If this is the case, then you may find that selling soap by the slice is a wonderful way to sell your soaps while providing wonderful entertainment for your customers.

In old-fashioned butcher shops, meat was sold by the pound as the butcher cut it directly from the carcass in the freezer. The butcher would cut the meat, weigh it then package it quickly in wax-paper for the customer.

You can also use this method to sell your soaps! This not only saves time and money in packaging, but is also an attractive method that customers love.

To do this, first figure the cost per ounce that you will need to make a profit from your soaps. This cost will probably need to be calculated per loaf of soap, as we all know some recipes cost more to make and will cost the consumer more.

Once you have your cost per once calculated, you will know what to charge per ?cut? soap.

There are many different ways to display your soap loaves in your store. You can set up an old fashioned table decorated with old crocheted doilies. Then arrange your loaves on several meat cutting boards, with a sharp knife provided for each individual loaf.

You can use overturned old wooden barrels as individual tables per loaf, or you can create a setup using old kitchen counters lined along your walls. You may even want to display some other antique items there as well.

Once you have your loaves displayed in an attractive manner, you are ready for business. You can cut the soap slices yourself or let your customers cut their own slices to the thickness that they like (check to be sure this is covered by your insurance policy first).

Once the slices are cut, weigh them, package them in plain wax paper?then put your business label on the wrapper.

By using this method, you cut and wrap as your soap is sold and save a lot of time and money because you do not have to worry about purchasing decorative boxes and bags. Nor do you have to worry about perfect cuts. Your customers will not care about packaging nor soap that may be cut a bit off, they are instead

excited that they can come in, tell you how much they want and pay by the ounce instead of the bar.

Some customers want larger bars, whereas some would like a lot of smaller bars in different fragrances and designs possibly as gifts.

The fact that they can pick and choose the sizes they like is much more appreciated than a decorative box that costs them an extra 50 cents.

You can even go a few steps further by offering cake shaped loaves scented with fruits (use plastic Tupperware cake lid to make round cake soaps), clear wrapped candy soaps scented with peppermint or root beer (use small PVC pipes and melt and pour to make clear candies, then wrap them in clear cellophane) and you can even offer bath soaks by the scoop.

To offer the bath soaks by the scoop, just mix up your favorite bath soak recipe, or bath tea recipes, and place a large amount in a covered attractive container, then scoop into paper bags as the customer orders.

Using these methods, you can easily create a storefront that is not only exciting for your customers to shop from..but that also will save you time and money. Just be sure that if you use knives, they are kept out of reach of little hands when children come into your store. You may be more comfortable providing the knife when the customer is ready to order, instead of just keeping them by the loaves.

If all of this is rather new to you, then please take a look at my blog on the subject.