# Good Gravy!  Shipping cost at Soaper's Choice, Whattttttt??????



## Lindy Lou (Jul 14, 2021)

I have yet to order from Soaper's Choice, and was getting ready to order 7 lbs. each of Tallow and RBO.  I am not gonna order the larget size as I am a hobbyist and I can't use a large amount in a good amount of time, no where to store it, etc.  Tallow, $11.55 USD and $12.46 USD.. Are you ready for this?? $16.23 for SHIPPING AND PROCESSING?????  What a rude awakening... Is this normal?  I did some comparison shopping at Amazon, Etsy and Soaper's choice and for 7lbs. or a little less or more, was WAY CHEAPER at Soaper's choice.  I neglected to check shipping at other places, but not sure that is gonna make much of a dent.  What say all of you soapers that buy often?  I just may have to bite the bullet and get it, I dunno...


----------



## lenarenee (Jul 15, 2021)

I'm on the west coast and have never ordered from Soaper's Choice because shipping makes the product more expensive than my other choices.


----------



## LilyJo (Jul 15, 2021)

Gosh you guys are lucky - I wanted to order some ceamic stencils this week and shipping to the UK was £50!


----------



## earlene (Jul 15, 2021)

Even with shipping, Soaper's Choice has always been the more affordable choice for me as far as bottom line cost of the products I purchase from them.  The secret has been to manipulate my cart until I get the most amount of product with the least amount of shipping.  For example, the shipping for 4 bottles of oils (7 pound bottles) is the same as it is for 2 bottles of oils, so I buy 4 bottles.

The shipping is based on the size of the box, not just the weight.  

One caveat, is that I always shop around and include the shipping cost in my bottom line comparison before choosing where to purchase.  Another is that shipping prices &/or other add-on fees change, as has happened with a couple of vendors lately, so I do make sure to do a cost comparison each time I plan an order.

The other reason I really like Soaper's Choice is that their shipping is always prompt and I usually get my order delivered to my door within a couple of days, and a few times it came the very next day.  But I do live in the same state, so that's part of it.  For ground shipping (as opposed to products that may go by air or even USPS), the closer the vendor is to me, often the shipping is less costly.


----------



## dibbles (Jul 15, 2021)

My experience with Soape'rs Choice has been the same as @earlene's. I always do a comparison when ordering including shipping. If WSP has a sale on what I need, it can be comparable in price to Soaper's Choice. I am also a hobby soaper, so using larger quantities isn't always the best option for me either. 7 lbs of coconut oil, olive oil or sunflower oil isn't too much for me to use up, and I do add ROE to bottles of liquid oils that are that size. That said, I use olive oil and sunflower oil because I can buy those locally, so rarely order them.

Tallow is difficult to find - not many suppliers carry it. They also package many of their solid oils in bottles, which is annoying.


----------



## jcandleattic (Jul 15, 2021)

Same for me as @earlene and @dibbles - shipping may be slightly higher (very slightly) than other suppliers, but because of the cost of the oils, the overall purchase price is significantly less, which is better for me as a hobbyist and a business owner.


----------



## MellonFriend (Jul 15, 2021)

I had a similar experience with Bramble Berry.  Their prices seem better, but with shipping, they really aren't.  I just put in a huge order from amazon and all free shipping.


----------



## TheGecko (Jul 15, 2021)

I have never ordered from WSP, but like others, I always shop around to see where I get the most bang for my shipping buck.  As an example...say I need to order Cocoa and Shea Butter...I would open a window for each supplier and add the butters to my cart and calculate shipping.  Then I would start adding specific items I usually ordered from that company...EOs, FOs, colorants, etc and then recalculate the cost as I added things until I reached my budget and then I would see who gave me the best deal and that is who I ordered from.  Then next month I would do the same.

I do have to note that it didn't always work out...sometimes there would be times when I had to order from a specific company, but that's where keeping an eye on your inventory and increasing the quantity of the items you order comes in.  As I noted in another post...it's a process that takes time.


----------



## DeeAnna (Jul 15, 2021)

It's been my observation that free or low-cost shipping isn't truly free or low cost -- at least some of the true shipping cost is hidden in the markup in the merchandise price for the items.

