katinka Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Hi all.I just found out Yankee will be starting distribution in South Africa soon! I have read a couple of things about them on this board, but my question is this: In your opinion, what is their strengths / weaknesses? I know this might sound silly to some, but I'd like to get a better idea about what I would be up against. Any comments would be appreciated, TIA!:smiley2: Katinka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blest2BAmerican Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Their candles smell great, but smoke like crazy and the sides of the jar get black. The wicks aren't always centered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Hi Katinka, once I opened a thread about Yankee's pillars.I was curious so I bought three pillars (they cost a lot).Cold throw is great, but hot throw is weak.Wicks are non perfectly centered, and they do mushrooms.These pillars have also a lot of holes, when they burn you can see air popping up in the melt pool.I paid too much for candles like that!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I live in their "flag ship" area so everyone has them here. Many of their containers don't get a FMP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katinka Posted January 31, 2006 Author Share Posted January 31, 2006 I live in their "flag ship" area so everyone has them here. Many of their containers don't get a FMP.Do you think it is safe to assume that they don't test then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlesprite7 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 IMO the problem with them is the fact they are mass produced...so each product doesnt get the full attention it needs/deserves.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Pillar candles have very weak scent throw. Jar candles have good scent throw but as the others have said, sometimes have off centered wicks and do produce soot on jars. In all fairness...not all the jar candles produced soot on the jars, some burned very nicely. Their tarts are EXCELLENT...although sometimes they crumble apart because they are compressed granular wax...but this doesn't effect the scent throw at all, which is very good...just a little messy. Another drawback is that they are 1.59 each in my area now...they just went up 30 cents. Their electric tart warms suck...they don't melt the tarts completely so you can't get much scent throw from them...I returned mine without any problem when I told them this. All and all I'd say they have crappy pillars, jars are not reliable, tarts are great but over priced...in fact most of their products are over priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 What I like about Yankee is that they come up with some great scent combinations. I think they're too pricey and the quality lacks, but they tend to be a company that helps define this industry. Now I will say that I have friends who burn Yankee containers and they get them solely for the FO. They could care less about the soot, because, hey, it washes off with a little soap and water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerrie Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I agree with scented. I think you will find their scents different, they have some really nice ones. The soot is the reason I will not burn a Yankee candle in my house, it's unreal. The strength of Yankee is in their marketing. They by no means have a better candle than what we make, in fact ours are much better, but we don't have the millions to spend on marketing that they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaD Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I agree with scented. I think you will find their scents different, they have some really nice ones. The soot is the reason I will not burn a Yankee candle in my house, it's unreal. The strength of Yankee is in their marketing. They by no means have a better candle than what we make, in fact ours are much better, but we don't have the millions to spend on marketing that they do.What I am curious about though, is HOW did they get to that point, to have the millions of dollars to spend on marketing? Does anyone know their story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Well they put a business plan into action, probably borrowed $ to make the big splash and look where they are today. They invest a lot into their marketing, no doubt.Google can be such a good friend sometimes http://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/page.php?cid=23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I have to agree that their fragrances are what drew me to them in the first place -- some of them are pretty awesome. I used to think that a black, sooty jar was par for the course with a scented candle ... even got kind of used to washing that black stuff off my walls. Now that I make my own, I can't believe I used to put up with that mess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Yankee was not a fly by night company, they have been around for a very long time. They set a standard, and luckily for us, it's not a terribly high standard, but it is what our customers will compare us to (they don't have many other choices). That's ok with me. I was a faithful Yankee candle buyer and soot was part of burning a candle in my mind, and I didn't think much of the fact that there was hang-up, or tunneling. As for Partylite--they dont' hold a candle to my products (yes, pun intended). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern-Marie Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 My mother-in-law called me from Maine, she said that Yankee was pulling out. None of the stores are carrying it anymore, and no one who had them is restocking.So, now that I know that they are out of her area in Maine..I can knowingly tell her where they went...South Africa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katinka Posted February 1, 2006 Author Share Posted February 1, 2006 So, now that I know that they are out of her area in Maine..I can knowingly tell her where they went...South Africa!Yuck, now I have to sit with them...:rolleyes2 Anyhow, from what I understand it is an independant distributor that is going to sub distribute from the UK. I actually got one of their catalogues and it seems she is going to charge about 3 times more than what I charge for my candles (import duties alone is 20%). So I am at this point quite happy that she is coming, because it means she can help me open the market for candles a bit and then hopefully with education, a good quality candle and a variety of scents I'll still have a fair market share.Thanks for all the imput everyone, you've really put my mind at ease!Katinka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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