Fill Line
Tool ii · Cost & price

What one candle really costs.

Enter what you paid for your supplies and how long a batch takes. You get the true cost per candle, including your time, and a wholesale and retail price that cover it.

I.Wax and oil, as you buy them
Candle weights in
$
$
Include the shipping you paid on supplies if you can. Use weight, not fluid ounces.
II.One candle
oz
Not the jar size. The pour calculator works it out.
%
$
$
$
$
Dust cover, box, tissue. Shipping goes in the profit tool.
III.Your time and overhead
h
Melting, pouring, wicking, labelling, cleaning up.
$
%
Test candles, tools wearing out, electricity, insurance. 10% is a placeholder.
IV.Pricing
%
Margin is the share of the wholesale price left after every cost, your pay included. A retail price of 2 × wholesale (“keystone”) lets a shop buy from you and sell at your retail price.

Per candle

True cost
—
Wholesale
—
Retail
—
  • Wax
  • Fragrance oil
  • Vessel and lid
  • Wick
  • Labels
  • Packaging
  • Materials
  • Your time
  • Overhead
  • True cost
  • At these prices
  • Profit per candle, wholesale
  • Profit per candle, retail
  • Retail as a multiple of true cost
Check profit after fees

Profit here is after your pay but before Etsy, card and booth fees and shipping.

Cost · retail—See all ↓

How it works

wax = fill ÷ (1 + load) × price per oz
true cost = materials + time + overhead
wholesale = true cost ÷ (1 − margin)
retail = wholesale × 2

Worked example

Soy at $45 for 20 lb is $0.14 an ounce; oil at $20 for 16 oz is $1.25 an ounce. A 7.2 oz fill at 8% is 6.67 oz wax ($0.94) and 0.53 oz oil ($0.67). Add a $2.25 jar and lid, wick and labels: $4.11 of materials.

2.5 hours at $20 over 24 candles is $2.08 each, plus 10% overhead: $6.61 true cost. At a 40% margin, wholesale is $11.02, rounded up to $11.50; retail is $23.00.

If the price looks too high

Don’t take your pay out first. Look at what moves the cost: oil is often the biggest line, bigger batches spread your time, and buying wax by the case cuts the per-ounce price. Then see what each channel leaves you in Profit by channel.