Maybe you’ve been making candles for a while, or maybe you are new to the trade. Maybe you’ve tried to sell a few candles on Etsy and realized getting attention for your new business is harder than it looks. Instead of going through the trouble of creating your candle business from scratch, why not buy one that already exists?
The advantage to buying a pre-existing business is that it already has established products and customers.
You can find candle making businesses for sale in these places:
- Online Marketplace Exchanges
- Classified Ads
- Brokers
- Candle Franchises
- Related Businesses
Did you know that people who take over existing businesses are also more likely to qualify for financing than people trying to build a brand-new business? That’s because when businesses already have cash flow, they are more attractive to banks.
Online Marketplace Exchanges
You can easily find online businesses for sale at marketplace exchanges. People use these exchanges to buy and sell Internet businesses. This is the easiest way to buy an existing online candle business.
Looking at the candle results at Exchange Marketplace you can find candle business for sale to suit every taste. When I checked, there were businesses on sale that started at $120 and went all the way up to $4.5 million dollars.
Classified Ads
Believe it or not, classified ads have been around since the 1600s. They used to be handwritten and nailed to street posts, then they became even more popular with the rise of newspapers. These days classified ads can also be found online at special classified ad sites.
Classified ads are a great way to buy your pre-existing candle making business because you will usually be buying that business from the owner instead of a broker. This can yield more favorable terms both in price and the fact that you are not paying a broker’s fee.
Whenever looking for businesses or anything else for sale, classified ads should be the first place you check. You may be able to find exactly what you are looking for at the lowest price and without paying additional fees.
Different Types of Candles and Which Ones Sell Best!
Business Nation
Business Nation is an online marketplace specializing in commercial classified ads all over the United States. You can browse by state or by keyword. I found two candle making businesses for sale on this site.
Best of all, Business Nation leaves the transaction to occur solely between the buyer and seller and does not charge a fee either from the buyer or the seller!
BizBuySell
BizBuySell is another free online classified listing site. You can search for your candle-making business by geographical location, industry, and price. It’s not easy to find where they have hidden the “keyword” search, but if you go to “more filters” at the top of each search page, there will be a place you can enter “candle” into the keyword box.
While there weren’t any candle making businesses listed on the site when I checked, the site is worth checking out if only for its free “Guide to Buying a Small Business eBook.” Free is already an excellent price to pay for any book, and this one has great resources and ideas for people buying their own business.
Business Brokers
While you can sometimes find great deals in classified ads, they are often geographically restrictive. If you can’t find what you are looking for in the classifieds, you should try a business broker to find a candle making business for sale.
Having a professional broker can help you successfully navigate the complicated process of buying an existing business. After all, you probably wouldn’t buy or sell a house without a broker. Why would you go alone when buying a business?
Retaining a business broker can be helpful for buying a candle making business because they can make sure that all the paperwork is done accurately and ownership of the business, licenses, and assets is transferred correctly.
How to Find a Broker
Wherever you live, the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) is a great place to start. You can search by broker name, geographical area, or by specialty.
If you find a broker that is close to you, they will be familiar with all the businesses for sale in your area. They will also be able to search for business opportunities in other areas, which you could then transfer to your location.
For the best experience, you should hire a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI). This is a business broker with a special credential that indicates they are an experienced and proven broker that with a verified education as a broker. When you search through the IBBA directory, you can limit your search results to brokers with the CBI credential.
When it comes to paying the right price for a candle business, hiring a business broker can help you do a business valuation, which will make sure you are not paying too much for the enterprise.
Using a Business Brokerage Agency
There are also brokerage agencies that specialize in brokering business sales. Some of the larger ones have offices throughout the United States and even internationally. Approaching one of these agencies can also help you find a candle business to purchase.
Sunbelt is one such brokerage agency that has offices everywhere. Sunbelt sells more businesses than any other agency or individual in the entire world. A successful network this large is a competitive advantage when it comes to finding a candle company to purchase.
Candle Franchises
Buying a small business can be a great place to start, but for an even larger potential revenue stream, consider buying a candle franchise.
Buying a candle franchise can get you access to an established brand and an even larger customer segment. Additionally, the franchiser often takes care of the marketing, which is one less expense you will have to absorb as the franchisee.
Candle Distributors
You can become a candle distributor for Unique Classic Candles for as low as $4995. This is a turnkey business that has a high amount of existing foot traffic. All you must do is distribute their product and collect payment.
Becoming a candle distributor is the easiest way to get into the candle business. It will also help you form commercial connections that will eventually help you sell your own candle designs as well.
Candle Franchise Retailers
If owning a physical storefront is more your style, you should think about owning a Candleman franchise. With $50,000-$70,000 in liquid capital to start, you can own your own Candleman store. The Candleman brand is one of the most elegant candle companies worldwide. Its distinctive stores feature high-quality candles amid mahogany and brass accents.
What better business to work at and own?
Candle Wholesalers
Yankee Candle is the most recognized name in candles anywhere in the world. They have a program where you can partner with them and become a Yankee Candle Dealer. You get access to their wonderful candles and then sell them in your own store, either alone or with other items of your choice.
Getting access to Yankee Candle’s New Dealer program is perfect if you want to open a small gift shop or a candle shop with a few of your own designs.
In order to become a Yankee Candle dealer, you need to have a physical storefront, as Yankee Candle is not currently working with online retailers for this program.
Related Businesses
Candles are a specific niche for a business to occupy, and you may not be able to find an existing candle business that suits your tastes. If that is the case, why not think about the bigger picture?
If you can’t find a particular business dedicated to candles you want to buy, why not buy a business that sells candles as one of its many products? Or why not buy a business in a related sector and add candles to its product line?
Souvenir and Gift Shops
I don’t know what it is about souvenir and gift shops that pairs so perfectly with candles… maybe it is the fact that these types of shops already sell treasures for the home. Candles can easily be added to any gift shop’s product line if they are not there already.
Health and Wellness Stores
Health and wellness stores also pair with candles. Burning candles is a peaceful, relaxing activity and many say it is healthy, too. If you can’t find a traditional candle business for sale, see if a health and wellness business is for sale in your area.
How To Sell Your Homemade Candles Online
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money does a candle business make?
According to Candlescience, candle producers usually receive a 50% profit margin. Your total profit will depend on how many you can make or sell. For a batch of 50 candles which will take several hours to make, you could earn up to $500 in profit.
How much do I need to start selling homemade candles?
Candle making does not require a lot of equipment and ingredients are cheap. You can get started making candles for $100. It will take significantly longer to find customers than buying an existing candle business, but the upfront costs will be lowered.
Looking to start your own candle making business, check out my startup documents here
Please note that the contents of this blog are for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Any action taken based on the information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk. Additionally, all images used in this blog are generated under the CC0 license of Creative Commons, which means they are free to use for any purpose without attribution.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Candle Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online candle business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a candle business owner at a craft fair, farmers market, retail location or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to obtain and retain clients, finding good employees all while trying to stay competitive. That’s why I created Candle Business Boss: I want to help candle business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.