Pricing question

[manda]

Hi, I was hoping that one of the fantastic people here could help me with pricing my pillar candles. I make paraffin pillars and I am almost ready to start selling them, just waiting on insurance and a few bits and pieces, then im ready to go, but I am having a real problem trying to figure out prices. I have worked out what it costs in wax, dye and FO for one of my candles but I am stuck when it comes additives and wick. I buy my vybar in 500g bags for £7.40 and wick is £1.65 for 10 metres and my stearine is £3.30 for 500g. Small amounts I know, Im only trying to turn some money back into my candlemaking so I can share and continue with this fab hobby, Im just determined to do it properly. I just cant get to grips with trying to figure out how much it cost me in these supplies, due to the fact that I use such small amounts. An example of what I use in my candles is a 3" x 4" pillar using 1lb of wax and 1tsp of vybar or 1lb of wax with 3 table spoons of stearine. Please can someone help me please because I cant make a decision on prices........ I am thinking somewhere in the lines of £3-£5 for a 3x4" scented and none. Am i over pricing or what?

I would very much appreciate it if anyone knows of anything else I have not thought about before I sell any candles. As I said I am just waiting to get my insurance, hopefully that will be done by the end of the week if not next week.

Can I take this opportunity to thank nattycat for bring the insurance thing to my attention. Thanks Nat, I think I now have piece of mind.

I know that my candles burn ok, after months and months and months of testing:-) but you can never be 100% when it comes to how your candles will be burnt and looked after. People laugh at me because im always going on about how to burn them properly and care for them, if only we could educate everyone:-) Mind you those that do burn and care for there candles like i advise them to always come back to me saying ' mandy you were right about burning my candles' makes me smile:-) Any way I getting of topic:-(

As i said if anyone has anything to add, anything I have not thought of please I would greatly appreciate your input.

Thanks Everyone Mandy :-)

[manda]

Hope I put this in the correct place, maybe it should have been in the Business section. sorry if it should.

Mandy

[Meredith_D]

For wicks, say your wicks cost (from supplier) is $7 per bag of 100. I would add 1 or 2 dollars for shipping (I figure it's only part of an order, I don't usually order just one thing from a supplier due to high shipping costs.) Total cost for you is $9 per bag of 100. Each wick is 9 cents.

Additives: what I did was I measured out a half pound of stearic. Then I measured out how many tablespoons the half pound contained. According to my calculations, there are 50 tbsp. per pound. Take the cost from supplier (don't forget to add some for shipping) divided by 50 tbsp. per pound.

I really hope I've explained this clearly, lol. You can PM me if you want. HTH!

[manda]

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

[NattyCat]

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

[manda]

Thanks Nat, I originally was going with 50p-70p for additives etc. I think ill take your advise and stick with it. I would need too buy more supplies to get a true count if i was measuring out tablespoons etc. So ill just go with the round 50-60p figure, if i don't ill end up making myself go mad. And i think i just need to stop being so precise and picky about everything, lighten up mandy for gods sake:-) Thanks for your help

Mandy