We have a couple important notes we wish to share that are rather important to communicate:
Candle Price Increase
Soy Wax is continuing to climb in price. Even with recent savings associated to shipping this item to us from our key supplier, we cannot overlook the overall substantial cost increases we have seen in the last year. Not only has wax prices stepped upward, but every scent oil we use has seen a significant cost increase. With their popularity, we have been shipping more, and more units per order. Our Flat Rate shipping cost is still less than what we pay to ship even a small, light, order. We rather keep our low Flat Rate shipping and adjust the individual pricing of the items that are having the biggest impact to this expense.
Effective this week, we have increased the price of all candles to $25.00, including existing inventory as well as coming Spring – Summer Collection items. This increase only affects 1 Pint Paint Can Candles. Although supply cost concerns also affect Melts and Room Sprays, the trickle down costs are minimal per unit.
Shipping Issues
We have been dealing with a very unstable Postal Service over the last two years. Experiencing inconsistent route carriers, many of which are too quickly trained as the USPS is experiencing high turnover. Packages prepared for pickup by the carrier are not getting picked up. Even when every step is taken to confirm their readiness for the carrier, they are not retrieved in a timely manner. Confronting the carrier to inform them of the issue has been met with extreme hostility and rudeness. Numerous complaints have been filed where we are assured that our actions and methods are well within USPS policy, we are still dealing with poorly trained carriers who are told they do not have to pick up packages if they don’t want to.
This leaves us with few options, only one offers an equal or better experience as to what we had previous to the politicizing of the Postal Service and steps being taken to make the idea privatization popular. UPS and FedEx are not viable options as they are far more expensive for the amount of packages we would process through them, as well as they are also operating in a manner that places increased likelihood that your packages are lost or stolen.
We plan to set aside set days we will take packages to a local post office to ensure they are placed into the system and get to you in a reasonable amount of time. Packages that are small enough, can be placed in local Mail Boxes, which we can use daily. Boxes and items that will weight 2 pounds or more will have to be taken to a Post Office. The plan is to make Monday and Thursday the weekdays that we will do this. An 11:00 am deadline will be set for those days to assure that the order can be processed in time to permit a drop off at the Post Office to be in their system that day.
We will continue to pack and process orders every week day, those lighter orders packed into padded envelopes will be dropped into a mailbox daily. All other shipped orders will be held until our Drop Off days. Local shoppers can still select a Free Pick Up by Appointment option at checkout to save on shipping and get their order when they choose.
We are handling this as a temporary change until we can see improvement in services. This matter will be closely monitored and will report if they are any further adjustments. If this becomes permanent policy, we will modify our Terms & Conditions to reflect these changes.