Anyone else have this emotional response to selling?

[KimHartley24]

I'm at the point where I am starting to think about perhaps selling the fruits of the next couple logs... but I'm hesitant to try and put a price on my soap. I just want to give it away!!! I want everyone to have all the free soap they want because it's so soft and wonderful! At the same time, if I don't sell it I wont have money to make MORE soap!

Does or did anyone else feel this when they first started to contemplate selling? I think about who would buy it from me and I just want to give it all away for free! But the EO and FO fund.... heehee :roll:

 

[tomara]

I understand. I thought about selling, then the business aspect of it comes into play. All the planning, insurance, marketing, and this and that just takes the fun out of it for me. I just want to create, but I do wish I had a soap making fund to feed my addiction.

My family and friends love the stuff I create, and have even asked if I would sell, but I declined. They get soaps, candles, etc for their christmas and birthday presents. To me it's a very personal way to give a gift.

Maybe I might change my mind down the road, but for now I just want to have fun with it

 

[carebear]

To be honest, I LOVE the idea of selling my soap - but making it a business does take some of the fun out of it.

But getting to the point that I was ready to sell - well that was very expensive and time consuming. I'd probably be in better financial shape if I'd just left it a hobby LOL! OK, not really - but it's a serious committment of time and money with all the work you need to do, the amout of time it takes to make sure your batches are safe and STABLE, the insurance, etc.

 

[Woodi]

I agree that giving it away is so much more fun than selling, which becomes a business transaction etc......

but I do both, cuz as you say: the funds are needed.

OR: you could have another part-time job to pay for the eo's and just give all your soap away. But another job will eat into your soapmaking fun!

It's a dilemma.

 

[Hazel]

Kim -

I know what you mean. I've had several people in the past week contact me about selling. These are friends and family who I've given soap, lotion and scrubs to that have shared with other people. They told me these other people want to buy.

I'm not comfortable with the idea of running a business because just the thought of insurance and taxes gives me a headache. I wouldn't mind selling someday but I feel I need to take a class or something on how to run a business.

Anyway, I told them I'd give them the soap, etc and if the people want to make a donation of a few dollars I would accept it to help defray my costs. I didn't know what else to do. I'm very flattered that people like what I make so I don't want to refuse.

I guess I'd better enroll in a class.

 

[NancyRogers]

I'm also feeling the pressure to sell. It's something I want to do one day for sure, but I'm not in a hurry just yet. Maybe a few more months...or years down the road.

 

[ToniD]

Almost weekly someone tells me they just love my soap and that I should sell it. A few offer cash, or ask for a price. For most, I think they are just offering a compliment, or in a few cases, a hint.

I have another hobby that I am working on turning into a business and have sold some of the service. It sure took the hobby out of it for me. I still enjoy it and all, but it is different.

I don't want that to happen with soaping. I just want to make what I feel like, when I feel like it. experiment and play. I have learned the "never say never" lesson, but for right now I want to leave soaping as a hobby.

while I really like giving it away, and use soap for many of my gifts, I don't have a strong compulsion for everyone to have all the free soap they want I offer to teach people to make soap, or point them to someone that sells when they ask.

 

[Hazel]

Almost weekly someone tells me they just love my soap and that I should sell it. A few offer cash, or ask for a price. For most, I think they are just offering a compliment, or in a few cases, a hint.

I have another hobby that I am working on turning into a business and have sold some of the service. It sure took the hobby out of it for me. I still enjoy it and all, but it is different.

I don't want that to happen with soaping. I just want to make what I feel like, when I feel like it. experiment and play. I have learned the "never say never" lesson, but for right now I want to leave soaping as a hobby.

while I really like giving it away, and use soap for many of my gifts, I don't have a strong compulsion for everyone to have all the free soap they want I offer to teach people to make soap, or point them to someone that sells when they ask.

Good point! I enjoy making soap and lotions but I don't know if I'd enjoy it as much if I had to produce upon demand. Plus a lot of my oils are getting a bit old so I'm trying to use them up. I don't have the money to buy new stock which is what I'd want to do if I was selling.

 

[Healinya]

I got to the point after over a year of giving away 100's of bars where I would politely tell them (friends/family) "I don't sell it, but you are welcome to make a small donation to my oil fund"... that went well..

eta - oh, but still make sure you go to your local tax office for the tax id number, since you are probably required to have it where you live - it isn't expensive, and you make your money back if you like to shop for ingredients locally and won't be paying sales tax on you oils when you buy.

 

[carebear]

I got to the point after over a year of giving away 100's of bars where I would politely tell them (friends/family) "I don't sell it, but you are welcome to make a small donation to my oil fund"... that went well..

very nice idea!

 

[foresthome]

I have been giving away my soap and lotion for months. People are coming back and asking if they can buy some, but I haven't taken money yet. I just feel guilty taking money for it. It sure would be nice to pay for some of my supplies. My husband just ordered me the soap loaf cutter, that everyone calls "The Tank", to make it easier for me to cut my soap. I may try 2 craft shows this summer and fall to get my feet wet and see if I like it, and if there is any interest in my products. I work 3 days a week 12 hour shifts, so soaping is my creative outlet, and I don't want to suck the fun out of it by trying to sell it yet. I read a post from someone that you should make soap for a year at least before selling it, so you can see how your soap holds up. I save one bar out of every batch I make to watch and see how it smells and looks months later. So far, so good.