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I Have a huge bundle of dilemmas re: packaging for my soaps.

I know what I will be using for my wedding favour sops - but as for the packaging for the rest of the range, I'm torn and stuck.
My range of soaps is going to be mixed, I will be selling the sliced soaps with designs as in layered soaps and soaps with embeds, bar soaps with a purpose as in a colour but no design, cupcake soaps and large gateau soaps. So therefore the packaging will have to be varied.

Obviously the melt and pour soaps will need to be cellophane wrapped and I do like the corregated cardboard partial sleeve with the ribbon or rafi tie with tag type label - however, this will cover any centre embed or tubed designs on the soap. So - I have been looking at the boxed option with a full front window - these will need to be printed. Then I will be looking at different sizes and designs for each different type, which could be expensive, but could also if done right be an investment.

I'm struggling little with how to decide what to do, also - with the business idea being to wholesale and dropship as well as retail, I m wondering how to present the soaps for that side of the business, or whether I should just cellophne wrap them and use stick on label - which could be provided by the buyer for the dropship ones or our own if not required. Or maybe I should offer options for their own packging for both wholesale and retail.

Any thoughts or idea would be appreciated.

I think they would look nice in a little elegant box, then you could have the ingrediants list on the back and the soap name etc on the front, will pm you an example to what I mean.

Ah, the joys of soap packaging - every soapers nightmare.

We are in the process of reviewing our packaging - it has to be right as that is what sells the product.

Just Soaps wrote:Ah, the joys of soap packaging - every soapers nightmare.

We are in the process of reviewing our packaging - it has to be right as that is what sells the product.

I really like your packaging

Yes, thats my problem. Getting it wrong could be costly. Not so bad selling online, but offline sales as in displayed t craft fairs - I would be sunk. I hve seen sops at craft fairs just in orgnza bags and cellophane inside that, it spoke for itself - or not as the case maybe.

I've not got any advice as such as I wouldn't know where to start but boxes would definitely appeal to me- cellophane says cheap to me but that's just my opinion. I'd also be more inclined to buy if the box was made from recycled paper/card and the old fashioned brown stuff which is very plain will do it for me everytime even if the products have additives in them. All the big brands spend just as much or even more on their packaging than developing the actual product as it speaks volumes to the customer regarding the quality of the goods inside. IMO the investment is well worth it even if you have to add the cost onto the product. I always look at things as if they were given to me as a gift and then ask myself what I'd think of it and then ask others...some people are easily pleased but the majority (like me) aren't!

You could maybe order a small batch of boxes and then send out a questionaire to customers who you have sent them to and compare them with customer feedback from those who have received their items in different packaging e.g. cellophane. This would give you a good idea as to customer perception asking questions like:

Have you ordered this type of product before and if so what type of packaging did it come in?

What do you think of the packaging your order arrived in from us?

Do you think this could be improved and if so how?

What do you think our packaging says about our products? etc etc etc...........

I know - thats my big worry, the presentation is paramount. (The soaps do need wrapping in cellophane anyway). The brown boxes don't go with my design idea for the business - although the design can change I suppose.

Recycled!! Oh noooo! Something else to think about, its bad enough having to work out having Sls free, animal products and testing free soaps - now recycled packaging too Arrrgggghhh!! (Joking - I will bear it in mind). It defeats the object with the cellophane though I think, the cellophane will be neither recycled nor recyclable.

I like the idea of the questionaire - may do that on here when the masses come if no one has any objections.

More box hunting methinks.

I have seen long and lengthy discussions about this elsewhere too - soap seems to be a problematical product - you have to protect it, but customers appreciate seeing and touching it!

I did see something in a soap shop which I found appealing as a customer, and that was little balsa wood crates - they were like 3 d wooden frames and the slices of soap slot in from the top. The flat sides were open so you could see the soap design, but the wood surrounded the edges to protect the soap itself. I havent described that very well I am afraid! But it was a bit like those mini wooden boxes french cheeses sometimes come in.. It made the soap in to a really nice gift package, and I think they charged 50p extra for it.

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makeitbig

Well I never! I was looking at those myself because I could actually make them. (I used to make 1/12th scale ones for dolls house enthusiasts). I was thinking of filling them with either tissue or cellophane shreds.

What do others think of these?

makeitbig wrote:Well I never! I was looking at those myself because I could actually make them. (I used to make 1/12th scale ones for dolls house enthusiasts). I was thinking of filling them with either tissue or cellophane shreds.

What do others think of these?

great minds think alike..

The Ones I saw were open front and back so you could see through the middle.. the soap rested on blocks not packaging..

will send you a PM rather than witter away on here! see if I can describe it better to a model maker!
xx

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makeitbig, Nickie