What Size Candle to give Retailer

[blt212]

I've been asked by a couple of my wholesale accts if I can provide a small candle or candles with their order so they can burn them to promote sales in their stores. I'm agreeable to doing this but I'm not sure what size to provide. I currently make 16oz masons and was thinking either a 4 or 8 oz jelly would suffice and not cost too much....

If anyone currently provides something like this, what do make?

Thanks

Brenda

[Twoscentsworth]

I would NOT give them a candle. If they have electric warmers give them tarts or sell them at cost an electric warmer for them to use.

No one should be burning a candle in a retail shop...too hazardous AND easy for them to forget, a child to get into etc. and who will they blame if something does happen???? Oh yeah their shop burns down they will be right on you.

[blt212]

I don't think not providing will stop them....I went in today and she had pulled one of the ones she bought off the shelf and was burning....I don't see how I can control that but you make a good point

[LuminousBoutique]

one of my accts does tealights.. I have boutique that sells 7oz tumblers I make for them, which they then private label. She buys tealights off me by the case and she will burn 2-3 a day in votive cups (carefully) placed around the store and counter. Since she started doing that, sales are up! She says people walk in all the time and go "wow whats that smell?" Why.. its our soy candles! boom, sale!

But I think you are right that a 4oz or 8oz would do quite well and last them longer. In regards to not burning candles in the store.. im sorry but I think thats kinda silly. Sure they should be burned safely and yes they should be watched but in every store I've ever been into that sells candles they have one burning, its just common sense. And if an accident does happen, it happened on their property and they should have insurance.. and so should we, just in case. But I would say 99.9% of the time if an accident happened in the store such as a child getting burned its entirely THEIR responsibilty, not yours.

[blt212]

That's exactly what she said, once she started burning, sales went way up because customers could see and smell how they burned. I think I'm going to go with the 4oz'ers.....they would be inexpensive to make and I could provide a couple of scents per order. Also from what I've read they seem easy to wick....

[RichardLOZ]

We do primarily 10 oz apothecary jars for the stores that we supply, along with melts. All of them just basically take stock they have purchased and burn that in their shops.

Every now and then I will give them a new scent in an apothecary jar, or a selection of melts to burn and will not chaege them for that.

Everyone loves to get something for nothing, including our retailers, so from time to time its nice to give them something for free. Makes them feel all warm and fuzzy, and can potentially increase the size of your order with them also, not to mention allowing customers to see exactly how your candles burn and what the throw is like.

HTH

[Twoscentsworth]

I don't think not providing will stop them....I went in today and she had pulled one of the ones she bought off the shelf and was burning....I don't see how I can control that but you make a good point

*No it wont BUT it won't be YOU who made them specifically for that purpose.

"Sure they should be burned safely and yes they should be watched but in every store I've ever been into that sells candles they have one burning, its just common sense. "

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* Actually it is not common sense it is most likely against fire regulations and totally irresponsible as is for you to condone it.

You are asking for trouble if you make them for them to burn, IF they decide to burn one of yours on their own that is another story.

It is irresponsible to suggest someone burn a candle in a retail shop, don't you have fire laws? codes? No way is it legal in the US to burn a candle in a retail setting.

Edited to add: We are so concerned with safety and how our customers burn our candles and yet here you are saying it's okay for a retail shop to burn them. I surely hope you have insurance.

Edited January 15, 2010 by Twoscentsworth

[Desertrose]

I find that really bizarre.....that a candle retailer would not be allowed to burn candles in their shop?

Where has common sense gone?

Edited January 15, 2010 by Desertrose

[deb426]

My stores all burn my candles. I am happy that they do because it increases sales. I do like Richard and Tracy. The owners generally take stock off the shelves but I often will take in an extra when restocking, especially a new scent or maybe just a special seasonal scent.

[LuminousBoutique]

wow.. wrong side of the bed this morning or what?

[NaturallyTru]

In my old business I never supplied candles to my wholesale accounts for them to burn in the store. I provided votives of a few scents to test if they liked my candles for acquiring the account. I always gave melts of new fragrances to accounts when I added them.

My new business I am thinking of popping in a sample of some sorts with every order. Of course, gotta get wholesale accounts again...LOL!

Trudi

Also I don't think anyone was suggesting to their accounts to burn a candle. The accounts requested a candle to burn. All you can do is warn them and run over safety issues with them; but they will ultimately do what they wish...and then the only alternative is to not sell to them and after that...find another line of work.

[beechcreekcandles]

Ever been into a "Yankme" store? They have a candle burning in there all the time. If they can do it....so will others.

[sockmonkey]

Why not encourage more sales by offering a FREE 16 oz candle with X amount purchased. Of course you need to make the increase large enough so that it would at least cover the cost of the candle.

If you currently sell in minimums of 12 with no problem, you could bump it up to 16 under a special bonus program by offering a free candle, otherwise they can continue to order 12 and not get a free candle. It's not much, but retailers are always looking for free bonuses.

[HeavenScentU]

I don't give out free candles anymore. I never really did unless they were a long time customer and bought alot of stuff from me. Your candles will sell if they look and smell great. If the store really wants to burn a candle before they buy than offer them at wholesale. Good luck!

[blt212]

Thank you for all of the feedback.....I like sockmonkey's idea about offering a free candle based on the order amount....easier for me than starting with additional jar sizes

[candlelady]

I ALWAYS give my retailers FREE candles to burn in their store. I also do lotions as well and always give them a TESTER to have out with the regular items for sale. Why not? It DOES increase sales of the lotions and candles and allows people to see just how well they burn and how the scent fills the entire store and how nice the lotion smells and feels.

I don't give them any other size than what they are selling.

It's a win-win and a no-brainer to boot....IMO

[Candybee]

My advice is to not go to all the trouble of making another size candle as it won't burn the same and may not have the same scent throw as a larger candle. If they are going to burn one of your candles to attract more sales let them use the same one that they are selling.

You can work something out with them for the candle. I would be cautious about giving away your product to a new account . I would only do it for a well established customer with proven sales. I also like the idea of a free candle with a specified minimum order. On the other hand if your sales go way up for the burning of a single candle its well worth it to me to give one away.