So I asked folks on Facebook and Instagram what they would prefer: a more expensive item that ships free or a cheaper item that you have to pay shipping for. The results were pretty unanimous: free shipping (thanks, Amazon). As my entire business plan is about giving people what they really want, I have decided to offer free shipping options on my Etsy site!
Full disclosure: I had to raise the prices a little to compensate for the free shipping (i.e. build the shipping price into the cost of the item). It’s possible my site will confuse people now, as I elected to have the same items listed at the original price as well (but shipping is NOT free on those items). I think the free shipping items are pretty well marked and easily found on my site; do you? Should I get rid of my original prices all together and simply have slightly more expensive items that all ship free? Please leave your feedback in the comments – I WILL read them!
I’m not sure how this whole free shipping thing will work out. I’m not sure if people who were on the fence will now order. Maybe some of my long distance friends and family will be incentivized to give my stuff a try? Perhaps I’ll lose all my profits in shipping. Unlike Amazon, I can’t afford to undercut brick and mortar stores like LUSH, or even Amazon, as much as I’d like to. So I’ll try it for a little while. If people don’t seem interested (i.e. aren’t buying the free shipping items) I’ll take them down. Consider this an experiment.
Folks, running a small, primarily on-line business is hard. The whole point of this was to sell better, healthier bath bombs at a lower cost than places like LUSH and with less chemicals and additives than big box stores. I worry that my prices now don’t reflect that. Trust me, I’m only making a few cents profit on each bath bomb; this is purely a side job. No way am I anywhere close to even consider leaving my day job. But more than anything, I want people to be able to try my products. To love them as much as my family does. Because I think they are good and am really proud of them.
Local folks, no worries! I’ll still be selling my big bath bombs for $6 and the smaller ones for $3. You can buy them from my directly, just email me and we can arrange for a date and time for you to swing by and pick up. Or come to my pop-up shop this Sunday from 2-5pm at 1415 E. NC HWY 54, Durham 27713. Or catch me this fall at the Apex Farmers Market! You don’t have to go through Etsy to get my products locally, promise!
For folks who aren’t local, here’s what’s now shipping free:
Both the small (2.5″) and jumbo (seriously, they’re huge 3.25″) bath bombs
Burn Baby Burn 100% Soy Candles (my current obsession). If I don’t have a fragrance you wanted listed, message me and I’ll make one just for you!
Dry Spell Lotion Bars. I adore them, and trust me, lotion in a stick is where it’s at! If I don’t have a fragrance you wanted listed, message me and I’ll make one just for you!
Again, my hope is you try them and love them. I know I do!
Happy Bathing!
Mama K
Mama K Breaking Bath 