classiccandle Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Is there a polite way to ask another local chandler from which supplier they purchase a particular fragrance? A customer of mine wants me to make a candle for her using the same fragrance as one she bought from another chandler. They list the candle as Tranquility and it has a clean, almost perfumey kind of smell to it, almost like a woman's perfume but not quite. I'm sure there's some floral in it but I'm terrible at trying to determine notes. Is it professional and would you be offended if another chandler asked you who your f/o supplier is?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whisper Girl Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Just google Tranquility Fragrance Oil. The suppliers that carry it will pop up. You may want to order 1 oz samples from them to be sure it is what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deb426 Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I don't know if offended would be the right word. Astounded by the size of your balls, maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I don't know if offended would be the right word. Astounded by the size of your balls, maybe. :laugh2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whisper Girl Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 here are some Tranquility scents but they are not all the same. And there is a chance that the scent you are looking for has been renamed by the Chandler.http://www.fragranceoilfinder.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=1_34_376_1181 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classiccandle Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Deb - I know what you mean. I don't think I 'd be offended or astounded if another chandler wanted to know about one fragrance but if they wanted to know about every supplier I use I could see where that might be considered unprofessional.Pam - You're probably right. It may have been renamed, I don't know. I checked fragranceoilfinder earlier and did see the three suppliers but again I'm not sure if it's been renamed and would like to avoid having to order just one ounce of fo from three different suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I have a Tranquility that's my own blend. I don't get offended if another chandler asks where I get a certain FO, I may or may not tell them, but definately not what's in my own blends! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy, USMC Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 (edited) From another LOCAL chandler? Nope. Sorry, not going to hand off a fragrance (and the source) that I've tested and perfected to my competition. The only possible reason I could see is if the other chandler made it in paraffin and you got a request for it in soy. Then I may sell you some of my oil ... but divulge my source ... no. I deal with 3 main suppliers. If I gave you the source of 1 of my oils it would open the door for you to find out where I get 30% of my fragrances. I'm not willing to open that door to you because of the time and testing I've already gone through.When I get that type of request I just tell my customer that she should go back and get more from the original seller if she really likes it. That working with a new FO takes testing time and money for materials and there would still be no guarantee that the throw can be duplicated with my wax. If you really want to do it the only way I would recommend is Google it. Order samples and test on your own. Edited December 6, 2011 by Judy, USMC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EccoLights Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I always find it a bit funny when we get asked questions about supplies/suppliers. Some people just have no tact what so ever and will utterly ask you for your entire business plan before they even tell you their names.... We had a women at our market come in as a vendor a while ago and her and her sister did soaps and candles. She would come over to our booth many times smelling, touching, looking and looking (she might of even tasted it but that could had been my bad eyes). But then started to ask how we got our candles to smell so good??? And your a candle maker??? WTH!! Asked what wicks we used and the type of wax, where we got our FO's and jars and even asked where we had our labels done... Those that may know me and Troy, were super nice to just about everyone and have the paitence of saints... so at first we were very open about different things but after about the 12th question... Oh we were so done! Her last question was about where we got our wax and we simply told her to google it... =) Anywho, Ill agree with Judy as well, when people ask if we can make a scent for them we tell them about the same thing and if they want to cover the cost of testing... sure we will carry that scent for them... If not, just wait a while... we might get around to it.. in the mean time.. here, pick one of our OTHER scents =) As for your dup, it's probably a renamed blend and good luck figuring that one out =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaturallyTru Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I answer "Magic" with a big grin on my face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksranch Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 I answer "Magic" with a big grin on my face.:highfive: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol k Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 From you description is sounds pretty close to millcreeks tranquil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 (edited) If I get a single request for a particular oil I'm going to ignore it. I'm not gonna throw money down the drain to test out a bunch of samples, my wax, my wicks, my jars, etc. for a SINGLE request from one customer. To me thats just nuts.Now if I get multiple requests for a particular fragrance then that tells me to check it out and test a few. That still won't guarantee that it will sell.As far as asking you to ask another LOCAL chandler about where they get a fragrance I would just tell the customer that that is like walking into a restaurant and asking the head chef for his recipe. Turn it around-- if they want to do it fine-- but you won't. Its rude! Its also business and recipes whether for candles, soap, food, etc are proprietary. Edited December 6, 2011 by Candybee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitn Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 :laugh2: that made me LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classiccandle Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Well, it would seem as if I've broached a sensitive subject. I thought I would ask though because I felt uneasy wanting to ask the local chandler but couldn't quite decide if it would be considered rude, unprofessional, brash, etc. I'll just order some of the samples to see if it's what I'm looking for and if not I'll just tell my customer I couldn't replicate it. Candybee, as for the request, I don't mind obliging it. It isn't something that we as chandlers don't do already. How much do we spend on wax, jars, wicks, time, etc., testing a new fragrance to add to our product line without even ONE request for it? At least with the request I know I have at least one customer who will buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EccoLights Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 At least with the request I know I have at least one customer who will buy it.Until you go through all that time, trouble, testing, etc and that customer says it's close but not EXACTLY it and walks away... Don't ask how we know about this..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysWondering Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I would never be offended. I have been asked and have shared freely and I have asked and others shared with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deb426 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 (edited) Until you go through all that time, trouble, testing, etc and that customer says it's close but not EXACTLY it and walks away... Don't ask how we know about this.....Or that ONE person does buy it and you are left with the rest of the pound of oil you purchased to test and make product and then you find out the NO ONE else wants it (can anyone say Lovespell?) Edited December 7, 2011 by deb426 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angellie5 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Before I made my own candles, I was a very good customer of a chandler who still has an online business. She is not local to me, but after I figured out how to make my own, I remembered a scent I loved that she carried and I could not find it anywhere. She did not rename it and the scent description on her website matched word for word on other chandler sites who also sold it. She eventually discontinued it and I found out after much research it wasn't being sold/made anymore, at least by reliable suppliers. I never could make myself ask her where she got her oil for that scent though b/c I didn't want to hurt her feelings, discourage her, make her angry, etc. since I was now making my own candles and wouldn't be buying hers. I even tested wicks until I found the ones she uses b/c I loved the way they burned. I still don't sell mine, but I always could someday and I have a few local friends that bought from her too and then would possibly buy from me. I think losing sales like that would be depressing and I would prefer to save her from that. I think you were right in deciding to just order samples instead of asking the other chandler. Also, with it being busy season, he/she may not be in a good mood to share anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 It wouldn't bother me either but that doesn't mean I'd be inclined to tell you the truth all the time either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 My standard answer to pretty much everything is, "I blend my own.""Where do you buy your oils?" "I blend my own.""What kind of wax do you use?" "I blend my own."If someone gets persistent, I tell them my test results are on my computer and I don't carry all that information around in my head.OR..........depending on the mood I'm in, I might just say, "that's my secret." Smile, smile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I can see sharing our secrets with each other on a forum but not with the competition down the street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksranch Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 I can see sharing our secrets with each other on a forum but not with the competition down the street.Me too - to a point anyway. It's not like someone in another state is going to take away any business like someone down the road might.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 This is an interesting topic, how people get competitive when they are face to face but not really on here. I had someone ask me once if they could buy some FO from me because they wanted something similar, to make a product for a customer of theirs and it didn't seem too offensive. I sold it to them for $3/oz which is a lot but I said my blend my price. I have sold that fragrance to that person a few times now and it's worked out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.