# Christmas sales



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

So is anyone else glad it is almost over! :crazy :rofl

Boxes to ship tommorrow and then customers on Tuesday and I am done, I am very very happy it was such a good year, but very happy to have it overwith. 

How did everyones sales go? I did about 50% more sales than last year, and got a store in NC out of advertisements I put in two of Hobby Farms magazines.

Anything you will do differently next year? I will advertise more.

Any of your Christmas scents or ideas flop? I sold 2-8 ounces bottles of liquid soap.

Anything sell better than you thought? I made little kits of 2 ounces of facial cleaner/scrub/mask (dead sea mud and kaolin clay) a little scrubby mushroom poof and a 2 ounce facial moisturiser/cream, I sold 50, everyone I made and was making them yesterday still after reording more jars from bayousome. Also everyone loved the Cranberry Marmalade and for some strange reason Sandalwood (soap and lotion) was my top seller even outselling OMH. Vicki

Vicki


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## Terri-Lynn (Nov 7, 2007)

I also had a good season. I will definitely have to make more of everything next year. I've been sold out since mid-December. I had a lot of regular clients buying lots for gifts. I've been selling a lot more lotions now that Winter is here. Plain old Lavender really picked up at the end of the year, but one of my best sellers this year has been a mint blend.
What will I do differently this year...well I'd like to concentrate on more wholesaling and drop 1 of my markets. I did 3 all summer and I was worn out.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Wow, Vicki! That's great! I probably don't sell as much all year as some of you do in one month. But I did sell more this year than last. And I still have a couple customers coming this week. 

Next year, I'm going to start the market off by giving out tons of samples. So much of my business is repeat customers so I need to get my soap into more hands to try and get hooked! I'm also going to add more color. I tried last year but I'm going to work at it more this year. I need to work on 'visual appeal'. Anything I had on my table this year that had a bit of interest (crinkle cuts, contrasting chunks of soap, layers, etc) sold the best, regardless of scent. I even had one batch that was way light, weight wise, and the same scent as some of my regular bars. Customers bought the light bars over the regular bars 'cause they were more interesting looking. 

I am also going to work on having a home show next fall too and advertise for it near the end of market season. I really wanted to do it this year but it didn't work out.


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## Becky-DixieDoesAlpines (Oct 26, 2007)

Have you noticed I haven't been here at all really for weeks 
yes, it's been busy. VERY VERY busy. It was great but I am SO ready for it to be over!
Becky


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## susie (Oct 28, 2007)

I sold WAY more this year-- 40 bars to my next door neighbor alone! That's alot for me!
i think I will do gift sets next year-- great idea!

I'm grateful for all the help I've received from this board with my soap-making!

merry Christmas!


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Sold two whole batches to one milk customer Lavender and Oatmeal/honey That was a first for me at one time. 
I do have to get on the stick and start selling and advertizing as I do neither.


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## KingsCoGoatGuy (Dec 20, 2008)

We just got started into soap this year. I was very lucky to get a new milk buyer who is now using our goats milk for her soaps. I needed something else to build up, so I started mixing scents and launched our first soap "WaterMelon Ice." We did about 40 bars of soap this year, which would be pretty poor for you gals... But we all have to start some wheres. I am getting soap in a few herds that are giving soap away with their 2009 kids. Later in this year I got another scent to remove the buck smell & started selling their "Bug Off" soap. I am going to try to get some of it in a our vet office & dog groomers. Just a little extra cash to pay the feed bills with.
I am very happy with the herds out put this year. We were making $200 profit each month after feed costs came out. Those profits when down the drain to show, do classification, & buy 2 new purebred does. 

