classiccandle

Received the email. Thank you!

Good gravy!! Have you seen the prices at Pure Fragrance? I definitely won't be shopping there. Far too expensive for me. CC

Has anyone used a black bottle for their lotion? I'm thinking of using one but wasn't sure how well people would receive it. You don't see many of them around and I was wondering why. Thanks!

You're the chief executive of your company. Create a policy that states you can't disclose that information and then you can honestly tell people that your company policy prohibits you from releasing that information. Problem solved.

Thanks for the information Moonshine! I like hearing how things work regardless of how "crappy" they might be! :laugh2:

Thanks for the advice Moonshine. Would you be so kind as to elaborate on what damage EO's and FO's do to septic systems? For those who choose to make and sell these types of items it would be good to be able to put a warning on their website with a little detail so the customer will know the seller knows what they're talking about.

I apologize for the long post and seek your forgiveness. Okay, I’m not really seeking your forgiveness but I do apologize for using so many words in my rant. This is not meant to bash any one company, so they’ll remain anonymous, but instead it’s my attempt to voice my frustration over what seems to be an increasing willingness among some companies to stretch the truth about their products, or should I just put aside the politically correct speech and call a spade a spade? They lie. As a case in point, during my endless research into the competition I came across another company that sold candles (imagine my shock!). Their jar and label were attractive (they were double wicked), as was their website, and the reviews I could find of their candles were positive. One day a couple of weeks ago, while experiencing what I can only describe as a temporary loss of sanity, I went to the only local location that sold said candles (they have what I consider a sizeable retail footprint for a small candle company, if the number of retail outlets listed on their website is accurate) and purchased one which cost, with tax, just over $30.00….insane indeed! After burning the candle over the past two weeks I can say that the fragrance was true to its name and while the hot throw wasn’t peel the paint off your walls strong it was commendable. The labeling of the jar was just as attractive in person as it was on their website. However, that’s where the accolades end. Being the experienced chandler that I am () I noticed immediately that the wicks were too large for that particular container which leads to one of my two complaints about the company’s advertising practices: 1) They advertise the net weight of the candle as 14 oz., which is patently untrue. I use the very same jar that they use and can only fit, at the very most, 11 ounces of wax in the jar (the ideal amount is 10 oz., and still have room for a wick and lid without having to bend the wick 90° to get the lid to fit). 2) They advertise on their label that the burn time is 50 hours. After burning the candle over the past 13 days and trying to burn it as a normal user would, an hour here, two hours there, an hour and a half, three hours, once a day, twice a day, with ceiling fans and A/C on and off, in different locations, etc., I was only able to eek out 39.5 hours, a far cry from the 50 hours advertised. This company could probably wick down a little, still attain a full melt pool, and come a bit closer to their advertised burn time without having to mislead, or lie, to people. I also don’t understand the justification for the price, $28.00 per. Their website doesn’t mention that they use essential oils so I’m assuming they don’t. They’re soy candles but I make soy candles too and I know those margins are astronomical. Could it be they worry that if they advertised it as a 10 oz., candle that burns less than 40 hours that they couldn’t command such a high price? It’s the only logical conclusion that I can come up. Am I making much ado about nothing?

I agree with Alpha1477 that you should remove the phone number and email address from the front of the label and add it to the warning label. Move the name down too. I would try removing the fleur-de-lis icons and see what it looks like without them. With the fancy border and the fleur-de-lis icons it's a little too busy. Take a few pictures of different layouts (you don't have to put them on a container) and see which one people like best.

Perfect! Thanks ladies.

Does anyone know if there is a thread in this forum where people have shared their fragrance combinations? I would like to start attempting to mix some of my own but would like an idea of where to start. Is there a favorite supplier(s) for base fragrances or are they like the other oils, hit and miss? Thanks!

I would think you do have to change them, especially if the original has the trademark symbol with it. Or, you could take the position my wife does which is, "It's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission".

$1.75 billion huh? Shouldn't be a problem getting my little candle business to sell for a measly $10 million in 5-10 years then.

Here's a short video of their history and products.

Perfect. Thank you!

Hey Heather, Could you repost the link to Flicker's recipe? The original isn't working. Thank you!

Are you wanting something tied to your hometown or to the area you grew up in? I've said Rust Belt Melts about 20 times and it doesn't seem to just roll off the tongue. Don't take my opinion to heart though as I'm really picky when it comes to business names. I've been stewing the past two weeks trying to come up with a new brand/trade name for my business. I feel for you as it isn't an easy task. Good luck and I'm sure whatever you decide on will be great!

