Earth N Moon Wholesale

You may have seen on my Facebook page that I am now accepting wholesale orders. If you'd like to know more about Earth N Moon wholesale, check out the website here!

What exactly is the difference between wholesale and retail?
Well, in simple terms, retail is the non discounted price you would see on the Etsy store. Retail costs factor in packaging costs, labor costs, raw materials costs, and overhead costs. Wholesale is basically for stores who would like to sell other peoples' items in their store. However, instead of buying the items at the retail value, there is usually a discount and a minimum order. So, people who usually buy wholesale buy in bulk and receive a discounted rate.

Essentially, I am willing to part with my unique, homemade items at a wholesale rate in which I may not make much monetarily. However, there are other benefits to selling wholesale which include:

• Moving more product at one time. Think about it, although you are selling at a discounted rate, you are moving more inventory that would normally be sitting there waiting for each person to come by and buy one or two items. If you're really lucky, they may buy more than two at a time. By moving more inventory at one time, you are able to make room for other items.
• Gaining recognition. I've noticed that unless you are widely known through your local and online communities, you will not sell much because people don't know who you are. The more familiar people are with you the more people are likely to buy from you. Wholesale gives you the opportunity to gain recognition not just in your local community, but potentially nationally. It depends on where your items are featured, to whom your items are being presented, and the quality of your product along with other factors. Gaining recognition in place of the discount on the prices of items is never a bad thing. It could potentially drive retail sales upward.
• Building relationships. Your network and contacts will slowly grow through wholesale. Part of building a great business and being known is building better relationships between you, your customers, and your customer's customers. While people who are requesting wholesale prices are ultimately reselling your items at their own rates, they are still your customers. Having a healthy customer service relationship with your wholesale customers is key to keeping your items in the public eye as well as making their customers happy to a certain extent.

So, if you are getting a lot of requests for wholesale orders, don't shoot them down just yet. Talk with those who are looking to feature your items in their locations. You can always be open to opportunities but stand firm on your discounted prices and terms. This is your work. You are putting yourself out there and you have every right to what you feel is best for you and your blossoming business. So, here are a few tips in case you are just a little unsure of whether or not to consider wholesale prices.

• Are you at a point to consider wholesale? If you are making your products in small batches, you can still consider wholesale, just don't burn yourself out. Just know that you will have to be able to keep up with your wholesale orders at the same time of keeping up with your retail orders. Making sure you have enough product, materials, and time is essential to committing to wholesale and retail at the same time.
• You have the right to know where your items are being sold. If a person wants to discuss wholesale prices with you, always get information first such as the name of their store and where your items will be featured. If they can't give you a name or refuse to tell you where your items will be sold, go with your gut instinct.
• Always make sure you have a minimum purchase quantity. Why else would you give a discount? There would be no point in selling wholesale if the other person were not buying in bulk. The minimum purchase quantity is ultimately up to you. Set realistic minimums. If you are making all of your products by hand and you set your minimum at 5 per item, will you be able to easily deliver that amount?
• Don't sell yourself short. You should still be able to make a profit from your wholesale orders. Your wholesale prices should depend on how much profit you will make. Set realistic prices and make sure they are fair to both yourself and your wholesale customers.

Remember, this is your stuff and your business. You ultimately set the prices and purchase requirements for wholesale.

Join me tomorrow for a tutorial on super easy bath salts! 

Cheers!

Kristine

Vendors Be Cautious

So, I just wanted to post this idea out there for vendors who have had a similar situation. This is just some food for thought... I had a woman contact me about selling my products in her new store about wanting wholesale prices. So, being that I'm already signed up with An Artisan's Emporium in Roxoboro, I wanted to know what this new store was about and to do my research first (always do your research first!). Plus, I wanted to keep my arranged agreement updated as they have a right to know. Anyway, so I asked normal questions such as "what is the name and location of the store?" and "what items are you interested in?". I got a response back that stated she was interested in soaps, hair, and skin products. Anything organic for the body. She also mentioned that they were not disclosing the name of the store until construction was complete, but that the building was located in downtown Greensboro, NC. So, there were red flags all over this:

1. The main red flag--Even though construction is not complete, I have a right as a seller to know who and where my products are being sold. The fact that she is not willing to disclose the name of the store regardless of whether or not construction is complete is a big NO for me especially since I am in a contractual agreement with a local store in Roxboro.
2. The fact that I asked her which of my products she was interested in for me to give her wholesale prices and she did not give me a list of any of my products makes me suspicious. It tells me that she did not even look at my products on my store page. 
3. She did not respond after I told her I was in a contractual agreement with another store and needed to update them on other venues where I am selling.

