sockmonkey

How many bags are you wanting to stamp? I made grab bags just using regular kraft lunch bags and glammed them up by using a decorative rubber stamp on them. I only made about 2 dozen at any one time and every stamp impression was not precise. There could be a little excess ink or smudge here and there, but it was minimal and didn't really matter, since it was just decoration and not a logo or printed text. Instead of rubber stamping your name, why not use labels instead? You could use standard address labels or opt for a 2x4 and add some art to it. Labels are cheap, and would most likely be less time consuming than stamping every bag. A friend of mine with a gift shop uses kraft bags in a green gingham print and puts gold foil address labels with her store name printed in green on every bag. It might sound goofy, but the gold foil really pops against the kraft and gets noticed. If I were you I would probably put smaller purchases like melts in lunch bags and buy the cub size bags for larger things like candles or for a large volume of melts.

I don't think people mean any offense when the give candlemakers a store bought candle. Most of the people that do that are clueless as to what to buy for people, or else they appreciate the candles and think you will too, especially since you make them--it will save you the trouble of making your own. It's kind of like giving a seamstress a store bought blouse. Sure, she can make her own clothes, but sometimes it's just nice not to have to work--you know what I mean? Would it be appropriate for her to balk to the giver if the blouse didn't fit her exactly right? I don't think so--considering the person that gives it isn't an expert in the field, just like the person who gave you the tarts. Instead of being irritated by it, why not be grateful that you can compare yours to the gift (which costs you nothing) and let it build your confidence if your tarts are better than the gift.

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Here's a different approach to packaging lip balms... http://www.dglproducts.com/OrderBallmania.php

Thank you for sharing.

For people in a sales slump, have you done anything to launch a new product, a new scent, a new size, or just new packaging? People get bored with the same thing all of the time, and even though they might stick to the same product every time they order, they still like to see something new now and then. It generates interest and keeps you in their memory. If you sell on etsy, ebay, craft fairs, your own website, or a brick and mortar store, do you have a mailing list--do you keep track of customer purchases so you can email or snail mail information to them? Market your products and create some hype--make special announcements for new fragrances or new products. Is anything new and improved? Have you changed candle containers? Can you offer discounted or free on shipping? Do you offer gift wrapping? Do you have contests? Do you have a newsletter? Are you networking on other crafter's forums? Do you blog? A lot of folks are gaining sales by offering products for sale on their blogs, which they conveniently plug on every crafter's forum they can find. They don't blatantly tell people go to theiry blog and buy their stuff; instead, they tell people to go to their blog for instructions on making a wreath (or whatever the relavant topic for the particular forum is), and once there, the reader will see the instructions, but they will also find a variety of crafts or supplies available for sale also.

I could think of a million things that could affect product quality, but will it ever happen, and is it feasible to perform testing for it? Amature testing doesn't mean you provide a sterile product to the customer. Sitting lotion in a hot car or in a window sill is not really "testing" other than for asthetics, which is pretty much all you can do unless you send it to a lab for professional, scientific testing. The bases you buy from well known, reputable suppliers should be more reliable and sanitary than any lotion created in someone's kitchen. I'm not saying bases are better than anyone's homemade lotion, but the environment they are created in and the testing it undergoes is far more rigid than what people make at home. They don't have small children or pets roaming around, smokers stirring the mix, or use the same containers to make a pot roast. We all know that's not a typical example how most people operate, but unfortunately, we know that some do. As for providing b&b items using bases in three weeks, it's definitely do-able, but do you want to? Even though you want to use bases, you can still put a lot of time and thought into it from sampling all the different bases to determine which is the best, to the packaging and labeling, to familarizing yourself with the ingredients contained in the bases. If it was just your perfumes and a lotion I would say, go for it. Shampoos, body wash, etc., I would opt out on that for now until you've tried a lot of samples for yourself. Maybe you could offer other things for a gift basket like a sachet, crystal potpourri, room spray, or a diffuser in her favorite scent instead of the other products.

