Bath Bomb Business: How to Sell Bath Bombs Online
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When it comes to building an online business and deciding what to sell online, have you considered bath bombs?
The bath bomb market is more popular than ever before with people looking for new and unique additions to their bathtime routine.
If you’re thinking about starting a bath bomb business you might have a lot of questions about the different types of bath bombs and the best ways you can sell them online.
If so then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, our experts explore everything there is to know about bath bombs and how to sell them online.
Why Sell Bath Bombs Online?
Bath bombs dissolve in water to add color, scent, bubbles, and/or essential oils to your bath. Often bath bombs are scented or offer relaxing and detoxifying benefits.
They’re also incredibly popular. More and more people are looking for ways to jazz up bath time and nowadays a bath isn’t complete without something fizzing away and turning your water bright pink.
With high consumer demand for bath bombs, it’s no surprise that bath bomb businesses have the potential to boom.
Starting a bath bomb business is also a relatively inexpensive option. Many people choose to make bath bombs themselves to sell online, helping to keep overheads and start-up costs low.
Another benefit to selling bath bombs online is the fact that bath bombs are easily customizable.
You can do almost anything to a bath bomb, giving you practically free reign over the colors, scents, shapes, and benefits that your bath bombs provide.
Different Types of Bath Bombs to Sell Online
If you’re not already clued up on the world of bath bombs then it might surprise you to know that there are an array of different types of bath bombs you can choose for your online store.
Bath bombs tend to fall under two different categories: cosmetic and medicinal.
Usually, bath bombs are classed as a cosmetic item, however if you’re claiming that your bath bombs provide medicinal benefits – such as alleviating back pain or helping with migraines – then you’ll need to ensure they are FDA-approved.
There are also different legislations and regulations you’ll need to follow to sell medicinal items depending on your state and country so be sure to familiarize yourself with local government regulations.
The main types of bath bombs you can opt to sell include:
Classic Ball Bath Bombs
The traditional and most well-known of the bath bombs, the classic ball bath bombs are spherical in shape.
Often they come in an array of colors and scents and will transform your bath from boring to full of bubbles, color, and even glitter.
For those who don’t want to bathe in a rainbow of sparkles and bubbles, you can also get classic ball bath bombs that simply add scent or moisturizing oils to the water.
Crystal Bath Bombs
Crystal bath bombs offer you the chance to combine the scents and colors of a bath bomb with the healing properties of crystals.
Not only are they often marketed as providing various spiritual benefits such as warding off evil spirits and creating a sense of calm, but the addition of the crystals to the bath bombs also makes them an eye-catching product for your online store.
Shaped and Themed Bath Bombs
One of the biggest benefits of selling bath bombs online is that they can be customized in almost any way possible, which is why shaped and themed bath bombs are becoming so popular.
You can choose unique shapes such as hearts, animals, or donuts, pick your colors and add unique customization such as personalized names and patterns.
Aromatherapy Bath Bombs
Aromatherapy bath bombs are often classed as medicinal, meaning you’ll need to ensure they are approved by the correct governing bodies before you sell them online.
Usually packed with essential oils, aromatherapy bath bombs are used to target physical and mental problems such as stress, insomnia, and dry skin.
Jewel Bath Bombs
Jewel bath bombs are becoming increasingly popular with the 16-25 female market and are bath bombs that when added to the water, reveal a jewel inside.
A great way of adding a touch of luxury and excitement to bath time, when your customers add a jewel bath bomb to their bath, not only will they change the water’s color and scent, but they’ll also unveil a mystery jewel, often in the form of a ring.
How to Sell Bath Bombs Online
So now that you know why you should sell bath bombs online, let’s explore how to start a bath bomb business.
#1. Build Your Online Store
Step 1
If you want to sell anything online, you’re going to need an online store to do so.
Building your own online store gives you the freedom to design an ecommerce website that looks good and performs well.
When it comes to building your online store, we recommend you use a website builder such as Shopify, Wix, or BigCommerce.
All of these website builders are easy to use and give you the freedom to design your online store how you want it, while offering affordable pricing plans.
If you decide that building your own online store isn’t for you then you can also sell your bath bombs on various online marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay.
#2. Create Your Brand
Step 2
One of the most important parts of building your bath bomb business is creating your brand.
If you think about some of your favorite places to shop online, we can bet they all have a clear and recognizable brand.
From the colors and fonts you use across your website and marketing to the name of your website, your brand is what will help people recognize you and your products online.
The brand you create should be unique to your business, so it’s always a good idea to undertake some market research to check there isn’t already something too similar on the market.
Think carefully about how you want customers to recognize and feel about your business and use this to form the basis of your branding.
#3. Select Your Items
Step 3
Now that you’ve set up your online store and created your brand, you need something to sell!
Choosing the bath bombs to sell on your online store doesn’t need to be complicated – in fact, this is the fun part.
There are various ways you can source your bath bombs including:
Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a common method used by online shop owners who want to remove the stress and workload of storing and fulfilling orders.
With a dropshipping model, you source your bath bombs from a dropshipping supplier who will handle the whole order process for you.
Once an order is made on your online store it will be sent straight to your dropshipping supplier who will process, fulfill, and mail the order out.
This is a great option for those who have little space to store bath bombs or who don’t have the time and resources to fulfill large order numbers.
We recommend asking for samples of the bath bombs so that you can check the quality before you make a commitment. You can read about how to dropship with Shopify here.
Wholesale
If you’re happy to fulfill the orders yourself but aren’t keen on making or designing your bath bombs then a wholesale model may be right for you.
