# Soaper's Choice Question



## RKrynicki (Apr 24, 2019)

I have been researching various places to buy my oils in bulk to start cold process soap, but Bramble Berry (don't get me wrong, I LOVE THEM!) seems to take almost 2 weeks to send me anything. I noticed that Soaper's Choice has a bunch of oils and butters at a much better price and more options for bulk! Great! However, I'm curious to know if anyone has any idea of how much there shipping may be? Has anyone in Indiana bought from them before? I just need a rough idea of pricing so I can see how it will effect my end pricing once I make the soaps. I would hate to spend so much and not make enough back. Does that make sense?


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## jcandleattic (Apr 24, 2019)

I live across the country from SC, and can usually get my order to me within 4-5 days. They are super fast, great quality and the price is right. Even with me as far away as I am they are usually always the better deal, including shipping.


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## lsg (Apr 24, 2019)

If you are not registered, go ahead and register so that your name and complete mailing and shipping addreses are on file.  Add your items to the cart and go to "Check Out".  Choose your shipping address on file when requested. The same for billing address.  The cart should then give you the amount for shipping.  If you decide not to complete the order, then remove items from cart and sign out.


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## RKrynicki (Apr 24, 2019)

lsg said:


> If you are not registered, go ahead and register so that your name and complete mailing and shipping addreses are on file.  Add your items to the cart and go to "Check Out".  Choose your shipping address on file when requested. The same for billing address.  The cart should then give you the amount for shipping.  If you decide not to complete the order, then remove items from cart and sign out.


Thank you. I don't know why I didn't think of that.



jcandleattic said:


> I live across the country from SC, and can usually get my order to me within 4-5 days. They are super fast, great quality and the price is right. Even with me as far away as I am they are usually always the better deal, including shipping.


Thank you so much for your input. That's definitely faster than Bramble Berry.


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## jcandleattic (Apr 24, 2019)

RKrynicki said:


> Thank you so much for your input. That's definitely faster than Bramble Berry.


I'm much closer to Bramble Berry and Soaper's Choice is still almost always the better option.

And this whole time I thought the question was how fast, not how much. Either way, my answer remains, even with shipping cost to me across the country it's usually the best option for my bulk orders.


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## WeaversPort (Apr 24, 2019)

I find that Soaper's Choice is a great way to get bulk oils. The selection is good and the shipping is pretty fast - even out to California.


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## steffamarie (Apr 24, 2019)

I did the math and for all the oils I buy, Soaper’s Choice is the cheapest and also ships to me within a day or so. I receive items by 2 days out and I’m in STL.


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## earlene (Apr 24, 2019)

I am next door to you, so to speak, in Illinois.  The shipping costs are reasonable, but more affordable if you pick out an amount that will fit into one box.  Just do what lsg suggests, and you will see what I mean with different amounts of oils.


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## Sharon Patterson (Apr 25, 2019)

RKrynicki said:


> I have been researching various places to buy my oils in bulk to start cold process soap, but Bramble Berry (don't get me wrong, I LOVE THEM!) seems to take almost 2 weeks to send me anything. I noticed that Soaper's Choice has a bunch of oils and butters at a much better price and more options for bulk! Great! However, I'm curious to know if anyone has any idea of how much there shipping may be? Has anyone in Indiana bought from them before? I just need a rough idea of pricing so I can see how it will effect my end pricing once I make the soaps. I would hate to spend so much and not make enough back. Does that make sense?


I am in Indianapolis and use Soaper's Choice.  I can usually get my order in two days.


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## Carl (Apr 25, 2019)

Agreed, Bramble Berry takes forever to ship.  I do not use them for this reason.
If I order from WSP and BB on the same day, I will have the WSP order in my possession before I even get a tracking number from BB.


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## shunt2011 (Apr 25, 2019)

I live in Michigan and get the majority of my bulk oils/butters from Soaper's Choice.  I can order in the morning and it's on my doorstep the next day when I get home from work.  I find their shipping reasonable.


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## amd (Apr 25, 2019)

I have to be a bit creative regarding what I order together when I order from Soapers Choice because sometimes adding a lower cost bulk oil to a larger bulk oil bumps the shipping an additional cost (more than the lower cost oil that I added). For example, my last order of coconut oil (50lb bucket) I added 1 gallon castor oil and the shipping increased $35. So I waited to order castor oil with cocoa butter (10lb), and a few other misc 1lb oils and shipping only increased a few dollars. I usually don't wait until I'm absolutely out and in dire need to order because of this. But they are super fast - usually I order in the morning and in the afternoon I have an email that it has shipped. I have the order in less than a week. I stopped bothering with BB - too slow, too pricey, I can find what I need elsewhere. BB might be ahead of the game for creating trends, but I've discovered that if I wait a month other suppliers will catch up at less cost and get it to me faster. (Sorry to bash BB, but I don't think they have anything worth waiting for.)


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## Andrew (Apr 25, 2019)

Soapers Choice has some very nice prices.  The shipping cost is not as much as other suppliers.  One tip with them,  buying the 10 lbs butters and the one gallon containers in multiples of 6 is the cheapest shipping cost per unit.  All 6 fit in one of their old oil boxes.  Also check out Bulk Apothecary in Ohio.  Their prices tend to be good.