I've never made them, but couldn't you just use tongs inside the tube to hold the roll by inserting tongs and then opening them as much as they will open insde the tube, which should then give you enough leverage to manipulate the roll?

I'm afraid that's something you will have to test yourself. There are too many variables for you to assume what works for one person will work for you and your client. Your whip could be a different consistency from someone else's, and the pump they use might dispense a larger or smaller amount than yours, which could drastically affect the overall sensation of your product. Buy a container or two to test and if you like the outcome, charge your customer a special packaging fee that at minimum will cover the cost of buying the containers. It may be that when she discovers it will cost her more money, the wide mouth jars will do just fine.

There are reliable bases on the market that people use everyday without any troubles. I would suggest you buy ready-made bases which only require adding fragrance and colorant if desired. Stay away from "concentrated" bases that you add water to--those are the ones that have been problematic for many people. As long as you operate in a clean environment, stick with bases (such as WSP offers, for example) and adhere to proper usage amounts of fragrance or essential oils, you should be ok. About the only thing that can go wrong using them (provided you follow instructions) is the fragrance oil might affect the color of your lotion--not immediately, but further down the road as it ages. That would be my only concern. However, having said that, I've used their base for years and have never had one change colors or separate on me yet.

How will this "knock down" your local competition? If anything, it will even the playing field, and that should be the last thing you want if you're fearful of losing sales to your competitor. Having the government get involved with a certification process will only lead to industry giants and their lobbyists getting involved to ensure that THEY come out on top, which could turn the tables on you and make YOU the one that is ineligible for certification. Would you be able to be certified if you were required to have proper zoning to make candles in your home, have a dedicated room of a minimum mandated size to make your candles which must include: a fire extinquisher; smoke detector; automatic sprinkler system; ventilation system; a scale registered with your state's Dept. of Weights and Measures; proper disposal of chemicals; and let's not forget liability insurance. Not only that, but why not be required to pass basic math and chemistry classes? People have been making crappy candles forever and they will continue to do so. People will buy a crappy candle one time. If they buy them more than once, then to them, it's not crap. It doesn't matter if you know it is, it's what the customer perceives that matters. The people who make crappy candles pose more of a danger to themselves than they do to anyone else. Those people are NOT your competition. The ones you need to worry about are the ones who are making candles that are better than yours, because if you can't step it up a notch and have to worry about the crappy candles outselling yours, then it's game over with or without a certification.

Typically, the people who benefit the most from things like this, are the the ones who collect $100, and nobody else. So a person pays $100--who verifies that the way they measure, or the containers they use to melt their wax in are done according to standard? Inspections are necessary to implement such a plan unless you're operating under an "honesty" policy, which won't be worth the paper it's written on. Althought this may be an idea candle makers could agree on, the general public won't care about it. The only way I see this coming to fruition is if retailers demanded it, and since they have more than enough candle manufacturers to choose from, I don't think it is likely to matter to them either. The truth is, until you get into mass production, I think most people see candle making as an art, a craft, and a tradition. People have been making candles for hundreds of years. Why all the sudden should people become certified? People with talent can survive and the others won't.

If it's a small account, I would charge them for testers. If you wholesale a lip balm at $2.50, for example, sell them testers for $1.25 per color/scent/flavor or per order. Free samples are becoming a thing of the past. Many manufacturers allow purchases of samples for 1/2 of wholesale cost, provided you buy a certain number of units.

I can see how that would be an easy mix up. You've got to give props to any supplier who ships out replacements the same day they're made aware of a problem--that keeps me a happy customer, and even though they goofed, ithey show top notch customer service by responding so quickly.

Their site says no other discounts or coupons apply to the prebuy.