With this, you will find a bath bomb supplier who can provide you with the stock for your online shop. You’ll usually need to be willing to commit to a large quantity so make sure you’re confident that you can sell everything you buy.
With this model, you’ll also need to have storage space to store the bath bombs before they are sold.
Homemade
Many people choose to make their bath bombs to sell online themselves. Bath bombs are actually a pretty easy item to make from scratch and you can find various recipes and methods online.
Making them yourself gives you complete control over the colors, ingredients, and properties of your bath bombs. But, you will need to be willing to commit a large chunk of time to making and developing high-quality bath bombs.
#4. Decide on a Price
Step 4
How you price your bath bombs will depend on the quality of the product you’re selling.
Bath bomb businesses can span both budget markets and more luxury, expensive fields too.
Once you’ve decided what kind of bath bomb you’re going to sell you’ll be able to determine a price that ensures you’re making a profit while still being competitive.
Take a look at what similar bath bomb businesses are doing and the price point of their products.
Budget bath bombs can sell for as cheap as a couple of dollars while more luxury alternatives can be priced as high as $30 and still attract interest.
When pricing your products it’s important to assess how much it costs you to make or source your bath bombs as well as any fees you pay for the running of your ecommerce store. Make sure you set a price that will cover your overheads and leave you in profit.
#5. Choose Your Shipping Method
Step 5
Choosing the right shipping method for your bath bomb business may not sound like the most enthralling part of building your online store but it’s one of the most important.
People don’t expect to be waiting weeks for their online orders to arrive so it’s a good idea to offer a shipping service that will deliver customers’ orders in a matter of days.
There are various different US couriers you can choose from and each offer different shipping options including next-day delivery, nominated day delivery, and international delivery.
You’ll also need to set your shipping costs. If you’re in a position to do so, offering free delivery can be a great way of keeping customers happy and encouraging sales.
If you decide to charge for shipping then make sure you don’t set your rates too high – you don’t want to alienate customers before they’ve even placed an order.
#6. Packaging and Labels
Step 6
Bath bombs are delicate and may crumble or break if they aren’t packaged properly, therefore choosing the right packaging to ship your items in is essential.
The last thing you want is for your customers to receive a box of bath bomb crumbs in the mail.
Cardboard boxes are the most common and practical packaging option for bath bombs and we recommend also adding a padding solution such as foam or bubble wrap to add another layer of protection.
When packaging and labeling your products some key things to think about include:
Avoid moisture – Moisture, even the tiniest amount, will activate your bath bomb so you need to ensure your packaging is well sealed to ensure your bath bombs don’t start fizzing whilst in transit.
Pack tightly – Ensure your bath bombs are protected by packaging them tightly. Fill excess space in the box with foam inserts and if a customer has ordered more than one bath bomb make sure they are tightly packed so that they can’t knock against each other and cause damage.
Detailed labels – When selling cosmetic products it’s always a good idea to feature a list of ingredients on the product label to ensure customers know exactly what they are using. While you may not legally need to list all of the ingredients used, doing so ensures you are offering an excellent customer experience.
#7. Market Your Products
Step 7
The bath bomb industry is snowballing and if you want to make a splash (pardon the pun) then you’re going to need to market your products and online store effectively.
The type of product and brand you have created will impact how you market your products – for example, if you’ve created a fun, novelty range of bath bombs then your marketing should also be engaging and exciting.
If your bath bombs are targeted at aiding problems such as dry skin or insomnia, however, then your marketing should take a more educational approach.
The most important aspects to include in your digital marketing strategy, no matter what your brand characteristics, are:
Social Media
Social media is the perfect way to get your bath bombs in front of the right eyes. Platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram, and Pinterest are all useful for marketing your bath bomb business. Consider making short videos of your bath bombs in action or feature customer reviews to help build confidence in your brand.
Email Marketing
Email marketing offers you a direct line to your customer’s inbox. Strategies including abandoned cart recovery emails, sales emails, and suggested product newsletters are all great ways of encouraging customers to make a purchase.
SEO
An SEO strategy is crucial for any website if you want it to appear in search engine results. You need to ensure that your website is optimized to appear in the results for relevant and high-volume search terms such as “aromatherapy bath bombs”, “colorful bath bombs” or “luxury bath bombs”.
You can do this via building a backlink profile, ensuring your website offers a great user experience, and optimizing your website content with keywords.
Selling Bath Bombs Online: Summary
So as you can see, bath bombs aren’t just something you receive in a gift set from your grandma at Christmas. Get it right and selling them online can be a lucrative business model.
To recap, the key steps to setting up your online bath bomb business are:
- Build your online store
- Create your brand
- Select your items
- Decide on a price
- Choose your shipping method
- Sort your packaging and labels
- Market your products
If you decide to use these tips to start your own bath bomb business make sure to let us know in the comments how you get on!
For more information about selling online, read our article on how to sell on etsy, and for advice on which platform to use, check out our shopify vs etsy comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t necessarily need an online store to sell bath bombs online, you can use popular marketplaces such as Etsy and eBay. If you want complete control over your bath bomb store though, and for the best chance of scaling your business, we recommend you build your own online store. Our favorite ecommerce website builders are Shopify, Wix, and BigCommerce.
How much you sell your bath bombs for will depend on the exact product you’re selling, the quality, and how much it costs you to make or source them. Take a look at how similar businesses are pricing their products to help you find the right price point.
Yes! Bath bombs are incredibly easy to make at home and doing so gives you complete control over the ingredients in your bath bombs, what they look like and the benefits they offer.
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