The Biggest Mistake I Made With My Candle Business - What I Wish I Knew When I Started 

Candle making looks easy. Absolutely everything about it is hard.

I really appreciate you being so brutally honest.

Thank you for sharing this! It is such an important part of starting a small business and a pitfall almost all of us small businesses fall into at some point. Someone may have said this in previous comments, but my advice is you are buying from to many different vendors. I would try to scale down to less than 3. It’s always good to experiment and research all wholesale vendors, but on a regular basis you should stick to just a couple. I am willing to bet your shipping costs are adding a huge burden to your cogs and if you cut down to fewer material wholesale vendors and place larger orders your shipping cost per unit will go down drastically. Don’t chase sales for wholesale materials, because you will almost always be buying more of something than you really should. I also have found that Amazon is good when needing something in a pinch or trying something new, but you can almost always find a wholesale vendor that has the same item for a lot less than Amazon. Amazon is like your critique of Wooden Wick, the free shipping is always built into the cost. I don’t prescribe to the rule of x 4 for cost/retails price, but think it is a good starting point. I find that candles are so competitive that x4 will price any maker out no mater what kind of candle materials they are using. What I do is after the cost of materials is worked out I consider how long it takes to make a candle and the other costs such as electricity, water, cleaning materials, paper towels etc. I get a ruff average and try to break it down per candle, doesn’t have to be exact. And then I add a few dollars onto that number and that gives me my wholesale price and retail should be double your wholesale. Also! You haven’t been in business long enough to worry about a recent down tick in sales. There will be ebbs and flows and it takes a few years to get consistent sales, if ever, both with wholesale and retail. Use the downtime to do exactly what you are doing. Honing in on pricing, efficiency, marketing etc. I am enjoying your videos! Thanks for your honesty.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you for posting this and please bring us along in your journey. I’ve completed testing but am terrified to start making ‘in mass’ because of drowning… especially with rising costs of supplies. I’ve invested so much already and am so scared of drowning in all of these rising costs.

Friendly advice, as,I am in the same business and went through the same... compromise with nice glassware and good wax, but no need to go with ultraposh branded materials and vessels. 17 $ to create a candle is insane, cannot work out as business. I reached to set down to 7 €/product with 230 ml veeery elegant vessels. Other model 5,5 €. And do not sell candles bigger than 250/300 ml. They work poorly and they never end! You need the customers coming back for more quickly, and repeteable products. Cheers from Europe!

My jaw literally dropped when you said how much your candles cost to make. That is the highest material costs I've ever seen. You can do better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love and appreciate the honesty and transparency. I’m sure every single candle maker / entrepreneur goes through this so it’s so nice to hear someone say it out loud. I think it’s important to remember that “everyone is making the same thing” is a lie we tell ourselves because we’re in the industry and looking at it all day everyday. I didn’t know anyyyyy of these supply companies even remotely existed until I got into making my own candles, even as a candle maker. That’s why it’s important to find your market and just say “hey! Look at this quality, handmade product I have.” And keep them coming back with an experience and customer service. Sure they can get something similar somewhere else, but people love to buy from someone they know (including myself) if it’s a quality product. Just my two cents and I hope someone can find this comforting in their candle journey :)

I don’t know about anyone else but I can’t make a candle with all Wooden Wick Co materials for less than $15. At that COG I would have to wholesale for $30 and retail for $60 which is unrealistic in the long run.

Thank you because I am in the testing phase and I have spent so much of my personal funds buying so much products because I haven’t focused on a signature candle. It literally started as a hobby because I would go from store to store looking, smelling candles in search for new ones. I just decided I should turn this passionate hobby of mine into a business. Blessings to you and your businesses it’s not cheap, it’s not easy doing this and time consuming. I have spent countless hours researching vessels and fragrance oils alone. Thank you for your honesty. And I’m a Gemini too, June 13th is my bday

Candle and soap making businesses are really very expensive to get off the ground. The time and effort plus the materials, shipping etc. It does feel like an uphill battle. They're both expensive hobbies for me at this point. Teaching workshops seems a better option for me.

Hearing this and you being 100% transparent about it makes me feel SO much better. I have hardly made any sales recently compared to last fall and with how last year went, I'm just aiming for having a kickass fall line.

it is so refreshing to see someone be so real, honest, and genuine about this subject. Great video and thank you for sharing.

