I love candles. Let’s face it, who doesn’t!
A beautiful aroma filling the room, while a soft flame flickers, offering peace, serenity, romance, excitement.
It’s amazing how many emotions candles evoke.
That’s why if you’re considering starting an ecommerce business selling print on demand candles, there’s a huge market for you to sell to.
In fact the global candle market is predicted to reach $13.72 Billion by 2026!
So think no more.
Here are 5 steps to starting an ecommerce business selling print on demand candles and turning it into a huge success over the coming months and years;
Quick Takeaways:
- Leverage the Growing Market: The global candle market is predicted to reach $13.72 billion by 2026, making it a lucrative niche for your ecommerce business.
- Choose the Right Partner: Select a print on demand candle supplier that aligns with your brand, offers customization, and suits your target market. Options like Printify, Candle Builders, Merchize, and more are available.
- Create a Unique Brand: In a competitive market, a distinctive and engaging brand is crucial to stand out. Your brand name should reflect your niche and target audience.
- Start with a Signature Product: Instead of overwhelming yourself with numerous candle designs, begin with one or two signature products and expand as you grow and make sales.
- Master a Social Media Platform: Focus on one social media platform that resonates with your audience, such as TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest, and actively engage with informative and entertaining content.
- Influencer Collaboration: Partner with social media influencers to quickly reach your target audience. Offering free samples and unique affiliate links can help promote your products effectively.
1. Choose the Print on Demand Candle Company You Want to Work With
Here is a list of some of the top print on demand candle companies on the web;
Printify
Printify is a popular print on demand company that integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Woocommerce, Wix and many other ecommerce website builders.
They currently only offer one style of candle sourced from another print on demand company Candle Builders.
The candle comes with a customizable label so you can add your own brand design.
They offer 3 scents; Vanilla Bean, Comfort Spice and Sea Breeze
Plus as your brand grows it’s easy to add more products or merchandise from the Printify catalog.
Pricing;
Candles; from $13.96
Shipping; from $6.49
Printify is free to use or upgrade to their premium plan at $24.99/month (billed annually) and get a 20% discount on all products.
Candle Builders
If you’re only going to be shipping to the US & Canada, then you may opt to use Candle Builders directly rather than going through Printify.
They offer two styles of print on demand candles; 9oz and 13.75oz.
Each comes with the three scents as mentioned above; Vanilla Bean, Comfort Spice and Sea Breeze and customizable labels so you can add your own brand design.
Pricing;
Candles; $9.00 for the 9oz, $13.00 for the 13.75oz
Shipping; $7.00 for the 9oz, $8.00 for the 13.75oz, $5.00 for incremental candles
Integration with Shopify is free
Merchize
Merchize is a print on demand platform that integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, eBay and Woocommerce.
It also offers some different style candle designs which makes it unique from the rest of the print on demand candle suppliers I’m mentioning.
Starting from just $6.49 for a basic 3oz candle with a wrap around design, they also offer an 8oz version, plus wooden candlesticks with a heart shaped cutout.
The basic print on demand candles come in three different scents; Lotus, Green Tea and Lavender
Pricing;
Candles; From $6.49
Shipping; From $5.40
Setup a storefront with Merchize from $29.00/month or integrate with an app like Shopify from $6.99/month
MyCandlefy
Candlefy is a candle selling website in its own right.
However, it has a partner version called mycandlefy.com which integrates with Shopify and allows you to create your own custom labels and sell the candles under your brand.
They offer 12 print on demand candle varieties for you to add your custom brand.
However, uniquely, if you haven’t yet decided upon a brand, you can upload their free pre-created labels potentially getting you off the starting blocks quicker.
Pricing;
Candles; $10.99
Shipping; $5.99, plus $0.99 for additional candles in the same order
NB: At the time of writing they only dropship in the US
Printed Mint
Printed Mint is another print on demand, dropshipping solution that integrates directly with Shopify, Etsy, Woocommerce and Squarespace.