I don't really know how effective tape is on the tops anyway. None of these came from ICS, but on a couple of different occasions I received fragrance oils that still leaked even with the lids being taped. The tape was just kind of gooey and falling off of the bottle. Had the tape not been there I don't know if the situation would have been worse or about the same. I wonder if the lid just doesn't get screwed on tight enough, or with some bottles, if no matter how tightly you screwed the lid on if it doesn't make a good seal.

Many wholesale trade shows are down as well. Maybe it depends on your area of the country, but I know of a couple of shows that were completely canceled last year. Other shows were cut from three days to just one. A friend of mine participated in several cash & carry wholesale shows and he said he did ok at one particular show, but normally he makes a killing everywhere else he goes, but he's definitely seen a slow down. He's usually one of the more popular vendors and has gotten to know quite a few other vendors pretty well, who told him they didn't even make their booth rent at that one show. He said he knew the show was slow and traffic was down, but he didn't realize just how poorly the other vendors were doing until they told him. He said he would probably cut back on the number of shows he'll be doing this year and focus only really big well known shows he's always done in the past. The majority of vendors at most shows don't make their own products--they're usually imports, so imagine what kind of money they've got tied up in inventory (often bought on terms, which if they don't sell it, can be a really big problem for them), plus the cost to travel from various states to set up, and they've got employees to pay and numerous overhead expenses to cover as well. There are a couple of big wholesale markets coming up later this month, so it will be interesting to see how those turn out. January markets for gift retailers usually have the biggest turn out of buyers and result in the most order writing during the year.

You'd never know it after reading some recent threads about suppliers, but there are some suppliers out there that are still trying to do a good job as far as customer service goes. I think we've all agreed in the past that any supplier can make a mistake, but it's the way they choose to handle it that determines whether you'll order from them again, and how you'll respond in the future when someone asks your opinion about them. Speaking in general terms regarding any supplier, with the economy in the shape it's in and from what I'm reading about slowing b&b/candle sales, you'd think suppliers would think twice before alienating customers, because if our sales dip theirs will too, and if people are deciding on suppliers to use, they aren't likely to go with one that has a reputation for not making things right with their customers.

Sorry to hear that. These are definitely scary times. People don't want to spend right now; after the doom and gloom about lousy holiday retail sales and constant stories about credit card companies cutting your limits and increasing interest rates to the maximum amount it's no wonder. $33--I feel your pain. That's awful.

If anybody's interested, I have a source for new cartridges and all other Cricut products for close to wholesale prices. Just send me a PM.

What kid wouldn't want one of those. That's cute!

Could it be that those items are sold by volume and not weight? They might fill a 32 oz bottle full of liquid, but if the liquid is light, it may not weigh 32 oz.

This show requires a juried acceptance. Sometimes it's legit--they really do evaluate your products or pictures of them anyway, and include or exclude you based on your submission. With other shows, it's just lip service and they let just about anybody in. The show charges $28.35 per square foot for a booth in the section pertaining to candles, aromatherapy, etc. Unless you already have a reputation in the business and are very experienced in exhibiting at wholesale shows, I wouldn't recommend spending that kind of money on a show you've never attended. It's really dicey in the retail market right now and with the cost of the show plus travel, meals, and hotel fees (if applicable), you'll have to write an awful lot of orders just to cover those costs. Have you checked out the current competition listed for the show? Unless you're really fat with cash and can afford the show whether you make money or not, what you might consider doing is placing some ads in trade publications just to generate awareness of your name/product, and generate some business that way, then wait until fall season or next winter before you spend money on a show you're not familiar with. After advertising, people will be more familiar with you and will be more likely to order.

In order to give you suggestions we need to know A) what you are buying, what company you are buying from, and C) what state you are in.

I made a soap with orange EO and peppermint FO that was very strong--almost too strong, but I thought it was invigorating. I think I want something more subtle. All of the suggestions sound good. I think I might have to try the apple and mint. I make an apple and heather that I like, so this would be an interesting twist. Cucumber and Mint sounds odd, but for some reason I want to try it. I usually don't care for mint scents at all, but I feel the need to experiment.