Raising your prices.

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I sell my CP Goat Milk soaps locally for $3.75, and they weigh about 4.5 to 4.8 ounces. :roll: Now, they are great soaps. :) I see other places on the net getting $5.00 to $8.00 per bar for Goat Milk. :oops: I put a lot of nice ing. in my soap too. I don't have a 3 or 4 oil recipe, most are at least 9 to 13 different oils/butters/fats. :shock: I still can't get over $3.75. :cry: I know how you feel. I don't think I am selling high enough either. If you get $4.00 for a M&P bar, I think, in my area, that would be top dollar! I have a lady locally who sells M&P for $2.50 per bar! She recently went up to $2.75 for some of her goat milk based M&P stuff.
Local conditions dictate a lot, if your not internet based. :roll:

Paul.... :wink:
 
I have also thought about raising my internat prices but leaving my shop prices as they are. I am fairly certain my local market could not handle the icrease.

I could use my shop as an *off retail* type of market.
 
Price Pains

I'm having alot of trouble with pricing as well. I put out my M & P soaps brochure at $4.50 bar. While I dont' think this is a huge problem, I apparently underpriced my scrubs/lotions substantially. I'm started out of the gate chargin $6.50-$7.50 for 16 oz jars, and I understand this is way too low. Same with lotions and mists. Ugh. Now I'm trying to figure out how to backtrack without looking like an idiot. Luckily, I haven't put out too many brochures--we only had 100 made up, and haven't distributed all of these. The only thing I can figure out is to put a slip inside the brochure hyping it as "Limited Time Only" introductory pricing. I know this is a bad deal, but do you think something like that will help soften it a bit? I do want to actually make a profit in this biz and not just eek out enough for my supplies. But frankly, trying to figure out EXACTLY how much it costs me per bar/scrub/lotion is not my forte; especially when dealing with small increments. Also, I still haven't figured out EXACTLY how much soap it takes to make a single bar! I'm shooting from the hip! I fill a Pyrex cup with cubes, melt it, (usually gives me 3 cups), and that usually is enough for a 3-4 bar pour, or an 18 bar tray of samples. What that works out to be in actual cost, (fragrance, color, additives, soap, labor, packaging, etc, etc., is still a bit of a mystery. Just giving it my best guess.

At any rate, could you guys weigh in on the "Introductory Price" thing? I'm trying to save the farm here. Thanks.
 
My 1st thought was grand opening sale price or introductory prices.

If you have more I would not pass them out. I would rather take the loss on the printing than the larger loss on the product.

As for this:
I fill a Pyrex cup with cubes, melt it, (usually gives me 3 cups), and that usually is enough for a 3-4 bar pour
4oz of soap will turn into 4oz of soap. You just need to write down exactly how much of what goews into a bar of soap & figure out what it all costs & find a mark-up that is fair. 4x is average I think in this industry.

Here is a price break down on M&P I have posted here in the past. Hope it helps.:

If you buy in bulk (24# BLOCKS) The base costs about $1.30 a pound, add another .70cents per # for shipping, that is $2.00 a pound.

Add a tablespon of fragrance (you need way more fragrance for CP cause a lot of it burms up so to speak from the lye.... or somthin' like that) which is about .30 cents, so that is $2.30 to make a pound of soap.

Divided the pound into (4) bars weighing 4oz ea, that is a cost of .57cents each.

Add a penny for a drop or 2 food coloring, maybe a nickle for a pinch of poppy seeds, etc, it's still very inexpensive.

You need to factor in the cost of your overhead, molds, bowls, scales, etc.

Don't forget packageing like cello bags, ink, labels & ribbon too.

You should factor in your time as well.
 
Well I did it! Yesterday I raised my online prices. I will let you know how it goes. I did not raise them to the full amount they should be at to take in to account the new cost of silica & plastic. I raised them to the price in red.

I also raised my international shipping charges by 33%. I was losing money shipping overseas.

I did not raise my inhouse shop prices, the economy in our town can't handle a price increase. I do pride myself in keeping my items affordable to the average person. Everyone deserves little luxuries.

4oz scrubs from $5.00 to $7.00 $6.00
4oz lotion parfaits from $5.00 to $7.50 $6.00
4oz whipped soap parfaits from $5.00 to $7.50 $6.00
9oz shower gel from $7.50 to $9.50 $8.50
8oz Honey Bath from $6.00 to $10.00 $8.00

4oz Body Mist $5.00 -fine
4oz M&P soap $4.00 -fine
2oz Deodorant $5.00 -fine
1/2oz Lip balm $4.00 -fine
8oz Powdered Milk Bath $6.00 - fine
 
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