My thinking on that goes for Amazon as well as any other supplier. Of late, I have been doing my product research on Amazon but purchasing direct from the supplier rather than Amazon. I don't necessarily get a better deal when buying direct (although that sometimes happens), but I usually find the cost is no higher than from Amazon. And I have the satisfaction of knowing the money that would otherwise have been paid to Amazon gets to stay in the supplier's pocket.

I also tweak my orders from Soaper's Choice like Earlene does after it dawned on me the Soaper's Choice shipping cost for 4 jugs is about the same as when I only order 2 jugs.


----------



## Cat&Oak (Jul 15, 2021)

I'll chime in as well. Even with shipping Soapers Choice is cheaper than anywhere else if you are buying in bulk. Their customer service is stellar as well.


----------



## jcandleattic (Jul 15, 2021)

I also forgot to mention how fast their shipping is too (soaper's choice that is) For my orders they will usually send me a shipping notice either the same day within a few hours, of if I order later in the day, it will be early the next morning I get the shipping notice. 
IMO you really can't beat the CS, timing, and cost. But again, that's JMO.


----------



## SPowers (Jul 15, 2021)

I've often paid equal to or more in shipping compared to the actual price of products ordered - especially on a small order.  It's a necessary evil for me so I try to make the order big enough to justify the shipping costs.


----------



## Charmed Heart (Jul 15, 2021)

Lindy Lou said:


> I have yet to order from Soaper's Choice, and was getting ready to order 7 lbs. each of Tallow and RBO.  I am not gonna order the larget size as I am a hobbyist and I can't use a large amount in a good amount of time, no where to store it, etc.  Tallow, $11.55 USD and $12.46 USD.. Are you ready for this?? $16.23 for SHIPPING AND PROCESSING?????  What a rude awakening... Is this normal?  I did some comparison shopping at Amazon, Etsy and Soaper's choice and for 7lbs. or a little less or more, was WAY CHEAPER at Soaper's choice.  I neglected to check shipping at other places, but not sure that is gonna make much of a dent.  What say all of you soapers that buy often?  I just may have to bite the bullet and get it, I dunno...


I just bought a ton of stuff (269 lbs) from SC and the shipping on it was $307.00. So it's a little over $1/1 lb. 
This is what I really hate about this whole shopping scam. This is a great opportunity for those businesses that are no longer paying fees associated with brick and mortar stores. Kind of a two for one deal.
I would look at places like Sam's, Costco, Big Lots, etc. for Olive, Coconut, Avocado, Palm (I usually get at the Wholefoods Co-app when on sale), Avocado, Canola, etc. 
An avenue you can check out for Rice Bran Oil is a store like Tractor Supply, Fleet Farm / Farm Fleet, etc. Go to the Horse Isle and look at the supplemental oils they feed to horses. You'll be sure to find some there! *Warning though, I notice that they inflate the price like crazy!
Good shopping luck!


----------



## jcandleattic (Jul 15, 2021)

Charmed Heart said:


> I just bought a ton of stuff (269 lbs) from SC and the shipping on it was $307.00.


WOW - I'm much farther away from them than you are, and just last month I bought #250 (ish) from them, and my shipping was $72. I'd check to make sure they didn't make an error - that seems very excessive!!


----------



## Carly B (Jul 15, 2021)

Because I am a hobbyist, SC's quantities are far too large for me to get.   But it drives me crazy that I have to go to four or five different suppliers (and pay four or five shipping costs) to get the stuff I want. More than once I've had a cartful of stuff and left it because with shipping, it just wasn't worth it. (looking at you, BB)  There are only a few suppliers that have a large range of products, but that's why I asked a question last week or so ago (but got not replies) about which vendors had actual brick and mortar shops.  I went to Candles and Supplies in PA last month, and just being able to walk through and look (and smell) the various items was really helpful.


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Jul 15, 2021)

earlene said:


> The secret has been to manipulate my cart until I get the most amount of product with the least amount of shipping.


  That's what I do too.


earlene said:


> The other reason I really like Soaper's Choice is that their shipping is always prompt and I usually get my order delivered to my door within a couple of days,


  That's another plus I can attest to. Reliable suppliers like Soapers Choice are rare. Over the years, they've earned my loyalty. Never disappointed.


