Do swirled soaps really sell better?

[aab1]

I've always had my own businesses and due to one of my other businesses picking up significantly it has left me with no time to make soap so my soap business basically shut down. I'm working on a machine that will automatically manufacture the product I sell in my other business which will free me time to make soap again.

However, having less time, I'd prefer making solid colored soaps instead of taking the time to make swirls, do solid colored soaps sell less than swirled soaps (everything else being the same)?

Thanks

 

[shunt2011]

It totally depends on your market. There are several topics on this....has been discussed many times.

 

[soapmage]

I do both and at my market show the "fancy" soaps didn't sell that well, the HP and plain CP soaps did. But in the shop my stuff is in the fancier soaps sell better than the plain soaps. I agree with shunt2011 that it totally depends on your market, the customer (and their age even), your area, lots of factors.

 

[Dorymae]

From my experience, solid colors or lightly swirled soaps sell well. Highly decorated and swirled soaps do sell, but many times they are looked at more as "art" and are given as gifts or used as decoration. More people buy my more plain soaps to use than highly intricate swirls.

 

[Obsidian]

In my area, no one is really interested in bright colors or highly decorated soap. If I ever start selling, my soaps will be plain or white with pale wispy swirls.

 

[cmzaha]

I do swirls and a few plain, the main selling point of all my soaps is scent first, color second. Sometimes color if they like particular colors. I have one fella that only buys purple swirled soaps and does not care about the scent only the color and look. So you really cannot say what will and will not sell. Artsy people like artsy soaps, vegans will tend to go for more natural colors, the twenties & thirties really do not seem to care if they like the ingredients and scent. Men tend to like both colors and scents, but again scent first. They will buy a pink soap if they like the smell, such as my Hardwood Plumeria which is pink & brown. Biggest thing about selling do not get stuck on one look or type of scent. This year we are finding the spa look is dying out some.
At times we get customers from the studios looking for soaps to use in their movie or pilot, they look strictly for colors or plain white handmade soap for some movies

 

[jenneelk]

Yeah it just depends on why the person buying the soap.. is buying the soap. I have some customers who are totally natural and want nothing but natural colors and essential oils, while others like natural soaps to avoid chemicals like SLS but are ok with Mica to get some fun colors. I think they sell pretty equally well.
That being said.. I have one batch I did that had 4 colors and fragrance oil (not EO), and it was so wanted when it finally cured that it sold out in just under 20 minutes. I even had one lady berate me and call BS for waiting 6 weeks for them only to come up short and not get one (I had 23). And she is one who usually chooses natural fragrances. I knew it was liked and all, but didn't anticipate that since it had colors and fragrance oil.

 

[navigator9]

People seem much more concerned with how the soap smells, than what it looks like. I would like them to pay more attention to the ingredients, but it's fragrance that sells. I do very few swirls because I suck at it, and my sales don't seem to suffer because of it. I think fragrance is much more important......smell sells! They want smelly soap. If it's pretty too, that's a bonus, but it's gotta smell good! Fragrance makes the first sale, and great soap keeps them coming back.

At times we get customers from the studios looking for soaps to use in their movie or pilot, they look strictly for colors or plain white handmade soap for some movies

Carolyn.....your soap's been in the movies!!! OMG, how neat is that?

 

[sfishapo]

Id have to agree as a buyer, I prefer scent over look. Generally, I find the prettier soaps also cost more so I'm more likely to find a scent I like and pay less.

 

[shunt2011]

Id have to agree as a buyer, I prefer scent over look. Generally, I find the prettier soaps also cost more so I'm more likely to find a scent I like and pay less.

I would have to disagree with you. I have plain bars and swirled bars but the only ones that cost more are specialty bars made with costlier materials. Which is only a few and I carry 35-40 different soaps/fragrances. I've not seen a difference with other sellers I have purchased from over the years.

However, I have seen some that sell by weight so there is a price difference there.

This is speaking to where I live and my experience of course. I'm sure it could vary elsewhere.