C-3 Wax Prices

[HeavenScentU]

We all need to seriously do a Wax Alert on who is selling the cheapest this week. These companies are going to run themselves out of business operating like the Stock Market. How can the Dollar stores still sell candles for a buck??????

[kandlekrazy]

Yeah, I think we need to pool together with others in our area and buy big quantities to get the price down some. Otherwise, this will be only a hobby again!! LOL

[Vio]

I noticed Natural Artisan only ships fed-ex. Is it cheaper to ship through usps I wonder. Damn I wish I could somehow do a co-op with this for everyone. I have no idea how I could handle that much wax though. The one 50 pound box I had to lift killed me. I have a really bad back with a cyst on my spine and husband is limited to 30 pounds since his spinal surgery. If I can figure out how to get someone to help me who's able to lift and has a pick up truck, and it would be cheaper to do and save people money, I'll do it. I'm about 13 miles from Natural Artisan. I have a Volvo sedan and husband has a sports car with less room than mine. I have to find someone strong that is willing to lift from car house at least for me to call for usps pick up or something. I'd guess the regular mail person can't even handle that much and I'd be told to bring it to the post office. Damn. There's got to be a way. I'm going to ask my husband if he has any ideas.

If enough people call Laura at Natural Artisan and ask her if she can ship usps if it would be cheaper, maybe she'll do it? Can't hurt to try. USPS has to be cheaper than fed-ex? http://www.thenaturalartisan.com/AboutUs.asp

[Maggie]

Candlewic STILL has it on their website at $49.50/50 lb. case. I just checked.

Maggie

[blt212]

The Jar Store increased their C3 price from 55.50 to 74.50 for a 50# box. I did check Candlewic and their price is still $49.50 but the shipping is over $20 a box....

It's going to be tough to continue candlemaking with these prices....anyone know if this is temporary bump up or more permanent.

Thanks...

[PamR]

I've never seen wax of any kind go down in price, lol. Seems once it is up, it stays up. I for one won't be buying anymore soy! When my stock is gone, so are my soy containers.

PamR

[Vio]

BrambleBerry has c-3 50 lb for 55.00http://www.brambleberry.com/candle_supplies.html

Northstar3c has it for 60.50 http://www.northstar3c.com/ccp/ccp0-prodshow/cargill_c-3_50.html

52.95 at http://americassoycandlesupplies.com/inc/sdetail/200

Fillmore 60 dollars 50 pounds http://www.fillmorecontainer.com/product.asp?deptID=5&sku=NW%2DC3+50+lbs&sID=01314RWVJC6A9JCX4UBW0WDAAD1C83C9

[cowgirl]

IMHO I don't see wax prices going down even if the bio-diesel program flops or the bottom drops out on bean prices on the CBT. Even if some farmers are planting more corn not all farmers do this, from what I see most plant a 50/50 rotation between corn & beans. I haven't seen $12 beans since the 70's, did the market stay there? NO. But then again that was a different time and era, times have changed, who is to say what will happen in the future. The market is too unpredictible to plant just one crop, if we could predict the futures market for a crop we would all be rich. Can't put all your apples in one cart kinda thing

Not sure if it was a post or in one of those articles ppl keep posting on beans saying farmers are going under etc, that is very true for the small american farmer but what most don't realize is the larger farms are getting larger and larger by buying out the smaller farmer who can't make ends meet and I mean by thousands of acres. There is no small farmer now days and if you are a small farmer its a hobby farm and not your full source of income or the farm was handed down from a previous generation.

I am actually glad we are starting to find other resources for fuel even if it does drive up our cost of wax. I don't know for sure but as a guess I will say that the wax prices have been pretty steady in the past but I have only been making candles for a couple of years so I guess I really shouldn't comment on that

Basically I don't think there is a thing anyone can do about it and if ppl want good candles they will pay for it, is the consumer buying $1 candles that don't scent a room just for the effect or do they want a quality candle ? I have no clue because I never did buy the $1 and $2 candles cuz I figure you get what you pay for. Maybe in this economy ppl will start to realize that. When customers tell me they can buy cheaper candles I tell them go ahead but all your buying is a flame, if you want a candle for its fragrance then try one of mine, very rarely do they walk away w/o buying a candle from me and come back for more with good raves about my candles and tarts

But hey that's just my opinion. Not intended to make anyone upset just my opinion. Sorry to ramble on or be on a soap box

[R.S.]

cowgirl,

What a terrific, well thought out, informative post that was. thank you very much.

