First Show Ever - Not Good

[Peggy]

So far it has been Friday night and Saturday sales and I have barely recovered my booth fee. The other vendors are encouraging as many of them have been coming to this show for years. They think that there are too many candle booths and that the quality of the show has gone down hill in the last several years.

This is supposed to be a no buy/sell show and it is amazing how some people get around that. There is one vendor who just adds flowers, names or whatever with marking pens to plastic buckets full of rubber toys and it is considered not buy/sell. Oh, well!

The booth next to mine has all handmade wood work, very nice stuff but he also has some candles in there. I was talking to the person who made the candles about some of her jars and wondered if they were difficult to wick. She didn't understand the question. She just buys her stuff in a kit and it tells her what size wick to use for that jar. She has only been making them for a few months.

I have been testing for two years. I use a Balmoral jar and it took me months to finally find the right wick. I am always testing in my pillars because I do weird stuff with them and want to make sure that they burn correctly.

Then there are the "soy nazi's", and I don't mean to ruffle any feathers with the vegetable wax peep's. They have a poster at there booth stating untruthful information about how bad parrafin is. I guess because it has been on 20/20 it must be true? Has Dan Rather gone to 20/20?

Not only that, these "soy nazi's" are multilevel marketing. They are trying to recruit more candle makers who can make money selling candles that they make from a kit.

I am sorry to vent so much, just really mad. I guess I have spent the last two years working hard on my candles and didn't realize there was so much junk out there. Yes, I have gone into stores and looked at the what the pro's are doing and yes I read on this board all the time. I need to start reading more than just what I find of interest.

Today is the last day and I hope I make a few more bucks. Again, sorry for the ranting, I just needed to vent and knew this would not fall on deaf ears.

[eugenia]

It's not over; hope things pick up for you today!

e

[Crowded House]

My first show was at some podunk place that ended up being around 15 vendors and maybe 100 customers all day long.

They put me next to the most aggressive Country Bunny person ever. She was actually physically grabbing old men out of the aisles to do scrubs on! I ended up not quite making booth fee.

Keep your chin up, and good luck today!

[tootie04]

OMG...the first show I ever did was in some small SC town. It was a festival of some sort and I sold NOTHING!! I was so upset and discouraged!!

I learned to go to the show you want to do FIRST. Check it out talk to the vendors THEN go next year. I did that with a show in Charleston SC and I did over 3,000 dollars on Thanksgiving weekend!!

Keep your chin up and do the best ya can and use it as a learning experience. You cant put a price tag on what you learn!!

Patricia

[NicolezCreationz]

I have a comment on the soy versus paraffin issue. "soy nazi" huh? cute

I make soy container candles and paraffin pillars. Last year I sold lots of pillars along with my containers but this year for some reason my pillars arent' moving at all. The question is always, "are thesessoy candles" and my answer is of course "the containers are and the pillars aren't". They quickly scoot down towards the containers and buy those. Funny, nobody asked that question last year. Luckily I only made a few pillars and tons of containers or I'd be in trouble.

One lady asked me about the soy paraffin issue and what my thoughts where and I just told her what I'd read and discussed on occasion andthat paraffin wax candles are older than me and that in all my years as a nurse I've never run across anyone who had paraffin candle related cancer (that's not to say they don't exist) and if I really felt in my heart that it would pose a health issue I wouldn't make or sell them. I also told her that all of my waxes are high quality.

On a side note I willl say that my pillars do make my ceiling and walls black in the area that I test them in but my containers don't. I shared that with her as well.

Sorry so long:<

Nicole

[CC on Maui]

Oh FCS......why do you even go there Nicole, if your'e not looking to start a paraffin vs soy war? ? Pretty pathetic move. Don't even get me started.

[macnmyer]

On a side note I willl say that my pillars do make my ceiling and walls black in the area that I test them in but my containers don't. I shared that with her as well.

Sorry so long:<

Nicole

Then I say you need to go back to the drawing board and retest. A properly wicked candle should not leave black soot on your walls or your ceiling.

[Peggy]

Excuse me, I didn't mean to start a battle here.

When I said "soy nazi's" I was referring to the people from Candle Wealth who are making a mockery of our craft. These people put literature out that is totally nonfactual.

One thing that they refer to is that soy is water soluable. How can that be, it is a vegatable oil and I know that the vegatable oil that I cook with is not water soluable.

The other thing that they mention, the "possible" carcinagins that parrafin produces, well then they better stop driving gas fueled cars.

I did my research on parrafin vs soy and it came straight from the National Candle Associations web site http://www.candles.org/about_faq.html and http://www.candles.org/elements_wax.html and from the EPA's web site:

I just feel that as "chandlers" we need to properly educate people who ask us if our candles are soy or parrafin. They need the facts not fiction.

[candlesprite7]

Dont worry about the first bad show....I sold exactly 2 candles my first show for a total of $8. woohoo! It has gotten much better from there! Just keep trying and taking notes each time you do one...it is a learning process.

Edited because I cant type.

