Can I make money selling this stuff @ flea markets/craft fairs?

[felicia]

I want to make my own soaps, candles, skin care & beauty care products (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, scrubs, lipstick, makeup, perfume, lotions, deodorant) and sell them on etsy, facebook, my own site as well as flea markets & craft fairs. I'm a vegan & everything will be organic & cruelty free. I will have to buy the supplies a little at a time with each paycheck. But will I have any luck selling this stuff--especially @ flea markets & craft fairs? I'll be charging around $4 or $5 per 4 oz soap bar (less for smaller ones) & anywhere from a few dollars to $12 for candles depending on what they are & their size.

Also, should I start out buying wholesale products & selling them until I raise the money to buy everything I need for my homemade stuff at one time? I love animals so does pet products sell well at flea markets? Any other ideas for wholesale products that are great sellers or if I should go this way first or my homemade way? Thanks guys!! I live in Alabama

[Jim B]

You may have a problem, trying to sell home made products, that are for personal use, on the body.

In the USA, Federal laws specify what can be sold to persons for personal use. Soap, body lotion and shampoo are all required to be tested and approved. by the FDA, FIRST. So, be warned, unless you want to spend the money to have your home made products tested and approved at a FDA laboratory, you are putting yourself in a bad situation, if a Federal inspector happens to see that your products are NOT FDA approved for retail sale to the public. Buy and sell beauty products that are made by a professional company, at a wholesaler outlet. That way you avoid the whole problem of approvals and testing. Let them do that.

A second point. Candles are a product that are a fire hazard, and they are regulated by various State and Federal laws. Unless you want to buy a large amount of liability insurance, I wouldn't sell them. Take a look at some candles that are sold country wide, such as Yankee, or the ones at WalMart and read the label. Note the wording about how to use and the hazard warnings.

Most craft and flea markets want you to pay up front for a table space. They don't care if you make a profit, as they have your money all ready. Take the time to do a "walk through " of the place where you want to sell. and TALK to the vendors, and find out what SELLS. Many vendors have stock that they may be willing to sell to you, if you DON"T set up in the same place as they are located.

Its hard to be unique. Just about anything that you can think of......is all ready for sale.

here are few things that I know will work, if you do some research. Fresh popcorn is cheap to make and sell. Cheap T shirts, for kids, at two for 10 dollars. kids socks, at 5 pairs for two dollars, both from a closeout liquidator. Start small, and keep the investment low.

Jim B.

Toronto.

[kemperk]

can you, yes
likely, no
a sale and earning a profit are not the same thing