As people increasingly seek unique fragrances and ambiance, the market for scented candles has flourished. Scented candles are one of the simplest and most affordable methods to infuse your living space with a sense of comfort and belonging.
One trend that is on the rise is using fragrance to differentiate spaces in the home or workplace. Also known as "fragrance zoning" or "scent-shaping", the trend emerged during the pandemic as a response to the widespread shift to remote work which blended people's personal and professional spaces. This innovative approach involves using specific scents to create distinct areas within the home, each tailored to a particular mood or activity. The aim is to establish clear boundaries and facilitate transitions between work, relaxation, and other daily routines.
As consumers found themselves working from home, scented candles offered a practical solution to differentiate various spaces within their homes. For instance, using invigorating scents like citrus or peppermint in workspaces to enhance focus and productivity. In relaxation areas, soothing fragrances such as lavender or chamomile helped create a serene ambiance for winding down after a busy day. As consumers sought ways to maintain their emotional well-being and cope with the challenges of remote work, fragrance zoning with scented candles provided a simple yet impactful solution.
Today, thousands of established candle brands and individual creators are displaying their products to a global audience on Amazon. From budget-friendly options to pricey, luxury candles, there's no shortage of options. How can your candle brand stand out on Amazon listings?
In this article, we share the best times to run your ads or stock up on your inventory and the specific keywords and topics you need to include in your Amazon listings in order to stand out.
Below we share the full list of the top selling candles on Amazon in 2023 including some opportunities for improvement — from candle design, to burn quality, and even to packaging.
1. Scented Candle "Vanilla Cupcake" by Yankee
Full Product Name
Yankee Candle Vanilla Cupcake Scented, Classic 22oz Large Jar Single Wick Candle, Over 110 Hours of Burn Time
Estimated Units Sold
15,421/mo
Estimated Revenue
$561,333/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Lack of scent: Many customers are disappointed by the lack of fragrance, despite buying a variety of different scents. They reported that the scent was either faint or non-existent.
Inferior quality compared to past purchases: Customers mentioned a noticeable decline in the quality of Yankee Candles, mentioning changes in color, scent, and overall performance.
Burning issues: Some customers experienced issues with how the candle burned. Specifically, they mentioned the candles burning unevenly or only down the middle.
Issues with packaging or physical aspects: A customer reported that the glass jar exploded, posing a safety risk.
Deceptive appearance: One customer mentioned that the candle had layers of scented and unscented wax, giving the false impression that the entire candle was scented.
Potential allergic reactions in pets: One customer warned other pet owners that their dog experienced hives and swelling after exposure to the candle's scent.
See the top trending candle-related products with Glimpse.
2. Scented Candle "MidSummer's Night" by Yankee
Full Product Name
Yankee Candle MidSummer's Night Scented, Classic 22oz Large Jar Single Wick Candle, Over 110 Hours of Burn Time
Estimated Units Sold
13,477/mo
Estimated Revenue
$212,790/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Lack of scent: Some customers have observed that recent purchases failed to fill rooms with fragrance as expected, emitting minimal or no scent.
Packaging and breakage issues: Several customers complained of receiving broken or melted candles, which posed potential safety risks.
Scent consistency issues: Some customers felt that the candle's scent profile had changed from what they had previously enjoyed.
Burning issues: Several customers raised concerns on the issue of unpredictable burning behavior, large flames, or burning only down the middle.
3. Scented Candle "Pink Sands" by Yankee
Full Product Name
Yankee Candle Pink Sands Scented, Classic 22oz Large Jar Single Wick Candle, Over 110 Hours of Burn Time
Estimated Units Sold
11,834/mo
Estimated Revenue
$324,146/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Lack of scent throw: Some customers are frustrated that the candle does not effectively spread its fragrance throughout a space, even in small areas. It doesn't fill the room with a noticeable aroma.
Weak scent: Many customers expressed disappointment with the weak fragrance emitted by the candles, even when they were burned for extended periods.
Wick-related issues: Some customers reported wick-related issues, such as insufficient flame strength and stifling wicks due to pooling wax.
Discomfort and allergic reactions: Some customers mentioned experiencing discomfort and even headaches.
Packaging and breakage issues: Several customers received candles with broken glass containers upon delivery.
