NattyCat

Hmm...maybe it's just me? I paid for their label design service last Thursday, they contacted me 3 days afterwards - we've exchanged a few emails, although a few of my emails have been ignored or on the replies I do get, they don't actually answer any of the questions I asked.

A week later and I don't even have a first draft to look at?

I want these guys to print thousands of labels for me...but I can't even seem to get the proof back for the first label design on the first product.

Am I being unreasonable to hope that I would receive at least SOME ideas for the $75 I paid last week - even if it's just a sketch or a rough idea? Perhaps I'm just being antsy as I've got a really tight schedule to keep to.

yup - Ginger's good.

GingerPrim

GingerWax

GingerGifts

GingerCrafts

Altho I do like the Primcastle idea too.

The trouble with heaven scent is that a million other people have thought of it already. I just did a search for "heaven scent Candles" and hundreds of candle websites came up, all with a variation of the theme "heaven scent". I ran a domain check also - and pretty much every variation of heaven scent or thereabouts is gone already.

Even if you DO manage to find a domain name by adding the word "company" or whatever to the end, so you have "heavenly scent candle company" for example - if someone actually typed "heaven scent candles" into google or yahoo and not your exact full company name, you would appear on something like page 10 of the results because there are companies out there who already use this name and have been established a long time - which improves their ranking on the search engines.

This means that by the time people actually get to YOUR heaven scent candle company, they would have already been tempted by 100 candle companies before you.

Even if you did find a domain for your website - there are a hundred other people who got there before you and will ultimately appear in all the search engine listings before you. Even if you specify "UK ONLY" on the search engines, they will still always bring back the USA websites if the name match is very close so you still have to worry about your customers not bothering to search any further than page one.

It's statistically proven that around 90% of buyers choose to only view companies who appear on the first two pages of results....where would you appear if you used such a common name?

Have a think about it and decide if you really want to be lumped with hundreds of other people with the whole "heaven scent" thing - it's been done to death in pretty much every format and variation already and you'll have to struggle to be seen amongst them all.

Hope this helps. I had the same dilemma when I started. I thought I was being so clever thinking of names but it turned out I was an unimaginative twit who could only think of names that everyone else had which is why I used a completely made up word!

Nat

I think wick meant "Un-acceptable"

yea, and at least you're halfway through testing a new product for your own range eh?

Sucks. But a lesson well learnt I guess. if anyone approaches you for wholesale and wants a product you don't do - advise them that there will be a research and development charge which includes the cost of anything outside of your own normal stock - like moulds and oils.

That way, if something like this happens, you at least only lost your time, and not your money.

Sorry, I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but just chalk up to experience and move on. He might be back if his new supplier is rubbish, and then YOU can say - "no, sorry, i'm too busy for you".

thanks guys

well its only advertised word of mouth at the moment' date=' but its the Charity Candle I'm doing, a lady that supports them has bought one.

mmmm may look into setting up osc, but if the paypal notification is going to come thru anyway, wonder if I need to.

I will accept cheques/postal orders too and have said they need to email me for my details if they wish to pay that way.

Only problem was, in the reference on paypal, it just said my website name and not what she had bought.

mmmmm

need to pluck up the courage to put my site on here lol, seen a lot of negativity sometimes and its scary lol[/quote']

Oscommerce has a rather neat trick of sending you notifications of a payment received, but never actually telling you what the customr purchased so you have to send them an email to ask - which is highly unprofessional. Even if your website is working - it'll one day just stop working and do that.

I know this cos I used to use OScommerce, but found it so flaky and unreliable I gave up.

Good luck and post your site. We have all helped you right from the start so we would all like to see where you are now - you can't leave us in suspense.

Nat

Anyone know where to get these where you don't have to buy a whole box of like 9 rolls in each size?

Is there anyone out there doing them split up?

Thanks

Nat

isn't rrd 40 way too large for a votive?

