jdwatson23 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 i started making candles a few months ago, now im starting to sell them to coworkers. i make the candles in 4oz tins and am selling them for $4.00 each, is that too high? or too low or just right? lol if i figured it up right, its costing me $2.14 to make each candle. i sold 18 candles in 2 days, and that was just a couple people one person loved my candles so much & couldnt decide on what she wanted so she got one of each scent! and what wicks do u use in 4oz tins? i am having so much trouble with the wick looking like a mushroom, my scent throw is really awesome, but i hate when the wick balls up after burning. right now i been buying most of my supplies on ebay, and i think i just ordered the same wicks by mistake cuz i couldnt remember where i got the first wicks i bought lol oh and i am using EZ Soy pour wax, that comes in slabs and not flake form...if that helps any.thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Makin Momma Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I haven't heard of EZ soy in a slab. It's a trademarked name for BC's flakes, so that's weird.If you are having issues with the mushrooms, stop selling until you fix it. It could turn people off from your candles and you want returning customers.As for price, I've heard people say it's 3-4 times your cost and some say $1 per ounce, so you sound about right, maybe could charge a little more because your cost is very high.Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwatson23 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 the EZ soy one pour wax comes from creative candle supply.....i think its new, and its actually the only soy wax that i have found thats not in flakes! which i thought was kinda weird, but i really like it and my candles have turned out excellent, other than the wicks doing that. i need help on finding wicks cuz im new to this candlemaking stuff and i have no idea what kind of wick to use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindy5140 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I use soy to but mine are flakes, but I bet if you post this in the soy section you will get more responses.Also what type of wicks are you using, does it have a sticker on the bag to tell you what type of wick it is???I know when I use hemp wicks, they mushroom like what you are talking about. Also where do you buy your tins, is there anywhere else that maybe you could get a better price on them, so you can profit more than $1.86 per candle. Mindy:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
country candlemaker Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 oh oh watch out for this post,lol this is going to be interesting in the next few days,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyc Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 lmao, i was thinkin the same thing...making a couple of months and selling already..this is gonna be a tinder box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candlelovr Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I was thinking the same thing! First thing I thought was "uh ohhhhhh!" ROFLMAO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyBugCandles Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ROFL, we're all thinking the same thing and shaking our heads!At least the OP is getting some real advice before the flaming starts.I'm still a n00b too, but I know better than to ask any question that may in any way be viewed as controversial to any one! Sad, but that's just how it is. Luckily never been me, but I've seen many others roasted. -Jessica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 :lipsrseal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 That is the first I have heard of the EZ soy pour...I was reading at the site that it is a blend? Wonder what it is blended with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 If the info I rec'd was correct, it is a parasoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I am sure BCN won't like the name "EZ SOY POUR".Bet this will confuse people...:rolleyes2 :rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Girl Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I'm confused. Am I reading that you're selling but you don't have the right wicking down yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwatson23 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 I use soy to but mine are flakes, but I bet if you post this in the soy section you will get more responses.Also what type of wicks are you using, does it have a sticker on the bag to tell you what type of wick it is???I know when I use hemp wicks, they mushroom like what you are talking about. Also where do you buy your tins, is there anywhere else that maybe you could get a better price on them, so you can profit more than $1.86 per candle. Mindy:)ok the tins i get from ebay. $10.50 for 25 of them which averages 42cents each, cheaper than anywhere else i've found, almost every place i've seen wants them for at least 60cents or more. the wicks i was using came from the candle source it didnt say what size they were just medium pre tabbed zinc core wicks 5.75" and for those of you who seem to be making fun of me for selling candles so quickly since i just started making them.....i have test burned all of my candles, but everyone that i was showing them too really loved them and wanted to buy them even tho i wasn't ready to start selling yet.......i'm only selling them to certain people for now because of the wick problem, and i warned them of it, but they said they wouldn't mind the wicks. I told them I'm working on the wick problem and would let them know when i got it fixed, then i'll start selling to other people. I had a lady i work with test every single candle i've made so far of each scent, and she absolutely loves them, she said they were better than the home & interior candles shes been buying....sooooo they must be good cuz everyone loves them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwatson23 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 I'm confused. Am I reading that you're selling but you don't have the right wicking down yet?yes i'm selling, but not to everyone, just friends and they know about the wick problem and said they won't mind it til i get it fixed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Well I'd sell that size for $5, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 the wicks i was using came from the candle source it didnt say what size they were just medium pre tabbed zinc core wicks 5.75"... Unless I missed something, I don't think your wick issue will be resolved with only three sizes of wicks available. You may want to invest in some wick sample packs. Looks like Peak's carries some nice ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyBugCandles Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ok the tins i get from ebay. $10.50 for 25 of them which averages 42cents each, cheaper than anywhere else i've found, almost every place i've seen wants them for at least 60cents or more. the wicks i was using came from the candle source it didnt say what size they were just medium pre tabbed zinc core wicks 5.75" and for those of you who seem to be making fun of me for selling candles so quickly since i just started making them.....i have test burned all of my candles, but everyone that i was showing them too really loved them and wanted to buy them even tho i wasn't ready to start selling yet.......i'm only selling them to certain people for now because of the wick problem, and i warned them of it, but they said they wouldn't mind the wicks. I told them I'm working on the wick problem and would let them know when i got it fixed, then i'll start selling to other people. I had a lady i work with test every single candle i've made so far of each scent, and she absolutely loves them, she said they were better than the home & interior candles shes been buying....sooooo they must be good cuz everyone loves them I don't think anyone is "making fun" of you, we're all just shocked that you're already selling when you know you have a defect in your product. To me, selling is selling no matter who your customer is. You are charging them for a product which is still in progress. Just icky business, IMO, which is just that.I agree with Hope, I think you'll have better luck with better wicks and getting a good sample pack is a great idea.