THANK YOU for this video!!! You confirmed all the concerns I have starting my own candle business - incredibly helpful

I knew you were a Gemini, listening to you talk. 🤣 Thank you so much for this video. I am a "baby" candle maker, still in the testing stage, and I've spent a few thousand dollars already and it's terrifying.

My favorite youtuber that uses the cricut is "aPenas Illustrator", she is in Portugal, I'm not sure if she has any how-to vids but she does a bunch of studio vlogs where you get to see her setting things up and even when things don't work out you see her figure it out in real time. Plus she's delightful and I'm happy to support her channel. I think another lovely youtuber that uses the cricut is Katnipp and she's a real delight to watch too. Oh and Jeff Standly had a video on using the cricut for his higher end vessels that you might find helpful, he printed a sticker with his last name on it. Typing in Cricut will definitely put you down the rabbit hole in youtube. Thanks for being so frank and honest!

This is why I adore you so much. Thank you for being brutally honest. I haven’t gotten as far into my business as you have. But, I too am struggling with the price margins. I don’t want to be too expensive or too cheap either. Not to mention I’m trying to do this all while being still on furlough with my job. Just like you, I’m a huge candle lover, so I refuse to give up on my dreams.

If you keep pricing low then customers will never buy when you raise your price. Always price high and know who you target audience are and who are you aiming at to buy your candles if it’s upper class, invest in the product and price higher if working class use cheaper products and price lower. Knowing you target audience is key.

You’ll get it figured out & prosper in many ways 🙏🏻 I’m glad you are sharing this conversation. I’ve often wondered how new start ups can profit using WW products! There are so many good vessels out there for far less & great FO’s for substantially less. Hang in there 😊

Eighteen minutes of WHY I love, love your channel, and yes... I watched them all. I came to the candle business with a business bankruptcy eleven years ago. That was also a product business but mainly focused on wholesale. We designed and manufactured scrapbooking products in Spanish. It was good for 5 years, and then when the recession hit in 2009/2010 it went under. I swear back then that I will NEVER ever go into a product business again (I have had a service business for 20+ years). And then, I fell in love with candle-making. I remember the first time I visited the Wooden Wick website and saw the prices. I said: NOPE, ever. Not even a sample. But then, I was certain I wanted to make a candle that I would buy, so good and not too expensive. I am soooooo happy you are rerouting. And THANK YOU for sharing. I'll be here along to see the process. I am sure you'll do great. Here come Ashley 2.0!!!

You make me feel so much more sane! I put the breaks on production until I could personally accept the packaging etc that I can afford to make a profit. Inventory sales are a beast. My eyes are attracted to glam and my budget for profitability is jelly jars…😂😂😂😂

As an owner of a still-unused Cricut, I feel you. I am still in the testing and business plan development stage, and this was a super helpful video. Please continue to do stream-of-consciousness videos; it makes you relatable. I watched to the end, and look forward to updates that can help us all.

Amen Sister! I use the same wax and some of the same suppliers you do. The price of vessels was a big choice for me to keep the cost down. I haven't launched yet FYI. Happy birthday! I like your rambling talks and I watched til the end ;) Thank you for being honest with us.

I did so much research on this topic because I don’t want to raise prices after launching. Thank you for sharing!

Never ever set your prices to accommodate the public. There are people that spend ridiculous amounts of money on the dumbest things, know your worth and know your products. Quality over quantity always guides you in the right direction, explore explore explore. Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay are great ways to start out because you have a promised clientele along with your own website you just have to be very optimistic and open to anything.

I just started and yesss it’s been on my mind about my prices in the future after I get to where I want to be in the candle making business. Thank you for the video. Im definitely going to be taking the prices more seriously

This is exactly what I'm saying to my partner and my Dad. They are like wow that's far too much to charge for a candle... but actually it's the packing and shipping and time that takes is the reason for such low margins. My candle is amazing but it not worth my time and definitely not my money if it's even just 30€ for a 30cl candle. It just keeps adding up it's Bananas.

I'm there with you, using some of the same vessels and wax. I'm back at the drawing board trying to cut my costs down and re-examining everything. It's a real struggle. Good luck Girlie and Happy belated birthday 🎂🥳

We’re all learning, thanks for taking us on you’re journey!

