Soap Makers Help!

[chiknwhisperer]

What about online sales? Does any one charge sales tax on those?

 

[Morgaine]

I believe that you only charge sales tax if someone is fom your state. If tey are from a different one, no tax.

Here is a better picture of the sampler pack

And the floral spice bar I just cut. The sea kelp was greener this time. I used 1/4 cup for 4 pounds.

 

[Morgaine]

Here is the rosemary and mint.

 

[ametauss]

okay, I have to ask... Morgaine, you say these are soap samplers and their 1/2 bars....

They look like soap logs to me.... do you just have the place cut a piece off to give to folks to sample??

I like the idea of leaving the soap in the log and cutting off the amount someone wants.... I saw this in Whole Foods and thought it was neat... they also cut it with the wavey cutter so it looks great when cut....

I love your colors...

I'm still trying to get my soaping right.... Seems like every other batch comes out.... I think it might be the scenting......

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Morgaine - Those look GREAT!!! What is the final weight of the batch? If I could suggest something, it would be to charge a bit more per ounce for the sampler packs than you would charge for the same bars if bought individually since you must go to more work to create the packaging. I would buy that if I wandered by your booth!

I'm soaping the Bonsai batch with the comfrey infused OO right now. I'm just waiting for everything to cool down and then I'm going to blend. I really like the smell of this Bonsai OOTB. It smells very clean and fresh.

 

[Morgaine]

I do pour my soap batter into log molds that my DH built me. 12-24 hours later I cut them 1" thick. My final bars are 2.5HX3.5WX1 thick. For the sampler I just cut them in half so they are now 2.5HX1.75WX1thick. They do not cut as smoothly cured as they do fresh, so they are very much rustic, but I don't cut anything there at the market. I think a lot of those soaps that are cut in fon't of you are M&P.

BB, I'm thinking of charging $10 or $12 for the sampler. The shrink wrapping saves me from using the muslin bags. WDYT?

Quote:

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
That's true about the muslin bags. If I remember correctly, you were paying about .15 cents or so each for them??? I'm not sure how shrink wrapping compares cost-wise.

If your regular price on 5 bars would be $20, then I'd charge the $12 for the sample pack. OOH, they're getting the privilege of trying 5 of your bars without having to pay full price. OTOH, shrink wrap sort of hides the scent of the bars of soap so that they can't sniff and pick what they want.

Another marketing idea might be to make up different sample packs so that they have to buy more than one to get all the "flavors." If you choose to do it for the $10 instead of the $12, mix and match your soaps so that you balance out the more expensive to make soaps with the less expensive to make soaps.

 

[Morgaine]

I don't know if you can tell, but I left the tops open so the soaps can breath and people can smell them. I did 5 different samplers and each one was different. I was just picking different ones rhis time, but know I'm going to use my B&B mold and log splitter to make the bars and then cut them 1". that way they will be a little more uniform. I didn't think to weigh them before I delivered them

I'll make more though and weigh them.

Quote:
That's true about the muslin bags. If I remember correctly, you were paying about .15 cents or so each for them??? I'm not sure how shrink wrapping compares cost-wise.

If your regular price on 5 bars would be $20, then I'd charge the $12 for the sample pack. OOH, they're getting the privilege of trying 5 of your bars without having to pay full price. OTOH, shrink wrap sort of hides the scent of the bars of soap so that they can't sniff and pick what they want.

Another marketing idea might be to make up different sample packs so that they have to buy more than one to get all the "flavors." If you choose to do it for the $10 instead of the $12, mix and match your soaps so that you balance out the more expensive to make soaps with the less expensive to make soaps.

 

[Morgaine]

Anyone soaping this weekend? I'm going to get another Almond & Oatmeal batch made and one more Rosemary and mint this evening.

 

[TM Chickens]

Does anyone know how many oz. of soap a Pringles can will hold?