Quote: One reason is that I can get them for $1.95 a kit. I'm in the early stages of starting my own business and I'm buying stock.
I have posted this point a few times, and some have different results. I have been selling pens for 8 years. I have found that gold plated pens sell at a MUCH lower rate than Rhodium, chrome or black ti. When I started selling pens, I had a fairly even mix of platings displayed on the table. After two years, much of the gold was still there, even though I had done very little replenishment. I needed to replenish the other platings regularly. The point is, consider not stocking a large quantity of any one style or plating, but especially gold. I suggest starting with moderate quantities of each. Track what sells, then focus on those best sellers, as those are the most sellable, and will offer the best return for your efforts.
Three other points to consider
1. Gold plating (including all type of gold plating) does have a reputation for wearing through (called "brassing") compared to other platings.
2. The cheapest vendor is often not the best choice. Poorly made kits will come back (literally) to bite (symbolically) you. The successful vendors on IAP are successful because the have a good reputation with savvy penturners.
3. Be sure to make/display mid- and higher priced pens, right from the start. These will help sell your lower priced pens. This principle absolutely works, especially for direct sales (not sure for online type sales, as I have no direct experience in those venues).
