My olive oil soap is lovely but I wont be giving up the day job anytime soon. I am a dreadful business woman when it comes to retail.
The soap bars were bought in the Souk in Aleppo either by my in-laws or by my husband when he was there in the summer. They average about £1 to £1.50 per bar. Add in the celophane bag and ribbon, another 30p. Bubble wrap to protect thesoap. I have some aorund the house for the first few bars but maybe 20p after that. Padded envelope,
50p unless I hve some for recycling. Also I have been worrying about the packaging since I posted the package. Maybe it needs a box too. Postage was, I tihnk, £1.62.
Total cost £3.62 (or up to £4.12, if it is the second batch of bars)
Incoemn £3.50!
I want to world to try this lovely soap but I think I may have been a bit too eager to sell. To be honest though, it would need to be over £5.00 per bar to make anything, even less than a £, and I cant pretend that £5 is way too much to be paying for soap.
So goodbye to my career in the soap market, back to the day job!
Hi Lizzie,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear that the math didn't add up. Would you consider putting it up at the right price to make it worth while to you anyways? People will pay for a great product that they cannot get easily.
Hi MW
ReplyDeleteI should probably look at in the way I would if it was really work.
Price up my costs. Add some profit and advertise with that price. If there is a market then thats good and if not then thats that & no worries.
I may well take your advice!
Lizzie
Those little costs always get me too. Do you have any consignment stores where you could sell display it? That would add another cost but you wouldn't have to pack or ship.
ReplyDeleteWould your soap fit in a padded envelope that fits a dvd? I have so many of those as I get my dvds cheaply from a company in NI & they often send each dvd in an order in a separate envelope! I keep the envelopes because I do & now have far too many. If I could donate them to your soap business, I'd be more than happy to do so
ReplyDeleteI am with Daizy... consignment. Or wholesale, maybe? If the product is worth it than its okay to charge a higher price (isn't that what all retail does?).
ReplyDeletePerhaps, even try a craft fair or like we have in our neighborhood, a weekly downtown night full of artists and food.
Hi Daizy & Christine.
ReplyDeleteCAn I by dozy and ask what is a consignment store? I dont think we have them here unless it is for home crafted stuff or clothing.
Hi Killi
Its a bit too big for that but thanks for thinking of me!
Okay, I wont give up, you lot are an inspiration!
Lizzie
A consignment store is one that will allow you to display your items for part of the profits. Some small store owners will do it and even some of the bigger stores if the owner is willing. Sometimes day-spas will display things like soaps and lotions on the front counter too. It just depends on who you know.
ReplyDeleteWhat about asking on freecycle for packaging materials? I once gave a way a huge box of bubble wrap to a lady selling stuff on ebay. It was left over from moving house and just getting in my way
ReplyDelete