Hi Ashley…I am just starting out in the Candle Making Business…I have had the same concerns about pricing that you shared in this video. I really have enjoyed your videos and wanted to show you some support so I just purchased three of your candles! ☺️☺️

I'm so glad you shared this experience here! I just started candle making and am looking at different companies right now. These tips help alot

Upsidegoods I was in same boat with WW!! I had to get out of the WW boat and go for more affordable route! I have chosen to go with a glass vessel to cut my vessel cost in more than half!! A really good book is Profit First by Mike Michalowicz I highly recommend this book!! Candle making is extremely involved business!!!!! 😳

I have another business that I had the same issue with starting out. Until I found out that almost everyone gets their stuff from AliBaba. So I checked into that and found out I was paying almost triple the amount that they were. I started buying small MQR from China (I know but almost everything comes from China) and I started seeing a HUGE difference in my P&L margins. I have been making candles just for fun but after doing much research I found I’d be in the same bought as you are UNLESS I went straight to the supplier.., CHINA. Even the vessels I want are 3 & 4 times cheaper just ordering from China. You can also get samples. You might need a chunk of $$ up front but in the long run you’ll see it pays off. You don’t need to buy pallets either. I just found the jars I wanted for $.30 for a min order of 500 that’s only $150 (not counting shipping) when I’m paid $2.49 for the exact same char from one of the suppliers you mentioned. I know we hate to go through China and overseas, and we hate waiting longer for shipping. But in the long run cost of inventory will make up a huge difference.

I'm just starting out my little candle business as well. From hearing this I think I am on the right path. My strength is excel and spreadsheets and yes, i've been adding cost and calculating all the pricing. But like you say, it's tough because I want to make a good quality product and the things that I see that are what I like are just expensive. So I'm now asking for pricing on boxes and shipping and things like that, and my dear Lord, those things can be really expensive for someone who's starting. I feel like downgrading to less cute looking items is just going to make my products look cheap, and I don't want to that. So that perfect balance is KEY, but I'm not there yet LOL

Thank you for being vulnerable enough to share. I have questioned my pricing strategy. But...all is not lost. Maybe you can create/add a more cost effective line using less expensive materials that will result in more favorable margins and target the every day consumer. Keep your luxury line as a niche collection.

The most frustrating thing is that we are afraid to raise our prices because we compare our products with other candle makers and we think that we are over pricing but what happens is that a lot of candle makers actually under value their products and it shows after some time when they can't keep up and sustain their business. So, I would say, stop comparing and actually break down your costs to the absolute penny and multiple x3, or x4 to find your selling price, it might sound a lot but it isn't. You should also factor in the time that it takes you to make one candle, time it from the first second that you are sitting down to make a candle. Is better to over price your candles than to launch with low prices and then having to change them, people will not like it.

Happy belated birthday 🎂🎂🥂, So grateful for this video. Starting my own candle business and have used so much wax already just from the testing process, wondering how others are doing it. I am in South Africa, our market is flooded by Chinese made candles. Most people purchase from Alibaba and other chinese company's and just slap their own branding there without going through the pain that you are talking about. I really get you. Thank you again for this genuine talk. Hoping you had a good birthday.

I super appreciate your honesty and authenticity! I think you should give yourself some grace! You started your own business! THAT alone is such a cool accomplishment and I'm sending you good vibes! :)

Appreciate the honesty! I’ve been planning my launch for over a year and pricing is where I’m stuck at. Looking forward to seeing your journey & happy birthday!

😅

I saw your video on business mistakes and it really hit close to home. I liked your video and hope to keep watching future videos. I need all the advice i can get and your so right, wonder how all these people buy these gorgeous products and were the heck do they get there money. I can’t do it, but thanks i will keep watching.

Cut costs on packaging, buy/make your own stamps so you can customize basic/cheap boxes. I also keep things basic but CLEAN to make them feel like the product is with the price but I don’t have to spend a lot on it. I also feel like your vessel should be as low cost as possible… if YOU have to spray frost on then to make them look better then put in the DIY work to do so if you want to save money to get more money back. Tell your customers you have a new formula to start using the new jars like all the other big names stores do. You can do this!