4. Scented Candle "Sugared Cinnamon Apple" by Yankee
Full Product Name
Yankee Candle Sugared Cinnamon Apple Scented, Classic 22oz Large Jar Single Wick Candle, Over 110 Hours of Burn Time
Estimated Units Sold
11,690/mo
Estimated Revenue
$255,835/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Quality issues: Lack of scent: Many customers complained of receiving melted wax, missing wicks, broken glass, or otherwise damaged candles upon delivery.
Burning issues: Some customers experienced issues with how the candle burned. Some candles burned unevenly or only down the middle.
Issues with packaging or physical aspects: Several customers complained about the quality of the packaging and handling during transit since the candles arrived damaged or melted.
Unpleasant, synthetic scent: Some customers reported that the candles emitted a synthetic or sooty smell that lingered after burning.
See the top trending candle-related products with Glimpse.
5. Scented Soy Jar Candle "Jasmine, Oud & Sandalwood" by Lulu Candles
Full Product Name
Lulu Candles | Jasmine, Oud & Sandalwood | Luxury Scented Soy Jar Candles | Hand Poured in The USA | Highly Scented & Long Lasting- 9 Oz.
Estimated Units Sold
8,581/mo
Estimated Revenue
$163,879/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Quality and safety concerns: Some customers reported that the glass jar exploded and caused damage to furniture, posing a safety risk. Another customer complained that the interior glass paint could be scraped off, which raised the concern of potentially toxic chemicals that could be burned off when exposed to flame.
Unpleasant smell: Some customers expressed disappointment with the scent of the candles, finding it to be different from their expectations. Scents were described as resembling cigarette smoke, men's deodorant, or overly strong potpourri.
Short burn time: Many customers were dissatisfied that the candles burned too quickly. Even after a short period of burning, the fragrance dissipated quickly and did not last long.
Weak scent throw: Many customers expressed disappointment with the weak fragrance emitted by the candle, and it does not effectively spread its fragrance throughout the space.
Packaging and breakage issues: Several customers received candles with broken glass containers upon delivery.
6. Scented Candle "Serenity + Calm (Lavender Thyme)" by Chesapeake Bay
Full Product Name
Chesapeake Bay Candle Scented Candle, Serenity + Calm (Lavender Thyme), Medium Jar, Home Décor
Estimated Units Sold
12,207/mo
Estimated Revenue
$161,502/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Packaging and breakage issues: Several customers received damaged products, such as broken glass holders and wax spillage.
Safety and health issues: One customer pointed out that the candle scent was too strong and triggered migraines.
Lack of scent: Several customers reported instances of the candles arriving with no scent or having poor fragrance emission.
Uneven burning and tunneling: Several customers reported issues with uneven burning, shortened wicks, and candles burning down to the nub without effectively melting the surrounding wax. The slow and uneven burn led to tunneling, reducing the overall burn time.
7. Unscented Tea Lights Candles by MontoPack
Full Product Name
MontoPack Unscented Tea Lights Candles in Bulk | 100 White, Smokeless, Dripless & Long Lasting Paraffin Tea Candles | Small Votive Mini Tealight Candles for Home, Pool, Shabbat, Weddings & Emergencies
Estimated Units Sold
9,534/mo
Estimated Revenue
$142,915/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Low flame quality and performance: Many customers are disappointed with the low flame quality and overall performance of the tealights, noting that the flames were too small to effectively melt wax or provide sufficient illumination.
Safety and fire hazard: Several customers reported concerns about the safety of the tealights, as some candles caused damage to furniture and others charred surfaces.
Short burn time: Many customers were dissatisfied with the short burn time lasting only for less than 20 to 30 minutes.
Issues with wick: One customer complained that the wick became submerged in the wax and extinguished. Another customer reported that the wick was too thin and more than half of the 100 tealights didn't burn all the way and the wick was already burned out.
Relighting issues: Several customers highlighted the inconvenience of having to relight the candles multiple times during use due to wick drowning or the candles extinguishing prematurely. Some tealights had thin wicks that struggled to stay lit, leading to frustration with the repeated need to relight them.
Unpleasant burning smell: Some customers reported an unpleasant burning smell emitted by the tealights while they were lit.
Vanilla Bean Odor Eliminating Highly Fragranced Candle - Eliminates 95% of Pet, Smoke, Food, and Other Smells Quickly - Up to 80 Hour Burn time - 12 Ounce Premium Soy Blend
Estimated Units Sold
8,765/mo
Estimated Revenue
$129,284/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Air quality issues: Many customers complained that the candles gave off too much soot which discolored their AC filters. Customers raised concerns about the potential impact on indoor air quality and health.
