overpriced pens

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altaciii

altaciii

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Joined
Jan 17, 2008
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Location
corpus christi, texas, USA.
Ok, I just now returned from a holiday in Las Vegas with most of my family. We had a great time and will probably return sooner than later. We stayed at the Wynn in Vegas and it was just a little time to ourselves to forget about all the things we have keeping us from really enjoying life. There was to be no talk of work or pens. As it turns out, I found an interesting little shop in hallways of the hotel called Winks. This shop sold sunglasses to the rich and famous. (obviously, they weren't catering to my wants and needs) Much to my chagrin, they also sold pens. Beautiful pens, handcrafted as well as corporate owned company logos. As I broused through the pen section I found pens that sold for as much as $18.000, I held a $12000 pen that, to me, was handcrafted by a gorilla. The fit and finish on the pen was horrible. I kept that fact to myself. (as much as I wanted to point out the fit) They had a filigree pen manufactured in Europe for $9000 that was much less to look at than some of the pens we have here on IAP. She wouldn't let me take pics but she did give me a few brochures to look at. As luck would have it, I had to cut my visit short (the wife caught me in deep conversation with the owner, note forth sentence above.) I will do some research on the artists and post a few pics and we can discuss this somemore.
 
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Selling price and value are set by the buyer. If folks were not willing to pay those prices they would not be as you saw them. Pricing targets the market. There are a lot of wealthy, egomaniac drunks in Vegas who spend just to show off. Wouldn't you accept $18,000.00 for a $50.00 pen if you could find someone willing to pay that kind of price? I believe you would. I know I would.
 
keep in mind that Vegas is a tourist trap, and everything in the Casinos is geared to empty your pockets, including the shops. If you knew your way around town you would find office supply stores or other shops that have the same items at real world prices.
Ceasars at Tahoe has a Mont Blanc pen for over $2000.00 that I can buy in a locals shop for about $400.00. But hey it works.
 
Frank, I have watched some of these items set in Casinos for years, even decades. they make more of a statement for the casino than they actually get sold. But you are right, you could work to sell 360 pens at $50 each or one at $18,000. as in everything Nevada, know your odds.
 
I have a former employer who is friends with a shop owner in NYC that sells pens... they have every big name manufacturer plus I think some lesser know craftpersons such as we pride ourselves in being (unfortunately, I don't have anything there), but he is selling several styles like the craftpersons of IAP make, using the same style kits, blanks, etc.. for prices that range from a few dollars to over $5,000. When my ex-boss asked if he could really sell a pen for $5000, the guy replied "If I couldn't I wouldn't carry them."

If you can get the price you ask, then that is the value of the pen... as Frank said, price and value is in the eyes of the beholder.

Does a more expensive pen give you better penmanship?
In my case there isn't much hope for my penmenship.. regardless of the price of the pen.
 
I would like to get in with some of those folks and sell them a few hundred a month for about a year or 5 and just thank them for the pleasure to serve them and their wealthy friends and customers.
 
altaciii said:
As I broused through the pen section I found pens that sold for as much as $18,000
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Did that pen by chance look like Bitshirds?
closed-end-magnolia.jpg
 
redfishsc said:
Did that pen by chance look like Bitshirds?
closed-end-magnolia.jpg
Click to expand...

Matt, that was only the manufacturing/materials cost, lets not forget my normal wage of 2.75 per hour, and that adds another 8.25 and my shop markup of 1.75 so that pen is 18010.00 and a bargain at that, with no allowance for pain and stupidity..
 
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bitshird said:
Matt, that was only the manufacturing/materials cost, lets not forget my normal wage of 2.75 per hour, and that adds another 8.25 and my shop markup of 1.75 so that pen is 18010.00 and a bargain at that, with no allowance for pain and stupidity..
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Hey man, I think they raised the minimum wage here recently, so you might consider adjusting your price accordingly. I think you can get a bit better than $2.75 per hour. I say bump the pen up a few C-notes and throw in a free drawstring felt baggie.
 
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