Mama Bear soaps

[5savages]

Sorry, but at $10 a soap, she is charging plenty, especially given the soaps are not triple milled.
So many other artisan's are making fantastic soaps (which are not just glycerin based) and are charging less and [IME] perform better and last longer than MB.

To me, it doesn't make sense that just because a business is failing, the customer willingly pays more in order to keep the business afloat.
What about if MB was making a profit, would there be a "CMP" (claim my profit) option on her website so the customer gets rewarded when times are good?

She could give it another go and try to become more efficient, look for cheaper suppliers (even though from the wholesale rates I have seen, soap making supplies are hardly that expensive when we consider the cost of making each soap) etc etc.

Lots of businesses do well and lots also fail. If MB is failing, it's not up to the customer to make her profitable, it is up to her solely. If she can't do it, then close the business down and move on.

I only have a couple of samples of MB soaps, and the samples I've used have not impressed me, and the only contact I've had with Sue was when I clicked the "Order" button to get those samples, so you wouldn't consider me a regular MB customer. But I don't have to be a customer to see that there's one aspect missing from your argument. From the business side, I can't find fault with what you're saying. The element missing, however, is the personal element.

it's clear from reading the frequent raving over MB products, and MB's service, that many here consider it more than just a business. There's a personal connection there. When there's a personal connection like that, people look beyond the checkout cart and they care about the people behind it. A lot of people want her to succeed not only because they like her product, but because they're good people who care about Sue. It's no different than helping out a friend who's fallen on hard times.

So yeah, as a faceless business, let it rise or fall on its own merits, but as business run by a person many people care about and even consider a friend, I think it's great that so many want to help. There may be fundamental business issues that need to be addressed for long-term viability, but it's always awesome to see people coming to the aid of other people they care about.

[insomniac]

Not trying to open fresh wounds, but it seems tha some of the real meat of this discussion has been lost in the last few pages. She's not seeing this as a stop-gap measure until the next lull. She's fighting for the settlement from her fire, so if she can make it until the end of the year and get her settlement, I'm sure she'll be fine. I've been a MB customer for a few years now and this is the first time I've heard of problems like this. Her explanation of the root cause of her troubles seem to make perfect sense. I've known people that have had trouble getting an insurance settlement and it's usually very similar to this, where they have a lot of problems making ends meet while replacing everything that was lost.

If she's losing money, then all getting a settlement will do is allow her to lose money for another few years.

[Toddy]

Hopefully her problems are just due to cash flow rather than expenses exceeding income.

Cut the range down to the bestselling products.

OK carry on offering bespoke scents but CHARGE people a realistic fee to cover the time and materials.

Shaving soaps should only be one part of the product portfolio.

Investigate potential distributors for her products other than just her own website. Outlets for her bath / body products as well, local gift shops, seasonal gifts. Her products would suit gift browsers looking for stocking fillers, but people aren't necessarily going to go online to order. Also for low value items, postage makes small orders impractical.

Her products would be great things to have for sale in Farm shops etc.

I don't know what the market in that sort of thing is like in the USA, but in the UK, there is a rising demand for "home made" soap and beauty products.

What about making guest soaps for the smaller hotels / b&bs? Great untapped potential there.

Also something nobody here has picked up on - I really don't like her label designs. They don't entice me into buying the products as gifts. They do look very amateurish - I think they are a tad garish, dated, and the text looks too "photoshop" like. No disservice meant to her and for an amateur it's a good effort, but she wants a greater appeal than a hobby look. The appearance of gift products is a major factor which drives new sales. I think a new simplified style of label with smaler clearer text would also be key. I also think her labelling style needs to be more standardised along the range. Neither does she make use of the "Mama Bears" branding on the labels, which I feel should incorporate some kind of logo and styled text.

Obviously we don't know what she does regarding marketing, but you've got to put in donkey work to get business, and you need a proper business plan. It's no good just waiting for customers to come to you.

