Do you know where to sell candles made at home and earn money as a side hustle?
If you say No, no worries it is so easy to make candles and sell them online
Or you can visit many stores and offer to display your home made candles
I bet you all stores will accept the idea of selling your candles and make profit of the difference between their price and yours
That’s why I am going to discuss topics related to candles business
So I will start with the below
Is candle making profitable?
Yes making candle at home is very profitable
The margin profit is relaxed and where to sell candles are everywhere
For example what can cost you $2 if you make it at home can cost you more than $10 if you decide to buy it from stores
It is a five billion industry which got many room for you to sell your homemade candles
Don’t believe me check Etsy stores for people selling homemade candles
Also on Facebook Marketplace and eBay
What you need for making candles at home
Good news is that you can start selling candles with material as low as $100
First you need to buy equipments that you will use it over and over
1- Melting pot
2- Thermometer
3- Scale
Beside recurring materials used in making candles like
4- Wax
5- Jars and containers
6- Wicks
7- Stickers
8- Oil fragnance
9- Candle Dye
10- Metal candle wick centering devices
11- Candle wick trimmer
Where to sell candles in your local area ?
If you’re thinking where to sell candles, there are plenty of great places to reach customers.
Online marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and Shopify let you create a storefront and reach a broad audience.
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook Marketplace, and TikTok Shop are perfect for showcasing your candles through engaging content.
Locally, consider farmers’ markets, craft fairs, and boutique stores to connect with customers in person.
Subscription boxes and wholesale partnerships with gift shops or spas can also provide steady income.
The key is to choose the right mix of platforms based on your target audience and business goals!
What types candles you can make at home?
You can make and sell many different types of candles like
Paraffin Wax Candles
Advantages of making paraffin wax candles are they carry long lasting fragnance than soy or beeswax
Paraffin also requires high temperature to melt
Best thing about paraffin is that it is less expensive than any other waxes
Bad thing about paraffin wax is that it emits 11 known toxins while burning
Also it pollutes the air when used indoors
Soy Wax Candles
Soy wax contains non artificial components which makes it 100% natural
This means it is for sure better than paraffin wax
Also zero toxins when burning not like paraffin wax
Soy candles can last longer because of it is low melting point
Also low melting point means stronger smelling for scented candles
Finally it is easy to clean for any accidental spills
Palm Wax Candles
Palm wax candles are manufactured to burn completely without soot
It lasts longer and disperses fragrances better than soy wax candles
The good thing about palm wax candles is that it stays longer in summer since it has high melting point than soy and paraffin wax candles
The one disadvantage of palm wax candles is that it is more expensive than paraffin candles
Beeswax Candles
Beeswax is similar to soy wax candles in term of burning longer than paraffin candles
On the other side, its disadvantage is that it costs more than soy and paraffin candles
Bayberry Wax Candles
Bayberry wax candle is made of natural material
Without any fragrance it smells like freshly mown grass
Not available all year but mainly around Christmas and New year
Expensive as it takes long time and consumes lot of berries to make this type of candle
How to make wax melts to sell?
Before you start thinking where to sell candles you have to follow the steps below
1- Measure your wax
Measuring wax for the first time requires you to put half the portion into the container
There is a reason for that because you need to practice the sense of estimating the right quantity
For example, If you have 16 oz of wax to melt and pour into 8 containers each is 2 oz
You will need 14 oz of wax and 2 oz of fragrance
Start with 7 oz of wax and add one oz of fragrance if it is your first time
2- Melt your wax
Don’t expose your container to direct flame
Best practice is to place your container into surrounding water in a big container and heat the water
3- Add fragrance
Once your wax started to reach its boiling point you will need to add the fragrance oil and stir slowly until you see it completely dissolved
4- Add dye (optional)
If you are selling white candles only then I have to let you know that customers are not buying white candles anymore
They like varieties of different color and this is where it comes to add the dye
5- Attach wick
Don’t rush pouring your melted wax into the container
Make sure you have your wick in the center and ensure the wick is secured to it
You can attach the wick in all containers while waiting for the wax to melt
6- Let wax cool for a bit
Don’t pour the wax right away into the container
Wait to cool and you still can stir the wax
Keep in mind the best temperature to start pouring is 135o F equivalent to 57o C
7- Pour your wax
Start pouring your wax and I found the best way is to come close to the container
Pour away from the container and from the wick as the hot wax can bend it
8- Secure your wick
Usually you want to keep the wick secured and centered
I found it is better for you to use metal candle wick centering devices to ensure you keep it always in the middle
9- Leave candles to cool
Leave it to cool down and don’t be fooled by the thick solid layer on top
Usually melted wax in a big container can take several hours to get completely dry
10- Trim wick
It is recommended to keep only quarter inch of wick on the surface
You can use something like candle wick trimmer to do the job for you
How much money do you make selling candles?
