...so what kind of year has it been?

[Wick'n'Wax]

and anything in hindsight you would have done differently?

Personally, myself, next year Christmas will be starting a lot sooner? and I'll book a few craft fairs rather than one (that was pants!)

I wish this year, I'd managed to push more and get my products into some retail outlets.

I officially opened my website beginning of August and sold quite a bit straight away, then it trailed off, its picked up last couple of weeks.

On the plus side, the christmas pillars I didn't sell, made very nice christmas gifts for my kids teachers yesterday

So...resolutions for next year.

I want to redesign my site (ha, of course thats if santa brings me a technical brain cell for christmas), I want to thin my products and fragrance range, get into some retail outlets and basically get a lot more exposure than I have.

Hows everyone elses year been, would you have done anything different/better?

and on that note, a very merry christmas and happy new year to you all xx

[TxSioux]

LOL -- I say that about Christmas EVERY year! I pulled my display out of a shop this year & sat around reading yalls posts till I got inspired. The last 2 months have been nothing but custom orders & testing. I switched from EZ Soy wax to GL 70/30 blend & am more excited about my candles than I've been in the last 6 yrs. I love this wax. So, I didn't do squat in sales, but I'm fired up for '08!

Susan.

[Dolphin146]

This year has been slow for me. I opened my store in sept.and people still don't know were there. I have done lots of advertising but they tell me it takes time to get a good coustmer base going. I have alot of plans for next year, So I think things will be better. I am hopeing to have my website up and running by the end of january. I am a very stubborn person and will not give up. Good luck all in 2008. May you all have GREAT sales Regina *super banana*

[HeavenScentU]

This year started sooo slowwww! That scared the crap out of me. I thought I was going to have to go and find a job. Then all of a sudden I got busy off and on throughout the year and by June I got a huge wholesale account and was so busy that kept me with a steady income the rest of the year. I am finishing up the year with money in my business savings and checking accounts. My business visa account has a balance but not too bad. I only had one store that closed and didn't pay me, so I just sent them a final invoice to either pay me or I will have to take legal action. I am not happy about this but I have no choice. Other than that my goals are being reached a little at a time. We are hoping by mid June 2008 we will be able to move into a larger shop and hire at least 2 employees.

[mindy5140]

I have experienced some new things this yr. with my business. So next yr. I'm just going to expand what I have done this yr. and change things up a bit.

This yr. I did great with Sales. I just need to come up with a system to get things done easier and quicker. Definitly got to cut down my list and retire alot of my old scents. And add some new ones in there. I need to get some new testers, because they are liking the same kind of scents but they aren't good sellers. I need variety.

I have been toying the idea around about adding B&B but I just don't know if I want to go that route yet. We'll see.

Mindy

[LisaW]

I'm finishing up my 4th year in business and it has been awesome! I'm over 30% over last years sales. I'll definately be more prepared for the fundraisers cause they kicked my butt (again) this year. Went from one to four! Will do less on the shows and narrow it down to the ones that I really do well at. Did way to many shows this year (something like 10). All in all, it was an amazingly successful year. Don't know why the media keeps saying the economy is in the toilet, it's great at our house.

[cybersix]

Considering my difficulties in finding supplies, the time I have to wait for shipments, the lack of time I have.. I was just checking my sales, this year I sold $1700. the past year I sold $200.

At this rate I won't never cover all the expenses I have.

[Bernadette]

I only sell on the internet. Gave up on craft shows back in 2001 Holiday Season, as it was just too much carrying all the glass and setup, although that was where I got some great wholesale accounts that I still have today. I sell thru my website and several auction sites. I found a niche that keeps sales up all year. I don't advertise...it's all word of mouth and keywords and meta tags. Sales were up this year, but not as much as in the past 2 years. They were up 150%, and 200% respectively. This year was only up about 65%. I was going at a 300% rate until the fall, then sales fell. I've seen the economic crunch affect the business. Funny part is, I'm getting quite a few orders for after Christmas delivery, which is usually a very slow time of year. Am adding paraffin candles in 2008.