Look at other business opportunities to run alongside the soap making. Perhaps take on a part time job.

Look at what is profitable and what isn't. Axe the loss making and least profitable areas.

Don't get me wrong, I do want to see her to succeed but she needs a shake up.



My curiosity has been aroused and I'll place an order despite the obvious cost of international postage.

I've tried Mikes but yet to try Mystic Water, Nannys and QCS as far as Artisan soaps go

[nav]

I only have a couple of samples of MB soaps, and the samples I've used have not impressed me, and the only contact I've had with Sue was when I clicked the "Order" button to get those samples, so you wouldn't consider me a regular MB customer. But I don't have to be a customer to see that there's one aspect missing from your argument. From the business side, I can't find fault with what you're saying. The element missing, however, is the personal element.

it's clear from reading the frequent raving over MB products, and MB's service, that many here consider it more than just a business. There's a personal connection there. When there's a personal connection like that, people look beyond the checkout cart and they care about the people behind it. A lot of people want her to succeed not only because they like her product, but because they're good people who care about Sue. It's no different than helping out a friend who's fallen on hard times.

So yeah, as a faceless business, let it rise or fall on its own merits, but as business run by a person many people care about and even consider a friend, I think it's great that so many want to help. There may be fundamental business issues that need to be addressed for long-term viability, but it's always awesome to see people coming to the aid of other people they care about.

A natural outcome of a vendor being involved in a niche market is that they have specific clientele and they get to know each other.
This is the case with many of the vendors discussed on B&B.

I will use Mike (Mike's Natural Soaps) as an example. Mike has been wonderful to deal with. I also feel like I kind of "know" him and his situation with him doing his PhD etc and knowing this, if I had to place an order with him and he was out of stock, I would patiently wait as I know he is busy with his PhD. I wouldn't give the same consideration to a vendor I know nothing about.

So, yes, there is a level of personal connection but at the end of the day, any business is out there to make a profit but if they are not doing that, even while charging prices in-line with the market (I actually consider MB soaps to be slightly expensive for what they are), then that is not the consumer's problem.

If MB can continue her business once she gets her insurance settlement, then good on her and I wish her all the best. If her business itself is the problem, the insurance money will probably be lost in the business unless she makes some major changes.
At the end of the day, no one wants to see another person's business fail, unless they are the competition .

[rwdflynavy]

I just received my order from her (shipped the next day after I placed it) and love the new scents I received. It kind of cracks me up that several Captains of Industry on the board have taken it upon themselves to criticize her business model based on the one piece of information they have. This is not directed at the folks offering constructive ideas on how to expand/retrench/modify her business.

Bottom line for me, I want to see her continue making great soaps so I support her with my business. I would much rather buy from her or Mike's than a bigger retailer.

[wimbouman]

Sue is a jewel in the crown of the wet shaving community in my humble opinion.

I hope she finds a way to stay in business and get her life on the right track again.
Maybe the orders (just put in mine and the suggestions here on B&B will help to overcome a dark period, let's hope so!

All the best, Sue!

[Shave A Buck]

I remember the time when she could not make the soap fast enough. Is this perhaps because of a shifting market more than anything else.

[michiganlover]

I remember the time when she could not make the soap fast enough. Is this perhaps because of a shifting market more than anything else.

I think that is the key factor: too much competition, for a niche product. Not to mention, most people don't rant, and rave about melt and pour soaps like they used too. Melt and Pour soaps have largely fallen out of favor; there are many other (superior) options available.

[michiganlover]

I remember the time when she could not make the soap fast enough. Is this perhaps because of a shifting market more than anything else.

I think that is the key factor: too much competition, for a niche product. Not to mention, most people don't rant, and rave about melt and pour soaps like they used too. Melt and Pour soaps have largely fallen out of favor; there are many other (superior) options available.

If a once thriving market has dried up, it's obvious people are spending their money elsewhere.