Chele

We sell a ton of bath salts at our store (which always fascinates me because I think of bath salts as a kids Mother's day project Here's how we do it. We mix several DDS together and few other salts - we buy in bulk from http://www.saltworks.us - sorry can't reveal which ones or how much.. I do have to keep a few things secret - but I found it nice to mix coarse, fine etc... lots of different sizes and textures - make it more eye catching. Anyway... large mixing bowl a little over half full of the salt blend... a capful of Jojoba Oil... several drops of food coloring or liquid B&B dyes.. a capful of FO. Blend, blend, blend.... scoop into packaging... taadaaah. The salts have a sheen to them from the jojoba oil... never dried them.. never had any issues with them.. we have been selling it for years and years. Simple and sells like crazy. If the FO has vanilla in it (or if we suspect it does, I add Vanilla Color Stabilizer in with the FO) We sell our 5.5 oz bath salts for $5.95 http://www.buggytowncandles.com/spasalts.html HTH,

Email me your address and I'll send you a bar of our honey soap. (for free) We sell a ton of it to teenagers and they all swear by it. Just a good lather and rinse in the shower is all it takes. Works quickly and is simple for them to use... very appealing to guys. I use it too, however I do use a moisturizer after I get out of the shower... We have many people that use our soap that used to use Proactiv and other high dollar facial cleaners... and now use our honey soap and they love it. Sometimes simple is better.... and hey you got nothing to lose Let me know if you are interested. HTH, Chele

We buy our best sellers and a couple custom oils in bulk direct from the manufacturer. Most of our suppliers want you to buy 25LBS at a time so 5 or 10 really isn't too bad. HTH, Chele

Thanks Maggie - I'll check it out! I need to update the store pics... we got a few new displays and it's really looking like I want it to... that only took 3 years and a small fortune Take care, Chele

Thanks for the heads up - I'm off to see if I can find the error. I appreciate all the feedback. Wholesale website is next Thanks so much, Chele

I'm going cross-eyed from looking at my website. I've been trying to get pictures of everything uploaded and get all broken links fixed. If you have a few minutes would you mind checking it out and letting me know if you find any errors or broken image links?? I need to take a few more pictures tomorrow... don't like the frog soap one - that one is hard to photograph... but overall I think most of them are good. Kid's area needs a few more pics.. monster spray, etc... Website: http://www.buggytowncandles.com I'm trying to get my retail site finished and perfected so I can get my wholesale site up by the end of May.... who needs sleep??? LOL Thanks in advance! Chele

Ditto - You really need to have at least 1 million dollars in liability insurance if you are going to do fundraisers... be sure you have it BEFORE you do the fundraiser. I'm sure they are assuming you have all that covered... hope they are correct Chele

I guess my response is... why?? Why would you tie up your money paying tax on your supplies and not use your money to buy supplies, pay bills or just have the money? I'm thinking you come out ahead to avoid as much tax as possible. I spent the morning with my accountant... crunching numbers so I'm still a bit numb HTH... a little, Chele

Only time I've had soy wax turn a golden brown I had overheated it... didn't realize the knob had gotten turn wayyyyyyyyyy up. If you are sure you didn't overheat it... something is wrong.... I'd call the supplier too... Take care, Chele

Thank you for all your reponses... I felt like I did all I could but just needed to hear it from someone not involved... I guess. I don't get alot of these kind of situations and never one quite like this. (just lots of requests for free samples and charity donations..seems the enitire planet raises money now by auctioning off business's charitable donations :undecided ) So far no more reponses from him and I'm thinking I won't hear from him again. Thanks again! Have a great day! Chele

Got an email today from a gentleman who said he bought a candle in my retail store for his wife for her bd. Emails me to tell me he noticed the jar was cracked and what should they do. My first response - Just bring the candle back to the store.. I'll replace it, no problem. I wouldn't be comfortable telling him to burn a candle even if it's a hairline crack at the top of the jar.. better safe than sorry. His response - He lives in out of state and can't do that. What should he do now... My second email - Just mail the candle back. I'll reimburse for shipping AND send a replacement candle. I just want to see the jar and see if it's a crack from handling or if the jar is defective (seems reasonable to me ) His response - Don't worry about it... he'll just toss the candle. My last email - I offer to send a box, return postage included, packaging materials.. just drop it in and send back. As soon as I recieve it.. his replacement will be on the way. His response .. pretty much ...thanks... but no thanks.. if he's in the area.. he'll bring it back... HUH?????? My hubby says he's not buying the guy's story... and the more I think about it.. I'm not so sure myself. Am I just asking him to do too much to return it?? Or do you think he's just trying to score a free candle?? Since he didn't buy it online I don't have a paper trail and no real way to verify until I see the candle. Anybody else received any emails like this? Oh well... long day Take care, Chele

Oh my.. can't wait to see the scent descriptions on some of your incense scent choices. You may want to add an adult warning on that page just to cover your bases. As far as the website goes I agree with the others..just a little tweaking and I think you'll be good to go. Take care, Chele

Been using illustrator for 12 years + ... know it inside and out. I'm actually graphic artist & web page designer by trade.. candles were just my hobby . Email me and I'll see if I can help answer your questions. buggytowncandles@mindspring.com Take care, Chele