[gloworm]

"Soy Nazi" :laugh2: . I love that!! Now don't hate me before I explain. My son "the candleman", does both soy and parafin now but before he did soy I was at a show with him and the "Hilter of the Soy Nazis" was there also. She actually had the nerve to approach us out of the blue and "tell" us that all of her labels & banners etc were copywrited as though she "just knew" we were only there to steal her ideas. Then she began her soy speil. Well good thing Mike was in charge of the situation and he doesn't have Mama's hot temper. I just fumed behind him while he blew her off.

I personally feel the soy/parafin debate is a personal choice. Mike has customers who swear by both and refuse to buy the opposite.

JMHO

Glo

[Scented]

I know who you meant and it's the same term I use.

Put together a facts about waxes page that doesn't slam any particular wax, just gets the info out there and maybe includes some links for people to go et more information ... like the National Candle Association.

Paraffin and soy will long be debated regardless how it's brought up. It is the soy nazis who have started the chaos. It's our jobs to counter by putting people's minds at easy.

[katie]

Before I started making candles my partner was approached by should I say "soy nazi" or the people who try that pyramid scheme to recruit others into there kits. The lady was very nice but the price of the kit...oh my. I knew it was a joke. So when I got home I went online to do my research and found other companies kits for reasonable prices and then got hooked. I do soy just because I prefer it but that doesn't mean that I don't still love any candle that I might pick up, if it smells good and looks pretty I'll buy it. But I have to admit know that I make candles and test everyday, I am buying less candles.

Don't worry its just the beginning of the season and don't let one bad show get you down.

[Peggy]

Thanks for all the encourgement. I know that there are always lessons to be learned through all experiences. I am trying to look to the positive side of this past weekends show so that when I do my next one in a week, I might do better.

It was just difficult as I had been working for months to get ready. I had over 800 candles done, both jars and pillars. I was told that there were over 7000 people that attend and the statistics are that you will sell to 10%. I was ready. I grossed around $600 for 2 and a half days.

I am going to start a new thread and post the pictures that I took of my booth and hopefully will get some positive critisism.

I know understand about Candle Wealth and just who they are and will be ready with my laminated facts sheet that I have already put together. Yes, I used the information the the National Candle Associations web site and from the EPA. Education is the key. If a person has a preference to soy, that is great, I don't have problems with that. I just don't like liars.

[Sherl]

Shows get better with time and learning which shows to do as well as what does/ does not sell. Sold tons of Vanilla and Cinnamon in Tx, cant give it away in Ohio. Keep at it and don't forget to have fun along the way.

Now for the nazies.. At a show I had a another vendor that sold soy come into my booth when it was real busy and loudly talk about all the soot that my type of candle produced and how great soy was. So... at the next show I took a jar that my MIL's sister had wanted filled [i dont do that, she told me to keep the jar] that is a big name soy candle and is 26 ounces and covered in ugly black soot. To be fair she is a candlemakers nightmare.. burns all day, never trims wicks, you get the picture. Anyway, this jar is set to be easily seen and next to this jar is a sign that says ANY candle improperly burned will produce soot. Pretty much ends that type of discussion. Makes the soy group have to defend their stuff. For all you paraffin candlemakers it is worth buying one and buring the heck out of it and doing the same thing. Customers will comment on it and you can educate them about proper burning and wicking that will reduce soot in either product.

[junebug]

Good luck the next show around!

I started in soy because of the good benefits, but also because it is cheaper, I use EZ Soy.

I am a hobbiest for now, but I do not think there should be wars going on!

To each their own, but can you imagine this getting to be like political parties, OMG!!!!:undecided

[chauntelle]

dont worry about whats happened you can use it to your knowledge for nxt time and at least u now no how these things work. In my opinon the more you do the easier it is as people begin to recognise you and c your serious about what you do on my nxt craft show im getting some leaflets made up so that people don't just walk out and forget about me they have something to read and hopefully remember me!!! Chin up even if you don't sell much it's not a waste of time so keep smiling:)

[scentlady]

I did a show where on the second day they allowed vendors to come in and sure enough a girl selling Yank** candles came in, sold her candles really cheap and had to leave and come back with more inventory. Needless to say I didn't do that show again. After that I always found out who else was at a show before doing one and how many candle makers they were going to allow etc. before I signed up

[Malamute]

I had to laugh when I read this! I belong to a candlegroup and most of the makers are soy users and grill me ALL THE TIME! It's like an obsession! Why don't you like soy, it's the BEST!? And I explain I don't like the finished look of it in my tarts, I don't like the feel of it, just a personal pref. and I really don't like the false advertising of it, I don't even like it in a 50/50 blend. But it's a never ending battle with them, they bring it up daily like they are trying to recruit people! I've burned paraffin candles for over 20 years and never have I had a soot issue in my home so I stick with what I like but I sure don't spend my day trying to convince people to switch over to either one! LOL!

[BIGCAT]

People who put down other candlemaker's candles are about as low of a business person as one can be.

[NicolezCreationz]

wow! ya'll are way too quik to take offense and place judgement. Nuthin in my comment was meant as negative only expressing my experiences. I use both soy and paraffin wax so there's no way for me to take sides. Besides I'm not that kind of person.Thought that's what this board was for but check this out... ya'll can have it, I'll just read.

nicole