Lindy Lou said:


> $16.23 for SHIPPING AND PROCESSING????? What a rude awakening... Is this normal?


Yes. Like Earlene mentioned, if you add a 7 lb jug of olive oil and another oil like palm or PKO (flakes) your shipping stays the same or goes up only a dollar or two more. The cost of shipping, spread over 4 products, is not so bad.


----------



## AliOop (Jul 15, 2021)

Due to shipping costs to my area, and the fact that I'm not buying large amounts, Soaper's Choice is rarely cost effective for the products I need to purchase. Too bad, since the one time I did order from them, it arrived quickly and was of good quality.

_[QUOTE="Zany_in_CO, post: 901374, member: 22120"
Yes. Like Earlene mentioned, if you add a 7 lb jug of olive oil and another oil like palm or PKO (flakes) your shipping stays the same or goes up only a dollar or two more. The cost of shipping, spread over 4 products, is not so bad. 
[/QUOTE]_
That doesn't help me, since the oils from SC would still end up costing me more per pound than what I pay locally with no shipping expense, other than the gas that I would already use to do regular grocery shopping at Costco or WM. Of course, there is something to be said for delivery to the door without the time and headache of going into either of those stores, or the back ache from loading and unloading the oils.


----------



## TheGecko (Jul 15, 2021)

Carly B said:


> But it drives me crazy that I have to go to four or five different suppliers (and pay four or five shipping costs) to get the stuff I want. More than once I've had a cartful of stuff and left it because with shipping, it just wasn't worth it. (looking at you, BB)



What you need to do is set a budget and then use it one month to buy from Store A, next month at Store B, and so on and so forth.


----------



## cmzaha (Jul 15, 2021)

Like Lenarenee I am on the West Coast and Soapers Choice is very seldom cost-effective for me. In fact, I live within 70 miles of Lenarenee. I am fortunate enough to live in an area where Smart and Finals are available and can buy Lard, Tallow, and Palm in 50 lb blocks for around $1 per lb or less, so guess where I buy mine. I also have Cibaria within driving distance where I used to buy bulk CO in the range of $40 for 35 lbs. I know prices have gone up but I bought in bulk and received a few discounts. I was also lucky enough to live within 25 miles of LA with all the importers so could find fantastic prices on Shea butter. Sadly Covid put most of them out of business. Costco is good for Olive Oil, which I do not use.


----------



## AliOop (Jul 15, 2021)

Thanks for reminding me about Smart & Final, Carolyn. I was just about to spend $64 for a 48# cube of lard at Cash & Carry/US Foods, but my daughter can pick up a 50# cube for $50 at her Smart & Final there in Reno.  I'll get it from her in a few weeks when we meet in Winnemucca to get the grandkids. 

ETA: I just priced out a 30# cube of lard and 30# cube of tallow at Soaper's Choice. The combined cost of the two items was $52. The shipping was $65.


----------



## DeeAnna (Jul 16, 2021)

Charmed Heart said:


> I just bought a ton of stuff (269 lbs) from SC and the shipping on it was $307.00. So it's a little over $1/1 lb....



I'm gonna guess your order shipped via UPS or FedEx ground? If so, you might want to look into having Soaper's Choice ship your orders by truck. The shipping cost might well be about half of what you paid -- my rough rule of thumb is to look into the availability of truck shipment (what's sometimes called LTL, less than truck load) for any shipment over about 100 pounds.

Being that you live in rural Wisconsin, you might want to talk to your local farmer's co-op or sweet talk someone else who has a loading dock. See if you could have the shipment delivered there for you to pick up later. That's what we did before we got a skid steer with a pallet fork. You should be able to remove the stretch wrap or banding and offload the individual boxes by hand into your car or pickup. It's awkward, but works.


----------



## Charmed Heart (Jul 16, 2021)

Charmed Heart said:


> I just bought a ton of stuff (269 lbs) from SC and the shipping on it was $307.00. So it's a little over $1/1 lb.
> This is what I really hate about this whole shopping scam. This is a great opportunity for those businesses that are no longer paying fees associated with brick and mortar stores. Kind of a two for one deal.
> I would look at places like Sam's, Costco, Big Lots, etc. for Olive, Coconut, Avocado, Palm (I usually get at the Wholefoods Co-app when on sale), Avocado, Canola, etc.
> An avenue you can check out for Rice Bran Oil is a store like Tractor Supply, Fleet Farm / Farm Fleet, etc. Go to the Horse Isle and look at the supplemental oils they feed to horses. You'll be sure to find some there! *Warning though, I notice that they inflate the price like crazy!
> Good shopping luck!





