Looking for pricing advice

[jbradshaw]

I have decided to participate in my first craft fair (eek!). It is still months away but I'm prepping now. When it comes to pricing, I find myself in a weird position...

 

There is another local candle maker who will be at this fair, and I'm concerned about pricing. She labels her candles 8oz or 14oz based on the size of the tin, not on the wax weight. I also do an 8oz tin, but the wax weight is closer to 5.5 oz. Our prices will basically be the same per actual wax weight size, but I'm worried it will look like I charge the same price for a smaller candle. Am I over thinking this? 

 

 

[TallTayl]

I'm not sure a whole lot of customers really noticed the net weight listed when browsing at a craft show. Find some other way to differentiate your candles from your competition in charge whatever the heck you want.

[moonshine]

And if anybody questions you tell them they are not labeling correctly, they have the size tin labeled and your are the same size and you have the net weight listed as should be 

and I wish you luck!! How exciting 

Edited June 22, 2017 by moonshine

[Jcandleattic]

Great advice from TT and moonshine. 

As TT said, most people are not going to notice size/weight of the candle on the labels. What they will notice is how they smell and how they are presented. 

 

And as moonshine said, how exciting for you. I love craft shows. Good luck to you! 

[Trappeur]

I agree exactly as what TT and Moonshine said.  Now maybe you could offer a deal like buy 2 and get the 3'rd one for $$$ (cheaper) or maybe buy 2 and get a free sample of maybe the little souffle cups that come in small sizes.  People love things like this!  I always have left over wax after pouring candles.  All you would have is the cost of the little souffle cup....great advertising.  Have a knock out display also.  I'm very attracted to booths that are different than others.

 

Like said people are not going to notice the size but for the ones that do, yes, do explain that they are labeled wrong and you have the correct size.

 

Trappeur

[Trappeur]

Just thought of something else.  I have a shop that buys wick clippers from me.  Big sellers for them.

You can buy off of Ebay wick clippers for 1.00 each.  Now they come from China and you do have a wait time for them which can be 5 to 6 weeks.  But they offer free shipping for them also.  I'll bet if you offered a free wick clipper if they bought a couple candles from you,  you just might have something there I'm thinking.  I have never seen something like this offered.  People I bet would snatch them up.  I pay like a dollar or 1.25 each, sell them for 6.00 wholesale to a shop and they sell them for 12.00 easy peasy......You can even offer them for sale too.

 

Trappeur

[Candybee]

Be sure to include the burn hours on the labels. Customers always ask me about the burn hours per candle almost as much as the price. I list the burn hours just under the net weight.

[Jcandleattic]

2 minutes ago, Candybee said:

Be sure to include the burn hours on the labels. Customers always ask me about the burn hours per candle almost as much as the price. I list the burn hours just under the net weight.

I've never been asked that, but that is a good idea, that way they have an idea of how long it 'should' last. 

[jbradshaw]

Thanks, everyone, for the wonderful advice. I knew this was the right group to turn to!

 

I love the idea of doing a buy 3 for cheaper price, or doing something with the wick clippers. I think this could also really spark conversation about safely using candles, which would be great. I am also thinking maybe it would make more sense to put the burn time on the main label and the weight on the warning label on the bottom - I could see burn time being more relevant to people than the weight. 

 

I was also thinking of getting some reusable shopping bags printed with my logo and selling them at cost - this market is HUGE and very few vendors offer bags, and I'd like to avoid offering plastic or paper and do something more lasting. You can probably tell, I'm very excited but also quite nervous. 

[TallTayl]

I would be careful about putting hours on the actual label. Unless you have burned them in every scenario a person could you could get yourself in a pickle. On a sign yes. But not on the label. Too many variables.

[jbradshaw]

3 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

I would be careful about putting hours on the actual label. Unless you have burned them in every scenario a person could you could get yourself in a pickle. On a sign yes. But not on the label. Too many variables.

Good point! I have done many (MANY) test burns but I don't think I could say I've tested everything a customer could do. 

[TallTayl]

Plus different fragrances do burn differently.  Some of mine change the burn dramatically one way or the other. 

 

And i am struggling with new lots of fresh soy wax burning way differently from older lots. Two different brands of soy are performing radically different from past cases.