Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 You are absolutely right Shaye, and most of the customers do not think a thing about it because they do pay the higher prices at xyz store and they know it is a good deal. The problem is that there are to many people out there not charging enough for their finished products. The do not take into account packaging, labor and the time they are working shows or whatever to sell the product. --- Shaye <shaye@...> wrote: > Some people are so frustrating.. There is this one > older lady that comes to > the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she > comes in my; booth and > just does nothing but complain about my prices. She > says she can go > downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are > $4.50). blah blah blah.. > then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that > I have for .50. " OMG I > charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! > Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. > Saying she can go to the > Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So > I am thinking.. then go > get your soap there! And then a few weeks later > she comes and buys 3! > soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just > one of those people > that cant be happy with anything. > Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in > .. trying to make me > feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal > wanted me to make a > sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I > hadnt ever done sugar > scrubs before but its been on my list of things to > do. So anyway I made > some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. > She bought the larger > one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at > the price???? I said > no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the > bigger name brands charge > up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. > but this is experimenting > for you ***SIGH***. > As you all know.. our cost of doing business are > going up along with > everything else... we cant just " give " our product > away.. Its quality stuf! > I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued > to smile at her untill > she left... > > Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL > Shaye > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > Star Supplies by Star www.suppliesbystar.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 I get so frustrated when people think just because it’s a farmer’s market or craft show that things should be cheap!!! Do they think we work for nothing? Our time is just as valuable as the “Big guys”. I love reminding people that all of my soaps contain shea butter and now the “Big guys” are getting on the band wagon. You see shea advertised all over the place. I’ve been using it for years. My neighbor would much prefer buying her shea products at the store because she thinks what I use is not real. Excuse me!!!! Scrubs are really pricey. I did read, on another list, about what is being charged. If I can find it I’ll post the info. Keep smiling – LOL Jeanine Jeanine's Hummingbird Soap Works _____ From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Shaye Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 8:00 AM Subject: Some people.... vent Some people are so frustrating.-. There is this one older lady that comes to the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she comes in my; booth and just does nothing but complain about my prices. She says she can go downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are $4.50). blah blah blah.. then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that I have for .50. " OMG I charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. Saying she can go to the Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So I am thinking.. then go get your soap there! And then a few weeks later she comes and buys 3! soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just one of those people that cant be happy with anything. Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in .. trying to make me feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal wanted me to make a sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I hadnt ever done sugar scrubs before but its been on my list of things to do. So anyway I made some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. She bought the larger one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at the price???? I said no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the bigger name brands charge up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. but this is experimenting for you ***SIGH***. As you all know.. our cost of doing business are going up along with everything else... we cant just " give " our product away.. Its quality stuf! I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued to smile at her untill she left... Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL Shaye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Shaye, I have had people do that before at craft shows and then buy something (after all that complaining). I just smile and grit my teeth until they're gone. Not sure I could listen to the same person every weekend without saying something though. Maybe try and very nicely explain the differences in soaps on the market and how yours is high quality. My husband is just the opposite. He constantly makes me feel like I'm not charging enough for my products but I try and explain to him the difference in the market depending on where you are. I have learned that I need to price things high enough right from the start though even if I feel like I'm new at something (like scrubs) because I'd rather do that then have to raise it later. I price my 12 oz. scrubs at $15 and was worried they wouldn't sell but they do. I point out that they sell for $20 or more at bath and body shops in the mall. Also, alot of the commercial products out there that advertise how they contain shea butter usually contain a very small amount. Just enough so that they can say it's in there. Drives me crazy. There are alot of people that understand the differences in quality but some that just compare the price and don't get it. I'd rather the people that " get it " buy my stuff anyway. :-) Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Shaye, I have had people do that before at craft shows and then buy something (after all that complaining). I just smile and grit my teeth until they're gone. Not sure I could listen to the same person every weekend without saying something though. Maybe try and very nicely explain the differences in soaps on the market and how yours is high quality. My husband is just the opposite. He constantly makes me feel like