Your video was very enlightening! Have you put all your money into the container for your candles? Is there a reason why you can’t introduce a new product line of candles that are not to costly to make! I would start with a small amount of them & see if you can get some new interest! Also I had learned you really have to do a lot of Craft Fair’s to take up the slack or pop ups to make that additional income! I have my own Soaping & Paper Crafting business but it is not the only source of my income! I love making soap & crafting & I am preparing my products for a Fall/Christmas craft fair and I will be add candles to my product line but at a much lower price point. If they sale then I will continue to make them however I will not stop making my other products because really this is my Happy Place! I hope you want give up hang in there! Holiday buying will start real soon get yourself ready!

I love you so much for this video, I haven’t started solely because I’m trying to save as much as I can here I can. My mom has been helping me a great deal, Ive perfected everything except this, and also the fear of pricing to high. I hope you have a updated video & your business is right side up and thriving.💕

I’m not in the candle biz but I make a small bath n body product and can completely agree. I’ve cut back a lot in the frills of packaging and appearance that really isn’t significant to the customer…barely if at all noticeable things that cost me money time and stress. And I’ve started buying in major bulk. What I’ve learned is as long as the purpose of the thing you’re selling isn’t compromised (for me recipe)…everything thing else is secondary. Yes of course nice packaging is important but it doesn’t have to be A+…what’s most important is the THING you’re selling. Thank you for sharing and keeping it reeeal! ✨💕

i love your transparency. I'm a new candle maker and still figuring out how to price my candles and looking at how many fragrances is best to have in stock so I don't go overboard. have you had any vendor events? if so any suggestion!

Love love love this video! The first really raw and honest information! Thank you and please keep doing what you are doing! Material supplies are horrible!

My throat started choking up in the middle of your video. I FEEL YOU AND I HEAR YOU SISTER. I am on the same boat. I've been asked how much I am paying myself before and my mind went blank. I've been in business for 5 months now and trying to figure everything out. I love what I do, but realistically I feel like I'm drowning sometimes. We'll get there! I have hopes that this is the hardest part of our journeys, and if we don't give up, our businesses will bloom before we know it. Thank you so much for sharing 💚

Thank you for sharing this! I’m still in the discovery and testing stage. Defiantly going to look closer at price before I choose my materials!

I am a home candle maker. I lost my sense of smell recently due to Covid. I started making concrete vessels. I am candle testing the vessels now with help from other noses. I am also looking into selling concrete vessels until I regain my smell. It may be a viable option for other candle makers to cut cost by buying locally hand made vessels.

This is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I am just starting up and am overwhelmed. I actually picked the same vessel from wooden wick and candle science fragrance. I have no idea how to do wholesale. Any tips on tutorials? I want to do this business from a creative perspective but also need to make money. I needed this reality check. Thanks.

First, congrats on your business! You will pull through and the right solution will present itself. Second, by being so brutally honest you’re helping not just yourself but also a newbie like me. I’m have no idea what I’m doing since I just started, but what about your packaging? Perhaps you can find creative ways in this area and cut back on the cost?

Great topic- I'm sorry to hear that you're in this situation! There are definitely changes you could make to keep your costs lower. I'm not an expert on anything, but maybe you could change your vessels, maybe even your wax- there are a lot of different waxes out there that are way cheaper per ounce. Perhaps you could use the vessels you have as the higher-end customized candle, and pick a vessel that won't cost you as much, but still looks great and performs well as your "everyday" candle. Btw, Volume quality is way better on this one!

RU-vid recommended your video. Thank you for sharing your experience. I will check out your channel. TY

The issue is with suppliers (who are almost always buying from overseas). They are buying dirt cheap and making huge mark ups and the prices are going up and up with the trend of candle making and it’s making it difficult to make a profitable candle. This is why I’ve been testing and making candles since 2018... actually decided to make a go of it last October and have not even launched. I could go on and on.. but doing this, making a living off it, is a very difficult hill to climb.. I’m learning. I’m in your Collective group, so I’ll chat more about this there.

I love your transparency. I'm in a phase where it's still a hobby, and I do not rely on candlmaking as a source of income, I would not be able to unless I amped up production. Ther is a weird in between for candlemakers in small craft, so thank you!

