SweetTreat Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 I'm new to selling soaps and bath products, so I'm wondering: where do you guys sell your stuff? Have you found success with your own website or other online sites, such as Etsy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faerywren Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 I did farmer's markets and craft shows at first. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfroberts Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 We are in the hospitality business and sell my products in our office/store. Our customers are vacationers, and they enjoy finding a locally made product to purchase. Many become repeat buyers and we ship product to them. I've had a website built for over a long time, but I've never published it even though I've had numerous requests. It's hard to find the time to do it all. One day..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Etsy & your own website are difficult unless you have $ to promote your site/store on etsy. I tried both, but found that locals that had picked up my candles at our farmers market were the ones ordering from the website, and some friends who lived far. I did one of those free sample sites and sent out a small flat melt with a business card and that did generate some business but cost me more to do the mailing as I got over a thousand requests. I think you'll do best with local farmers/craft markets until you build up some business. Use social media to promote your products and you may get some order there for free. Instagram has been an awesome tool for our antique store, as long as you tag enough you'll get lots of likes and followers. Then if you want to start an Etsy store or website you can link the website or Etsy store in your facebook and instagram acct. Again it's all free which to me is essential for a beginner selling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetTreat Posted April 16, 2016 Author Share Posted April 16, 2016 Thanks for the replies, guys. Very helpful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justajesuschick Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Etsy is a great place to get started. Sort of a bridge to a website as they take care of a lot of things for you. A website is more cost effective for me. I spend nothing on advertising. I agree that I would not pay for advertising on Etsy! Start a Facebook Group (either instead of or in conjunction with) a FB page. Use Instagram as well. ALL free! My Facebook Group is about 2,000 people who did not just hit like, but joined the group. I do giveaways there and drive those customers (they are not my friends and family) to my website. Less than 5% of my sales are local. I did a few artisan events and quickly learned that in-person events are not for me, despite my outgoing style. Try a few things and decide which is best for you and what you prefer! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 I still sell at local crafts fairs and farmer's markets. I personally love being with my customers and having that personal one on one contact. I have discovered I am a pretty good salesman and my customers love speaking to the actual person who makes and knows their products. I am very engaging with my customers so shows and markets work for me. I also have two websites; an older one that I use as a showcase for my soap that I will phase out by the end of the year. My other website I just started through Square. Its completely free and has pretty much what I need for an online store website. So as soon as I feel confident I have steered my customers towards it I will close the old one. I do have a facebook page I use but seriously don't like using it. I am just not a big fan of social media but am trying to use it more this year. I am giving it another try but honestly it consumes so much of time and I don't see any payoff in it. So will give it another big push this year and if I still feel the same way next year I will drop those accounts. I get wholesale accounts through doing shows and markets and recently got one through a gift shop at a local hospital. So that's another thing about selling through local venues like shows and markets is you meet the local shop owners who stop to talk to you and end up starting a wholesale account. All of my current wholesale accounts are through doing shows/markets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justajesuschick Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Candybee-try a Facebook group and see what you think. Pages can be very one sided and flat where a group is like a community. If you want a peek inside mine, message me and I can add you in (you can leave after you check it out). Groups are like a constant in-person market! It runs itself when I do not have time to participate. The group discusses our scents, blends, what they are going to buy and they offer advice and encouragement to new members building an order with us. Sounds like something you would like and be very good at managing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 22 minutes ago, justajesuschick said: Candybee-try a Facebook group and see what you think. Pages can be very one sided and flat where a group is like a community. If you want a peek inside mine, message me and I can add you in (you can leave after you check it out). Groups are like a constant in-person market! It runs itself when I do not have time to participate. The group discusses our scents, blends, what they are going to buy and they offer advice and encouragement to new members building an order with us. Sounds like something you would like and be very good at managing! pm'd you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetTreat Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 On 4/16/2016 at 6:29 PM, justajesuschick said: Etsy is a great place to get started. Sort of a bridge to a website as they take care of a lot of things for you. A website is more cost effective for