Hi everybody! I make designer candles and would like some ideas for selling them. In the previous years floating candles were a hot item . Ladies putting up stalls for melas used to buy from me. I sold candles in bulk like 500 pieces etc. Now we have been transferred to a small place where such chances are bleak. I can e-mail pix and later courier the candles ,will it work ?
Dear Candleart, Time and now, I have been involved directly or indirectly in various home based business. Candle making has been one of them, over a year ago. As i was just thinking on how it can be innovatively marketed, the following thoughts came to me. Take it global :I have not seen a webpage for any candle maker till now. Do that. It wont cost you much. On a initial level, a blog would do good too. Then start adveritising in the local newspapers as candles for sale, along with your blog address. Try posting in various online sources where buyers look out for. Associate: A good idea would be to contact event organisers, wedding planners, birthday planners, florists, small time part halls and tell them about your candles. Tell them the aesthetic touch you can add, and if required do a event for free. Teach: This may not be a very feasible idea, but teaching does help in a regular stream of revenues. Innovate: Once you start teaching, the basic is known. So you need to innovate. I found this link - National Candle Association: Candles & the Home - Décor Ideas Go through it, and try to find alternative solutions! Happy Candle Making Cheers Arch
I did open air selling here in USA for several years....don't know how this would translate to India but you be the judge. If you can get a booth in the right event, you can do huge selling over a small amount of time. A very busy event, although with higher booth price, can end up being good if you have the sales and inventory to cover it. For me, I used to just sell once a week for 5 hours and in the initial two years, used to sell routinely $200 in 5 hours and up to $400. This was with modest traffic. From my experience, only try to sell on events where the people going there are going to buy and not there just to look at things. If they come just to look they don't bring much money (only for food perhaps) but if they come to shop you have a chance of large sales. You have to have some decent looking setup but that is easy to pull down and store. You have to have cover if there is possibility of rain. We have many public events that include merchant booths (state fairs, craft fairs, local yearly festivals) so don't get me wrong...this is not street selling like in India that I am talking about. My biggest surprise a couple years ago was I was asked to set up a booth at the elementary school event. They asked I only have low cost items since it was little kids. In 45 mins I sold $250 worth of stuff...those kids were on me like vultures!!!! I was never so astonished.... Moral: you never know where the sale will be from!
Thankyou Archana and Tashidelek for your ideas. I have made decent money by taking candle making classes over the years but now things are at a standstill in this sleepy town . Yes I think I will contact hotels and event organisers and give some free candles! Selling on the web not such a good idea as the courier charges are high, sometimes the packaging and shipping costs more than the item itself! Now in metro cities all malls have stalls in the halls and are quite costly. But I like the idea of selling candles in schools.My DH does not like the idea of stalls and to keep things peaceful I have to think of something else.
Hi, I'm in Bangalore, & i organise exhibitions in & around bangalore. Let me know if you would be intrested in putting up stalls & selling it send me a PM & i'll mail you the details. Regards, Sowmya
Hi Sowmya, We work on designer candles. It would be great if you could share details on the upcoming events. Thanks in advance. Regards, Sujatha
Hi Everyone, Even I make floating,gel and beer candles at home and waiting for the right exposure.As I hail from Rajahmundry,here candle business will be there only during christmas and Diwali seasons.
