Made right here in the USA! Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? Our bath bombs are 100% handmade right here in the United States. No giant processing machines, no huge lifeless assembly line, just good old fashion elbow grease and a little artisan skill. So why does this matter?

We pride ourselves on our old school approach. Companies that manufacture in the US are fantastic for the economy. The more jobs created here, the less we have to send overseas. Could you just import your bath bombs from China? Sure, but there's a few downsides to that. The lead time is generally 2+ weeks. If you are flexible enough to keep a 2+ week inventory you should be fine on that account. Most of the people we talk do simply don't have the luxury. In order to keep shipping costs down from half way around the world, ordering in bulk is almost a necessity.  

Another downside of ordering from China is the quality of ingredients. We've heard stories from customers that order from the same overseas vendor, but received very different bath bombs with each shipment. Sounds like they are using multiple manufacturers to fill orders. Which is fine, but if you're trying to keep a certain standard with your products this might not be the best option.

When you factor lead time, shipping cost, quality control, and questionable ingredients is it worth the few pennies per bath bomb you might save? In most cases it's just not worth the hassle. Support local business, not because you'll help your neighbor out (which is fantastic!) but because it will help YOU out as well. Comments, questions, advise? Let us know in the comments!

The truth is, there is no perfect formula or ratio for what will sell in your area. Yes there are general guide lines which well talk about shortly, but the only real way to find out is to just get out there and start pushing your product. Talk with your customers, gauge their interests. See what they are looking for or expect from you as their supplier. 

We've spoken with customers in Florida who sell bath bombs in tourist areas. They tend to have higher sales of tropical fragrances. Which makes sense right? You'd expect a tourist shop on a beach to do well selling coconut scented items. In contrast, they sell way less patchouli scented items compared to a store in Michigan. Citrus, sweet, floral, and coconut are great for certain markets, while a ranch in Montana might do better selling earthy, green, natural scented products.

So with your location in mind, the next thing to is make sure you're covering all of your major fragrance groups. At least initially until you have a better idea of what is selling in your area. A common question we get goes something like, "Hey, this is my first order what fragrances do you recommend?". We always advise on an assortment of the best selling fragrances. This way you are able to offer a wide variety of scents knowing these are the items moving for other business owners. You can always adjust the fragrances you offer later.

Let's say you have a pretty good idea of what will move for you. We still recommend covering the major scent categories. What you need is a solid green floral/herb (patchouli, sandalwood, rosemary etc.), sweet floral (hibiscus, plumeria, violets etc.), fruit, mint, and a unisex fragrance. Other fragrances that are extremely popular for us are Lavender, Vanilla, Orange, Almond, and Coconut. If you only had those 5 you'd still be in pretty good shape. Everyone knows what they smell like, they are universally popular, and they have been around for literally thousands of years! 

Try not to over complicate it. Offer your customers a wide variety of popular, best selling fragrances and make adjustments as you go. Remember, just because YOU may like a certain bath bomb scent, doesn't mean it will sell well.