All UK CANDLE MAKERS Is this a possible business opp?...........help please

[manda]

Hi I hope this is the correct place to post this thread....................if not I apologise:undecided

OK here goes..............Over the past few months I have been thinking about the possibility of starting a small home run business selling candle moulds in the UK. As a candle maker myself I cant help but notice the shortage of suppliers in the UK, that aside. One thing I do find frustrating is that there is nowhere near the selection of Metal candle moulds that there is in the States. I myself make pillar candles, but I get bored with the same moulds all the time.

This made me start looking at the selection and prices of metal moulds else where i.e America.

Now im thinking is there a market there or not? Could I buy from America and sell in the UK? Basically what im asking is ' do the people from the UK think that this would be a good thing to do?

If anyone can offer me advise on this it would be very much appreciated:smiley2: I do appreciate that there is shipping/handling charges and customs taxes, I still need to look into that further.

Any help or advice from anyone would be fantastic. I just cant seem to get away from this idea and it driving me nuts. Am I wasting my time?:undecided

[Candles by Lisa]

Hi,

There is definately a market out there for this sort of thing. I would be interested. I don't know the customs and things like that but keep me posted with what you decide to do.

Best wishes.

Lisa:smiley2:

[britishgirl]

i also think theres a market if you can get your prices good enough, having looked around we have limited suppliers of moulds over here at a reasonable price:)

There are a few suppliers over here ie full moons (priced over odds) thorne and few more

Cant advise on customs etc possibly nattycat would be the best lady to speak to about that side of things:)

What ever you decide on keep me posted and good luck

[NattyCat]

as a candle maker running a business in the UK - if I want moulds, I'll buy them from the USA myself as they are light, cheap and easy to buy with no customs fees. There are several people already bringing in metal moulds, like sensory P, 4candles, stillturning etc. Then there is fullmoons, candelights and others who cover the market for polycarbonate moulds.

With moulds, once you have one, you have one. It doesn't run out, it doesn't wear out, and doesn't need replacing unless you damage it. Candle makers in the UK can afford to get them from the USA themselves, as they are light and cheap and because they are not a high value item, you will rarely get charged customs on them when bringing them in for yourself. However, YOU would be charged customs as you will be bringing in larger quantities - and that customs fee will need to be loaded onto the price of the moulds.

I don't think selling metal moulds in the UK is going to make you a millionaire, or even provide you with a living but I could be wrong.

[Wick'n'Wax]

Theres definately a market for them in the UK, our choice at the mo is 'pants'!

[Candles by Lisa]

as a candle maker running a business in the UK - if I want moulds, I'll buy them from the USA myself as they are light, cheap and easy to buy with no customs fees. There are several people already bringing in metal moulds, like sensory P, 4candles, stillturning etc. Then there is fullmoons, candelights and others who cover the market for polycarbonate moulds.

With moulds, once you have one, you have one. It doesn't run out, it doesn't wear out, and doesn't need replacing unless you damage it. Candle makers in the UK can afford to get them from the USA themselves, as they are light and cheap and because they are not a high value item, you will rarely get charged customs on them when bringing them in for yourself. However, YOU would be charged customs as you will be bringing in larger quantities - and that customs fee will need to be loaded onto the price of the moulds.

I don't think selling metal moulds in the UK is going to make you a millionaire, or even provide you with a living but I could be wrong.

I agree up until a point. If however like myself you only have a small budget the cost of getting moulds etc shipped over from the US is too expensive. I would rather by from a UK supplier (who will be a bit more expensive than the US) but wouldn't have nearly the same amount of carriage costs.

Lisa

[Ramaroa]

Those of us who are quite adept at buying stuff over the net, think nothing of ordering stuff from around the world, simply by zapping the required funds via our Paypal and Credit cards. Living in a shopping desert I buy stuff from all over the place and often the shipping cost is minimal, however there are a lot of people who wouldn't and don't feel so comfortable doing that and perhaps would never even think of doing it or even know how easy it is to shop around the world.

I'm sure you would attract those kinds of people who are happier to shop at home, but want the wealth of choice offered from overseas. Perhaps it would be wise to widen the range beyond just selling the moulds and become somewhere where people will return for repeat business.

Good luck anyway!

[NattyCat]

I agree up until a point. If however like myself you only have a small budget the cost of getting moulds etc shipped over from the US is too expensive. I would rather by from a UK supplier (who will be a bit more expensive than the US) but wouldn't have nearly the same amount of carriage costs.

Lisa

what you save in postage costs is loaded on as profit for the person who imported it. If you can afford to buy 2 or 3 moulds, then the cheaper it gets to buy yourself from the USA. You don't even need to be buying 10 or 20 moulds, just perhaps 3 to 5?

Anyway, as I said - it's a good option for smaller candle makers, but why would they shop anywhere new when the people I mention previously stock them at a good price already?

[chauntelle]

Have you thought of maybe having a unit or something similar that people could visit. My current supplier only does plastic ones and is not going to be getting any more i'm really going to miss visiting her and being able to see exactly wot you are getting, its also good to chat to her too- Nothing like good customer Service!!!

[Wick'n'Wax]

I have no physical shops to visit to get candle supplies from around here. Theres hobbycraft, bah! rubbish. 1kg bag of paraffin if I get desperate for £4!!

There are a couple of moulds I'd really like, but tbh I haven't shopped round for them. Need my pennies at the mo, to keep up with the wax, and theres a couple of FO's that I need in big bottles, so I'm saving for them.

[manda]

Hi, Thanks for your feed back ladies and gents:) I appreciate it.

Im still looking into things at the moment. Ill keep you posted.

There might be a way that I can do this. My parents live in Canada and I might be able to work something out with my parents help. Unfortunately there is only one supplier that I can find around Vancouver that my mum would be able to get to. If anyone knows of any others in and around Vancouver can you let me know please. My folks stay in Williams Lake and they are in Vancouver frequently, so im kind of looking for places that they would be able to get to, without venturing to far out there way. If that makes sense :undecided

My heads still buzzing with this. I think i need to spend a day when im not at work on this

Thanks again All ill get back to you:)