DeeAnna said:


> I'm gonna guess your order shipped via UPS or FedEx ground? If so, you might want to look into having Soaper's Choice ship your orders by truck. The shipping cost might well be about half of what you paid -- my rough rule of thumb is to look into the availability of truck shipment (what's sometimes called LTL, less than truck load) for any shipment over about 100 pounds.
> 
> Being that you live in rural Wisconsin, you might want to talk to your local farmer's co-op or sweet talk someone else who has a loading dock. See if you could have the shipment delivered there for you to pick up later. That's what we did before we got a skid steer with a pallet fork. You should be able to remove the stretch wrap or banding and offload the individual boxes by hand into your car or pickup. It's awkward, but works.


Duh! Never even thought about it. My father owns a farm, he lives right next door. He does not have a loading dock, but he does have a tractor with a front end loader and pallet attachment and gets LTL shipments all of the time. Thank you for the idea, because I have been holding off on ordering candle wax for that very reason - $300 for shipping. I will look into this!


----------



## Charmed Heart (Jul 16, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> That's what I do too.
> 
> That's another plus I can attest to. Reliable suppliers like Soapers Choice are rare. Over the years, they've earned my loyalty. Never disappointed.
> 
> Yes. Like Earlene mentioned, if you add a 7 lb jug of olive oil and another oil like palm or PKO (flakes) your shipping stays the same or goes up only a dollar or two more. The cost of shipping, spread over 4 products, is not so bad.


Just an FYI. Play with the amount of product you purchase. From what I can see, I think the gallon jugs usually ship in 6 per box, so that is usually the limit of the amount you can get where the shipping price changes.


----------



## chickenchaps (Jul 16, 2021)

AliOop said:


> ETA: I just priced out a 30# cube of lard and 30# cube of tallow at Soaper's Choice. The combined cost of the two items was $52. The shipping was $65.



Wow! It kills me too when the cost of shipping is more than the product!  that hurts!  For lard and tallow though, an option ?  Render your own.  Go to a butcher and they will give you pig fat or cow fat for free or next to nothing!  We just butchered a steer and I have 3 HUGE bags of fat I am going to render down myself.  I milk my own goats and use my own goat milk in the soaps too.


----------



## jcandleattic (Jul 16, 2021)

AliOop said:


> ETA: I just priced out a 30# cube of lard and 30# cube of tallow at Soaper's Choice. The combined cost of the two items was $52. The shipping was $65


Maybe it was my shipping they messed up on, but I know in the past also I've never had to pay more than $100 shipping for 250#-300# of oils.


----------



## AliOop (Jul 16, 2021)

chickenchaps said:


> Wow! It kills me too when the cost of shipping is more than the product!  that hurts!  For lard and tallow though, an option ?  Render your own.  Go to a butcher and they will give you pig fat or cow fat for free or next to nothing!  We just butchered a steer and I have 3 HUGE bags of fat I am going to render down myself.  I milk my own goats and use my own goat milk in the soaps too.


Yup, I normally render my own in a big electric turkey roaster pan. It's just been extremely hot here, so I was going to buy my first cube of lard to tide me over till it cools off a bit.  



jcandleattic said:


> Maybe it was my shipping they messed up on, but I know in the past also I've never had to pay more than $100 shipping for 250#-300# of oils.


I wonder if part of the costs depends whether you are closer to certain metropolitan areas, or something like that? The other issue is that shipping costs in general have skyrocketed since the beginning of the year. So your next shipment may end up being more expensive than in the past.


----------



## jcandleattic (Jul 16, 2021)

AliOop said:


> I wonder if part of the costs depends whether you are closer to certain metropolitan areas, or something like that?


?? Could be, but I'm pretty rural(ish) as well, so? I don't know.


AliOop said:


> The other issue is that shipping costs in general have skyrocketed since the beginning of the year. So your next shipment may end up being more expensive than in the past.


