Question on Votives

[mystic sowles]

If you were to buy these candles, how much would you pay?  They are non scented 2 oz Palm Wax Votives--I haven't wicked them yet.  

 

Would you purchase one particular color or multi Colors?

[Vicky_CO]

What I would pay for them where I live is going to be different than what some one would pay somewhere else. If they where packaged nice I would pay $2.50 but if the where naked I would not pay no where near as much.

 

Color I love the vibrant colors you got and yes color makes a difference to me.  I like my colors.  I have never bought a white votive.

[mystic sowles]

Hmmmm I haven't thought about the packaging.  I was just going to shrink seal them and label them, now you have me wondering about that idea.

[Scented]

Nothing wrong with shrink. You'll find it easier as the votives don't get jostled around and mark up (smear, whatever) the packaging. It's easier to fit them into boxes. 

Take a look at your costs though and make sure you're making something off each one you sell, which means figure out what you have in each batch (wax, color, scent, wick, packaging, label etc.) and figure out what you have to sell to get your money back/when you start turning a profit. 

To me, color is secondary I suppose. I like scent first.

[ChrisR]

Sorry but I'd never buy an unscented votive and I agree color is secondary and scent first. 

[Turtle Wax]

It might be worthwhile to go visit some local gift stores, flower shops etc, and see what they are retailing for. Don't bother with the WalMarts or Yankee Candles; those votives are mass-produced by robots and/or Chinamen... what you have is handcrafted with care- a key selling point in and of itself that justifies a higher price point.

[CandleKitty]

You have some gorgeous colors there - I've always been a fan of palm wax, I love the texture they create.

 

$2.50 isn't out of the question for those, but double check your figures and make sure you're getting something out of them after packaging.  I agree with both Vicky and Scented - nice packaging makes all the difference in the world and scent is important as well, but I'm also a fan of unscented ones because sometimes, you just want beautiful candlelight and not a heavy fragrance wafting in the air, such as at the dinner table.  We always want to have our candles center stage, but when it comes to food - it's got to have its moment in the spotlight as well.  

 

For unscented - $2 would be good since you aren't fiddling with additives and fragrance but as always, check your figures.

[Guest OldGlory]

Just another opinion here - and I am a wholesaler/manufacturer, not a retailer of my products.

Personally, I don't buy votives. The last one I bought (20-ish years ago) sent me on a search of something to burn the votive in, and cost me another $3. I could have spent $10 on a candle in a jar that would have lasted 4 times longer and provided more fragrance than a votive. Not a big cost or a big decision, but the experience sure stuck with me.

And I don't make votives because I can't make a profit on them. It takes me too much time to make and package them for a profit of pennies. Not a good use of my time when I can make 100 - 150 8 oz jar candles in a day and profit by $2 or more each. (I'm still talking about wholesale.)

Take it for what it's worth. You may hear from lots of people who sell the heck out of votives and love them!

[mystic sowles]

Thank you for all your replies.  I made votives at christmas time for family members and to use for power outages,  I had some palm wax so I thought I would give it a try and it was a pain in the butt.  I will consider all cost involved before pricing them.  My concept behind making them colored and non scented was for those who can't have the scents.  I actually know several people who would get migraines from scented candles.  Being someone with severe Allergy/Sinus issues I can relate.  I also know several people who like to eat dinner with a candle lit but don't like the tapered ones and enjoy color.  So there was a method to my madness--   Unfortunately I no longer see those people--     I am  sure once the weather breaks and I get my shop at my house opened up I will have people interested in them-

[kandlekrazy]

Here in Central Calif, people would pay $1.25 for unscented colored any wax and about $1.00 for not colored, shrinkwrapped.  Palm wax is expensive but most consumers don't care in a votive.  Perfect example of what Vicki said, different area..different price...different tastes as well.  I like color but buy white because I love soy wax and the pure color of it.  I also like palm wax and the pure color of it.  Scent is very important in most instances, but when I'm looking for candles for an area where there is food, I definitely want unscented so I purchase both (and I tell customers this when selling).  I was just at a fair where a candle person was selling, she was pricier and barely sold anything.  Know your market, look at prices in stores, markets and fairs that carry hand made candles.

[nursenancy]

I sell a ton of votives - my all-time best seller- some palm, but mostly soy.  In my experience, most people want them scented. I have a handful of customers that don't.  I sell the scented for 1.50 each or 8 for 10.00.  unscented are 1.00 each.   I think I could up my price and people wouldn't really care. I upped it a couple of years ago from 1.25 or 10/10.00  and nobody even noticed.  i don't shink wrap them.  I display them in the 18 count box that has 2 layers and I have up to 40 scents on the shelf at a time.  people love picking them out sort of like penny candy.  i put them in a paper lunch bag with a card, make sure they know to burn them in a holder and  not to leave them in a hot car (people are so dumb sometimes) and off they go.