# Why Do People Buy Soap?



## CrafterAl (Jan 22, 2015)

I was just thinking about *why people buy soap*.

I came up with a list of 20 reasons.

*Here's why that exercise might be of interest to YOU...*

In marketing a product of any kind, it's often helpful to think about the unique features of that product. That's usually described by marketers as the USP or unique selling proposition.

*But,* before you really give a lot of thought to product, ideally the marketer must consider the "prospect" or potential buyer.

Who are they, and what are they interested in and looking for?

And, oddly enough, most of the time a potential buyer is mostly thinking about *herself or himself*. 

Sadly enough for you, as the potential seller, the potential buyer could hardly care less about you.

They just want benefits to them... That's a subject for another post.

So...

Why would somebody buy soap, anybody's soap? If you want to start a soap business, or grow one, this might be something worth some meditation.

If you make what people want, and get in front of the people that want it, then marvelous things can happen... like trades of soap for cash...

*Care to add your thoughts on why folks buy handmade soap?*


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## biarine (Jan 22, 2015)

If I am a buyer why I will buy a soap, first for the hygiene purposes and second I want a natural product that's good for me and my family. That hasn't any bad chemical like SLS that can be harmful for people who allergic to detergent and parabin. I apologies with my grammars


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## Dorymae (Jan 23, 2015)

If I go on sales, I would say the reason is the different fragrances that are available in homemade soap. Also some buy because of the novelty of the soap (I'm thinking of the bakery soaps, cupcakes and cakes). Some like the artistic swirls and colors. Still there are others who have used handmade soaps and they will usually buy for the ingredients, ie goats milk, or OMH. 

Honestly if I could please everyone with one soap life would be easier, but soaping would be boring indeed.


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## navigator9 (Jan 23, 2015)

People often buy my soap because they like the way it smells, but people *continue* to buy my soap because of the way it makes their skin feel. I think people may be drawn in initially by looks or fragrance, but if you want to build a business, and want repeat customers, you'd better be offering them a really good product. I had a co-worker stop by my desk yesterday and say, "Do you have any soap? I need soap! I have one bar left and I've been moving it back and forth between the shower and the sink, please tell me you have some because I'm going to shrivel if I don't have it!" Now perversely, that brings a smile to my face. :grin:


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## shunt2011 (Jan 23, 2015)

I'm with navigator on this one.  I keep a stock of soaps in my office as I have a lot of people hooked and come looking because they love how their skin feels and the fragrances.   I work in a hospital so get lots of business (I've been here 36 years).


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## pamielynn (Jan 23, 2015)

WIIFM - What's In It For Me. That's what you need to fulfill for your customer. Nice and simple.


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## HorseCreek (Jan 23, 2015)

Initial purchases I believe also,  are from having pretty soap,  soap that smells good,  and those looking for a "natural" ( I use natural loosely here) alternative to store bought chemical laden soap. I also believe they get hooked for what it does for their skin. I have a bar that I treated or on my SIL first. It's a face bar,  full of essential oils that area great for the skin.  It kind of stinks really,  lol. But I can't keep it in stock because it's doing amazing things for everyone who tries it. 
I also think they buy it because it's an affordable treat!


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## snappyllama (Jan 23, 2015)

As I buyer in the past, I liked things that (1) smelled good, (2) looked nice and (3) felt nice. This was true if I was buying at a regular store or from a market. 

Sometimes I needed a gift for someone that I didn't know well and figured that everyone likes lotions and potions. Soaps sets make great hostess gifts or something to take to folks in the hospital/nursing home or for people I could not think of what they could possibly want. I was hospitalized for a while with the birth of my daughter and sixteen years later still remember how happy I was that my Mom's friend brought me a BBW raspberry gift set. It made me feel like a normal human every time I used it. 

If I was at a fair and nothing else caught my eye, I'd often buy soap, candles or jam to buy _something_ since it's silly to walk around for an hour without buying _something_. Those products are affordable/low commitment/easy to splurge on. There, I tended to go with ones where the sellers were nice to chat with and also clean-looking. It's amazing to think of all the unpleasant/unkempt sellers I've seen at places over the years. Seriously. If selling something for me to eat or put on my body, have clean fingernails and don't act like I'm bothering you...


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## ariella42 (Jan 23, 2015)

I'm usually attracted to scent first and foremost, but how it feels is what determines if I buy it (or another from that seller/company) again. Personally, one of my favorite ways to relax is a long, hot bath with a glass of wine. It's a little luxury, but it's an affordable one, so I like to make the most of it. I tend to like soaps, bubble baths, bath oils, etc. that contribute to that feeling of luxury without breaking the bank. Smelling good is imperative, but I also want the physical aspects of the product to contribute to the feeling of indulgence. For me, the best thing about a soap that has both smells and feels good is that it bring a little of that luxury to the shower and make something as mundane as getting ready for work in the morning a bit more special.


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## SplendorSoaps (Jan 23, 2015)

Soap is a small, affordable luxury that everyone uses in one iteration or another.  The people who have purchased soap from me often say that they're buying it as a gift for someone else.  I think that they're also buying my soap for the ingredients that *aren't* included (weird chemicals).  Also, a lot of people in my area (Seattle-ish) really like to support small businesses and crafters.  It brings a sense of community to buy something that's locally made, and makes people feel closer to nature to buy soap (either for themselves or as a gift) that's not mass produced.  Several of my customers are repeats.  Once they feel the handmade soap difference, they don't want to go back to that old bar of Ivory (or whatever brand...don't mean to pick on just one).


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## CrafterAl (Jan 26, 2015)

When brainstorming one lists the submitted ideas at first without any judging of ideas.

With that spirit, I submit the ideas so far.



   for the hygiene purposes
   want a natural product that's good for me and my family
   no harmful chemicals
   different fragrances that are available
   novelty of the soap (I'm thinking of the bakery soaps, cupcakes and cakes)
   artistic swirls and colors
   buy for the ingredients, ie goats milk, or OMH
   they like the way it smells
   way it makes their skin feel
   looks or fragrance
   love how their skin feels and the fragrances
   having pretty soap, soap that smells good, looking for a "natural" alternative to store bought soap
   what it does for their skin
   an affordable treat
   smelled good
   looked nice
felt nice
   gift
   buy something
   affordable/low commitment/easy to splurge on
   sellers were nice to chat with
   luxury
   feeling of indulgence
   support small businesses and crafters
   sense of community
   makes people feel closer to nature
 
Very clearly, as suggested, this list can be divided into reasons for initial purchases and repeat purchases.

The list also gets at some of the emotions involved in soap buying.

Marketers suggest that many purchases are actually made based purely on an emotion with logic then used as justification for the purchase.


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