-Jessica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetacea Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ok the tins i get from ebay. $10.50 for 25 of them which averages 42cents each, cheaper than anywhere else i've found, almost every place i've seen wants them for at least 60cents or more. the wicks i was using came from the candle source it didnt say what size they were just medium pre tabbed zinc core wicks 5.75" and for those of you who seem to be making fun of me for selling candles so quickly since i just started making them.....i have test burned all of my candles, but everyone that i was showing them too really loved them and wanted to buy them even tho i wasn't ready to start selling yet.......i'm only selling them to certain people for now because of the wick problem, and i warned them of it, but they said they wouldn't mind the wicks. I told them I'm working on the wick problem and would let them know when i got it fixed, then i'll start selling to other people. I had a lady i work with test every single candle i've made so far of each scent, and she absolutely loves them, she said they were better than the home & interior candles shes been buying....sooooo they must be good cuz everyone loves themOk lets address this shall we? LOL!If you have a known defect, then DO NOT SELL the product. Fix the defect first. If people WANT the candles tell them you are not ready to sell them BUT you do need testers. They can become a tester by filling out a tester form and sending it back to you. MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT GETTING CANDLES FOR FREE WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED!Wicking problem: Ok so you have mushrooming with zinc. Everyone does. How is the melt pool? Is it wide enough, deep enough, too wide, too deep? Are the mushrooms forming after a long burn? Short burn? Marathon burn? Or do they form the minute you light the candle? Testing requires more than just: Wow this is a nice scent. THERE ARE MANY FACETS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN TESTING, NOT JUST SCENT! Have you noticed that your wick mushrooms more with one scent/color than another? Are the carbon mushrooms the result of improper burning (is the candle in a draft...etc) or is it because the wick is too big/small? Can you answer all of these questions? If the answer is NO then you need to start properly testing your product.Order sample packs. Most suppliers have sample packs of wicks that you can buy for relatively little money. Here is a wicking chart that might help you decide which wicks to start with: http://www.candlewic.com/candle-wicks/pop-spools.aspPricing: Pricing is key. Your original post stated that it costs you $2.14 to make each candle and you are selling them for $4. That means you are not making any money. You need to figure into your cost: taxes, shipping, time..etc. Give yourself a salary in figuring your costs and calculate that salary into your costs, otherwise you are selling yourself short like you are now. Once you have an adjusted cost multiply that by 3 for retail and 2 for wholesale (typical pricing). If you want to go more expensive then multiply it by 4 for retail.Whatever you do I will state it again...FIX YOUR WICKING PROBLEM BEFORE YOU COLLECT MONEY!!! NOT ONLY CAN YOU BE SUED BY YOUR "FRIENDS", YOU ARE NOT BEING A RESPONSIBLE CANDLEMAKER. So what if people are pressuring you to buy candles.....YOU know they are not right, so why the hell are you selling them? WHY do you want the stress? Make those people TESTERS rather than CUSTOMERS until you find the right wicking combination that you are happy with and can stand behind 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwatson23 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 well they are the ones who wanted to buy from me even tho they knew my wicks weren't ready!! i have noticed, i messed around with some candles today and if i keep the wick trimmed really short there is a lot less mushrooming and it didnt affect the wick drowning or anything either, but yes i am going to invest in some different wicks. does anyone know where i can get 44-24-18-c at???? i've heard that one would be good for my tins, but can't find them anywhere, i've checked all the suppliers that i've found on here in the boards. im going to try some lx18 and htp73 too, just sucks that i'm going to have to wait about a week to get them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 You need more than just LX 18 for those tins. I sell them and use LX wicks and with all my scents I use LX14, LX16 or LX18 depending on the scent. Also do you have warning labels in place??? Those tins get AWFUL hot on the bottom and I have warning labels that state that and they should never be placed directly on some surfaces cause it could cause damage. Your friends may want to buy them, but you know how to say 'NO' until you are completely confident you have all the bugs worked out. Like Cetacea said, make them testers and get specific questions answered from them when they test for you.Candlemaking is not easy or cheap if you want to make the best and safest product. It's very rewarding when you know you have a great product, but VERY frustrating in the process to get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
country candlemaker Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 yes make them testers iam sure they will be happy to do it for you tell them it only takes a couple of minutes each day to fill out the questioner this way you get feed back from them,it all about test, test, test,test, good luck and have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Some of our testers are perfectly satisfied with the way our candles burn and are asking to buy....we tell them WE are not satisfied yet...but when we are ready to sell, they will be the first to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgie Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 does anyone know where i can get 44-24-18-c at???? Moon Glow sells them: http://www.moonglowcandles.net/wicks-tabbed.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candlewitch Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 They all gave good info, ceta escpecially. I may add to make life easier for you that vanilla and bakery scents will have bigger wicks then most florals and clean scents. That may help ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.