Sell candles online

How to make candles to sell

Candles are relatively easy to make and can be cooked up in any home kitchen, so selling candles is a great first step into entrepreneurship. You can purchase candle-making supplies from your local crafts store, or through online retailers specializing in candle-making such as Nature’s Garden or Candles and Supplies. To make candles from scratch, you’ll need:

• Soy wax
• Wicks with anchors
• Candle color blocks
• Fragrance of your choice
• Candle jars (these can be mason jars or any standard glass jar of your choosing)

Once you’ve got your supplies, you’re ready to move on to making your candles:

1. Start by washing your candle jars to remove any dust or residue from the glass.
2. Place the wick and anchor at the bottom of the jar and add a touch of hot wax to secure the anchor in place. Set the jar aside.
3. Now, it’s time to melt the soy wax. Place your soy wax into a pot filled with water and boil the mixture at medium heat until the wax melts.
4. Once the wax is melted, place a few drops of your fragrance to create your perfect scent. You can also mix in color blocks to tinker with the color of the candle. Feel free to get creative with your scents and colors but remember to keep them on brand. A multi-colored tutti-frutti candle is a great idea for a children’s birthday party, but might not so much if your niche is aromatherapy candles. Stir the fragrance and color blocks until they’ve melted and are evenly spread.
5. While the mixture is still liquid, pour the wax into your jar while ensuring that the wick stays in the center. Do this slowly to avoid spilling the mixture over the side of your jar.
6. Sit the candles aside to harden. You’ll start to notice the wax harden quickly at the top - but you’ll want to give it about 12-15 hours to harden fully.
7. When the candles have hardened - trim your wicks (if necessary) and brand the candle with a label. The label can be a simple sticker with your logo or it’s recommended you add additional info about your products somewhere on the product or packaging- it’s up to you. You’re now ready to sell candles online.

How to start a candle business

There are various factors to consider when starting your own candle business, such as deciding who you’re planning on selling candles to, what the candles look and smell like, and most importantly where you plan to sell them.

Here are four steps to explore prior to selling candles online:

• Audience demographic. If you decide to make a candle business, it’s important to understand who you’re creating the product for. For example, 90% of all candles sold have been purchased by women. If you decide to target your products to a certain audience demographic, it’s crucial to position the product in a direction that appeals to them.
• Product features. About three quarters of candle consumers say that a candle’s fragrance is either very or extremely important. You can differentiate your brand from others with the types of scents you create. You could create a collection of floral scents, candy scents, outdoorsy scents, and more. Candles are often purchased for aromatherapy or relaxation purposes. Around 9 out of every 10 candle consumers say they purchase candles to make their home feel cozy. If you choose to go down this route, using relaxing and peaceful tones can help attract consumers to your brand. You’ll want graphics with soft colors such as white to help create a modern, yet relaxed look. You can even add quotes about relaxation to your candle jar label.
• Legal requirements for selling candles. Candles come in various forms and packaging, such as ceramic containers or trendy mason jars. In order to produce your own, you’ll want to find out the latest safety codes and regulations for selling candles to ensure your ingredients, wicks, and packaging follow legal standards. You’ll also need to make sure you’re labelling your candles with all the ingredients included, and to highlight fire safety instructions to avoid starting fires as a result of usage.
• Pricing. Depending on the size of the jar and the cost of goods, you can typically price each candle between $10 and $30. Glass jars can break during shipping, so be sure to include special fragile packaging into your shipping costs to ensure the business remains profitable. You may also choose to sell other products alongside your candles that adhere to the branding you’ve chosen. For example, if you’re marketing candles for relaxation and meditation, you may also choose to sell candle holders, essential oils, or incense with calming fragrances.

How to sell candles online

There’s more to running a successful business than creating your own products. If you’ve done the work to set up your business plan thus far, you’ll want to focus on building your brand next. Whether you’re looking to create a logo for your business or need help choosing a website domain to start selling online, here are five things you’ll want to cross off your list:

1. Create a logo for your brand Make your business stand out with a unique logo that fully encompasses your brand. Don’t have one? Create one for free with Hatchful in seconds.
2. Start your online store If you haven’t already secured a website for your store, take a few minutes to reserve a domain that reflects your brand name. Try Shopify’s free domain name generator to secure your website and get started building out your online store.
3. Customize your website As you build out your store, make sure to choose a website theme that complements your products and the branding you’ve created. Add free images to your website from our bath bomb collection to save money and time capturing your own content.
4. Start marketing your business Once you have your online store set up, it’s time to promote your store. Launch your brand on social media to start growing your community and build brand awareness. Explore all the latest marketing tips to start promoting your business on the Shopify blog.

How to wholesale candles

If you decide to explore other opportunities for selling candles, learning how to wholesale candles is a great start. You can explore wholesale candle brands and retailers through Handshake, a wholesale marketplace that connects you to other on-trend candle brands. Exploring wholesale opportunities is a great way for entrepreneurs to add new products to their website without having to reinvent the wheel.

How to dropship candles

As a small business, it can be tough to make candles and hold your own inventory. If you’re looking for ways to streamline packaging and fulfilment, then dropshipping might be for you. Companies like Oberlo give you the freedom to dropship candles and help you get your online store set up and running in the right direction.