candlelady Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Hi!Just received email notification that Richards Packaging is increasing all of their prices effective immediately. Seems their suppliers are increasing their prices anywhere from 5%-10% and maybe higher. So guys and gals get ready to pay more for your jars....Grrrrr......Just thought I'd drop this little tid bit of info on ya!Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Got the same email but I just bought a pallet. My tin supplier is going up 15.5% plus a shipping increase. They sure are making it hard for us. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Boy I am glad I bought a bunch of jars a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Sounds like we should protest. How can we raise our prices anymore than they already are? I will lose alot of business. I have shrunk my candles and kept the cost the same, but this coming year I have to raise my prices. It is really getting hard to stay in the candle business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlelady Posted December 18, 2007 Author Share Posted December 18, 2007 Same here Carole. Got my pallet pricing 2 weeks ago and they're on their way to me now.Geez, everything's going up. UPS in January 2008, I heard USPS was going up next year, but don't know a date (probably May like this year), glass jars, packaging, clothes, gas, diesel, groceries, etc... For the past 7 years my candle business was mostly used for vacations, house renovations/additions, special purchases, putting my older son thru school, but now looks like it's gonna have to participate in the everyday expenses. Oh well... I just keep on pouring, pouring, pouring. Oh, yea, now it has to pay my dr. bills for my foot problem (due to standing on feet so long pouring, pouring, pouring! LOL).I don't think I could raise my prices from where they are now if I want to stay in business, you know? What to do:confused: Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 That totally sucks!Everything in this venue is on the rise. Big time, to the point that it will eventually force people out of this business in the future, IMO. I've raised my wholesale prices for the first time in five years effective 2008. As much as I protested doing this, I had no choice. It is impossible to absorb these high costs of supplies any longer if you plan on making any profit. There comes a time to think with a business mind vs the hobbiest mentality if you want to survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 That totally sucks!Everything in this venue is on the rise. Big time, to the point that it will eventually force people out of this business in the future, IMO. I've raised my wholesale prices for the first time in five years effective 2008. As much as I protested doing this, I had no choice. It is impossible to absorb these high costs of supplies any longer if you plan on making any profit. There comes a time to think with a business mind vs the hobbiest mentality if you want to survive.I totally agree with you, Mystical Angel. Three years in a row, my wholesale Jar prices have increased and my wax went up nearly $ 8.00 a 50 lbs box. Thank God I don't have to pay to ship it in! I informed my customers in July of this year that my candle prices were increasing. But my prices in candles also includes the tax people pay. Many whined and complained but knew I had no choice because they know ME! Now I have to convince my wholesale accounts that they have to raise their prices as well. He really undercuts my prices which is why nobody else will do wholsale on my candles. I told him to raise his retail prices but he hasn't done it yet! Fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I increased my prices in 2007 due to wax increases & see that wax has gone up again. Now with glass & shipping going up, I'm truly worried how much we can increase our prices. Unfortunately, for most people candles are not a necessity but a luxury. Don't know where it is all going. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlelady Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 You know, when I started my candle business in 2001 the competition wasn't bad at all. Two years later, everyone's making candles (I don't mind, you know). See the commercials now for Glade? They realize that competition in the candle/aroma arena has gotten so big that even the BIG companies are having to compete with us for the smaller business accounts. (on candles, reed diffusers, oil candles and the like). We've created our own competition with coming up with such innovative ideas and packaging.The great side of being small, like most of us are, is that WE can offer friendly service, free delivery, custom orders, etc... but now that really doesn't seem worth it with the costs going up so much. I use to buy the special jar, buy the special scent, etc...just to get the account, but now, I don't know. I'm always wanting to try new products, new packaging, new designs, cater to a different type of business (country, spa, elegant, primitive, etc..) but that takes so much money. I am truly thinking about just sticking with what I started with and market it much more and let it grow and not try to "branch out" so to speak. Not to mention my labor in the "creative dept." aspect.Oh, and advertising is so outrageous. I did the Country Business magazine two times last year, $700+ per advertisement and not one blasted order. I can't afford the prices to keep that going month after month or even quarter after quarter. A friend of mine that owned her own candle business, not far from where I live, advertised for 2 years, full page, in the Country Business at a cost of $15K per year, but you know what, it worked! She was grossing $200K+ per year! She just bit the bullet and it paid out. Wish I had that very same bullet! LOLAgain, what to do:confused: I know, I'm rambling, but this is just getting to me today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Carrie, sorta on the same subject, did any of the Clarus Wax work out for you? Their prices are better than the IGI's. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I just ordered two pallets of jars from Fairway and they didn't mention a price increase coming up....wonder if they are raising theirs as well? If so, I might've ordered more! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlelady Posted December 19, 2007 Author Share Posted December 19, 2007 Carrie, sorta on the same subject, did any of the Clarus Wax work out for you? Their prices are better than the IGI's. CaroleCarole, not really, it's basically the same as IGI 4636 that I'm using now plus they just had a price increase!I'll stick to the 4636 and drive to BCS and pick up for now.Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Clarus had really good shipping rates this summer but I'd rather stick with my 223 & 6006 and drive to BCS or the DFW area. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 It's going to get to the point that those of us that are small are not going to be able to stay in business unless we can pick up supplies locally. I've noticed more and more candle businesses selling off all their stuff in the past 6 months. Sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlelady Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 Kandlekrazy, you are so so right. If BCS sold the 8 oz. for a better price and even sold the 16 oz. square mason jars, and had a decent price on the rust lids, I'd be set. They sell the rust lids for 90 cents each. I pay .35 cents each now, but then, they probably buy from the same co. I purchase from.Right now I go to one supplier for the square mason jars, one supplier for the lids, one supplier for the wax, another suplier for my wicks, another supplier for my enamel mugs and multiple suppliers for my FO's.Though I enjoy having BCS close to me, they havent' changed or added anything in years! The same ole containers, same ole scents, nothing new. BORING!???what to do:confused: We need to cut out the middle man!!!! That's what killing us!Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted December 22, 2007 Share Posted December 22, 2007 We are trying very hard to cut out the middle man and we have been doing well. The only problem is the wax. With IGIs high volume requirements, that is tough. Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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