Teach Soap

I am adding a new lotion to my product line. Not new , really, I have been making it for years, but not selling it. It is a bit labor intensive, so I just never offered it to the public.
But now I need to decide on a container. I will definitely be using a PET bottle with a pump, the problem is - what color?
Clear looks great when it is full, but no so great as the lotion is used up. Amber is nice, but you see it everywhere. I don't care for the cobalt blue - just personal taste, I guess. But I found a purple that looks amazing.

And, OF COURSE, it costs twice as much as clear or amber.

So my question is: where do you fall on these matters? Would you save the money? Or would you go for it and get "the look"?

help!!!

TIA (thanks in advance)

Most of my customers don't care what color the bottle is. I bought cases of clear as I got them at a good price so that's what I use. It also depends what you are trying to convey. Artsy? Crafty? Natural? High end?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Good point, Irena...I showed a picture of the purple bottle to my hubby/business advisor/carrier of all things heavy... and he hates it. He says it is the wrong image for a "natural" style product.

On one hand, I see the point: clear, or maybe amber? is more "natural" looking
On the other hand, why do "natural"ish products have to look drab? Why can't they be in high end stylish packaging?

I DO like the recycled paper, natural look, but I also love the fancy stuff....

Is amber natural enough? Or is it too medicinal looking?

Natural products do not have to look drab. Get yourself a great logo and experiment with labels like clear, white (matte or gloss), colored, kraft labels...

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I've seen green bottles have you? Or how about frosted bottles, they might just do the trick with a nice label.

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon wandering stores and looking at the lotion bottles. I found that, at least for me, and for the other women I was covertly observing, the SHAPE of the bottle mattered more than the color .

So, back to the drawing board!

The purple PET bottles are really nice. I have a couple for witch hazel and alcohol.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

OK - packaging update - I got a lot of samples from several different companies - its funny how you change your mind once you actually see and hold the samples in your hand!

Being in Canada - I limit myself to packaging that has a good price AND fast, affordable shipping! That really narrows things down quite a bit. I was dealing, or trying to, with Ingredients to Die For in Texas, because their packaging is very cheap - they are basically clearing most of it out. Their shipping charges were going to kill me, so I had to look elsewhere. $90 shipping for a $35 package???? PLUS UPS brokerage of another 30% when it reached my door????

They actually told me, via email "the prices are practically, a steal so, if you are using them how could it possible cost too much?" (sic)

duh... maybe if shipping quadruples the cost??? And your stuff now costs way MORE than buying it locally????

So back to the drawing board - got samples from one place in Canada and 2 in the States. I ended up taking a chance, and buying from Jody at soap and things. Her rep on the forums isn't great - but the products and shipping were great prices, and they arrived in a week. So.... so far so good! I guess a person can have 10,000 happy customers, and a half dozen unhappy ones can make a lot of noise...

But here's the fun part: how I picked the size and shape: we had a friend over... a rather "metro" kind of guy, and I had all the sample bottles lined up on the counter. He went over each one, commenting on his perception, the advantages and drawbacks. It was so great to get a fresh perspective!

Whew!! now I gotta design new labels...oh joy....

Take a look at McKernan's - they are a 'precycler' and have wow prices but the min order = $500.
Also try Freund, they have a good range and no minimum.

Thanks - I looked at both of those - they were way more than what I paid, for what I picked out.
It's the shipping to Canada that makes the difference!