Price increases... what are you going to do?

[SherriLynn]

With the current and projected price increases coming from suppliers... how do you plan to help contain your costs,, tips... suggestions... etc.

Over the past year I've learned to better plan for large orders.

I order about 15 cases of wax at a time... Last year one of my friends that works for a trucking company suggested I check with a local carrier that might may be scheduling a pickup or drop off around the area of my suppliers, instead of letting the supplier handle it.

Sure enough.. I shipped a small pallet, 15 cases of wax, for $75.00 The local carrier is only 24 miles from my home and I drove over and picked up the wax at their dock... so it saved me a ton of shipping. I also did the same thing with SFIC for my soap bases and my candle jars.

[bugtussle]

I have ordered a "short" pallet many times and have it delivered to my DH at work. They have a forklift at his work and can put it on our pickup. Trucking Frt is so much cheaper than UPS/FedEx. We have to get every break we can to stay in business. Carole

[deb426]

Just reading about all the price increases on this board scared me so I sat down and ordered enough to get me through the year. I missed last year's price on my wax since it had already gone up in price but I ordered my FO's in time. I found myself really considering each and every item I ordered instead of mindlessly clicking away. I plan to reduce my number of scents and discontinue stuff that doesn't sell that well to maximize profit. Scary times ahead, I fear.

[AlwaysWondering]

I agree as a consumer and small business owner that scary times are ahead. If gasoline prices stay high for 3 months or more, here we go again. This last recession is blamed on the housing market but I always remind them that it started with the gas prices that took away discretion income so no McDonalds for dinner wiht meant less potatoes bought, less bread bakes, less Coke sold and less delivery drivers which caused mfg to go down then job losses and THEN the mortgages could no longer be afforded. Maybe they shouldn't have had them in first place but they still paid them until the job losses started with the snowball effect of gas prices.

The only thing that has saved us is our at home gold buying party business. As they say, even in bag markets, someone is making money. Finally we are on the bubble side and riding it knowing it full well will burst.

Just reading about all the price increases on this board scared me so I sat down and ordered enough to get me through the year. I missed last year's price on my wax since it had already gone up in price but I ordered my FO's in time. I found myself really considering each and every item I ordered instead of mindlessly clicking away. I plan to reduce my number of scents and discontinue stuff that doesn't sell that well to maximize profit. Scary times ahead, I fear.