Selling soap to friends?

[Ugeauxgirl]

I started making soap about 7 months ago and it's fair to say I'm obsessed with it. I've made more than 60 batches. I've been giving away sacks full to friends and family. I gave one of my best friends several bars and she texted to say her son loves a lemongrass soap and wants to know how much for the soap. I don't actually have any lemongrass on hand, but of course I'm happy to make some. Does anyone charge for requests- say $2 a bar or something? I know that for myself, if someone offered to give me some I'd be hesitant to ask for as many as I wanted. If they charged $2 a bar, I'd take 10. Thoughts?

 

[AliOop]

When I make special request soaps for friends, I do ask them to cover the costs. It usually works out around $1 to $2 per bar, depending on whether they want an expensive EO or butter. They are thrilled to get handmade soap for that price.

 

[lsg]

I usually charge friends the base cost of the bar.

 

[Carly B]

I've bartered mine. I got a gorgeous home-baked sourdough boule in exchange for four bars of custom lavender soap.

 

[amd]

Yep, I'd charge them costs - unless it's like a super small amount and doesn't leave me with more soap, lol. I sell, but I do have friends/family that ask for certain scents and if I know they won't sell to my customers, so I tell them I will make them a batch for the cost of the fragrance if I have to order it, if I have the FO on hand then I will usually do it for no charge. In the scheme of my business doing a pro-bono 4 bar batch isn't going to sink me. If it's a scent that I know I will be able to sell, they get the friends-and-family discount of 50% off my retail price, and I make a larger batch so it's worth my time.