Ineffective odor elimination: Some customers are disappointed that the candles did not effectively neutralize cooking or other unwanted odors.
Missing or defective wicks: One customer reported that the candles arrived without wicks or with wicks that were unusable.
Unpleasant, synthetic scent: Several customers reported that the candles smelled oily, synthetic, or unlike the fragrance they were marketed as.
9. Candle Jar "Hawaiian Breeze & Vanilla Passion Fruit" by Glade
Lack of scent: Many customers are dissatisfied with the lack of fragrance. They reported that the scent was either faint or not noticeable.
Unpleasant fragrance: Some customers found the scent to be artificial, musky, or unpleasant.
Burn rate issues: Several customers raised concerns that the candles burn too quickly, leading to a shortened burn time. One customer reported the candle burned only for 40 minutes, while another reported 6-10 hours.
Issues with packaging or physical aspects: Some customers received candles with glass shards, posing a safety risk.
10. Citronella Candle "Pine Scent" by Coleman
Full Product Name
Coleman Pine Scented Citronella Candle with Wooden Crackle Wick - 6 oz Tin
Estimated Units Sold
6,269/mo
Estimated Revenue
$35,579/mo
Opportunities for Improvement
Ineffective as a repellent: Many customers expressed disappointment that the candle did not repel mosquitoes and other insects. Despite being lit in close proximity, customers reported continued mosquito bites.
Packaging and breakage issues: Some customers received damaged or faulty products, such as candles with missing lids, crushed containers, or broken wicks.
Wick and wax issues: Several customers reported that the wicks of the candles did not stay lit properly, requiring frequent re-lighting. Some customers experienced issues where melted wax covered the wick.
Unpleasant smell: Some customers were disappointed with the scent of the candles, describing it as strange, fake, or unpleasant. One customer complained that the scent was far from the expected citronella or pine fragrance. Instead, it smelled like cheap cologne.
Inadequate coverage: One customer complained that the candles only provided relief in a small, confined space, making them ineffective for outdoor activities like camping and patio use.
Burning issues: Many customers reported issues with the candles burning unevenly, which impacted their overall burn time. Some candles burned too quickly.
See the top trending candle-related products with Glimpse.
Here are trending topics related to candles that you should mention in your listing
Rank
Keyword
Growth - YoY
1
cash money candles
453%
2
candle warmer lamp
167%
3
candle extinguisher
154%
4
attar fragrance
58%
5
vanilla musk
57%
6
unisex scent
47%
7
oud smell
43%
8
woody scent
38%
9
woody fragrance
34%
10
amber vanilla
33%
Here are the top questions about candles that you should address in your listing
How to make a candle?
Are candle warmers safe?
Can candle jars be recycled?
How candle wax is made?
Is candle smoke bad for you?
Is candle wax edible?
Is candle wax flammable?
Is candle wax good for your skin?
Is candle wax toxic?
Is candle wax toxic to dogs?
Which candle wax is best?
Which candle wax is healthiest?
See the top trending Amazon products in any category or niche, with Glimpse.
Seasonality of Candle Purchases
1. Candles peak during Black Friday (November) which is the start of the critical holiday shopping season that lasts until mid-December
2. Last year, searches for "candle" peaked on November 27
It's crucial to have ample inventory in stock to meet the heightened demand of the holiday shopping season, more specifically, the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events. From the trend line, you can see the demand starts to pick up on November 10 and then it peaks on November 27. Prepare for increased sales and consider stocking up on your best-selling candle varieties at this time.
3. Candle searches typically peak during nighttime from 8 pm to 10 pm EST
Understanding when candle searches peak during the day can be crucial for your marketing efforts. If you're running paid advertising campaigns on Amazon, consider increasing your bid or scheduling your ads to run during peak search hours. This can maximize the visibility of your products when potential buyers are actively looking for candles. You may also offer flash sales, limited-time special promotions, or discounts during these peak hours to entice buyers and drive more conversions.
Conclusion
As an Amazon seller, analyzing consumer data can help you understand consumer preferences, anticipate trends, and refine your marketing and product listing strategies. This data-driven approach helps you stay closely aligned with your customers' preferences. Through smart use of keywords and well-crafted product descriptions, you can ensure that you are capturing demand. It's important to remember that selling candles on Amazon isn't just about making sales; it's about creating experiences. It's about using data and technology to your advantage.
