Which sells better for you?

[classiccandle]

I was wondering what type of M & P soap sells better for you:

1) An exfoliating soap?

2) Plain soap (no exfoliants).

Thanks!

[Noodle]

Plain soap for me.

[Candybee]

Hands down oatmeal, milk, and honey.

[Kitn]

Plain here.

[Candybee]

You know what really sells the best is to have a variety of soap choices for your customer. For example I have basic soap in a variety of scents and unscented. I also carry a couple of exfoliation soaps like oatmeal, cornmeal, etc. Then I have milk soaps, goat milk, coconut milk, triple milk, etc. Then I have herbal soaps. Those have infusions of chamomile, lemongrass, peppermint, herbal teas, etc. Or, make specialty soaps like a facial soap, or shampoo bar, or baby soap, or shaving soap, etc.

I offer a 4 for special with my soaps. That way, customers can sample a variety of my soaps by buying 4 at a discount. Or, they can stock up on the one they like.

If you just want to specialize with having one soap I would first test market a variety and see what sells the best for you in your area or customer base then go with that type and work on perfecting it so you have the very best quality.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Candybee

[Noodle]

I think it may have to do with your market and the region where you live. For me, too many "styles" of soap reduced my sales noticeably. I carry the same milk soap with 30 scents, + 10 seasonal. If a scent is slow, I drop it and add another, but I try to keep my number of soaps in my regular line at 30. I also sell 20 different scented loofah soaps, a loaded butter soap, and a creamy yogurt soap. While I do carry an awful lot, I still feel that less is more. My show reports clearly indicate that too much reduced my sales. Many people were overwhelmed. It may be the markets. It may be my products. It may be the ladies selling them for me. I don't know. At shows, all of the scents are never displayed at once. If someone is dying for something that is not there, their name is taken and I make sure that we have a whole display of it the next week, or we pull it out from under the table if we have it... I think you have to pick around and see what works. If you are just starting out, I would not try an exfoliating soap. I think the plain one, scented nicely will do better for you.

[soapbuddy]

Plain soap for me.

Ditto.

[ksranch]

Plain for me too - I always have OMH and it sells well - but the plain ones sell more.