How long to keep soap inventory

[SoapSap]

I am new to soap making and plan to start selling some in time for the Christmas season. My first target group will be a broad spectrum of friends a family. I am sending out an email catalog of my soap selection. After that I will take my soap to summer flea markets and craft fairs and then see if selling is going to be worth it for me. I hope it will because if I don't sell I don't see how I can continue making soap. (I have over 150 bars curing in the guest room right now. And that is from about three months of soap making).

My question to seasoned soap-makers that are regularly selling their soaps is: How long can I keep the soap in my selling inventory? Can I sell soaps that I have kept for a year? Two years? I have no idea. If your soap does not sell do you do a Sale or put a reduced price on it? And what do you do with soap that just does not sell?

Your input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[dixiedragon]

I'm not a seller, but soap does improve as it ages. So I'd say that if the soap still looks and smells nice, keep selling it! Some scents will fade over time. And sometimes soaps will develop rancidity, which can make them smell weird, discolor or become sticky.

 

[cmzaha]

Without taking the months to test your recipes there is no telling how long you can keep them. I have some recipes more prone to going rancid than others. I have a few soaps over 4 yrs old and are fine although the fragrance is faded and or gone. Takes time, practice and patience to know your product. Another big factor to work out is how long your bar of soap will last. I have acquired several new customers the last few months that were complaining the soap they bought elsewhere just melted away. They find mine do not

 

[dixiedragon]

I've got some 10 year old soaps that are fine, and some 1 year old soaps that have some splotches and smell funky.

 

[Dorymae]

You can keep your inventory until:

1 - It smells "off"
2 - It develops DOS (dreaded orange spots) (this becomes self use soap as long as it doesn't smell "off")
3- The scent disappears - at this point you can rebatch
4- You get tired of looking at it (bargain bin or rebatch)

 

[pamielynn]

I've got some 10 year old soaps that are fine, and some 1 year old soaps that have some splotches and smell funky.

Me too - except mine are only 9 years old.

There was a new soaper in my town last winter saying soap is only good for 3 months after purchase... which I thought was odd, since many of my soaps don't even get SOLD for 3 months after it's made. But then I found out she'd just learned to make soap in July (of last year). She's gone now.

In 2007, I made a small batch of castile and we still have 4 bars of it left. It's awesome!! No, scent was added so I don't know if EOs would have lasted this long in it. But, it doesn't smell funky or anything. But I wouldn't guarantee that ALL of my recipes will last 7 years.

You gotta know your own product and the only way to learn how each batch will react is to wait it out. And every soaper seems to have their own internal expiry date.

 

[shunt2011]

I too have soap 4 years old that still smell and are great. I keep soap in my line until I need more space and if it's not a good seller off it goes to the discount bin. However, you need to know how your soap performs and lasts and that is only something you can know with time and experience.

 

[SoapSap]

Thanks all for the good input. I hear you when you say it takes time to learn your product. One of the things I may be doing wrong is not limiting my formulas. I think if I develop just three or four basic formulas I would be better able to evaluate my products rather than what I seem to be doing right now. In my enthusiasm about making soap I have been experimenting and formulating so much that the evaluation may take a very long long time.

I am curious how many formulas do soap makers make in their line of products. Can anyone share that information?

 

[shunt2011]

It will vary from person to person. I have 3-4 that I use on a regular basis. You need to experiment to find just the right formula for you and your future customers. I personally gave away hundreds of bars to friends and family just so I could continue making soap. After almost a year or so and a lot of positive feedback and people asking to purchase my soaps I then purchased insurance, got the tax info taken care of and my DBA. I then started with a couple small shows and went from there. This isn't something you can just jump into and start selling. It's time consuming and not a cheap hobby.

 

[SoapSap]

I think I am beginning to appreciate how important it is to take it slow. It is good to hear how others got started. I guess I get a little panicky when I open the door of the spare room and all I see are trays and trays of soap curing.

 

[Relle]

Here's an SMF link for you to read - http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=16002