I appreciate you share this here, I believe most of us struggling with the same issue. It was a hobby at first but somehow I’m planning to do business by making candle next year. I’m struggling with the price, not sure how to price the candle, I want it to be affordable but production costs too high. May I know how are you overcome your situation right now? I mean the calculation percentage of your total production to your selling price? Thank you

Such an honest conversation! We appreciate it so much, but feel blessed to see your mistakes before a year in. You have plenty of time to correct it! You can price your candles at 70 and they will sell! You are Drake, you are Rihanna, you are Diptyque, you are Jo Malone! You are up and coming. People pay for what they want! They’re visual first! Nice vessels, You use the best oils so adding luxury in-front or your brand does wonders! You are a luxury manufacturer! Believe that and say that! You’re going to profit and take off in no time! Your time is coming

Ashley...girl..... get ahold of me. You do NOT need to pay me... but we need to talk.... I know this video is old, almost a year old.... but even still.... EVEN if you've paused your production. STOP eating pie. Stop pooh-pooh-ing yourself! You can still DO THIS!! DON'T THROW IN THE TOWEL YET!!

The cost for materials in the US ive noticed are much higher than where I am in the UK, I absolutely adored wooden wick and there’s nothing like that over here but their vessel prices are astronomical, my vessels cost me £1.66 per jar when I buy a box of 50, as I didn’t have the money to buy a lot but I could get that down to £1.11. We are very lucky with our cost of goods, hope you find the right solution for you 😊

You didn't lise me AT ALL! So much of this is also my life so i did set it down for a long time. The guilt wasn't even worth it. Im coming back now and really learning how to make different choices around product development. My biggest takeaways are: dont get fancy until you can absolutely afford to; never underestimate good copy and visuals in marketing; stay in your own candle lane. Find free creativity until you can sneeze at providing a luxury vessel; let the candle vessel be simple and get creative with labels, logos, marketing, or even other products.

Unfortunately, it's Extremely hard to compete against large companies such as Circle E Candles, Paddywax, Yankee Candles and more... hang in there

Hi, try watching Jennifer Maker to learn about Cricut, she's a wonderful teacher, and once you get going with your Cricut, you'll love it.

OK...1) There is totally nothing wrong with being unscripted and candid with your viewers. While it's nice to have a cohesive and concise outline and a focused monologue to maintain the direction and the cadence of the video so you don't loose attenuated attention spans... I doubt there's anyone here that doubts that you're a human being...moreover, there isn't a small business owner in ANY line of work that doesn't make mistakes. STOP what you're doing! All that negative self talk and negative self valuation and negative foci is going to be what actually chokes both you and your challenging business ....into a torpor.... IT IS possible.... you'r barking up the incorrect vending sources I think. You absolutely DO have a TON of overhead, it sounds like... because it sounds to ME like the containers you use and your wicks and your wax are KILLING YOU OMG.... IS THERE A WAY YOU CAN PRIVATELY GET AHOLD OF ME?! GIRL....WE NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS CHAT!!!

Thank you for this video. I am just starting and am only in the testing phase. But I need to know about the pricing too. So I’m here along with your journey.

I don't understand how you aren't making money if you are making more then what the candle cost. Also I make my 16oz candle for about 10.50 and sell for 22, but I don't pay shipping either. I charge 8 for one item and 12 for 2 items. Are your jars very expensive? Maybe try another jar or another scent company. I get my jars, wax, colors and wicks on amazon. Scents at candle science.

One day I wanna wild out and buy stuff from Them I loveee they vessel they are definitely in my manifestation board 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽

You got this Ash! Love your videos and how transparent you are.

Hello, new watcher here. This was interesting and it autoplay-ed from another video. Pricing is a difficult topic. Something that I have noticed a lot of other makers, especially candle makers, it almost feels like they are trying to talk themselves and others into charging more. Like setting an industry "standard price" with the 4X formula. It does not seem realistic to me and you explained it well with the celebrity/art candles. After I priced everything out, it would cost me about $7 to make a 6oz tin candle, yet according to various formulas, I should be selling that at $28-32 while realistically, I think it is fair to charge $20 and $12 for wholesale. Taking a look at your site, I like how clean it is and the images were good quality. Selling the lids separate seems to be a good idea with those jars, not everyone would need a lid so if you can reduce the costs that way, great.

I use my Cricuit quite a bit but not enough. :) Check out Jennifer Maker... she has videos about opening the box, how to set it up, what to make first, how to make things from start to finish. EXCELLENT recource!

