# Does soap sell?



## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I have taken a few weeks off work because I have so much to do around here that has been neglected - and because SO was working some really funky hours and there is no one else to watch the girls. Since I've been off things around the house have been so much less stressful; I'm not stressed, I'm doing a better job cooking, I've got more time to clean (YAY!) and I've gotten a 1230x200 foot garden planted. I know - insane. 

Needless to say, I don't want to have to go back to work. It's just a silly job waiting tables 3 nights a week but I can usually bring in $200-$250 (some times of the year I can bring that in on a Saturday night) a week. While I will definitely miss the regulars at the restaurant and will probably beg to go back in the fall, for now I cannot work 25 hours a week, as there is just too much to get done "while the sun shines".

So that leaves me to figure out how to make some mad money. I have tons and tons and tons of experience with booths at craft fairs, and I really enjoy them. There are also lots of farmer's markets popping up here and there (like a Tuesday evening from 3-7 or Thursday from 12-6) and I know that the folks in some parts of town pride themselves on "buying local". 

I was thinking of learning to make goat milk soap - buy since my plan to make aged cheese failed miserably (I never could figure out how to control the humidity in a wine chiller) I'm worried about investing the in the stuff I need to make the soap and then not making any money selling it. 

Thoughts?


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

I took some of my soap to the local health food store with high hopes and was told that they only buy from established businesses!?!? I the looked into farmers markets here and they all have full venues for no more booths. I'm going to start volunteering at a neighbors farm who has a CSA and see if I can slip some bars of soap into the baskets and maybe build up a customer base that way.
I guess it depends on what the market is like in your area. I live in an area where there are aw million stay at home moms all trying to be crafty so I'm not the only one with hand made soap. I am the only one with cold processed organic soap though but it doesn't seem to make a difference. So I would check with your local farmers markets and smaller stores first. The gals that have a booth at the market and street fairs here do sell pretty well but nevere all of what they bring. If I sigup to have w booth here next season I would likely do all right but not as well as the established booth.
Sorry if I'm rambling.


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## sonofthunder (Apr 10, 2014)

PrettyPaisley said:


> I have taken a few weeks off work because I have so much to do around here that has been neglected - and because SO was working some really funky hours and there is no one else to watch the girls. Since I've been off things around the house have been so much less stressful; I'm not stressed, I'm doing a better job cooking, I've got more time to clean (YAY!) and I've gotten a 1230x200 foot garden planted. I know - insane.
> 
> Needless to say, I don't want to have to go back to work. It's just a silly job waiting tables 3 nights a week but I can usually bring in $200-$250 (some times of the year I can bring that in on a Saturday night) a week. While I will definitely miss the regulars at the restaurant and will probably beg to go back in the fall, for now I cannot work 25 hours a week, as there is just too much to get done "while the sun shines".
> 
> ...


Selling anything successfully is exactly like the real estate adage, "location, location, location. I had a Sister who made a lot of money selling her homemade soaps. She developed her own recipes and put it out there online as well as selling at the local Farmers Markets and Co-ops. She lived at the time just outside San Diego but she couldn't do much in the way of sales there. When the opportunity for her to move to South Central MO, her business took off to the point she was bringing in in the high 5 digits per year just off the soap. She then expanded to lotions and tinctures and her sales doubled.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I have a dear friend that does very well on her soaps.

The difference (and we met via her soaps) was the packaging.
Her soaps are sleek and stylish and the packaging attractive and professional.

I am not drawn to the sliced off rough bars. 
That style is a dime a dozen.
Hers are half cylinders and smooth and finished looking.

And they are amazing. She does a lot of research and takes it very seriously.
But what catches the eye is the packaging and the way her table is set up.

First impressions mean everything.


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

sonofthunder said:


> Selling anything successfully is exactly like the real estate adage, "location, location, location. I had a Sister who made a lot of money selling her homemade soaps. She developed her own recipes and put it out there online as well as selling at the local Farmers Markets and Co-ops. She lived at the time just outside San Diego but she couldn't do much in the way of sales there. When the opportunity for her to move to South Central MO, her business took off to the point she was bringing in in the high 5 digits per year just off the soap. She then expanded to lotions and tinctures and her sales doubled.


I am glad I read this. When I was living in MO everyone I knew absolutely loved my soaps and I managed to sell as many bars as I gave away. Now I'm in. California and can not sell a single bar. I plan on moving to Iowa this winter so hopefully my luck will be better there!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I sell a lot of my goats milk soap. I have 3 stores that sell it now besides what I sell from my online FB business page & customer clientele I have built up but I agree that it depends on where you live & the market there.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

At this point I'm in a market with lots of SAHMs who have extra cash to spend and feel good about buying "local". And tons of places to sell it.

Thanks for the tips on the bar size. That didn't cross my mind. I will do some research and see what I come up with it.


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