Bummed Candles not selling at local Farmers Market

[psfponies]

I have been trying to sell my candles at my local Farmers/craft market for the last two weeks. I have only sold 3!! I dont think I have them priced too high. Asking $6.00 ea or 2/$11.00 for a 8 oz tin and $12.00 ea or 2/$22.00 for a 16 oz tin. No one else there is selling candles....

[NaturallyTru]

I had that problem with all my spring shows (haven't done any summer ones). I have no idea what is going on. They oooh and ahh over them. I have overheard many say the prices are great.

Hopefully the fall season will pick up.

Trudi

[adillenal]

Now my main line is soap and lotion but I tried during the past year to add candles and the soap and lotion keep selling but I barely moved any candles. Who knows why? In fact about the only thing I could sell was a single votive in a votive holder. Can we say cheap? Guess people in my area aren't into buying candles at a market.

[WillowBoo]

It's goofy all over the place. And to boot...people have been so rude and miserable! If you are in retail full-time, major drop in business around here!

[Candybee]

Your candle sales should pick up in a month or so. Its hard to move candles during the summer. I sell at farmers markets every Saturday and have managed to sell mine only because, 1. repeat customers, and 2. large discounts.

I use the Summer to move last seasons candles so I have room for the Fall. So I just sell them at discount. In the summer when sales are slow it works for me.

So don't get discouraged. I think of it this way, once I can get a customer to buy one candle, they will become a repeat customer. My repeat customers are my best customers. Building a customer base just takes some time.

[Karen M]

I agree this time of year its slow, I lowered prices on invemtory on hand and its selling like hotcakes.

But if I have to make something up, its regular price.

This way I can move ols stock and make new for fall.

[Toni S.]

I agree with everyone else, spring & summer months are baaaaaaad for candle business. Even my B&B products sales slow down plus the ecomony doesn't help either. I've been doing this for roughly 15 years and I gave up long time ago on indoor and outdoor fairs this time of the year. My personal opinion is people aren't interested in buying candles at a "farmers market"............

[annie123]

It's dead, dead, dead but by the time the kids go back to school it will pick up and get crazy busy.

[jaxxcandles]

I use the Summer to move last seasons candles so I have room for the Fall. So I just sell them at discount. In the summer when sales are slow it works for me.

Love the idea Candybee of lowering the price in the summertime to clear out inventory. Do you find that all types of candles sell well when reduced at a Farmer's Market? I was thinking candles that look like jelly jars and such would be big hits. What does everyone find that works at the markets in the summer?

Jackie

http://jaxxcandles.com

[Candybee]

It looks best if you sell candles in a similar style jar rather than having all types of jars for sale.

For example, in this area jj's and mason jars are pretty popular. They sell well at the Farmers Market because they tend to look like fresh country preserves. But people don't want to spend a lot on candles in the summer so select a simple jar and keep your costs down.

[mparadise]

I sold a big 2 candles at the farmer's market that I did a few weeks ago and don't expect to do much more this week. That said the only things that are really selling for me right now are bars of soap and my kids line (since kids get really dirty playing outside this time of year!)

Markets have never been big for me but I use it as an inexpensive way to market my business & network. I have met many other vendors at the market that have put me in touch with other wonderful shows. I also do a big fall show about a mile away from the market and make sure to let everyone at the market know about it as they come thru my booth. They might only buy a single bar of soap at the market but they remember me and often either stock up when they see me at the fall show because the market is over and they don't have easy access to me (unless they order online & pay shipping) or do some of their holiday shopping with me there. It has worked REALLY well for me.

Also, at a particularly SLOWWWW farmer's market that I didn't even cover the $15 table fee for the day, I sold a big $5 in product to a woman. In talking after her purchase, she mentioned that she was the organizer for a local relay for life team and was looking for a new fundraiser for the team. After some emails back and forth she asked if she could purchase some of my products at wholesale and resell them at retail to raise funds. She is now my biggest wholesale customer because they are a very active fundraising team. The $$ I lost on that table fee was WELL worth it in my book as their team has purchased many thousands of $$ in product at this point AND has recommended me to 2 other teams from surrounding areas that are now on board as well. I was very discouraged most of that day but I can't tell you how glad I am that I stuck it out for the entire day (most vendors gave up and packed up). Network, network, network!

Edited August 12, 2010 by mparadise

[EricofAZ]

Hi, I'm new.

I hope to sell at the local Farmers Market. For now I have some work to do and some formulas to finalize. Getting close.

I'm still in the learning stage. Have a few soy / paraffin containers that seem to be burning well in a 8 oz mason jar, wide lid, with a flat braided wick. Still working out the scents. Girlfriend likes the Yankee brands because of the CT so that is my mission now, to come up with a greater CT in some of the aromatherapy types.

I enjoyed lurking here, there are some fantastic threads and the art gallery of what your candles look like is absolutely fabulous.