When to Reorder Wax, Fragrance Oil and Jars

Reorder when what you have left would only just last through the wait for the next delivery, plus a cushion. That level is called the reorder point. Craftybase gives the formula: "Reorder Point = (Average daily usage x Supplier lead time in days) + Safety stock." Lead time is how long the supplier takes to deliver. Safety stock is the buffer you pick, and Craftybase does not say how to size it. For oils, there is a second limit: they do not last forever.

How do I work out a reorder point?

1. Find your daily use. Add up what a typical week takes (from your batch records) and divide by 7.
2. Add the lead time. From the day you order to the day it arrives, in days. Include your own time to place the order.
3. Multiply. Daily use times lead time is what you will burn through while you wait.
4. Add a safety buffer. Pick it based on how bad it is to run out and how often deliveries run late.
5. Order when the count reaches that number.

Craftybase's own example is beeswax: 50 g a day, 7 days to deliver, a 200 g buffer, so (50 x 7) + 200 = 550 g. It also suggests a reorder threshold for each type of container, so you are not scrambling at the last minute. Our inventory guide has a worked example for jars and wax. Here is one for fragrance oil.

Worked example: fragrance oil

These numbers are examples. You pour 3 batches a week. Each batch is 20 candles with 8 oz (227 g) of wax each, at an 8 percent fragrance load.

• Wax per batch: 20 x 8 oz = 160 oz
• Oil per batch: 160 x 0.08 = 12.8 oz
• Oil per week: 3 x 12.8 = 38.4 oz
• Oil per day: 38.4 / 7 = 5.49 oz
• Lead time 5 days: 38.4 x 5 / 7 = 27.4 oz used while you wait
• Safety buffer you choose: 20 oz
• Reorder point: 27.4 + 20 = 47.4 oz

If the oil comes in 16 oz bottles, 47.4 / 16 = 2.96, so reorder when you are down to 3 bottles. The buffer is your choice. After a late delivery, raise it.

How much should I buy?

For oils, not more than you can use. CandleScience says most fragrance oils last about one year, and suggests buying only enough to use within six months to a year. It gives 65 to 85 degrees F (18 to 29 C) as the ideal storage range and advises against refrigeration, since oils can crystallize in the cold. It does not set a fixed cutoff: it says there is no need to toss one-year-old oil without first evaluating it, by looking for a color change or a sour, rancid or different smell, or by making and curing a test candle. Craftybase also notes that many candle materials have expiry dates, so over-ordering can mean throwing out expensive supplies.

Now a slow scent. Say you pour one batch of it every 2 months, using 12.8 oz each time, which is 12.8 / 2 = 6.4 oz a month. A 5 lb (80 oz) jug takes 80 / 6.4 = 12.5 months to use, longer than the "about one year" CandleScience gives. A 32 oz size takes 32 / 6.4 = 5 months. At six months, 6 x 6.4 = 38.4 oz is the most you would buy. So the 32 oz size fits and the jug does not, even if the jug costs less per ounce.

Wax, jars and wicks are different. Jars and wicks are counted, so reorder them by the same formula with a count instead of ounces, and keep a separate threshold for each jar type. I did not find a source giving a shelf life for wax or jars, so the limit there is your storage space and cash.

How often should I count?

Craftybase recommends a monthly physical count, rotated by category: high-turnover materials in week 1, finished goods in week 2, packaging and supplies in week 3, and slow-moving materials and backup stock in week 4. It also suggests flagging anything unused for 90 days in a quarterly review. A count is what keeps the reorder point honest.

What about price rises?

A supplier's price can change between orders. Our guide on supplier price rises covers what to do about your cost per candle. For reordering, it is one more reason to log each purchase with its price.

Common mistakes

• Reordering by feel, then finding out on pour day that you are short of jars.
• Forgetting the lead time, including a holiday rush at the supplier.
• Buying a big jug of oil for a scent you barely use.
• Using the same buffer for everything.
• Not counting, so the stock number on paper is wrong.
• Not planning around a craft fair or a wholesale order that needs extra stock.

Questions

What if my usage changes by season?

Then your reorder point should too. Use your recent weeks, not last year's average, and raise it before a busy season. Our craft fair guide shows how to work out a bigger pour.

How big should the safety buffer be?

Craftybase does not say. A simple start is a few days of use for easy-to-get items and more for anything slow to arrive or hard to replace. That is my suggestion, not a sourced figure.

Should I reorder when a supplier has a sale?

Check the shelf-life limit first. A discount is not a saving if you throw part of the oil away.