Offering beautifully designed print on demand candles as part of a larger collection of a variety of products, the 9oz hand poured candles come with 4 Scents; Cinnamon Stick, Crimson Berry, Mountain Pine, Vanilla.
They also offer custom packaging so your candle will arrive in your own branded packaging.
Pricing;
Candles; $9.50
Shipping; US – $8.99, International – $21.90
Integration with the platforms is free
Contrado
If you’d like to create more of a luxury brand with higher priced print on demand candles, then Contrado might be for you.
Offering three different types of designer candles; a glass tealight holder, a candle set in glass and a candle set in a jar, Contrado’s print on demand candles start from $38.00.
Each candle type comes with a multitude of exotic scents including; Orange, Clove and Cinnamon: orange, clove and cinnamon fragrance oils or Relax: essential oils from a natural plant source – lavender, geranium, sweet orange and ylang ylang
Handmade by artisans, their products are recycled and eco friendly.
Pricing;
Candles; From $38.00
Shipping; From $9.75
Integration with Shopify; Free
2. Create Your Print on Demand Candle Ecommerce Store Name & Brand
Due to the significant amount of competition, you’re going to need to stand out from the crowd.
This means a bland generic brand and name won’t cut it.
You need to think of something that’s unusual, perhaps funny, or maybe connected to a bigger niche.
For example, perhaps your niche is all about meditation or yoga and candles are an extension of that.
Or maybe you launch a line of candles with funny quotes, or you specialise in romance and spicing up your love life with scented candles.
The key is to create a brand and stick to it across your products, your store, and your social media accounts.
Here are some quick tips on choosing a brand and name;
- What are your interests? What do you love to talk about/do? Who’s your ideal target audience? Who would you love to buy your candles? Are you your own target market?
- Once you have a rough idea of your niche, head to namelix.com and generate some brand name ideas
- Check the domain name for your chosen name is available – use Bluehost.
- Head to canva.com and create a logo/brand design using their amazing collection of templates
3. Build Your Ecommerce Candle Store
With lots of focus and a little hustle you can set up your ecommerce store and be up and running selling your print on demand candles within a day.
Here’s how;
- Sign up for a $1 trial for 90 day with Shopify. Choose the basic package at $29/month.
- Add your logos and brand colours/images you designed in Canva, to create a nice looking home page.
- Connect your print on demand app of choice into the backend of Shopify
- Add your designs to the various print on demand candle models on offer.
- Add payment details, etc.
Hot Tip;
Start with only 1 or 2 candle designs.
While you may be tempted to create hundreds of different types of candles off the bat, a large inventory of stock is hard to manage on the site and even more difficult to promote.
My advice would be to start with a signature piece and expand from there as you start to make sales.
Discover;
- How to discover your niche and validate your product idea
- How to choose the right Print-on-Demand fulfillment app for your business
- How to build your Shopify store from scratch
- How to generate traffic and sales with Facebook marketing and email marketing
Overview;
Print-on-Demand is one of the fastest growing business models for ecommerce entrepreneurs.
With Print-on-Demand, you have the opportunity to print your own brand and designs on products like t-shirts, phone cases, pillows, hats and even shower curtains. You don’t have to hold any inventory, you simply need to focus on marketing and design, and choose a fulfillment company that will send your customer their product when you receive an order.
In this FREE course you’re learn from serial ecommerce entrepreneur Adrian Morrison, who will teach you the step-by-step process to create your print on demand store from start to scale (the level of success is up to you).
4. Create Your Social Media Accounts & Build Your Presence Online
As with your products my advice is to start with one.
Go big on TikTok, build a huge Pinterest following or grow your brand on Instagram.
You’ll achieve success on any or all of the platforms, but not if you try to tackle all at once.
Decide which social media platform you want to master, create a profile around your brand and start posting!
The key to growing an audience on social media is to be hugely active, every single day.
Post multiple times a day if your time allows.
Don’t just post product images and sales offers. Post interesting, informative, entertaining or educational posts relevant to your brand.
Connect your social channel with your ecommerce candle store via the Shopify dashboard and start to sell your print on demand candles directly on social media.