[awickedscent]

I was still pouring christmas scents last night to restock the store since we were hit hard yesterday. Over last year we are doing about 800% more in sales. I cant wait for the holidays to be over so I can get caught up and replace my stock.

[candlelady]

My business has been steady/the same the past 3 years and that's OK, considering I work full time (still). Brings in enough money for home improvements that we need to get done (we live in a 100 yr. old frame home that was my DH's grandparents - we inherited 75 acres and the house and barns and they are all in need of maintaining/upgrading, been doing that bit for the last 10 years). I have some big wholesale accounts that keep me hopping throughout the year. Website orders are doing really well, but wholesale is a majority of my business it seems. I definitely learned my lesson last year though, I had my parttime girl pour like the dickens last Fall and had way too many left over and had to clearance them out since this past September in a friends antique store. About 90% of 700 candles sold between then and today! Wow!

This year, only poured to order and have a sufficient amount on the shelves, but none sitting in boxes waiting for a buyer....yippee!! Will continue that aspect of fall candle pouring every year!

Spent alot of money on the new B&B line, that's doing fairly well locally now. Have one of my retailers wanting to carry my line once they are done redoing their store.

Overall, can't complain. Maybe do some more advertising on the internet.

Just waiting for June 2010 when I turn 50 and quit my accounting job to do this full full-time and open my own shop! At least, that's the plan for now:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS AND GALS!

Carrie

[amillion3147]

This year has been slow for me. I opened my store in sept.and people still don't know were there. I have done lots of advertising but they tell me it takes time to get a good coustmer base going. I have alot of plans for next year, So I think things will be better. I am hopeing to have my website up and running by the end of january. I am a very stubborn person and will not give up. Good luck all in 2008. May you all have GREAT sales Regina *super banana*

It was slow for me too. Personally I am stepping up product offerings with more selections and branching out into essential oil blends. I want to end up doing only vegan products. I am also planning to promote my azz off in 08 if it kills me. I believe I have excellent products its just going to take some work for consumers to realize that but they don't know I exsist.

[kuepie]

Definately start Christmas a lot earlier. And I have got to get better organized. I sold so many candles this season, and it took me very much by surprise. I have said before that if my hobby becomes a job, and I have to do it I won't want to, but that has not been the case. I love that I have to make candles. It has taken a while, but this year end has been awesome.

[MichelleOH]

Well, I have to say this year has been the most profitable for me. I started back in 2001. This business takes time. I think I picked up 4-5 wholesale accounts. I'm shipping all over the world now! Very exciting for me. I was also interviewed by a Rachael Ray show producer last month for a segment they did on Holiday Shopping. I can't wait to see what next year brings!!

Good luck all!

[CraftyChris]

Well, this year sucked for me. Not so much in the way of business. This is a full time thing for me, I have a shop, and 4 employees. I got very sick the beginning of the year, dizzy, headaches, blacking out. Tests found a massive brain tumor, and I have had 6 operations this past summer. Last operation was August, and things finally look better. So I've been off most of the year, business is moving, but nothing new. I've been working on getting my strength back, 2 months in a hospital bed does nothing for muscle mass!! Finally almost there. And--- my hair is growing back!!! yay

So, I plan to have a much better year. I really cut back this past year on fundraisers, and it really didn't effec my bottom line that much. My focus is on wholesale. I have a huge trade show boked Jan 25-30th, so I'm reving up for that. It's out of town, so I really have to focus and plan properly. I'm redoing my catalogues at this very moment as well. My focus in past years has been all over, fundraisers, my store, internet, wholesale..... I need to focus all my attention in one place and give it my all, not a % in every direction. So, here's to a new year!!!!!

[anabanana's candles]

I started this year and I think I bit off more than I can chew. So in 08 I plan to limit my product line to around 10-15 scents and only 2 sizes and styles of jars. I went way overboard with good deals that I found in the way of containers. I am also going to keep better accounting records. I didn't think that I would sell as much as I did, so my accounting sucked. I am also going to re test all of my scents that I plan to carry and I think that I finally settled on CD wicks.

During craft show time this year I will offer non seasonal scents since the ALL Christmas line that I had this year didn't go over all that great. Good luck everyone.