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## Lin19687 (Apr 25, 2019)

AND this is where the Dish comes in handy.

There was a post about how to buy certain amounts for the best price of shipping.


Better yet.  If you will be buying from soaper choice, just call and talk to Mike, I think he is still there.   They are good about letting you know how much things will cost to ship.

I know that is a pain but they would be about the ONLY company that I would call to get shipping costs.  They really want your business.

When I first started to soap  it was called Columbus Foods.  They sold to Restaurants.  Once we all started to order from them they changed their name for others to find them faster and easier.
Mike has been there for ever and is really good to talk to


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## Andrew (Apr 25, 2019)

there is a shipping calculator.  Mike also was the one who told me the cheapest way to ship.  6 1 gal containers at a time.


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## Zany_in_CO (Apr 25, 2019)

amd said:


> (Sorry to bash BB, but I don't think they have anything worth waiting for.)


This made me laugh, amd. I share your opinion of BB -- they're so bad, but they do have something I'll be waiting 4 days before it's shipped plus 3 days to get here plus 2 days for the weekend = 9 days!!! It's the only place I can find liquid crothix... an ingredient I use to make my face firming gel that I simply cannot do without. 

The worst part is when I went to their site, they had a shipping special $7.50 no matter the size of the order. I ALMOST started adding to my shopping cart, just to get a better deal, and then I thought, _"Nope, I'm not going to do that!"
_
TIP FOR SHOPPING AT SOAPER'S CHOICE:
Use the drop down menu "*Product List*" to order what you need. Makes shopping there so much easier.   I recommend Soaper's Choice without reservation. They've been in business longer than I've been soaping. Mike Lawson takes a personal interest in his customers, altho he is no longer the owner. 

He used to be a member of Southern Soapers and helped me out of a situaltion where i lost 6 month's of sales due to the "Fake Olive Oil" scam... that's still being perpetrated on the clueless public, BTW, ... he offered to test the olive oil I was using... one purchased at the local Farmer's Market store; the other purchased at a local well-know supplier. BOTH were adulterated with something other than olive oil!!! I'm a forever fan of Soaper's Choice...

What I need now tho, because I'm not buying in bulk any more, is for someone in the Chicago area to run over there, pick up oils, butters, etc. and re-pack in 1-lb containers for us small fries.


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## Andrew (Apr 26, 2019)

Zany_in_CO said:


> This made me laugh, amd. I share your opinion of BB -- they're so bad, but they do have something I'll be waiting 4 days before it's shipped plus 3 days to get here plus 2 days for the weekend = 9 days!!! It's the only place I can find liquid crothix... an ingredient I use to make my face firming gel that I simply cannot do without.
> 
> The worst part is when I went to their site, they had a shipping special $7.50 no matter the size of the order. I ALMOST started adding to my shopping cart, just to get a better deal, and then I thought, _"Nope, I'm not going to do that!"
> _
> ...


are there group buys on the forum?  I cannot participate, but it would seem like a great idea to lower costs for expensive ingredients like illipe and cocoa butter.


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## Zany_in_CO (Apr 26, 2019)

Andrew said:


> are there group buys on the forum?  I cannot participate, but it would seem like a great idea to lower costs for expensive ingredients like illipe and cocoa butter.


Group buys are few and far between. Mainly because of the cost of shipping -- first to the hostess which is then included in the price of the product, plus shipping to the participant is added on to that. It gets too pricey, IMO, to be any advantage to the participant, unless the product is a fantastic bargain to begin with!
*@cmzaza* does a group buy on Dragon's Blood FO and is currently offering to pick up and ship  *FREE Merino Wool* for anyone who wants some.


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## melinda48 (Apr 26, 2019)

RKrynicki said:


> I have been researching various places to buy my oils in bulk to start cold process soap, but Bramble Berry (don't get me wrong, I LOVE THEM!) seems to take almost 2 weeks to send me anything. I noticed that Soaper's Choice has a bunch of oils and butters at a much better price and more options for bulk! Great! However, I'm curious to know if anyone has any idea of how much there shipping may be? Has anyone in Indiana bought from them before? I just need a rough idea of pricing so I can see how it will effect my end pricing once I make the soaps. I would hate to spend so much and not make enough back. Does that make sense?


Why not just give them a call and ask? I am positive they can give at least a good estimate.


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## Sharon Patterson (Apr 26, 2019)

I have a membership to Restaurant Depot so I get my coconut oil and olive oil through them.  I do order the tallow and specialty oils from Soaper's Choice and as I mentioned above the turnaround time is great.


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## Zany_in_CO (Apr 26, 2019)

melinda48 said:


> Why not just give them a call and ask? I am positive they can give at least a good estimate.


Actually, Melinda, it's really easy getting a shipping quote if you're registered and if you use the "Product List" linked in Post #16. Once you've ticked off each item you want to purchase, you immediately go to your cart to check out. Shipping is calculated during Checkout. You then have 7 days to finish the checkout and pay -- which is a nice feature in case you're comparison shopping.


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## Susie (Apr 26, 2019)

I don't know about y'all, but I am registered EVERYWHERE just for this reason.  I comparison shop items and shipping everywhere before buying anywhere.  I can't put shipping in the soaping pot, after all.


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