how many of you do not sell..

[latch]

votives?? I really dont like to make them. Is it ok not to have them in your candle line or is it something that i should work towards. i know its my personl preference, but will it affect my range of customers?? (if that makes any sense)

[Freezin]

Well I do think they are a pain in the arse to make, I do make them as a courtesy to customers. Plus, now that I am selling, I am getting requests for baskets and those are very nice for baskets. Especially, since I am not doing any B & B which really make nice basket additions. I dont' consider them to be money makers. But some people just want to buy something inexpensive such as a votive.

[prairieannie]

I don't make 'em.. I don't like them

[Tess]

I don't like making them either but they make about 50% of my sales so I have to.. Key to my biz is variety.

[mystical_angel1219]

I can't stand votives!!

I only sell the 3 oz soy straight filled votive. The Libbey ones. I do sell a ton of these both wholesale and for wedding/shower favors. I also sell a box of four to go with hurricanes. But I DO NOT promote them to my regular customers. Unless they buy 75 or more at a time.

The only PITA is to get the glasses really cheap I have to buy in large quantities. But I don't pay shipping on them so its all good.

[shell1226]

I hate making votives, but I sell them in spurts. I usually sell a dozen at a shot...mix and match. I also put the in my baskets and give them out as samples or as prizes at parties.

[foxhill]

I used to make them and keep them in stock but they are a PITA and I only make them now when requested.

[Bev]

I offer them but only make them upon request. I am doing my first craft show in the fall and don't know whether to make them for the show or not. They really are a PITA to make! What do the rest of you do ... offer them for sale at shows or just put them in your flyers you pass out?

[Glowlite]

I hate em too!!!!! I do sell a whole freaking lot of them though. I used to only sell 6 to a pack for 5$.

But now that I have booth at an indoor market I sell singles.

[deputy6512]

I considered making them when I first started, but decided they would be a PITA for such a little candle! I don't make them and don't plan on making them either. :smiley2:

[gottabt]

I am jumping on this bandwagon - what a pain in the arse. I just got an inquiry about making some for a wedding and I said okay. It is a new customer and she is really in love with kudzu. I guess she wanted something like a yankme discontinued grape scent and this fits the bill. I did limit is to multiples of 4 - she is up to 5 sets so it will be worth the work.

The only time I have done them in the past was for the fall and holiday shows last year - they did well and I thought that they would be a good way to get more new customers.

[Guest ShellyRobyn]

I hate the little suckers! But I have one wholesale account that I do them for. Luckily she orders a ton at a time so I can get them done and overwith for while. I always make extras for my baskets and for samples. So little money for so much work!

[ebcandles]

I also fill them in the glass - they are not a big seller for me.

[Trish]

I don't sell many and I don't promote them. Mostly because I'm worried about people burning them wrong. I gave one to a friend and even told her exactly what type of holder it needed to be in. I stopped by her house one day and she says "Come look at your candle!" She had it sitting on a plate like a pillar and it fell apart... Eeks!

[islandgirl]

I don't carry them either!! Trying to stay away from the votive line.. Made them in the beginning and they are a PITA.

I can hardly keep up now with just container candles.:rolleyes2

[Tara]

I offer them but I don't sell very many which is fine with me

[LynnS]

Made a couple when I first started and thought not worth it.Now doing the flower pot votives and see if they sell.I think they are better and sure are easier.Just starting the tarts too.Those are fun and simple.

My first votives seemed to burn to fast.One reason I thought a pain and no more.Other things are much easier.

LynnS

[Fire and Ice]

I* don't make them either and don't plan to start! I'm doinf the clamshells and those sell very well for me. I enjoy making them too. If candle making isn't fun for you why do it?

[Sag_77]

Why does everyone hate votives so much? I have no problems making them, even more now that I have enough molds. I sell tons of them and people burn them like crazy up here in Canada.

Just my 2 cents!

[Casey]

that so many hate votives is really surprising me! I think having small/lower priced items can make a sale, where there might have been no sale. They're pretty easy to make, and cuz there's no container, cost is low so long as you keep the pkging simple. They're handy to have around. You can offer them as freebies for incentive, like spend $15, pick a free votive. Cheap samples for boutique buyers and such. They make a lot more sense to me than tarts. I hate tarts.

[Sara]

I've been wanting to phase those little bastages out for a while, but still get enough orders for them that it would be silly. And I sell mine for $2 single any lower and I'd rather chomp off my own hand than sell them. LOL. I do sell sample packs where I choose the scents and sell those for a discount. But I can't tell ya how many times I have a person order ONE stinkin' votive. Or ten in all different scents. The way to avoid the annoyance of them is to always keep them in stock. Having to fire up the pots for ONE votive will make you crazy.

[lorim]

I couldn't agree more that they are a PITA. A couple of advantages is that it gives customers a low cost for trying your candles. Can't tell you how many times I've heard customers say they will only buy a certain brand. I'll give them a votive to try and they've become loyal customers and will only buy my "brand" lol. Sales is also another good reason. Depending on the fo my cost is between 20 to 30 cents. I sell them for $1 each. I'm a small candlemaker and only sell retail no wholesale and last year I sold over 15,000 votives. I also sell tarts which are also a PITA. My sales volume is about the same as my votives sales. Votives and tarts makeup a large portion of my business so for me the work is worth it.