Teach Soap

I'm sure you all have heard this story before...so I'll try to make it short.
I started making soap a little over 6 months ago after 3 months of research. I decided to learn how to make my own soap because I was spending a ridiculous amount of money on the handmade soap the DH and I had become addicted to...but NOT with the intention to sell it...just to save some bucks by doing it myself. Needless to say, the soaping addiction set it! We became overrun with soap, so I keep 4 bars from each batch, and give the rest away to my friends and co-workers. I asked them to be brutally honest with their opinions, and I've received great feedback that helped me tweak my recipes. I have successfully re-created our favorites, and so far, all my held-back bars still look/feel/smell good. I test each and every batch on myself (after curing) for at least two weeks before I give it away. At this moment I have about 300 bars of soap in various stages of curing/storage!
Word has spread, and I have people requesting my soap. My friends/co-workers, and the DH along with HIS friends and co-workers think I'm insane for not selling it. I'm not naive...people love it when it's free...but is it good enough to actually PAY for?? So I started telling everyone that IF I decided to sell, I would charge $5 a bar. Would they still be so enthusiastic about my soap? I was surprised that they had no problem with that price at all.
Sooo...I'm thinking of contacting RLI about liablity insurance, and selling my soap to friends/co-workers and maybe at our local farmer's market.
Am I too much of a newbie to even be THINKING this???

Hi cerelife! I don't think you're nuts - I think that is the way a lot of soapers came to sell their soap. I've also been checking things out like you are and was planning on selling at my local farmer's market this summer. Here's what I found out for TN through the TN state website:

I don't need to collect sales tax if I gross less than $3000 a year
I don't need a business license for the same reason
if I sell on the internet, I do need a sales tax # because I have to collect sales tax from other states when it's required by that state

I also found out that liability insurance would be about $200 a year. Plus I would need start up stuff for my booth: 10x10 tent, table, cash box, tablecloth, etc. So, before you decide how much you want to sell for, you have to make sure that you are making enough per bar to cover all of your expenses.

Other things to consider: I also work part time and in the summer have a veggie garden that needs tending, plus I do a lot of canning during the summer. Will I have enough time to get all this done, AND make enough soap to sell, and can I devote 6-8 hours to selling soap at the farmers market every week?

My decision? to wait a year to be sure that I'm still enjoying making soap before jumping into selling. By the end of this summer I should have a better idea of whether or not I can spend almost an entire Saturday each week at the farmer's market. That will also give me enough time to do more research about what types of soap to offer on a regular basis. Then, if I decide to sell I have all winter to make soap!

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

I would find out what the rules and regs in your state, your county and you city are. Some of them are different. I need a business license, a resale license and liability insurance. In some places, they do come to your home and inspect the premises. Get all your ducks in a row before you find the fairs and markets you might like to attend.

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