joyofsoycandle Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Ok, I had posted a while ago about how the hospital gift shop here in town bought a bunch of my candles...etc. Well anyway, I dropped the votives off to them while I finish up with the jars....she had a display all set up and has them arranged very nicely. Looks cute! Anyhow, guess how much she is getting for a 2-PACK of my votives?? Just take a guess.........................she is selling them for $7.50/2pack!! AND THEY SELL!!!!!!!! Can you all believe that??? I am just in shock lol. have any of you ever paid $7.50 for TWO votives?? I cant believe she is getting that much money for them! I just had to tell all of you, now im curious to see what she is going to mark the jar candles up to.... :rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breanna Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 WOW thats GOOD,,congrats!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 It's the law of supply and demand. They are the only place to buy last minute gifts in a hospital. Also most hospital gift shops are raising money for a hospital auxiliary group so folks are willing to spend more for a gift there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 I bet your votives are one of the lower priced items too, right? That's a wonderful feeling isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Wow!! That is wonderful. But I know how you feel about the mark up. Votives don't sell well around but I have a few wholesale accounts that can't keep them in stock. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 I agree with the supply and demand factor. I'm sure hospital gift shops make a killing because people are there to give gifts and there is no other place around, so they are in a way forced to shop there for loved ones. That's great news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 No, I've never seen votives so expensive before. Good for you! I agree with the others that it has to do with supply and demand, and shoppers having no other choice. It's sort of like how they can charge $2 for a glass of soft drink at the restaurant when you could get a 2-liter bottle of the same thing (and probably less diluted!) at the grocery store for the same price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyofsoycandle Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 Yeah, you are all right. I just am in shock at how much she can sell them for. I guess since this is a small town, there arnt alot of places to get handmade candles. But, this hospital is small, there really arnt alot of people that actually are admitted and stay in this hospital, they get transferred somewhere else if they have to stay. So, its mostly the employees, nurses, that type of people who buy the candles. They buy alot of partylite candles and say those are expensive, but my candles at $7.50 for a 2pk....those are expensive!! lol She bought them from me, at my retail price. And i sell them for $3.00/2pk. So I just couldnt believe that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epheme Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 How hard was it for you/others to get your product into Hospital Gift Shops? It sounds like a good place for my stuff. And there's one literally a stone's throw from my apartment. Not that I'm throwing rocks at the hospital, mind you . . . ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simplysoaps Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Wow i need to hit my local hospital again. Thats incredible news for you. :highfive: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyofsoycandle Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 Well, i kind of got my foot in the door because my boyfriend works in the hospital, and was talking to all the girls/nurses/etc about my candles and then they wanted some, and when they got some and liked them, told other people and Vicky who works in the gift shop heard about it, asked to see them, i brought them in and gave her a couple samples, and she ordered! She said she is really happy with them and everyone has come in daily waiting for the candles to arrive when they found out she ordered them for the gift shop! But, if you dont happen to know someone that works in a hospital, or whatever the case may be, you could still always take samples in, i think thats how i hooked her, i let her pick a couple jars and votives and she loved them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epheme Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 how cool! I'm still so nervous about approaching people to carry my product, even though I have had such good reactions from the ones who tested it! I guess I need to get the heck over it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyofsoycandle Posted February 11, 2006 Author Share Posted February 11, 2006 I was really nervous too, I came here to ask for advice i think, before i went into talk to her lol. But I believe a good product will speak for itself! :smiley2: So just go in and politely mention that you make handmade items...and that you would like to offer them some samples to try. And give them a list with your scents and items available...might be a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockmonkey Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 That's interesting. No wonder healthcare costs so much. If that goes on in a giftshop, imagine the inflated prices for medical services/products.Did you tell that lady $3 was your wholesale price? It might be possible that the hospital/giftshop is supposed to do a certain amount of community service, so by purchasing candles from you they can say they support the local community.I hope her $7.50 isn't too high, because if it is that could mean no re-orders. But, like every hospital giftshop, anything in one costs a ransome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyofsoycandle Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 I just noticed you posted again sockmonkey lol...um nooo that wasnt even my wholesale price, i dont do wholesale. I sold her the votives at my regular price of $3.00 for a 2pk. And my boyfriend just went into the gift shop a day after they were delivered, only 5 different scents were left!! She had over 20 scents, 1 two pack in each scent! This is just the votives im talking about. Most of her order was jars. And sooo they are selling QUICKLY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockmonkey Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 That's really exciting for you. I hope she buys a lot more from you. It's also impressive for you to be able to tell other customers that the giftshop is selling the same thing for $7.50--should makes sales even easier for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLJ Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Many of our local hospital's and large business have Vendors in their lobbies selling various products. I set up last week at our local VA Hospital and sold $868 worth of candles, tarts and tart burners in one day. Their fee for allowing you to sell is 10% of sales. I am now on their Vendor list for 2 days per month. I don't know if I will sell that much every time I am there. But you never know. Mary Lou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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