Love this! I'm a new follower and I'm looking and learning so much from you. Thank you!! We are new to the business and we raaaannnnn from maksey.. they are beautiful but we are just not there yet.... hopefully we can send you our product soon for a review :)

Thank you for your video. First, I have to tell you, I work in a dental office, and your teeth are sooooo white and beautiful. And second, thank you for your honesty. I do not believe those youtubers who say they are making 250,000 dollars a year. As you said, it is unrealistic. I am learning a lot from you. Some how I am hoping, we will find a way of sustaining our candle business.

Do you think there is room for starters in this industry ? My wife and I would like to start but just a little unsure about if we at odds here…?

Most of my stuff is at wooden wick I did the 4x pricing method my 8oz candles are 45 I can't sell one to save my life! My other candles are bigger and we are 100 dollar candles that I can't sell!

Are you still in business

If your so focused on making money as this is all you do to make money. Then you start worrying about money for bills when your money should stay in your business to buy bigger and better things for the business there is a point where you buy bulk for cheaper to cut your costs example do not buy 45 pounds of wax at a time just to sell 8 oz candles and make 90 candles its time to buy vessels bulk, wax by the pallet, and scents by the gallon to cut your costs that is where most people make the mistake and your taking your extra money and paying bills when you might just be better off getting a full time job and doing it on the side which is less stress as well. You will get burned out fast.

I am having the same issue then i decided to put the price upto crazy high and offer several promotions ( 5 euro discount code, sign up for newsletter and get 20% off, over x spent there is a free shipping) eventually make people feel that your prices are high and u doing your best to reduce it to your customers! In my experience they really appreciate it and my margins improved! Give it a go :)

Very sorry Just an observation… so your saying your not creative enough to actually compete with a more established company??? But wouldn’t creativity be at the cost of nothing? Plz let me know

I have used Alibaba for pin making and other things. If you watch for products that are from reputable factories, like in terms of their ratings and certifications, they actually will be the exact ones you get from middlemen. You literally are just ordering from the factory instead of someone who ordered from them and marked it up.

Buy cheaper jars and different wax to hang on to your business

Buying in bulk and wholesale will definitely lower your margins. Consider buying from your sources source. I would not give up if I were you. Just get better!

Do I need liability insurance or small business insurance from State Farm or progressive to make and sell candles online? 😅 I want to do something like this and know I need a business license and EIN but when I was doing research I was seeing sites talking about needing insurance to cover financial assets and in case of damages or any harm that could get caused with such a business. I just want to do something creative to bring in some extra money while making others happy and doing something I love as well as make good products. however unsure how or where to start.

Listing each of the costs in excel by item in the whole candle can be quite shocking, especially when you apply the x 4 rule... Vessels is a big thing.... What is the value given to a consumer that will make him buy this candle if you ask the price that you have to ask in order to be able to continue the business ?

A couple of makers I bought from regularly went out of business because they weren't profitable. 🙁

I just started my own small candle business. Maybe change your type of wax? Coco soy is quite expensive. I am using soywax at the moment, but i am looking into palm wax which is cheaper with better scent throw than 100% soy wax.

Can you really account for labor costs? Seems that all hand craft businesses are labor of love projects My husband spends hours on custom pens and wood inlay earrings and if we priced with labor costs very few if any would enjoy them.

Legitimate advice though - expensive jars are a waste of money - look at jo malone, diptique etc - their jars are simple cheap vessels : if you want to make it look higher end then spend a bit more money on a quality label Also the auras are lovely but most people don’t want a statement candle they want one that sits subtly on the coffee table as part of a selection of bits that look nice Just in my experience

I'm in the same boat just starting out and focused and stuck with the cost of supplies vs sale. I need to find a good dough bowl supplier or wooden bowl for affordable cost without drowning my profit

Question: What do you do when FO prices range differently. I purchase from WWC, Candle Science, TFC, etc. Do you base your COG by the most or least expensive? Or figure out what the average cost is? I don't want to over charge, nor do I want to under charge. And thank you for sharing this. Don't stress yourself out, you've got this!!!! There's a youtuber, Parris Nikole, that uses similar items as you, and she charges $60 for her candles. So don't feel like you can't sell for that price. Also, Kim and Garrett make it has a video on how to use the Cricut. That is something I would like to learn how to use, but I'm not computer savvy. 😬

