Consignment

[Catscankim]

I know a few here said that they are not a fan on consignment...why? What is the downfall?

I have one smoke shop (head shop) that originally bought 24 bars...paid upfront, and while they are not exactly flying off the shelves, they are definitely selling. Long story short, one of the guys that worked there bought his own shop in the same plaza and the original owner of the first shop jumped ship because he couldn't compete. It is still open and under new management, but I have no connection to them anymore...no loyalty on my part, I guess. I never met the new guy and he is never there.

Anyway...the new shop is HUGE. And it is part of a franchise of 16 stores. The owner of this one (the guy who worked at the first one that bought my soaps to begin with) approached me and asked if I can consign with him for soaps. He said that he would definitely sell at his shop, and try to get them into the other 15 stores.

At first he asked if I could make some that contained CBD that he would supply, and I told him that it wouldn't survive the lye and not be beneficial if they are using it for a reason. He said for label appeal, and I declined because I didn't want anybody to think that it had some sort of medicinal property.

I consulted a few friends that "partake" and they all said just sell what I am selling. Nobody wants soap that looks or smells like pot LOL

That aside, he wants to do consignment. He is a friend of mine. Loosely, not a best friend or someone I hang out with. But he's a nice guy and I trust him, and I have known him for about 4 years.

I don't know anything about consignment or how to go about it, or even if I should do it, given the few opinions that I have seen here.

Or maybe I should just push him into buying some upfront...

 

[Obsidian]

I would sell up front, never did really like the idea of consignment.
What if it doesn't sell, what if it gets all gross from people touching/dropping it or it looses scent? How long will it be sitting on a shelf with god knows what happening to it before you have to take it back?

If he wants cbd in the soap for label appeal and is giving it to you, I say go ahead and use it. You can label it not for medical use. You could add a little hemp oil too, double whammy label appeal.

I think pot scented soap is great. Not something I would want to use all the time but I would buy it for the novelty or as a gag gift.

 

[amd]

I have one smoke shop (head shop) that originally bought 24 bars...paid upfront

That's wholesale, not consignment.

Or maybe I should just push him into buying some upfront...

I would definitely do that. I've done consignment a few ways. My first stab at it I paid a monthly rent + percentage of what sold. This was horrible for me. Most months I sold nothing, and the owner didn't care as she was getting money just for me being there anyways. The other way I've done consignment is just taking the cut of what sells. I've done this twice. Once was for a holiday popup shop (only open Thanksgiving through Christmas) and was really good because the owner was really invested in making sure that each of the vendors had sales and really worked to sell all of the products in the shop, she also had a low "take" on what sold (if I remember right it was 20%). Because her clientele was higher end - and the other vendors in the store were bigger ticket items - I marked my soaps $2 more than I typically sell, and sold several hundred dollars for the month that she was open. My other experience wasn't good, I sold very little (according to the owner, but yet I was missing almost 3/4 of the stock that I brought). So my advice is if you're going to do consignment: know who you're dealing with, how they handle their consignments (do they promote items often?), and who their clientele is.

I no longer do consignment. If someone wants to carry my products, they buy it outright. And they usually find that having their own skin in the sales game will encourage them to sell it.

 

[Catscankim]

The pool room that I go to has a pot scented beer. I think it's called 420 or something. Everybody buys it. It obviously does not have pot in it lol, but the whole place smells of it LOL. I tried it (the beer) once, I hated it (but I don't smoke).

If all you are using it for is label appeal, why not just get a FO? Right? I feel like it would be a waste of CBD. I think I saw a few FO that smells like it.

My friend said "If I get pulled over for a tag light, I don't need them tearing my car apart because I just bought pot-smelling soap" LOL

Back to my original conundrum...the consignment, I think I am going to push the upfront sales. Maybe make a label that says "blah blah head shop" on one side and my information on the back.

I mean...16 shops would be incredible lol. I just don't want to screw it up with making the wrong decision.

 

[amd]

I think I am going to push the upfront sales. Maybe make a label that says "blah blah head shop" on one side and my information on the back.

Yes. This is how I do my brewery soaps. I private label with their artwork on the front (needs to be labeled SOAP and weight on the front bottom 1/3 of the label), and the ingredients are on a 2x1 label on the side of the bar. This is where I include the batch #, and "handcrafted for [brewery] by [business name]" and my website.

ETA: the "pot" beer is probably an IPA. Some hops have a very distinct ditchweed aroma. Just in case you were curious.
Also, I wouldn't use a fragrance that smells like "pot". The label appeal that they want is seeing CBD in the ingredients. I had a soap that I used a cannabis FO (it was a potato soap so I called it Baked... refering to the scent as well as a play on baked potatoes... my sense of humor is odd...) anyways, a friend of mine bought some as he does indulge. He texted me a few weeks later to let me know that he opened the bar, put it in the shower and then got completely chewed out by his wife for smoking in the house... It amused both of us.

 

[Catscankim]

Yes. This is how I do my brewery soaps. I private label with their artwork on the front (needs to be labeled SOAP and weight on the front bottom 1/3 of the label), and the ingredients are on a 2x1 label on the side of the bar. This is where I include the batch #, and "handcrafted for [brewery] by [business name]" and my website.

ETA: the "pot" beer is probably an IPA. Some hops have a very distinct ditchweed aroma. Just in case you were curious.
Also, I wouldn't use a fragrance that smells like "pot". The label appeal that they want is seeing CBD in the ingredients. I had a soap that I used a cannabis FO (it was a potato soap so I called it Baked... refering to the scent as well as a play on baked potatoes... my sense of humor is odd...) anyways, a friend of mine bought some as he does indulge. He texted me a few weeks later to let me know that he opened the bar, put it in the shower and then got completely chewed out by his wife for smoking in the house... It amused both of us.

OMG LOL. Love the "baked" potato LOL

I didn't get to go to the head shop or to anywhere for that matter tonight...pipe broke under my sink right after my last msg here and I had to get help LOL. Its fixed now, but what a mess.