I wish you all the best in the coming year. :lol


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## SherrieC (Oct 26, 2007)

Our booth is open this week Tues, and Wens, and Fri and Sat. so yeah I'm waiting for the madness to end. I got a shppin notice my last big 18 lb package had arrived they ordered soap and matching lotion Last thurs night omg 6 :30 pm a $ 200 order. I think I shipped around 11 packages this week and last not counting the co op I'm winding up. and I've had to learn to do clik and ship. Today is my littlest boys birthday, and mean old mom didn't bake him a cake. well he gets the first t-bone. lol! I think tomorrow with our 6 inches of snow we're getting the lady who lives 5 mins from the booth will be working and not I who lives 1 1/2 hours away they don't close till 5pm and thats late for Christmas eve, I waana be home baking cookies for Santa! The kids are SICK of me working. poor babies, my little girl learned how to wrap the lotion bottles It's so cute a little assembly line, I tape the pump down and neck, hand it to her she wraps it up like a burrito in a tissue and then lays it on a bed of peanuts in the box. : ) We had Kirby salemans drop by last night and she sold them soap. lol! I hope what my little children loose out as me a crzy busy working business mom, they gain in confidence in dealing with the public and learning customer service and work ethic.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Sherrie,
I don't think your kids will lose out on anything by you being a busy working mom. They'll gain a lot though by helping with chores, packing boxes, wrapping soap, seeing the money come in, etc. etc. How much better off they are are than those kids sent off to day care, only to be picked up by a parent too tired to do anything but put a movie in for the kids to watch. If I could go back and do it over again, I'd love to have a business I could have included the children in. If it makes you feel any better, my son's birthday was Dec. 22. (he's a 22 year old college student) I had to pull 12 hour shifts all week long because other people took vacation. I live an hour from work, plus have the farm and a small natural hoof care business. Of course I did not have time to bake a cake, so I bought one. He ate one whole piece. He's been sick as sick could be missing school and work all week. I could not even get off work to take him to the doctor. He ended up driving himself and found out he had an ear infection, which was great because I was just sure he had some terrible, incurable cancer or something. Of course, he's better now, but I had all that guilt, even though he is older, we only have each other as we have no relatives here and his father lives all the way across the country. 
Yep, if I could have my own home business, (I'm working on it) I'd do it in a minute.
(I'm so jealous) :biggrin
Anita


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

So great to hear everyone doing so well. I have had a busy season with my soaping as well. This year My eucalyptus/ mint sold out and have back orders and I have one batch of Lavendar to go out tomorrow. I also have only three bars of Mighty Nice left so I better get busy and make more. I have added a couple more full time customers to my list YAY! And I am making laundry soap like theres no tomorrow...using DB resin soap in it! Santa (Hubby and Lindsey) got me a table and a gazibo for x-mas so next year I will be able to attend more sales. I don't think I'll get to slow down too much as I am also working as a personal care provider too and seem to not have a whole lot of time anymore. I sure miss yakking with you all but I'm busy making$$$ :biggrin. I'll try to get on once and awhile. Tammy


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## KUrby (Oct 27, 2007)

This was our best season yet. All year sales were up at our shows, so no complaints here. I am glad though the major selling season is over.
I hope the trend continues for everyone. 
Karen


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## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

I depend a lot on my internet sales and this year I had a designer re-do my site and completely screw everything up and I am fairly sure I lost thousands...I finally fired her on Thanksgiving and went back to my template based site. Too little too late though. I did make a ton of sales once my site was working properly and my customers were happy....but I know I lost big bucks like I said.

A lot of soapmakers up and quit around here locally, which was great for me at the shows. I only did three shows this year. The largest one has hundreds of vendors. Last year there were 10-12 soapers, this year only 3!

My lotion bars are sold out and bath bombs just flew like hotcakes this year. Black Raspberry vanilla was my best seller in everything. Shea butter didn't do so well at shows, but did online. Holiday scents never do well for me though I try them every year. The only exception being Cranberry fig that sells well every year.

My biggest and best customer bought her usual $1000 worth of stuff, but she does a layaway all year making payments - which is nice during the slower months but hurts when I have to give her the product!

I still am not doing big wholesale, truth is I don't really want to.

Could have been far more successful this year I think, but I've learned some big lessons too!


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