Thank you!! After much research and years of developing recipes I make soap, bath bombs, body butters, lip butters ,and now adventuring into candle making. (Am I crazy?!?) Pricing is such an important topic! Rule of thumb is your cost of goods x 4 would be your retail cost .... For instance it cost me $2-$2.50 per bar of soap and my retail price range from $8 to $10 per bar of soap. For my candle making I'm using pure beeswax /our goat milk/essential oil/ botanicals in a 4 oz jars costs me $3.00 to make! I will be charging around $9 per candle. Not the x4 rule but doable because I'm not planning on offering wholesale. I am new at all this...I don't even have a year under my belt yet lol! BUT before I started this pass January I wanted to make sure I priced to recoup the money I put out, had some to invest back in AND the rest goes to support our farm :) Yes this is a must for all us small business owners so thank you for your honesty !!! Blessings! ~jc

This video is what I feel every candle maker comes up against. I have been there where I wasn't making a profit. It was difficult but I made a very transparent video to my customers explaining my numbers and that I need to charge my worth. I raised prices and included shipping in my price. I lost customers and in return gain customers who saw my value. I am still bummed I lost customers. However, it feels good to stick to for myself and know my worth. I am not "rolling in the dough" and yes I want that. I love my candle business. Thank you for your video and your sharing.

Personally, I make jewelry but this video is very valuable to me because of the raw honesty, thank you for your bravery, and keep going!

Hey girl, it’s your buddy EDITION 33 from TikTok lol. This is a terrific video, and yes, I’M IN THE EXACT SAME BOAT because as you know I use the AURA vessel. We can’t make a sustainable profit with WWC, their product line, while great quality, is just too expensive. We would have to price candles from $50-$70 to make even a fair profit, and nobody is going to buy a $50-$70 candle from anyone other than, as you mentioned, a designer brand or a celebrity. After I launch I will be repackaging everything, trying to find a way to maintain my aesthetic while cutting the cost of creating my candles on the back end. I just don’t have a choice. If those of us who are trying to create “luxury” candles can’t realistically charge a “luxury” price, it’s not going to work…our businesses are going to fail. Period. Anyway thank you for this, it’s so great to be able to bounce things off of each other…because again, I’m in this boat 100%. 😞

You have 7.5 thousand subs. Get it out of your head people "love you". Geez, off the charts level of self-awareness.

This is only what I know..rule of thumb …cost up candle x it by 2 so yours should have been $39 (13 x 3) yeah so $6 profit to you. You now get that extra 6 plus the cost and put it back into the business again and you keep doing that! Businesses are no something that happens over nite businesses are a reputation yeah? So when more people discussing your product their either talking about how amazing ur product is or say nope I don’t like it never buy it again. Kylie Jenner already had a brand name behind hers before she started her cosmetics. We don’t have that luxury we have to work our butts off to get there! Don’t give up believe in what u do and trust me it will sell it’s self ❤️ just remember your business didn’t give up on you it was you giving up the dream. If ur heart is not in it then you wernt in it from the start and you rush it. Hope I’m making sense good luck in your decision 🙏🏼

Also you want to know your customer. High end versus everyday candle purchases.

People have no idea the cost, time, ratios, waxes, wicks, containers and testing that goes into trying to create the perfect candle that has amazing sent throw that is non-toxic!

I just started candle making and I'm more freaked out now after watching other candle makers. Seems like a very hard business to get into. Not so sure about it anymore.

Totally understand you as I just started my candle business and feeling the same.. it’s been 6 months I am tired of the way the wood wicks behave for each fragrance and colour.. but just love the wood wicks and really want to make it work well.. and still wondering if I am ever going to make profit out of this business. Something inside of me says don’t give up, nothing comes easy but if I can be faithful in the little God is going to make me in charge of much more.. my advice to you is don’t look at the things beneath but look above to the one who can make all things work well for you. Trust me an year from now you are going to be thankful for your struggles and failures that made you soar higher…. I am praying that you will not only have a success business but also a powerful couching material that can help beginners learn from your experience. Blessings my friend, you are not alone your help comes from above. Just ask 🙏

Girl!! you are not alone!! learnt this the hard way getting jars for $4-5 per jar

Production costs are too high but honestly high end candles at places like bloomingdales dont have much special and scents are overwhelming yet they charge up to $70. Quality is what matters. As long as your candles smell great and last, $70 wont seem ridiculous