My last shipment from them was end of May, for 250# of oils, and it was roughly $72.
But who knows, pricing is weird...


----------



## AliOop (Jul 16, 2021)

jcandleattic said:


> My last shipment from them was end of May, for 250# of oils, and it was roughly $72.


Did it come LTL? Maybe I need to check into that.


----------



## jcandleattic (Jul 16, 2021)

AliOop said:


> Did it come LTL? Maybe I need to check into that.


No, it came UPS... That's why I'm so confused. LOL


----------



## mishmish (Jul 16, 2021)

I'm on the East Coast and buy from them twice a year and get enough to qualify for the pallet rate. When I need something unexpectedly i just bite the bullet and pay whatever the shipping comes to.


----------



## Marebear (Jul 16, 2021)

Soaper's Choice has never been a disappointment for oils.  Shipping is going up for all carriers.  My order is most always delivered the next day.  One plus for me is if I want to drive into the Chicago area, I can pick up oils at their warehouse.  About 165 miles for me.


----------



## lucycat (Jul 17, 2021)

SC shipping just went up a lot this year for UPS.  It all happened when they changed from the 50# containers to the 30# containers which was done because of UPS changes on box weight.   My order in May was $.50/pound higher than last year and all due to shipping changes.        

Although LTL is a great option you do have to calculate what quantity that will actually save money for your specific ZIP.  That depends on where you live, their contract shipper for your area and poundage.  I used to go in with two other soapers to purchase using LTL but it finally got to where our order had to be over 1,000 pounds for our area to be cheaper and we quit.


----------



## LynetteO (Jul 26, 2021)

After reading thread I’ve never been so happy to have GreenCastleSoap just 15 minute drive from me here in Spokane, Washington. She carries just about everything & prices are very reasonable! I’m going to go buy some more rice bran oil & give Tracy a big ol’ air


----------



## Zany_in_CO (Jul 27, 2021)

LynetteO said:


> I’ve never been so happy to have GreenCastleSoap just 15 minute drive from me here in Spokane, Washington.


 I'm green with envy since I *checked them out*. I'm almost tempted to move to Spokane! Haha We should all be so lucky!


----------



## RevolutionSoap (Jul 28, 2021)

I've been ordering a lot from MMS lately.  Not only are they in my state, but they have free shipping for orders over $200.  I ordered yesterday and my order will arrive today.  Can't beat that right?!?


----------



## JoyfulSudz (Jul 28, 2021)

LynetteO said:


> After reading thread I’ve never been so happy to have GreenCastleSoap just 15 minute drive from me here in Spokane, Washington. She carries just about everything & prices are very reasonable!


I looked on their website and don't see a list of their available supplies with prices.  Do you know if they make one available from them directly (or might you have one)?


----------



## LynetteO (Jul 28, 2021)

JoyfulSudz said:


> I looked on their website and don't see a list of their available supplies with prices.  Do you know if they make one available from them directly (or might you have one)?


Those items must be purchased in person. Which is why I am so truly thankful to have her shop so nearby.


----------



## JoyfulSudz (Jul 28, 2021)

@LynetteO  Yes, I saw that on their website.  I was wondering about prices because I'm in Portland, close enough to drive there if it was worthwhile.


----------



## LynetteO (Jul 28, 2021)

JoyfulSudz said:


> @LynetteO  Yes, I saw that on their website.  I was wondering about prices because I'm in Portland, close enough to drive there if it was worthwhile.


I am headed there this Friday. I’d be happy to look for you. What are you looking for?

Here’s some stuff I have out & easy to read. F/O & E/O various prices. Ex) Lime E/O [email protected] 2oz Meyer Lemon F/O [email protected] 2oz.
Rice oil $2.95 4 8oz. Grape seed oil $3.95 4 8oz; TD $5.89 4oz; 1oz dried flowers vary weight about $2.95; 1lb cocoa butter $12.95; 20g [email protected] $5.95


----------



## JoyfulSudz (Jul 29, 2021)

Thanks, @LynetteO .  I'm not looking for anything in particular at the moment.  Just wondering if they might be a useful new supplier down the road.  I'm kind of on soapmaking hiatus at the moment as I'll be doing some travelling (catching up on last year's cancelled-for-Covid visits).


----------

