How to Develop Profitable Retail Spa Products
Spa products are growing in popularity, especially those that contain trendy scents or ingredients. However, just like fashions, spa products go through fads over time, and one must stay knowledgeable about the industry to develop profitable products. In order to make spa products that will be commercially successful, you will need to do quite a bit of research.
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Instructions
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Choose a niche that you want to fill--it will be easier to develop a line of products if you concentrate on a certain type, rather than trying to make everything that has to do with spas. For example, you can focus on massage lotions, aromatherapy candles, mud masques or spa skincare products.
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Visit your local stores that sell spa products, such as bath and body retailers, high-end skincare boutiques and aromatherapy product stores. Pay attention to what the packaging looks like, the scents that are being used and what colors the products are--the products you see on the shelf are only there because it was determined they are likely to sell well.
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Subscribe to and read spa industry publications such as Spa Business or American Spa Magazine. Keeping up with the industry will alert you to emerging trends and the fads that are fading out as far as different scents and ingredients are concerned. For example, if fruity-floral scents are projected to be the next big thing for the fall season, you may want to incorporate at least one product with this type of scent in your line.
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Talk to owners of day spas and see what treatments tend to sell well. You should also bounce your ideas off them. For example, if you plan to develop a pumpkin facial mask, ask if it's a popular ingredient that is currently being requested in spa treatments.
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Develop test samples of products you'd like to retail and have family, friends, associates and colleagues try them out. Get their honest reactions concerning scent, the feel of the products, the look of them and how much they would be willing to pay. So that you can get the most honest answers, have testing participants write down their observations and comments on anonymous ballots.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have the budget to develop new spa products, but lack the time or personnel to do so, hire a consumer research firm instead.
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- Photo Credit skincare items image by Elke Dennis from Fotolia.com