I'm not charging enough for my products but I try and explain to him the difference in the market depending on where you are. I have learned that I need to price things high enough right from the start though even if I feel like I'm new at something (like scrubs) because I'd rather do that then have to raise it later. I price my 12 oz. scrubs at $15 and was worried they wouldn't sell but they do. I point out that they sell for $20 or more at bath and body shops in the mall. Also, alot of the commercial products out there that advertise how they contain shea butter usually contain a very small amount. Just enough so that they can say it's in there. Drives me crazy. There are alot of people that understand the differences in quality but some that just compare the price and don't get it. I'd rather the people that " get it " buy my stuff anyway. :-) Katy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 > Also, alot of the commercial products out there that advertise how they contain shea butter usually contain a very small amount. Just enough so that they can say it's in there. Drives me crazy. That's one thing that drives me nuts too! I've even thought about putting something on my site like, " Contains X% Shea Butter per bar. " Shaye - Try not to let that lady bother you too much. She obviously likes to be annoying. LOL! I agree with Katy though, just explain why yours are different & better. She probably will argue with you, but at least you'll have made your point. As for Fred, tell him to hush. Hahaha! Colleen http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 > Also, alot of the commercial products out there that advertise how they contain shea butter usually contain a very small amount. Just enough so that they can say it's in there. Drives me crazy. That's one thing that drives me nuts too! I've even thought about putting something on my site like, " Contains X% Shea Butter per bar. " Shaye - Try not to let that lady bother you too much. She obviously likes to be annoying. LOL! I agree with Katy though, just explain why yours are different & better. She probably will argue with you, but at least you'll have made your point. As for Fred, tell him to hush. Hahaha! Colleen http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 What YOU use is real. What's sold in the stores often contains so little shea (or any thing else good) that is might just as well have waved at a shea nut (or herb, etc.) while traveling down the conveyor belt! Diane Jeanine Van Voorhees wrote: > I get so frustrated when people think just because it’s a farmer’s market or > craft show that things should be cheap!!! Do they think we work for > nothing? Our time is just as valuable as the “Big guys”. I love reminding > people that all of my soaps contain shea butter and now the “Big guys” are > getting on the band wagon. You see shea advertised all over the place. > I’ve been using it for years. > > My neighbor would much prefer buying her shea products at the store because > she thinks what I use is not real. Excuse me!!!! Scrubs are really pricey. > I did read, on another list, about what is being charged. If I can find it > I’ll post the info. > > > > Keep smiling – LOL > > > > Jeanine > > > > > > Jeanine's Hummingbird Soap Works > > > > _____ > > From: [mailto: ] > On Behalf Of Shaye > Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 8:00 AM > > Subject: Some people.... vent > > > > Some people are so frustrating.-. There is this one older lady that comes to > the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she comes in my; booth and > just does nothing but complain about my prices. She says she can go > downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are $4.50). blah blah blah.. > then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that I have for .50. " OMG I > charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! > Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. Saying she can go to the > Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So I am thinking.. then go > get your soap there! And then a few weeks later she comes and buys 3! > soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just one of those people > that cant be happy with anything. > Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in .. trying to make me > feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal wanted me to make a > sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I hadnt ever done sugar > scrubs before but its been on my list of things to do. So anyway I made > some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. She bought the larger > one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at the price???? I said > no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the bigger name brands charge > up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. but this is experimenting > for you ***SIGH***. > As you all know.. our cost of doing business are going up along with > everything else... we cant just " give " our product away.. Its quality stuf! > I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued to smile at her untill > she left... > > Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL > Shaye > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 What YOU use is real. What's sold in the stores often contains so little shea (or any thing else good) that is might just as well have waved at a shea nut (or herb, etc.) while traveling down the conveyor belt! Diane Jeanine Van Voorhees wrote: > I get so frustrated when people think just because it’s a farmer’s market or > craft show that things should be cheap!!! Do they think we work for > nothing? Our time is just as valuable as the “Big guys”. I love reminding > people that all of my soaps contain shea butter and now the “Big guys” are > getting on the band wagon. You see shea advertised all over the place. > I’ve been using it for years. > > My neighbor would much prefer buying her shea products at the store because > she thinks what I use is not real. Excuse me!!!! Scrubs are really pricey. > I did read, on another list, about what is being charged. If I can find it > I’ll post the info. > > > > Keep smiling – LOL > > > > Jeanine > > > > > > Jeanine's Hummingbird Soap Works > > > > _____ > > From: [mailto: ] > On Behalf Of Shaye > Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 8:00 AM > > Subject: Some people.... vent > > > > Some people are so frustrating.