Your audience won’t even have to leave their channel of choice. They can buy your candle right there while scrolling Insta!
5. Find Influencers to Market Your Print on Demand Candles
Without doubt the fastest route to getting your products to market is via influencers who already have an audience.
Search Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, even bloggers with active websites relevant to your niche.
Send a nice DM introducing your brand and asking if you can send them a free sample and, if they like it, would they be kind enough to talk about it to their audience?
You can even give them a unique link that they promote and then pay them a commission for every sale they make.
There are costs associated with this method, as you will have to pay for the cost of the candle plus shipping.
However, this is a great strategy to get your print on demand candle business off the ground and in front of your ideal marketplace.
Pros and Cons of Selling Print on Demand Candles for a Profitable Lifestyle Business
Pros:
- Build a Profitable Lifestyle Business: Starting a print on demand candle business offers the opportunity to build a profitable lifestyle business, allowing you to work on your terms and schedule.
- Customization and Personalization: Print on demand candles allow you to offer custom printed and personalized candles, which can attract a niche market looking for unique and meaningful gifts.
- Eco-Friendly Candles: Many consumers are seeking eco-friendly and natural soy wax candles, and by offering such products, you can tap into this growing market demand.
- Low Initial Investment: Launching a print on demand candle business often requires minimal upfront investment since you don’t need to hold inventory or manage manufacturing.
- Variety of Candle Manufacturers: With multiple candle manufacturers to choose from, you can select the best fit for your business’s needs, quality, and pricing.
Cons:
- Quality Control: Relying on third-party manufacturers for your candles means you have less direct control over product quality. Ensuring consistent quality may be challenging.
- Shipping and Delivery: Managing shipping and delivery can be complex, and customers may have high expectations for timely and intact deliveries.
- Regulations and Compliance: The candle industry may be subject to regulations and compliance standards, and understanding and adhering to these requirements is essential.
Print on Demand Candles – Summary
Choosing your print on demand candle supplier, creating your brand and setting up your store is the easy part.
To grow a profitable ecommerce business selling print on demand candles, will take focus, hustle and daily action to promote your products, talk about your brand and generate sales.
Stay focused.
Find any way you can to talk about and promote your brand.
Build an email list, grow your audience on social media and look to collaborate with both micro and macro brands where possible.
The print on demand candle marketplace is growing and there’s no reason you can’t ride the wave and build a profitable ecommerce lifestyle business.
Good luck! 🙂
Discover;
- How to discover your niche and validate your product idea
- How to choose the right Print-on-Demand fulfillment app for your business
- How to build your Shopify store from scratch
- How to generate traffic and sales with Facebook marketing and email marketing
Overview;
Print-on-Demand is one of the fastest growing business models for ecommerce entrepreneurs.
With Print-on-Demand, you have the opportunity to print your own brand and designs on products like t-shirts, phone cases, pillows, hats and even shower curtains. You don’t have to hold any inventory, you simply need to focus on marketing and design, and choose a fulfillment company that will send your customer their product when you receive an order.
In this FREE course you’re learn from serial ecommerce entrepreneur Adrian Morrison, who will teach you the step-by-step process to create your print on demand store from start to scale (the level of success is up to you).
Print on Demand Candles – FAQs
Are candles still in demand?
Yes, candles remain in high demand as they evoke various emotions and create a cozy ambiance. This makes them a sought-after product for both personal use and gifting, contributing to a profitable lifestyle business.
Do candles sell well online?
Indeed, candles sell well online, especially with the convenience of e-commerce platforms like Shopify. With the right marketing and product selection, you can tap into a broad online market.
What do you need to print on candles?
To print on candles, you’ll require a print on demand supplier, such as Printful, that offers custom candle printing services. You’ll also need your unique designs, which can be easily integrated into the manufacturing process.
What type of candles are in demand?
In-demand candles often include personalized and custom printed candles, scented candles, and eco-friendly options made from natural soy wax. Large scented candles and unique designs are also popular among consumers, providing opportunities for a profitable candle business.