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Order problems with Soyawax!!!

Submitted by blueridgemercantile on Wed, 05/28/2003 - 05:23. Village Chandler Marketplace | Chandler Best Business Practices

Hello all,

I am having a problem that I hope no others are having. I thought that maybe I could get some advice on how to handle the situation and make sure that no one else is experiencing the same aggrevations that I am.

My order for wax was placed with Michael Richards 8 weeks ago. As of today, I have not received it. He originally told me that after 4 weeks it was shipped out on May 5th. Then, I could not get him to give me a Fed Ex tracking #. Finally, he gave me a # and it was not a valid #. Even two different Fed Ex people told me that it sounds like he just simply hasn't shipped it yet.

He will not call me, which I've asked him to do several times. He only sends me very short e-mails, never answering the majority of my questions. Now, he said my order wasn't sent out until the 22nd, but still I do not have it.

I have lost 2 major customers because of the hold up and several more have gone elsewhere for the time being to get their candles. This situation is very frustrating for me and I do not know what to do.

We are all supposed to be working together. I started a small business and all of the business that I have acquired, I am now in jeopardy of losing. I have talked to two other chandlers that are having the same problems getting their orders.

I really hate to share such negative info but I'm afraid of the consequences. And, I have invested way to much money in this "opportunity" to back out now. I hope that no one else is having these problems, but if so, please let me know.

Nicole A. Davis
Blue Ridge Mercantile

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Soy wax orders

Submitted by Northwoods Cand... on Fri, 05/30/2003 - 06:33.

I too have had extensive problems getting my wax within a reasonable time period and have lost business opportunities because of this. I have also gone to my "back up" company to fill orders due to customer demands. I sincerely hope Mike Richards comments will ring true for all of us in the very near future or I will be forced to find another source on a more permanent basis.
Kathy Zemplinski

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Soy Wax Supplies

Submitted by Carol on Wed, 05/28/2003 - 20:06.

Dear Nicole,
Hello, my name is Carol and I have been making soy candles about a year now. I was originally trained by Mike Richards. I too have put a lot into my business and wouldn't want to lose customers. I have several distributors that I use, just in case. It just makes good business sense to cover all bases! I am currently getting ready to expand my business, so, I want to make sure I am covered. If you have ANY questions or concerns, please e-mail me at bethssoy@ticon.net. I can also give you some information on other distributors. We want to encourage and help one another but we also must realize that we are in business and without that we simply will be falling by the wayside. That we absolutely do not want! Please e-mail me!
Sincerely,
Carol

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Soyawax Supply Problems

Submitted by ChinookSoyCandles on Wed, 05/28/2003 - 12:01.

Dear Nicole,
We are the Canadian distributor of Soyawax in Canada. We have plenty of supply on hand (both container and votive wax). We are sorry to hear about your situation. We certainly don't want to step on anyone's toes but if there is anything we can do to help you out please let us know. We feel Soyawax is such a superb wax and and our policy is to provide superb customer service in our region (we ship within 48 hours). We would glady do a one-time shipment to you to help alleviate your situation until your distributor has wax available for you. Please contact me via email if you wish to discuss further (claudia@chinookcandles.com). I can also email Michael Richards to see if there is a way we can help resolve your situation.
Warm Regards,
Claudia

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Wax Suplier problem

Submitted by la Terra LTD on Wed, 05/28/2003 - 08:05.

Nicole

You are not alone, we have, as well as several other customers of Mike, have voiced similar problems, privately.

There are other wax manufacturers out there that also have excellent products. We have tested 7 different soy waxes and have settled on two backup supplier for just such emergencies.

It might be a good idea to do the same. Loyalty to a supplier is one thing, but loosing business is quite another.

Bob Sterenberg
American Harvest Candles, LTD.
Salem, MI

chandler@americanharvestcandles.us
www.americanharvestcandles.us

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Solution for Soyawax Supply Problem

Submitted by Soyawax Mike on Thu, 05/29/2003 - 13:44.

The criticism posted by Nicole of Blueridge Mercantile is totally valid. There is a challenge to meet supply needs and it must be solved now.

Background: I founded The Village Chandler last fall with the goal to train 10 Village Chandlers before Christmas. The response was way beyond our expecations. By the holiday season, 60 Village Chandlers were busy producing candles for their local market.

We now have 84 Village Chandlers trained. This is very good, but it does create a very major supply challenge.

The Challenge: If 84 Village Chandlers each order 300 pounds of wax then we must have 25,000 pounds of wax in inventory at all times to meet demand. I cannot meet this supply challenge alone, so I have sought out the assistance required.

The Solution: The spirit and purpose of Village Chandler is that we can all build a much more successful position in the soybean wax candle industry if we all work together. I must take that same approach and attitude to work effectively as a bulk soy wax supplier. As you all know, I started as a small home based entrepreneur with very little equipment and supplies just like you. To supply 84 Village Chandlers and the growth that will continue this year, I need to work with others to meet the wax supply needs now demonstrated.

One Village Chandler in Canada and four in the United States have now become our Village Chandler Regional Warehouse Partners. I cannot meet the wax supply needs of Village Chandler alone. This new alliance of warehouse partners will meet your needs effectively. By working together with this new warehouse group Village Chandler will accomplish what I cannot accomplish alone.

When orders are placed at www.soyawax.com, shipments will now ship out from four regional warehouse locations. We will have a Western States Regional Warehouse, a Central States Regional Warehouse, A Northeast States Regional Warhouse and a Southeast States Regional Warehouse. Our Canada warehouse partner will ship to all Chandlers in Canada.

In order for this system to work most effectively, please post your wax orders to: www.soyawax.com.

Each order will immediately be forwarded to the respective warehouse partner for your geographical region.

I will no longer ship wax from the Village Chandler Facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Now that shipping wax will be delegated to our five warehouse partners, I will focus my effort on providing marketing, training and technical assistance for Village Chandlers. That is how I can serve this organization best.

The purpose of this Village Chandler Guild website is to provide a channel of effective communication between all Village Chandlers. Constructive criticism is one of the most useful modes of communication to help make any organization work.

I accept the criticism posted here, and you will see the result.

Our new Village Chandler warehouse partners will make the supply of soybean wax work. The warehouse partners have committed to keeping adeqate wax inventory in each region so that all wax orders can ship out within 48 hours.

Michael Richards, Founder
The Village Chandler

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Solution

Submitted by blueridgemercantile on Fri, 05/30/2003 - 05:18.

Mike,

Thank you for your attention to the problems that several of us have been faced with. I do believe that if we all work together, we can all be successful. We do need good communication though. I appreciate the fact that you are addressing this issue and working to better the situation. Hopefully, this new system will work and we can all be more productive. I look forward to working with all of you, as a team.

Please, what ever issues do arise, if we can share our obstacles and problems that we are all facing, we can work together more successfully and possibly help each other. I hope that my posting can be viewed as a productive one, not just a complaint.

I do believe and take pride in the spirit and purpose of the Village Chandlers and want nothing more than to remain an active participant in the growth of the group.

Thanks again for the effort made. And thank you everyone for the support and advise. That is what I love so much about being a part of the Chandlers!

Nicole A. Davis
Blue Ridge Mercantile

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Great communication and problem solving

Submitted by Janice Beaton on Sun, 06/01/2003 - 08:04.

Dear Nicole,

I am a new member. I am in the process of writing my business plan, as we speak.

The posting of your supply problem, the community support and responsibility of the supplier to his customers has shown me the potential of this guild.

I will be learning from all of you.

Thank you!
Janice Beaton

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