-. There is this one older lady that comes to > the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she comes in my; booth and > just does nothing but complain about my prices. She says she can go > downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are $4.50). blah blah blah.. > then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that I have for .50. " OMG I > charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! > Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. Saying she can go to the > Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So I am thinking.. then go > get your soap there! And then a few weeks later she comes and buys 3! > soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just one of those people > that cant be happy with anything. > Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in .. trying to make me > feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal wanted me to make a > sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I hadnt ever done sugar > scrubs before but its been on my list of things to do. So anyway I made > some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. She bought the larger > one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at the price???? I said > no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the bigger name brands charge > up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. but this is experimenting > for you ***SIGH***. > As you all know.. our cost of doing business are going up along with > everything else... we cant just " give " our product away.. Its quality stuf! > I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued to smile at her untill > she left... > > Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL > Shaye > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 In a message dated 6/24/2007 11:34:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jlv40@... writes: I get so frustrated when people think just because it’s a farmer’s market or craft show that things should be cheap!!! Do they think we work for nothing? Yes, they do. Some think that if it's a cottage business, you're just doing it to make a few bucks, so that's all you should make. I've often said they'd change their tunes in a hurry if they made it. Beth _www.soapandgarden.com_ (http://www.soapandgarden.com/) www.saponifier.com ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 In a message dated 6/24/2007 9:52:17 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, star@... writes: You are absolutely right Shaye, and most of the customers do not think a thing about it because they do pay the higher prices at xyz store and they know it is a good deal. The problem is that there are to many people out there not charging enough for their finished products. The do not take into account packaging, labor and the time they are working shows or whatever to sell the product. YES!!!! I know people that I'd love to convince that they should charge enough to make it worth their time. IMO, if you're selling just to cover the cost of the raw ingredients, please don't sell at all! Beth _www.soapandgarden.com_ (http://www.soapandgarden.com/) www.saponifier.com ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Shaye, Sometimes I just wish I could kick those people where it hurts, but you're totally 100% percent, right. Just knod your head and smile. And then think to yourself, " Go away! Please go away! " LOL! Marisol in Brooklyn Shaye <shaye@...> wrote: Some people are so frustrating.. There is this one older lady that comes to the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she comes in my; booth and just does nothing but complain about my prices. She says she can go downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are $4.50). blah blah blah.. then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that I have for .50. " OMG I charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. Saying she can go to the Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So I am thinking.. then go get your soap there! And then a few weeks later she comes and buys 3! soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just one of those people that cant be happy with anything. Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in .. trying to make me feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal wanted me to make a sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I hadnt ever done sugar scrubs before but its been on my list of things to do. So anyway I made some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. She bought the larger one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at the price???? I said no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the bigger name brands charge up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. but this is experimenting for you ***SIGH***. As you all know.. our cost of doing business are going up along with everything else... we cant just " give " our product away.. Its quality stuf! I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued to smile at her untill she left... Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL Shaye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Star/Shaye, This is so true. It's hard when you're there with your soaps at $5+/- depending on weight and the next few stalls over there is a soaper selling theirs for $4, $3 and under. And sometimes I tell them they're selling too low for the area. And I discuss with them what goes into their soaps and they tell me they're barely getting any profit, but that they're afraid of people not wanting to buy. I was like this in the very, very beginning in the mid '90s when I considered myself just a hobby soaper and sold an occasional few bars here and there for the last 10 some odd years. But now that I'm taking this venture out of “hobbyist mode” and into a real business, I take everything I put into the product into account and then I price according. And yes, I, too, get all the time, but at, " ’Bath and Body,’ I can get the soaps on sale for $1. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...” “I can get the sugar scrub for under X amount at such and such place.” I've never seen a wire bail jar 20 oz. for under $25, that wasn't on sale. And by the time they are on sale, they're been through the mill and leaking all over. One lady harassed me all day about that darn scrub. It was the only one I had made, since I only had purchase the one wire bail jar to test as a sample. I had almost the same scrub in a regular 16 oz. jar for $15. And she nagged and nagged. I didn’t give in. The jar alone was $4.95. I did eventually sell it that day, not to her but to another lady, who like Shaye’s husband said, “Didn’t flinch at the price.” Since it was a bigger jar and more expensive, I made sure to use cane sugar, grapeseed, shea, avocado, and jojoba oil, etc., and 100% EO’s. With some people you just can’t win. Marisol in Brooklyn star@... wrote: You are absolutely right Shaye, and most of the customers do not think a thing about it because they do pay the higher prices at xyz store and they know it is a good deal. The problem is that there are to many people out there not charging enough for their finished products. The do not take into account packaging, labor and the time they are working shows or whatever to sell the product. --- Shaye <shaye@...