So, I just let it go. 

My point is to just be careful when someone sends you a message and wants to do business with you. My tips for being fair to yourself and prospective business partners is

• Research your prospective business partner. Are they an actual business? Do they have a physical location? Ask for their address and business name. Don't be afraid to ask for this information, You, as a vendor, have a right to know about the possible venue where your items are being sold.
• If you feel like you are being pressured into something, think twice before you say "yes". Don't feel obligated or pressured into a sale or business proposal. Depending on the situation, it may not be in your best interest. Think about it before you do it.
• With the previous bullet, look at all of the factors before signing on. Is the business well-known? Do they have a lot of good reviews? Pay attention to the attitude of your prospective business partner. Will they represent your items well when you're not around? Remember, just because someone else may be selling your products, the people who are selling your items for you are also representing your brand. Customers and potential customers usually don't differentiate between physical store and what is carried in the store. So, if your customer or potential customer has a bad experience at the store where your products are being sold, it could result in a potential customer loss. It just depends on situations and customers. However, with that being said, a lot of times, you won't know if a customer has had a bad experience unless the customer expresses through personal complaint, social media, or other way.
• Make sure all of your questions are answered upfront before making a decision. Get all of the details on fees, booth/spot costs, payment dispersal, etc.

I am sure there may be some more that come to mind. So, if I think of any more, I will update this post.

Hoping this helps my vendor friends and followers!

Cheers!

Kristine

Turning Over a New Leaf

I feel like I should start with an introductory blog. This is my first blog, so please be gentle! I know I'll get into the habit of writing seemingly interesting blog posts, but right now it's a little awkward for me like when you get your very first diary as a kid and you have no idea what to say so you just start writing random thoughts and end with "okay bye". Yeah.

Anyway, so I want to start with who I am and how I got to this point. I started Earth N Moon in September of 2015 as a basic craft project with Melt and Pour Soaps that I could give to family and friends. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, Melt and Pour soaps are soaps made from premade bases that melt easily and set up quickly. They usually contain a high Glycerin content depending on the soap. There are all sorts of Melt and Pour types such as Stephenson, Goat Milk, Clear (true Glycerin), White, Shea, Aloe, etc.

It wasn't until I started delving into soap making and researching the various techniques and soap makers that I really wanted to try my hand at cold process soaping which does involve making your own soap from scratch and does involve the use of a caustic ingredient known as lye. I was super nervous my first time because I was terrified of getting burned by lye.

*Word of advice, if you have never worked with lye, DO NOT Google pictures of lye burns before working with lye. It will only scare you to the point of saying NOPE all together*

However, with that being said, everyone should understand the hazards and proper methods of safe handling when it comes to any chemical ingredient. So, definitely do your research before you go gallivanting all over the place trying out DIY recipes on the Internet.

Back to my story (I know I'm terrible about staying on track, sorry!). My first bar of soap was a basic bar that had very little scent. I really liked my first soap and was instantly hooked on the whole soap making adventure.

So, fast forward to today and here we are talking about soap and having a grand ol' time making it. I'm learning new things every day. My advice for anyone looking into soap making is:

Research, research, research

Become active in the soap community

Talk to people

Share ideas and inspirations

Attend live events such as craft shows

I'll have more detailed and specific blogs on my adventures and view points on the different aspects of the soap business as I go along. So follow me, friend me, all that good stuff to keep up with all of the tips and advice I have to offer!

Follow Me on Facebook

I'm on Twitter too!

Here are some great places to find tutorials that I have used in the past and that I trust:

Soap Queen

Bramble Berry