Beautiful packaging, uncertain quality

[paillo]

So I'm doing an upscale, handmade-only, juried holiday market. The organizers do all the setup, display, staff the art center for six weeks. Wonderful venue to be in. I did really well in it the only other time i entered.

So I took my products in a few days ago, and was totallly struck by some exquisitely packaged soap (and lip balms, solid lotions, a few other things).

Each soap bar was carefully and perfectly gift-wrapped in beautiful paper and fancy ribbons. Really gorgeous. But....

There was not a single sample bar to see what the soap actually looks like. And worse, her first ingredient is soybean oil. No mention of ROE, GSE or even Vitamin E. I can't fathom why someone would go to so much loving effort and risk rancidity!

Anyway, hoping to strike up communication with her and see how she's doing. And when I go in to restock, of course I'll buy some, really really curious now...

 

[Hazel]

To be fair, soybean is conditioning and if absolutely fresh does have a shelf life of about a year. However, I wouldn't use it as the first ingredient. If I used it, I'd only use it at about 10%.

It will be interesting to hear her thoughts on using soybean.

 

[Stinkydancer]

Lard and soybean gave me DOS years ago. I would never use them now, just not a fan.
I don't know why people would put soy in soap or canola. They make me think of French Fries or something. :shock: Lard I get why people like it, I just don't like it.

You have to base your business on what you think is right. Maybe your packaging is more generic than hers, maybe you don't swirl like she does. etc...what you have over her is a quality bar of soap, especially if people can see it and smell it, then you have a chance to go over your ingredients and why you use them and pow- you have the sales. I have 99% of my customers come back and most of my soap is HP, most of the time deemed ugly by the CP community in minimal packaging- basically shrink and a cigar band and they keep coming back, more than I could have ever hoped for.
So my point is- have a great customer service attitude, show off your product and get people to keep coming back with an awesome product, which no doubt you have. Don't worry too much about the competition!:razz:

And- OMG- you have beautiful soap!

 

[boyago]

I guess you could argue that you can make a good soap with soy as your primary. I think at one a year fair were people are buying for someone else the packaging might sell better than the product. I'm glad you said you'd give it a shot before condemning them beforehand. Anyway I think the title of your post might be my next tattoo.

 

[TVivian]

Anyway I think the title of your post might be my next tattoo.

Hehehe...