me. I spend nothing on advertising. I agree that I would not pay for advertising on Etsy! Start a Facebook Group (either instead of or in conjunction with) a FB page. Use Instagram as well. ALL free! My Facebook Group is about 2,000 people who did not just hit like, but joined the group. I do giveaways there and drive those customers (they are not my friends and family) to my website. Less than 5% of my sales are local. I did a few artisan events and quickly learned that in-person events are not for me, despite my outgoing style. Try a few things and decide which is best for you and what you prefer! Justajesuschick: what types of products do you carry, candles or more of the B&B type products? I think I'd rather have my own site as well, so just trying to get an idea of which types of products work for online sales versus in-person, market type sales. My interest is in B&B products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justajesuschick Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 5 minutes ago, SweetTreat said: Justajesuschick: what types of products do you carry, candles or more of the B&B type products? I think I'd rather have my own site as well, so just trying to get an idea of which types of products work for online sales versus in-person, market type sales. My interest is in B&B products. My whole business is wax melts. I have some vendor pals who sell both. A member here does incredibly well on Etsy and she has both wax melts and B&B. She also happens to make the best lip balm I have ever used! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 I could use some advice regarding Etsy. Can anyone tell me what the ratio of site visits to purchases are (approx)? What is the normal "looks" to purchase rate? I'm getting pretty discouraged. I have had about 700 site visits, but only 3 purchases. Is this normal? My store has only been open since March. Experienced users - I could really use some advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justajesuschick Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 22 hours ago, MLG said: I could use some advice regarding Etsy. Can anyone tell me what the ratio of site visits to purchases are (approx)? What is the normal "looks" to purchase rate? I'm getting pretty discouraged. I have had about 700 site visits, but only 3 purchases. Is this normal? My store has only been open since March. Experienced users - I could really use some advice. The first thing I ask people I assist with opening an Etsy shop or Website is what you are doing to drive traffic. The biggest mistake I see is people put things out-anywhere really-and then wait to be found. Are you driving from Facebook? Instagram? Other? Etsy is just a storefront. Same with a website. You may already be doing this, but thought I'd start there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 MLG put some pics on instagram and note that link to your etsy store is in your bio and make sure you link it there. It works unbelievably well. Helps if your instagram name and etsy store name are the same just in case they don't use the link and just look for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 5 hours ago, justajesuschick said: The first thing I ask people I assist with opening an Etsy shop or Website is what you are doing to drive traffic. The biggest mistake I see is people put things out-anywhere really-and then wait to be found. Are you driving from Facebook? Instagram? Other? Thank you for your help. I have spent quite a bit of money boosting posts on Facebook and Instagram. I get a descent response from them and have had several shop visits and item favorites from them as well. Just not many purchases. 4 hours ago, kandlekrazy said: MLG put some pics on instagram and note that link to your etsy store is in your bio and make sure you link it there. It works unbelievably well. Helps if your instagram name and etsy store name are the same just in case they don't use the link and just look for you. Kandlekrazy - I do have them linked together with the link in my bio and they are the same name. It's just very frustrating to me because I can't see what I am doing wrong. I'm beginning to question myself entirely on this venture (aka Pitty Party ). Would anyone be willing to view and critique it for me (if this is allowable) and give me an honest opinion? If so, I will post or message you the link. It's crazy how I seem to let things get to me like this (self doubt). God gave me the ability to talk a teenager into believing he/she needs Algebra in order to go to Prom, but I have a very difficult time at selling myself. Very frustrating Thanks for listening to me! LOL!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justajesuschick Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 8 minutes ago, MLG said: Would anyone be willing to view and critique it for me (if this is allowable) and give me an honest opinion? If so, I will post or message you the link. It's crazy how I seem to let things get to me like this (self doubt). God gave me the ability to talk a teenager into believing he/she needs Algebra in order to go to Prom, but I have a very difficult time at selling myself. Very frustrating Thanks for listening to me! LOL!!!!! haha! Math is not my thing. Branding, social media, marketing-now you are talking! You cannot post a link here but PM me the link and I will give a look. Plus let me know (just for fun) when you PM where you are in Missouri since I am here, too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLG Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 1 minute ago, justajesuschick said: haha! Math is not my thing. Branding, social media, marketing-now you are talking! You cannot post a link here but PM me the link and I will give a look. Plus let me know (just for fun) when you PM where you are in Missouri since I am here, too! Thank you Karen. I appreciate it so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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