Selling price for whole "loaf"

[pamielynn]

If you were going to sell a customer a whole loaf (cut bars) from a non-custom batch - what would you charge? Right now I ask $5.50 a bar - online and at events. How much, if any, discount do you give? She has the option of buying 10 or 20 bars at a whack.

 

[LovelyMalia]

I usually sell at my wholesale price to anyone buying more than 5 bars. I calculate my wholesale price at 2x MY cost...so $3 a bar.

You could always offer deals, too, where you buy 5 bars get 1 free or buy 10 bars get 1 free...people like the idea of getting something free.

 

[Stakie]

I think the buy so many getting one free idea is the best. However, if this is a returning customer you could always be nice and give them the wholesale price. =P

 

[pamielynn]

Thanks for the ideas. She's not getting wholesale pricing for only buying 20 bars, unless she wants to contract for a monthly order I was thinking more along the lines of 20-25% discount, without packaging.

Does this sound unreasonable?

 

[Koshka]

Sounds like a good deal. Is she reselling or purchasing for herself?

 

[pamielynn]

As far as I know - they are for her and maybe gifts. She buys this particular soap every few months - usually about 6 bars at a time. I don't mind a discount, but I am sort of against setting a standard for discounts UNLESS it's going to be on a regular basis (as in a wholesale account). I don't want to be the Bed, Bath & Beyond of soapmaking - you know, where nobody shops until the 20% coupon comes out.

Because I lack the storage space, I am not buying in big bulk. 50lb pails are the highest I can go and I can only store about 3 of those at a time right now. I have to get rich and famous before I can build a dedicated space, LOL. Or, kick the kid out... hmmm....

 

[Koshka]

4 something a bar sounds like a very fair price. You could also state that this price applies only when the customer buys a minimum of say... 20 bars! And this is the business owner in me: "You know, my usual discount is 50 cents. I don't do it very often, but because you're one of my most loyal and favorite customer, I will sell them to you at 4.50 a bar." Make her feel special

I have price breaks for my customers: up to 100 bars - 3 bucks, 100 to 250 bars 2.50 and so on... But that's just an FYI for the time when you'll have your big soap business

 

[pamielynn]

You only charge $3.00 for any quantity under 100 bars? Please tell me you have a minimum in there or you'll drive us all out of business, LOL.
Duh - your list "100-250" caught my eye AS I posted. Sorry about that - haven't finished my first coffee yet. Ugh!


Well, my customer was pleased as punch with with $4.50 for naked bars. I'll take it. Thanks for all the help, everyone!!!

 

[LovelyMalia]

Oh my goodness! I couldn't imagine getting to the point where someone orders 50 bars, let alone 100-250!

And to clear one thing up, I sold a batch at wholesale because she ordered 25 bars. Its the only person I've sold that many to at once so far. My regulations on bulk pricing will probably change the more I think about it and see what other people are doing!

 

[pamielynn]

I always get a little weirded out when someone orders a bulk of ONE type of soap - I don't know why Several years ago, on the advice of another customer, a woman bought 8 bars of an unscented batch. Never saw it, never touched it, nothing - just ordered every bar I had left. My ADHD would never let me use the same bar of soap that much...

 

[ahutchins9]

I also sell mine at wholesale

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