(and just to be sure no one misinterprets this... no sarcasm here, I really mean it)

[kandlekrazy]

Just an FYI for everyone using soy. I emailed Cargill to see how they forsee prices and here is the response I received:

Yes, price of soybeans and therefore soybean oil and wax will most likely continue to increase in the next 10 to 12 months. Increased demand for export to meet China, India Europe needs and also increased usage by the biodiesel industry will keep prices at historical high levels for some time.

[Vio]

Everyone who makes handmade candles now, has to raise their prices so people can get enough to cover costs. Then it won't matter how much the wax costs. If everyone is charging what should be charged, things will be fine.

[Fire and Ice]

"I am actually glad we are starting to find other resources for fuel even if it does drive up our cost of wax. I don't know for sure but as a guess I will say that the wax prices have been pretty steady in the past but I have only been making candles for a couple of years so I guess I really shouldn't comment on that" Cowgirl

I have been making Soy wax candles for nearly eight years and my supplier has tried DOZENS of soy waxes. They had to constantly change waxes due to large wax maker swollowing up smaller maker.

Some will even remember when 6006 use to BE a pure soy wax that was sold by BP OIL before they turned and sold it off and the buyer reformulated it.

As far as the Biofuel hoopla, the engine that can run biofuels instead of gas has yet to be developed for cars although I heard Virgin Airlines just did a testflight of one of their planes with this fuel.

Reguardless, it will be YEARS before we can make the switch at the gas stations.

JMO~

Fire

[Fire and Ice]

Everyone who makes handmade candles now, has to raise their prices so people can get enough to cover costs. Then it won't matter how much the wax costs. If everyone is charging what should be charged, things will be fine.

Well if that were the case than a $2.00 increase should have been fine for me but who knows what the wax prices will be next month. It could be $85.00 per case. If that the case, the increase just got swollowed up and another increase would have to implimented.

I know all of the smaller candle maker have pulled out of making them as well as the hobbiest have done the same. My compitition have plummeted greatly with the soaring wax prices!

There will be increases in the jars, as well as the F/O.

And shipping is out of this world!

There is a ceiling locally as to what customers will pay for a candle, even the best they're ever had.

Craft show atttendance has dropped sharply as well. Lots of lookie loos but few buyers. :undecided

Fire

[Vio]

Yeah the economy as it is right now too, candles being a luxury, well it's not looking good but who knows what the future may bring. Maybe we'll see another type of wax that will be cost efficient soon? Yeah the biodiesal thing is a bunch of crap. This is good old fashioned inflation because they can based on gas price and speculation more than anything which effects gas prices. Damn stock market crap. I do believe farmers wanting to go corn for the ethanol thing, and planting less soy though.

[blt212]

I agree that it's good that other forms of energy are being researched but as Fire said, it will be sometime before there's in engine out that can handle ethanol and the cost of it will be much more than today's gas per gallon. In the meantime, I went ahead and ordered C3 from Candlewic, even with the shipping it was less than driving to pick it up locally at the jar store. I might as well save the gas in my car. As for marking up the candles, consumers will decide when they are too expensive and will opt for other less expensive scent options....

[Juggy]

Paraffin seems to have increased in price also. My supplier is charging $81.00 for 60# of J223, $56.00 for 50# of 415. I have been making my own blend from these 2 waxes so the soy is cheaper for now. Have all of these price increases caused any of you to change the wax you use?

[PamR]

I am actually glad we are starting to find other resources for fuel even if it does drive up our cost of wax. I don't know for sure but as a guess I will say that the wax prices have been pretty steady in the past but I have only been making candles for a couple of years so I guess I really shouldn't comment on that

I agree, we need other fuels. And wax prices have been fairly steady in the past. I started when igi's 60#cases were $33.00, so you can see how much they have increased in the past 10 years. It really doesn't matter how high the price of waxes go, the customer is only going to pay so much for a decent candle. Soy is just going to be out of my profit margin for a while.

PamR

[cowgirl]

Everything is going up, doesn't matter if it's candle wax or a loaf of bread or fuel. The point is, do you think your the next Yankee Candle Company or is this a hobby for extra money. Regardless IMO I think it might be a half way decent 2nd income for those who go on the road and do shows week after week or have a store front but to honestly have this as a SOLE source of income and it make a comfortable living that your accustomed to, I doubt it, if so then very few. It's just like being a farmer -- smaller ones are gobbled up by the larger ones. You either figure out a way to be more effecient and go for the gusto or dabble in it as a hobby. In all honesty which are we/you?