Free samples - we used to give tons of stuff away when we started. I think that is what really helped grow our business. Now I just have a small basket I put out with discounted and "free" stuff. When we have low poured tarts or really ugly ones (dropped, smushed etc) we mark them "free". Customers always look to see if there are any free ones in the basket... I rarely have anyone ask for free samples anymore.. that seemed to fix that. Now on B&B stuff - we make up free little 1/2 oz samples that we give to the customer if they seem hesistant to buy... kindof a "kill them with kindness" thing. It turns into a sale probably half the time. Our new promotion for February is if they buy one of our containers of Whipped Soy Body Cream - they will get a small "purse size"container free. Give away at the beginnnig - you have to get people using your product... but in reality no one needs more than one sample of your stuff.. they either like it enough to buy it or not. Gift baskets/Donations - This subject will make my head explode. I get bombarded everyday with people wanting donations for everything you can imagine... especially now that we have moved to Main Street. What we have started doing is - if they are a regular customer.. we do it. Half the time they are not.. we've never seen them before... and most we never will see again till it time to beg anouther gift basket. My answer to them is... leave me some paperwork.. I'll have my accountant look over it... translated to mean... you aren't getting anything from me this time It's ok not to give to everyone that asks. If in doubt we found a Gift Certificate is the way to go... forces the receipent to actually find you and shop your products... thats assuming they use the gift certificate... we don't ever see about a third of the ones we give out... ever again... Sorry I'm in ramble mode... waiting on wax to melt. Have a great day! Chele

We use the burgundy tinted paper shoppers in our store. We put a cute kraft label on them with all our info/logo and framed with a checkered burgundy border. We use kraft colored tissue to wrap everything. We go thru a minimum of 200 bags a week. When we first opened our store I did alot of research on the "big guys". One thing I noticed was they all use nice bags. (Some of them insanely nice bags.. VS bags are crazy nice...) I really think bags help set the tone for the total experience. I know in my little town everyone knows that the burgundy bag means you have been to the candle shop. I guess it all depends on the "feel" you are looking for for your business.. IE - sensible product, sensible price, sensible bag. I'm personally going more for the ... I spent a little more than I planned... but hey they are great products... I'm worth it "feel". So far that stragedy is working great for us:) Just rememeber if you go with a higher priced bag to add it into the bottom line when you are figuring out your prices. HTH, Chele

That's exactly what happens. We sell the Time again version of the wood wick candles and have burned many to the bottom... and yes the last piece just falls over and drowns. Have a great day! Chele

Ditto - Thats a TVG Jar & Lid. I think they call it a 12oz smooth sided mason jar - and tell them you want the black metal lid. (I think there are 3 different lid options for those jars. I believe the price is very good on them as well. That the jar we use to pour our "uglies" in so I only have a few cases on hand. Take care, Chele

Funny thing about Room Spray and Linen Spray... when we first started making it I priced it using my usual mark up... and rarely sold any. I was stunned because the packaging was cute.. product was great... price was insanely reasonable. Finally figured out it why it wasn't selling.. and it was the low price. Soooooo I went with the smaller bottle and up'd the price and sell it like crazy. I think if it's too cheap they think it's not good. I say go as high as you can... you can always go down. We get $6.00 for a 4 oz bottle. HTH, Chele

Make as in profit or sales? Take care, Chele

Order online and you can see what's in inventory and what's not. We sell tons of their burners - our customers love them... and yes they are great to work with HTH, Chele

Oddity has them. Great selection - good prices. HTH Chele

You need to change the paper setting... thats all. I'm on a Mac so I know how to do it on mine.. not sure if you are on a PC. On a mac - there is a "Utility" button in the print box window.. which links you to a place where you change the paper setting. HTH Chele

We treat it alot like wholesale since they are buying so many of just a few scents. We give 50% of the sales if they sort the orders. 40% if we sort the orders into the seller's boxes. We have thought about changing it.. but haven't yet. We did go up on our retail prices on the fundraisers.. hoping the increase will be enough to offset all our rising costs. We due an insane amount of fundraisers and just kicked off our first fall fundraiser this week. We have three groups (all repeat sellers) selling right now. If they sell like they did last year our cut should be between 10-15K.. curious to see what gas prices are going to do to fundraisers.. I'll let you know. Oddly enough gas prices are helping the store.. we just finished our strongest July on record... *shrug* ... how weird is that? HTH, Chele

What version are you using? I use AI daily.. I'll send you a template if you'd like. Take care, Chele

Back in my craft show days.. we had great success with the "L" or "U" shaped layout. I think you could get by just fine with an "L". Your work space is behind the back table.. similar to what you are doing now.. just pull it farther back in the booth and add a table. I disagree with the put the table in the front because people won't come in.. theory... if your booth is appealing.. they WILL come on in! I had the best success when I created my booth/tent like it was my own little store. Be sure to get a list of rules for your show... if they didn't say I couldn't.. I assumed I could. I set up my tent even at indoor shows.. I think you can set the mood of your space better if you control the boundaries. I even put out a big rug or floor mats when the space permitted. Needless to say I did much better at crafts shows that lots of my neighbor - vendors. If you are allowed to burn a candle... do it.. if not make a linen spray with one of your best FO's and spray the air when your booth is empty... smell will draw them in. Bring a boom box (and batteries if no electricity) .. and play a cd of oldies tunes (like 50-60's.. is what we've had the best success with) ... set the mood... they will come (Be sure the music is light hearted.. not too fast.. not too loud... this makes the customer relax.. and SHOP SHOP SHOP) I did the big craft shows (juried shows) for years.. lots of fun.. but very tiring. I would literally sell thousands of dollars of merchandise in one weekend.. it can be done. Good luck Take care, Chele PS. One neat thing we did was make folding lattice "screens" .. I would set them up behind our tables and back of the booth (to create "walls") .. you can get "S" hooks from the hardware store and hang things on them.. in your case thats where I'd put my signage... and perhaps a sign/banner with your name & logo.