Ladies of CraftServer, I need your help. I'm in the process of building a new website and as it progresses I would like to invite you to share your ideas with me. I'm a guy and since candles, melts, lotions, soaps, etc., are purchased primarily by women I'm pretty sure the site will be visited by more women than men so I need your input, please. The first question, or rather questions, has to do with color. When you visit a website you may not notice the color scheme (background color/image, link color(s), header color/image, footer color/image, etc.) the designer has used but if it's one you don't like you most certainly will notice. The easy question would be, what colors or combination of colors do you NOT like to see on a website but I'd rather ask what colors or combinations of colors do you LIKE to see? Are bright, vivid colors pleasing, or are earth tones more inviting? Is a solid color, a gradient, or an image favored for a background? Are there specific colors or combinations that you prefer? I'm sure I will probably get varying degrees of answers but overall I think a general consensus can result from your input. If you'd like you can include links to websites that have colors or design elements that you like. Thank you and I look forward to your advice!

Has anyone used words like candle, scent, flame, wick or wicks, or any other word associated with home fragrance in their business name or brand name and regretted it? I'm wanting to take our company in a different direction and would like to use a new brand name (possibly making it a company name in the future) but don't want to limit future growth possibilities by using those types of words in the name. I'll still be making and selling candles, melts, lotion, soap, bath salts, etc., but I'm adding a new mission to the business (it will be a big part of our branding but I don't want it to "be" the business, if that makes sense). I've contemplated using a woman's name (any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, will be purely coincidental) but wonder how difficult that would be to explain since I'm a man? I can't use my own name because too many mispronounce my last name and rarely, if ever, does anyone spell it correctly, even if I'm standing there telling them how to spell it. I've been thinking of names for the past two weeks and to say I'm frustrated would be an understatement! I guess the question I'm asking is should I use a woman's name or something more generic? Thanks!

A small but encouraging bit of news for the home fragrance industry. I hope you enjoy it. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10890324.htm

That's great for those on the west coast, and I mean that sincerely, but it doesn't do much for those of us in the middle of the country. I repeated an order I placed back in May and the shipping was only $.06 cheaper. Then again, $.06 is $.06! At least it isn't $.06 more!

The questions I would ask myself as a business owner are, are my soaps at the other shop selling because they carry the battlefield foundation logo on them or because people like my soap? Are the shop owners carrying the soap only because of the foundation's logo? Will my sales suffer if I remove the logo and replace it with something else? It sounds to me as if the foundation would like you to spend the time and effort in securing wholesale accounts using their logo and also pay them a fee (donation) for doing so. If indeed you do secure more wholesale accounts and continue to use the foundation's logo it means extra work only for you, not the foundation. If I were them I too would want you to continue what you're doing, but if I were you I would respectfully decline as I doubt the soap is selling because of the packaging. Selling the soap with your logo means more exposure for your business and as it grows you'll be in a better position, fiscally, to make whatever size donation to the foundation you would like. Just my two cents.

Alan, It sounds cliché to say thanks for all you do to keep this forum up and running smoothly but the thanks are truly heartfelt and sincere. Many people, as you know, come here for ideas, inspiration, instruction, and even to vent and are extremely grateful for your work and dedication in providing the forum in which to do so. Have a great day and again, a great big THANK YOU!

Thanks for the replies ladies! I'm testing a 1/2 lb bag with a window but in order to get a good "fill" in the window it takes 8 oz. of tarts/melts (I started with 4 oz but it makes the bag look too empty). Are people hesitant to buy that much since most are used to buying 3 oz clamshells?

Hi all, I was wondering how many of you package your tarts/melts in a clamshell vs a paper bag? I've seen online where a few people use the paper bag and while it's different they do take up more shelf space and you can't pour the wax back into the bag to save for later use like you can a clamshell. They are slightly less expensive if you buy in bulk and they can hold more tarts/melts. Do people expect tarts/melts to be in clamshells since Scentsy and others are so popular? Do larger sizes, such as 8 oz's of tarts/melts that a 1/2 pound bag can hold, sell very well or are people accustomed to buying 3 oz clamshell sizes? Please chime in and give me your opinion. I've been thinking of switching from clamshells to bags (with windows) but can't seem to get off this darn fence! Thanks!

I currently sell container candles and melts but am thinking of making votives and was wondering if anyone even buys them today? My wife loves candles but prior to me making them she only bought a few pillar candles and the rest were containers. We don't have one votive in our house. Are they worth the investment and time to make? Do they sell individually or packaged in groups of two or more? Any advice you can provide before I decide to start purchasing molds, pins, and wax would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.