> wrote: > Some people are so frustrating.. There is this one > older lady that comes to > the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she > comes in my; booth and > just does nothing but complain about my prices. She > says she can go > downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are > $4.50). blah blah blah.. > then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that > I have for .50. " OMG I > charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! > Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. > Saying she can go to the > Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So > I am thinking.. then go > get your soap there! And then a few weeks later > she comes and buys 3! > soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just > one of those people > that cant be happy with anything. > Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in > .. trying to make me > feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal > wanted me to make a > sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I > hadnt ever done sugar > scrubs before but its been on my list of things to > do. So anyway I made > some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. > She bought the larger > one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at > the price???? I said > no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the > bigger name brands charge > up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. > but this is experimenting > for you ***SIGH***. > As you all know.. our cost of doing business are > going up along with > everything else... we cant just " give " our product > away.. Its quality stuf! > I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued > to smile at her untill > she left... > > Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL > Shaye > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > Star Supplies by Star www.suppliesbystar.com --------------------------------- Never miss an email again! Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Jeanine, This erks me too! Why is it that people are willing to part with their money at B & BW so quickly and not even read or know what ingredients go into the product? Yet they harrass us to death with questions that even the Big Guys, will tell them to go take a flying leap!!! Even my own family does this, " Oh, but you're not The Body Shop, no one is going to pay that amount of money. " But then they [my family] want the product for less money too. Them [my family], I do tell to take a flying leap! LOL!!! My own neice stated that I should give her my products for free since she's family! LOL!!! I refuse to! She goes and gets her body butter at the Body Shop, but she refuses to pay for my products knowing full well that mine are better quality. What can you do? Marisol in Brooklyn Jeanine Van Voorhees <jlv40@...> wrote: I get so frustrated when people think just because it’s a farmer’s market or craft show that things should be cheap!!! Do they think we work for nothing? Our time is just as valuable as the “Big guys”. I love reminding people that all of my soaps contain shea butter and now the “Big guys” are getting on the band wagon. You see shea advertised all over the place. I’ve been using it for years. My neighbor would much prefer buying her shea products at the store because she thinks what I use is not real. Excuse me!!!! Scrubs are really pricey. I did read, on another list, about what is being charged. If I can find it I’ll post the info. Keep smiling – LOL Jeanine Jeanine's Hummingbird Soap Works _____ From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Shaye Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007 8:00 AM Subject: Some people.... vent Some people are so frustrating.-. There is this one older lady that comes to the farmers market almost every week. Yesterday she comes in my; booth and just does nothing but complain about my prices. She says she can go downtown and get a bigger soap for $3. (mine are $4.50). blah blah blah.. then she see's my basket of travel/sample soaps that I have for .50. " OMG I charge for that even!!! " The horror of it all! Last year she did the same thing.. all summer long. Saying she can go to the Cornhill fest and get soap for $2 or whatever.. So I am thinking.. then go get your soap there! And then a few weeks later she comes and buys 3! soaps from me. I came to the conclusion she is just one of those people that cant be happy with anything. Then my hubby is sitting there... And he starts in .. trying to make me feel like I am cheating people!!! Last week a gal wanted me to make a sugar scrub for her hubby.. So I had made some.. I hadnt ever done sugar scrubs before but its been on my list of things to do. So anyway I made some.. 10 oz for $8 and a 18 oz and I charged $14. She bought the larger one.. aftewards he said to me.. she didnt flinch at the price???? I said no! *sigh* I also told him that I have seen the bigger name brands charge up to $60 for the same thing... And he was like.. but this is experimenting for you ***SIGH***. As you all know.. our cost of doing business are going up along with everything else... we cant just " give " our product away.. Its quality stuf! I held my toungue with that lady.. Just continued to smile at her untill she left... Thanks for letting me get that out! LOL Shaye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 > This erks me too! Why is it that people are willing to part with their money at B & BW so quickly and not even read or know what ingredients go into the product? Yet they harrass us to death with questions that even the Big Guys, will tell them to go take a flying leap!!! I think it's because they're the " Big Guy. " My mom loves B & BW too. She dragged me into one a few weeks ago. One lady practically attacked us with a lotion sample. I had to move away (quickly) from her and tell her I couldn't use it because I didn't know what was in it. Then I said if it had lanolin in it I couldn't touch it or I'd break out since I'm allergic. " Gosh, I didn't even know people were allergic to lanolin, " she says. Yup, so stay away! LOL! If us " little guys " could afford to buy in bulk and manufacture like the big guys can, I think we'd be supported more by the general public. We're lucky that we do have faithful customers that know the difference between our products & the big guys hype!!! Colleen http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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