Hi

We don't need certification for room sprays but I've never made it before so don't even know what the hydro thingy is that you're talking about. I've got so much to do I think I'd just prefer someone to make me up a few 16oz bottles in a few scents and send them to me so I can just pour into bottles and sell

yup I think you're talking about what I'm after. Here's an example:

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/aroma/a_sprays.php

These are the kind of things I'm looking for...so if you do these wholesale let me know!

OK...if organic isn't an option...how about natural? Are there any such products that are hypoallergenic, i.e, they don't contain known allergens or things that could irritate lungs etc?

Hi

Am looking for a supplier of organic room spray. only essential oils and organic ingredients if possible and am happy to receive it in a large bottle for decanting into smaller bottles.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Nat

when you are using bittercreek they don't have the right set up in their cart.

when you checkout, you need to put your state as Alaska and then fit your address in around it.

Then, in the comments section, ask for the parcel to be shipped via USPS.

Then you check out and you don't pay anything. they will then email you a correct paypal invoice.

Nat

thanks all :embarasse :embarasse

What a treat to come back to, in my dreams I make wonderful products like that.

The packaging is fab & the scent sounds perfect for my tastes.

You did good Nat......very good!

Sally.

Yay! Sally! Welcome back - I was just thinking about you the other day :yay:

yup no worries

that's only 18kgs of wax - about £35?

personally I wouldn't go there. your candle may burn beautifully when you, a candle maker burns it. But you have to account for stupid people who might light the candle and leave it burning for much much longer that you recommend, which could cause a blowout.

more importantly...what if your average stupid person put your candle on an un-even surface which would mean the flame would burn uneven and towards one side causing a blowout or the roses to catch fire.

Never underestimate how silly people can be. 5 people a year die as a direct result of pulling christmas crackers.

Thanks Meredith that was a great help. I just drew a blank when I tried to work this out. When im off work next week ill work out the stearin and vybar. Once i have done this, all I need is my insurance and im already to go. Thanks again for your help Meredith I very much appreciate it.

I apologise to everyone else for posting this in the wrong place, ill get the hang of using the forum eventually. I also apologise for the silly questions etc, I feel like a bit of a twit. But if I don't ask ill never get any where.

Thanks again Mandy

No worries about the insurance thing.

With regard to pricing - I seriously wouldn't go into the nitty gritty on how much a teaspoon of this cost or a wick of that. Or you'll start having to incorparate spare wax you poured by mistake or that wick that just got cut too long, or the 1/4 teaspoon of stearine you spilt on the side.

Go with 10p per additive. I use 10p per wick, 10p for dye, 30p for label and the ink I used to print it.

Total: 50p

yep. see the problem I have is that I have so many fragrances and different products in my range, that to have labels printed for every fragrance of candle I offer means I'd need to order a minimum of 1,000 labels x 150 fragrances. There's 150,000 labels already @ £silly money. Then I'd need labels for shower gels, creams, balms, bombs, soaps, etc. And that's not including different SIZED labels for the different style of jar etcetc.

I either shell out £1000 plus around £500 in consumables, like labels and inks or I spend £10,000 on labels gradually as and when I get the money in.

I'm going to look into a few "by the sheet" label printers and see if their quality compares and then seriously make a decision.

Unfortunately though - it's not a good idea to buy from the USA as the USA warranty does not cover products shipped to the UK, and over in the UK - the prices are between 10 and 20% higher.

Hi All

Got some Label samples printed on a LX400 today - I gotta tell ya, they are AWESOME.

I'm right now, in the process of counting pennies to see if I can afford one.

Think there's been a few threads on this machine, but before I go ahead spend the cash...does anyone have one? If so...what's it like? What are the everyday running costs?

Nat

thanks - i'll look into these!

Am dragging this up as I'd be interested to know how this was working out? Are the labels good enough for shower products etc?

Hi All

I'm looking for a company to print my labels for me - I don't want to print them myself anymore as I'm going for a more high-quality look.

Can anyone recommend a printer that doesn't require a massive minimum on each variation?

Thanks

Nat