Speaking of which...these folks have been in business for many years and have built up their business to a level to warrant making 40, 50 to 60 bars per batch. And then there are the soap makers who have also been in business for many years and all they use are 2lb molds and make xx soaps a month and that's it.That's it. you don't need a big production-line like you see on some of those soap making videos.
I did, but that is because that is how I am when I buy things...I'm a creature of habit. It's also how I set up my business aesthetic and the majority of my customers buy the same as the time before. But they also sometimes like to try something new, they like to purchase soap as gifts...as do a lot of my other customers. And so I make seasonal scents and I make 'one-offs'...something that sounds good to me, sometimes something that is on sale*** and always in small batches so I don't get stuck with a lot of soap if it doesn't sell.I never planned on having regular soaps but that happened from customer requests. So, after 15 years I have about 2/3 of the soaps I make are the same as in past years and then about 1/3 are new each year. I have customers at fairs who want a specific soap as well as customers whose first question is what is new.
*** - Which can suck if it's well-received and turns out it was sale because it was being discontinued