How to start your own online candle shop?

Candles are accessories enjoying great success online. They are both aesthetically pleasing and fill your home with fragrance. While some people save them for special occasions, others use them year-round. Starting your own online candle shop is within everyone’s reach, provided you’re rigorous about preparing your launch and then growing your business. Here’s our step-by-step guide so you don’t miss anything.

Make or resell candles?

You can choose between reselling a wholesaler’s products or making candles yourself. If you simply resell, you’ll face competition, since others will be reselling the same products. Your logistics will be simpler, but your margin will be reduced because of the purchase price from the wholesaler. If you choose this option, take the time to find a supplier who isn’t yet too well known, but is nonetheless reliable. Check the minimum order quantities, prices, delivery times, and of course the purchase price.

In the second case, if you launch your own candle line, you’ll need to train yourself, then handle your production. The advantage is having original products that you can shape however you like. On top of that, your margin is higher.

How to build your brand?

The advantage of making candles is that it doesn’t require a large investment. To make scented candles, you need:

• a device to melt the wax;
• molds;
• a thermometer;
• wicks;
• dyes;
• fragrances (often essential oils).

You first need to train in candle-making, then practice, because your products need to be perfect. With experience, you’ll develop your dexterity as well as your creativity. And the more original, beautiful candles you offer, the more visibility you’ll gain. You can make them stand out with a specific selection of flowers, an original candle shape, or a distinctive design and decoration around the product (packaging).

There are online courses (such as L’École de la Bougie or Bougies Masterclass) that let you quickly pick up the basics.

Legislation on selling candles online

Whether you’re a maker or a reseller, you need to know the legislation governing candle sales, since it’s fairly strictly regulated. These products are governed by AFNOR regulations (the European fire-safety standard) and CLP regulations (also a European standard informing consumers about environmental and health risks). CLP sets out the rules for classification, packaging and labeling, as well as the list of pictograms you’re required to display on your packaging. Add to that usage precautions, safety warnings, and the list of ingredients that may cause allergies.

Choosing raw materials

Every maker must use good-quality raw materials so the finished product lives up to customers’ expectations. If you offer low-end candles, you won’t build customer loyalty and you’ll suffer from negative word of mouth.

Practice your craft and test different suppliers of wax, fragrances, wicks and dyes. The burn time of your candles must be studied, while their color and scent must match the promises you make to your customers.

Create your brand

Now you’re ready to create your brand. Its name should be original, evocative, easy to remember and appealing. If you make your own candles, choose a suggestive name rather than one with a foreign-sounding ring that evokes a standard reseller.

Also work on your logo and visual identity. Your brand will be everywhere: on your candles, packaging, communications and invoices. It needs to leave an impression, so that it becomes recognizable above all others.

Finally, work on your communication to create an appealing context that sets you apart from your competitors.

The steps required before starting your online candle shop

You still have a few steps to complete before launching your online candle shop.

Market research

Studying the online candle market lets you understand trends and identify your main competitors. Through this analysis, you should define your positioning and sketch out a profile of your typical customer. Online, this is called a “persona.” Its profile reveals gender, age, family situation, social category, financial means, and so on. It lets you use the right messaging, on the channels they use, with the tone and vocabulary that resonate with them.

The business plan

The business plan is a document that demands your full attention, as it lets you convince investors to back you (starting with your banker) and serves as your roadmap during your first years of operation.

The business plan includes a written section in which you present your company and your team (if you’re not launching alone). You also describe your commercial strategy for launch, and then for growing your online candle shop.

The written section is followed by financial tables detailing your expenses, prices, advertising costs, operating costs, raw material purchases, margins, growth projections, and so on.

Setting up your business

Whether this activity is full-time or a side venture, you need to set up a business to declare your activity and your income. The simplest legal status — whether you’re a maker or a reseller — is the micro-entrepreneur (sole trader) status. The administrative steps are minimal (and free), as are your accounting obligations.

Once you exceed the thresholds for this status, you’ll need to choose another one. You’ll then need to study which option benefits you most and offers the best advantages for paying yourself, protecting your assets, and benefiting from social protections (retirement, health insurance, etc.).

Accounting software for your online shop

The last step before actually setting up your e-commerce business: choosing accounting software for your online candle shop. Even if you start out under the micro-entrepreneur status, you must:

• invoice every sale you make;
• once you exceed the VAT exemption threshold, charge and declare VAT;
• keep a revenue ledger listing the amount and source of each receipt, the payment method, and containing the supporting documents;
• keep a purchase register, which is a yearly summary of all purchases made;
• have a bank account dedicated to your professional activity;
• draw up a monthly or quarterly summary of your income, in order to declare it to URSSAF.

Once you move to another legal status, you’ll need to fulfill other, more complex accounting obligations.

You therefore need e-commerce invoicing software that handles your bookkeeping while offering as much automation as possible. You shouldn’t be wasting time on the administrative side of your online candle shop.

Ideally, test your software by taking advantage of the free trial period it usually offers. That’s the case with Bizyness, for example. This software offers every advantage for micro-entrepreneurs. It handles all your accounting simply, lets you customize your invoices, accounts for VAT, and makes it easy to produce exports for the tax authorities, your banker, an investor, a consultant, and so on.

Bizyness offers a great many automations to simplify your day-to-day tasks. You can add even more features by connecting it with Zapier. It automatically issues invoices, credit notes, refunds, and more.

Compatible with numerous e-commerce CMS platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, Wizishop, etc.), this e-commerce invoicing software lets you sync your online candle shop. Finally, it adapts as your legal status changes once you exceed the micro-entrepreneur thresholds.

Building and launching your e-commerce shop

You’re entering the home stretch of building your website to sell candles. The simplest approach is to choose a CMS built for e-commerce so you automatically get the features you need. It helps you present your products, build a sales funnel, and secure your payment process.

Work on aesthetics as much as on practicality. Your visitors should find your shop appealing and reassuring. Describe your products in detail and add a blog. It helps you build connections with your audience, share advice or ideas related to using candles, but also related topics: interior decoration, table-setting design, culinary ideas, and more.

Link your shop to your social media accounts. Facebook, Instagram Shopping and Etsy are the most recommended for an online candle business. They’re notably easy to integrate and sync with your shop.

All that’s left is to apply your commercial strategy, both free and paid, to make your first sales. This is only the beginning of your journey. You’ll then need to build customer loyalty, encourage referrals, and keep up your communication to grow your online candle shop.