ladysj Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Okay I just don't see how you can make container candles and mark up your price 3 to 4 times your cost. I've figured the cost to make a 6 ounce salsa jar candle. It's costing me a total of $2.56 to make. I just don't see being able to sell a 6 ounce candle for around $9.00.I know alot of you buy in big volumes giving a bigger discount. My wax is only costing me .16 per ounce which I don't think is a bad price at all.Most of the jars that I find I really like are going to cost me around $2.00 to $2.50 per container. So pricing at a reasonable price I've only been able to double my cost on containers. Any help on this is greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForHisGlory Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 http://www.makesscentscandleco.com/They don't have the 6 oz salsa, but I get my 8 oz jars from here.I get my 16 oz here:http://www.soap-making-supplies.com/handler.php?depid=5&catid=22&typeid=84 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 $.16 an ounce is pretty high, that's $2.56 per lb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindys Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I agree it is hard to charge that much, BUT you did not mention your time. I think that is the hardest part. Paying ourselfs for the time and work we put in to our candle making. Does any one else have this problem????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGirl Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Wow! My wax is only .06 apx per oz! I figure $1.14 per candle fo, .06 wick, .10 labels, my glass is .42 and lid.....about .18 (which I think is too much) those prices include shipping the materials to me except for the wax which I pick up. Worst price for pick up of my wax is .07 per oz. I use a pint jelly jar 16 oz with apx. 14 oz of wax. About $2.74 cost per candle. And that's using fo @ $16 per lb. I use about a 12 % fo load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladysj Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 I usually am only able to order a 10lb slab at a time. I use GL 70/30 it's $15.95 for 10 lbs and by the time I add in shipping it runs about $25.00 for the slab. I would love to find something comparable to this because I love making the container candles just need to drop my cost down dramatically. Any ideas of another place to buy something similar is greatly appreciated.As far as the mason jars I can get them at Wally world and not have to pay shipping all I would have to order then is the lids because I don't like the ones they have on them.The only reason I was using the 6 ounce salsa jars is because I bought them off the classies for a great price and I"m just about out of those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlessjade Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I work at Bath & Body Works, and we sell 4 oz candles for $10. They're really great quality and smell fantastic (I own a whole pile of them), but I bet yours are just as good or better.Of course, I know people aren't always willing to pay what something is worth... selling polymer clay art at a local craft fair, I was barely able to break even on my cost of supplies, and I don't even want to know how many hours of work I put into it. I know what you mean about only being able to afford one 10 lb slab at a time, but once I settled on a wax, I saved up for a while so I could order a whole case of it at once... I think it was totally worth it considering how much I saved on the wax and especially the shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladysj Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 I don't want to use straight soy because I've had no luck with it at all and I'm seeing soooooooooo many different wax types on here I'm confused. I really like the 70/30 I guess I'm going to look around at different sites and see if I can find some that will send samples. They seem to be few and far between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGirl Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I use 4627 and yes I know it's messy but, it has excellent throw with just about anything. Wouldn't trade it for the world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeriM Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 if you like the 70/30... check out the Perfect Blend at KY... shipping might not be as bad from KY.... I've been using it since she came out with it and love it... it seems now it's going to be more "Perfect"... LOLI'd be willing to send you a couple chunk to test if you'd like... TeriM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladysj Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 if you like the 70/30... check out the Perfect Blend at KY... shipping might not be as bad from KY.... I've been using it since she came out with it and love it... it seems now it's going to be more "Perfect"... LOLI'd be willing to send you a couple chunk to test if you'd like... TeriMI did check out their wax and it's $5.00 cheaper and 1lb more than what I'm getting. The only thing I don't like is not knowing how much shipping is going to be. About what does your shipping run you for the 11lbs or do you buy that small of a quantity? Or even the shipping for a case.I'm sending you a PM Teri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alajane Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I also prefer a shopping cart that estimates shipping, but I have found that you e-mail Vickey (the Kentucky supply owner--her e-mail is on the site), she will be happy to give you a shipping estimate.I think you'll enjoy doing business with her.Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I also prefer a shopping cart that estimates shipping, but I have found that you e-mail Vickey (the Kentucky supply owner--her e-mail is on the site), she will be happy to give you a shipping estimate.I think you'll enjoy doing business with her.JaneI agree! Although I'm new here and to candlemaking, I've ordered my wax from KY twice...they use UPS shipping and only charge the exact amount. For my 5lbs of wax, FO, dye, and molds, the shipping was only $7.80. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Okay I just don't see how you can make container candles and mark up your price 3 to 4 times your cost. I've figured the cost to make a 6 ounce salsa jar candle. It's costing me a total of $2.56 to make. I just don't see being able to sell a 6 ounce candle for around $9.00.I know alot of you buy in big volumes giving a bigger discount. My wax is only costing me .16 per ounce which I don't think is a bad price at all.Most of the jars that I find I really like are going to cost me around $2.00 to $2.50 per container. So pricing at a reasonable price I've only been able to double my cost on containers. Any help on this is greatly appreciated.I'm totally in the same boat. I can only charge about 2x my cost, and I don't even have my time figured in to that price. But I know, as you said, I'm not buying in really large quantities yet. I keep telling myself that it'll pay off eventually. My goal right now is to get them out there, eventually I hope to have a real customer base and I can gradually lower my cost and maybe even raise the price a bit. I do buy wax by the case. I think I pay about $15 shipping for 50 lbs.(the place is really close) As for the FO's, I try to buy a lb at a time, but sometimes the shipping on that is more than the wax depending on what I'm getting and from where.I think getting wax from as close as possible would save tons in shipping.As for the jars, I do only get the jars I really like. I pay I think almost $2.00 per jar with ridiculous shipping. But I figure the jar is a big part of the package. I don't want to compromise on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Sometimes it is not possible to charge 3-4 times your cost. Your market dictates pricing. Jelly jars are a good way to keep your cost down, but if you don't like them (I don't), you get stuck paying more for your containers. Keep shopping around for your containers, eventually you will find a reasonable price. Lady, we need to find you a better source for your wax, you won't make a profit at all at this rate. You are paying almost 40% in shipping for a 10 lb. slab of wax. What suppliers are near you, within 100 or 250 mile radius? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandlesNMore Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I make candles for myself and buy a lot of my wax by the slabs. It's been my experience that the shipping on two 10 lbs slabs is the same as one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladysj Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 I live in Little Rock, AR. So I guess I need to find supplies in TN, TX, OK. I'm not sure where KY is.The only thiing I have any where close is a place in Benton but they only carry paraffin which means I would still have to buy a soy to make a blend. He said that's the paraffin they use in their candles and just add soy. They have beautiful candles and the cold throw is awesome.I guess I just need to keep putting money back to order a larger quantity but there again space is an issue also. I don't have alot of room here either.Paraffin I can get for .06 an ounce. Can a good container candle be made with just paraffin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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