First if we analyze the profit margin in selling candles it is about 50% to 70%
That’s a good profit margin and you have lot of room to compete
New homemade candles makers can expect to make $500 to $1,000
They can push a little harder to make it a full time job
How to get yourself established in selling candles?
Once you get experience on best places where to sell candles then below are few points that can help you establish a solid ground in the candles selling business
Although they look obvious but not everybody follows them
Define your audience and whom you’re selling candles to
You have to know your customer
I know you always hear this sentence but in candles selling business knowing what target customer would buy will help you shape yourself
Are you selling eco friendly candles using soy or bayberry waxes?
Maybe you are selling strong scented candles or decorative candles
Or maybe you’re selling affordable paraffin candles
You have to start with all types of candles and see which type differentiate you from competitors
If your customers buy strong scented candles more from you then you can add variations and track your sales
Keep in mind that selling eco friendly candles cost around $20 and more
While decorative candles are around $40 to $50
Scented candles are around $15 while paraffin candles are less than $15
Find cheap sources for your wax
Finding places where you sell candles for competitive prices you have to find cheap sources for your wax supply
95% of your candles cost relies on the wax you buy in bulk
It is wise if you find multiple sources that give you great discount on quantities
So always look for new sources for your wax
Find the best price to sell your candles
Every candle has its own selling price according to its type of wax
Also according to what each candle going to be used for
Keep in mind some types of candles like decorative and wedding candles are highly recommendable to be made from paraffin wax
These candles are heavy candles with lot of wax so eco friendly wax are not a wise option
Even with paraffin wax decorative and wedding candles cost around $40 to $50
Scented candles are around 200 grams with around a price range of $15
While paraffin candles can be around 300 to less than 400 grams of paraffin wax with a price range of less than $15
Test different distribution channels
If you are first starting it would be better for you to reach out to decorative and home stores to display your candles
What is required here is to find a base to distribute your products
Then take it online like creating an Instagram account with professional pictures of all your candles and creating a Pinterestaccount is a wise option for you
Also you can take orders on Facebook Marketplace and eBay
The point here is to try different channels and try online ads
Buy a domain name and website
Now you know where to sell candles and you need a domain name
Definitely you need an easy to remember domain name reflecting your company name if you have one registered already
Domain name if you don’t know is the website name you type in your browser to go to the website
I found the best place to buy your domain name is to use namecheap
For hosting your website I recommend to use Siteground or namecheap as best web hosting
Register your company
I am not sure how you will take your candles business to the next level
But if you already have many places where to sell candles and making good money then selling candles under a sole proprietorship you will end up paying more taxes than being registered as corporate
At the same time handling corporate company is not easy as you have to keep proper track of all of your expenses and you have to keep accurate data
On the other side, sole proprietorship does not require that much of work
Keep your candles quality consistent
What is more important in any candles business is keeping your quality consistent
Customers are buying your candles consistently as this is not a one time product
To keep your sales on the same pace you have to collect feedback on your website or accept emails for complains and read always your customers’ reviews
In the end, I hope I covered everything about where to sell candles in your area and candles making business