Container Info - WAS: source dusting powder boxes and puffs/oils

[Guest guest]

Containers of any kind can be had if ordered in minimum manufacturing amounts

but these figures are high, sometimes 50,000 pieces (and up) in order to get a

good price. Companies like Avon, Revelon, & , etc., have no

problem making these minimums and they can and do order whatever they want. Us

small folks, however....

Sometimes you'll find that there are specialty containers available and at a

very good price. What happens is that a major company has a surplus and they'll

sell this stock to surplus houses. One or more of the bottle wholesalers will

then pick up this surplus and it eventually filters down to where the average

crafter can buy the container at a fairly reasonable price. Prices will vary a

lot, someone may buy a lot of 16,000 tubes and distribute them themselves,

someone else may buy 5,000 from the person who has 16,000, etc. Prices will

vary all over the place depending upon the original quantity bought and all the

shipping costs involved from vender to vender which get filtered in. Then you

also have storage costs. Think about storing large cases of several types of

bottles. And don't forget the lids - these are sold separately and someone has

to hunt them down to fit the bottles and they are distributed the same way.

This is just one overall example but it's part of the overall picture.

You also have companies that manufacture and stock standard containers which are

often sold at good prices in lots far less than 50,000 pieces because they are

" commonly used " items/containers throughout the industry. A good example of

this would be Boston Amber Round Bottles. But even still, you'll likely not be

able to buy just 12 or 36 containers from these folks, you'll need to find

someone further down the chain for that.

I recently paid $185 in shipping costs for an order. Obviously I bought more

than a case of 100.

Anyway, this explains why price can vary so much and it also explains why you

may have tons of a type of container around, sometimes even for years, and

suddenly you can't get it any more. Then maybe it'll reappear in circulation

for a long time again, maybe never again.

When you find a good deal on containers you really like, you may consider

stocking them for your line in quantity, otherwise, unless it's a common

container, you may not be able to reorder a year from now but they may appear

again in two years.

I currently have talc-type white cardboard powder shakers. I've been looking

for those that can use a puff at a quantity I can purchase. I've been looking

for this powder type " for some time now " but have yet to find some in a quantity

I can personally handle for both price and space and I haven't seen them around

for a long time. I trust they will appear at some point and when they do, those

that want them should stock up :-)

Naturally our goals are to be big enough where getting and storing any type of

container we want and need at a reasonable price is no problem. Until then we

do what we can do and rely on each other to keep our choices reasonable.

www.NaturesApprentice.com

Re: New member - source dusting powder boxes and

puffs/oils

--- sue it is impossible to find nice powder boxes as far as i can

tell. my best ones are made from cardboard boxes that i get at the

craft store and then cover with really nice papers. it is time

consumeing so i would not recommend for mass production. dolores