes through IGI to get theirs. I drive to pick up my orders now and find the tank gas I spend is cheaper than the shipping I use to pay from CS. In the end it has been a wash as far as an expense is concerned. I'm with Steve on this though, I love this wax and won't stop using it.

I do 5lb batches with 1oz pp of FO. only slight variations to FO load depending on the scent.

I use Illistrator for my labels, but I have been using the program for years. In my former life I built and maintained webpages, so I had the advantage on learning/using with my full time job. Illistrator is great once you figure things out. I have all my lables set up as symbols in the program. whenever I have a new scent I can design the label add it as a symbol and then change the "symbols" of all my scents on my label template sheet. Works very well and is very easy to make new and/or change labels as needed. I am now getting to the point where I am thinking of having Lightining do my labels as the numbers (cost per label) seem to be a wash when you consider my time,ink purchases, and blank labels would be about the same cost for them to print and ship them.

The most important thing... have fun! First show is always exciting. I liked all that nervous energy.

Johnna, you are sooo right. It is a catch 22. I just did a small show this past weekend where 1/3 of my sales was credit cards. I almost doubled my sales from last year and to think if I didn't have the ability to take credit cards I would have probably missed out on those sales. One of those credit card sales paid for the montly fee for about 4 months. I think in the end it just makes sense. Over the course of a few shows I think it will pay for itself in that you will get sales you normally wouldn't have if you didn't offer that option.

Envy, I use United Payment Services, better rates than intuit. Check out if you want, but I,ve had them a couple months now and have been happy. I went through all this over the summer and they had the best rates I could find. I really want to get on board with Square, they obviously blow everything out of the water, but I can't justify the cost right now for a $100 a month cell phone bill in order to use it. Once I can though thats where I am headed.

I use United Payment Services. I can do credit cards on my blackberry at shows which is very nice. the fees ar $12.50 per month with a $25 minimum per month. swiped rate is 1.79% and keyed rate is 1.99%. No contract either. It was the lowest rates I could find and I liked the fact that I could just run cards via my blackberry. There was a thread here recently about Square www.squareup.com . If you have a iPhone or Droid you can get the swiper for the phone. There maybe som growing pains because it is new, but the upside is incredible. No fees at all for this except the sales % + Transaction fee. Only works with certain phones though. Hope this helps.

I'm the same way labs. I sent my 5 bags back and I'm waiting for the credit to the account. I will be keeping the lot number handy. I love CS and hope they figure out a way to get past this batch, I would love to continue to buy from them, but not if this isn't cleared up. Confidence is a big thing when buying big bags of this stuff.

Congrats Leslee. I have to agree with Wendy. Don't overwhelm yourself with trying to have every type of product to please everyone out there. Be an expert at a few, rather than just good at many. Hope that makes sense.

Javaebuy, very well said. I think square will be great for everyone. Its just the waiting game for most people right now. In the meantime look for the best rates you can get from a traditional merchant account until you are up and running on Square. I haven't gotten my reader yet from Square, but when I do I will get rid of my UPS account. I find that most people at shows have their cards with them and I would be doing almost all swiping. The only reason I brought up UPS was because the fees were lower than anything I found thought it might be useful for some looking for something until they get their reader from Square since it is a month to month service as well.

Just figured I'd give an update. Drove to PA today and picked up four bags of GG Palm, lot # 0266929. I'm back in business the bags are good and have long night pouring ahead.

I too have heard a lot about Square, as well as a lot of frustration with it getting a reader and so forth. Its sound awesome, but I wouldn't get upset about the problems as it seems to be them just not being ready to launch. Once they do I know I will make the switch. You can't beat no fees and no contracts. I do have a regualr merchant account through United Payment Services. Not trying to do a shameless plug, but I am very happy with them as I can run cards via my blackberry at craft shows which is great. It's just only 12.00 a month which is very reasonable or better than most I've I seen. By doing it via blackberry you don't get the swiped rate, but the the non-swipe rate is lowest I have found. Its 1.9% + .20 transaction fee. Almost all others I researched before were in the 2% range with .30+ transactions fees. That's a big difference. Another great thing is they are month to month with the above rates stated. Like I said, not a shameless plug... I have just been very happy with them and like the low percentage, month to month, and being able to use my blackberry at shows.

It is very frustrating. I have over $300 dollars of worthless wax. I have been following this thread before I purchased spoke with Diane as well and she sent the pic from their test results. I figured there was a good shot at getting some good bags. The fact that all 5 bags are bad has me really concerned. This could not have happened at worse time! I've got orders to fill and no viable wax to use. Not to mention the expense of having to ship all this back as well. CS has told me there may be variations and I have to change pour temps and all the other things we have all heard. Variations would be a small change. This however is a flat out different wax. It doesn't hold color the same. The crystal pattern is so different that it is impossible for it to be GG. I to notice that it really sinks in the middle after it has cooled. Yes, my numbers match Steves and Candybee too. The bags are stamped with both on the bottom.

Tested 5 new bags I recieved yesterday. All of them bad. This is not good.

I called CS today and they mentioned that they have tested again and their results are coming out fine. How is eveyone else doing with this?