AshleyR
Well-Known Member
So..... I didn't get the wholesale account I've been talking about. 
For the motel room soaps.
I'm disappointed because it was my first "big" opportunity, then again I'm somewhat relieved as it turned out to be quite a large possible order, and I think I may have undercutted myself on the quote.
I sent three samples to the lady with three different label designs - two of which were private label designs with her company logo. Took me an hour or so to do those. I let her know that she was not at all limited to the scents/colours I sent - that we could chat more about those options and I could customize something just for them. She was very happy and interested all along. Told me she LOVED the samples and the other products she bought from my website.
She asked me if I could cut the bars a wee bit smaller (I sent her 1.5 oz samples, and she wanted 0.75) and if they would cost less. I had quoted her .54 cents/bar for the 1.5 oz ones, wrapped (with my label. She previously declined the private label option which was about .15 cents more per bar). The cost of ingredients really wasn't the main reason for the cost of the soap, though - I factored a lot of the cost on the time it would take me to make, cut, and wrap 1000 tiny soaps. So - when she asked for the smaller bars, I had to tell her they'd cost the same as the 1.5 oz ones, because they took just as much work to make (and the difference in cost of ingredients wasn't much).
Sooooooooo, she very kindly emailed me back today and told me that while she loves the soap so much, she is having a hard time convincing her husband to pay a little more than twice as much for my soap as they're paying for commercial soap now (they pay .20 cents/bar). :\
I had thought about letting her know that I would cut back the price .5 cents/bar, just to get the sale, but I didn't want to seem desperate. I also thought about trying to educate her on all the benefits of handmade soap, and explain to her WHY mine are twice+ the cost of the commercial bars she buys now, but I didn't want to come across as pushy. I always hate that as a customer. I did send her a brochure explaining all of that with the samples anyway, so I just let it be.
I'm actually surprised and happy that I stuck to my price. I always, ALWAYS undercut myself when it comes to selling my things (can't count how many wedding cakes I've done for FREE, by accident), so I feel good about letting this one go. I'm sad that it didn't work out, but I feel confident in my price and am not budging! If anything, I will probably charge a bit more to the next customer!
So, bummer, but oh well.... live and learn! I learned a lot during this experience and will be able to handle future wholesale inquiries in a much more confident and organized manner! If anything, I got a new customer from this experience (since she said she would buy soap for herself from me), and that's better than nothing!
For the motel room soaps.I'm disappointed because it was my first "big" opportunity, then again I'm somewhat relieved as it turned out to be quite a large possible order, and I think I may have undercutted myself on the quote.
I sent three samples to the lady with three different label designs - two of which were private label designs with her company logo. Took me an hour or so to do those. I let her know that she was not at all limited to the scents/colours I sent - that we could chat more about those options and I could customize something just for them. She was very happy and interested all along. Told me she LOVED the samples and the other products she bought from my website.
She asked me if I could cut the bars a wee bit smaller (I sent her 1.5 oz samples, and she wanted 0.75) and if they would cost less. I had quoted her .54 cents/bar for the 1.5 oz ones, wrapped (with my label. She previously declined the private label option which was about .15 cents more per bar). The cost of ingredients really wasn't the main reason for the cost of the soap, though - I factored a lot of the cost on the time it would take me to make, cut, and wrap 1000 tiny soaps. So - when she asked for the smaller bars, I had to tell her they'd cost the same as the 1.5 oz ones, because they took just as much work to make (and the difference in cost of ingredients wasn't much).
Sooooooooo, she very kindly emailed me back today and told me that while she loves the soap so much, she is having a hard time convincing her husband to pay a little more than twice as much for my soap as they're paying for commercial soap now (they pay .20 cents/bar). :\
I had thought about letting her know that I would cut back the price .5 cents/bar, just to get the sale, but I didn't want to seem desperate. I also thought about trying to educate her on all the benefits of handmade soap, and explain to her WHY mine are twice+ the cost of the commercial bars she buys now, but I didn't want to come across as pushy. I always hate that as a customer. I did send her a brochure explaining all of that with the samples anyway, so I just let it be.
I'm actually surprised and happy that I stuck to my price. I always, ALWAYS undercut myself when it comes to selling my things (can't count how many wedding cakes I've done for FREE, by accident), so I feel good about letting this one go. I'm sad that it didn't work out, but I feel confident in my price and am not budging! If anything, I will probably charge a bit more to the next customer!
So, bummer, but oh well.... live and learn! I learned a lot during this experience and will be able to handle future wholesale inquiries in a much more confident and organized manner! If anything, I got a new customer from this experience (since she said she would buy soap for herself from me), and that's better than nothing!
