How much for this pen?

[builtbybill]

Okay,

I have a few posts talking about the fact that I do not sell pens, and that I have been asked to make a couple of pens for co-workers. With that being said here is the first pen that I had a request for, she just said she liked the cigar pen and left the rest up to me.

It is a Cigar Hybrid 2 Toned Black chrome pen with a simple Curly Maple and Purpleheart segmented blank and a BLO/CA finish.

What is the cheapest you would sell this pen for.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kena]

CA is an expensive and labor intensive finish. $95 with an inexpensive gift box, $105 with a Rosewood presentation box. Nice job on the pen!

 

[WriteON]

That is beautiful pen. I agree with the 2nd poster.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

The problem is that she just liked the cigar pen and then you went and made something cool that would raise the price substantially.

I'd make another one with no segments at a lower cost and let her choose between the 2.

If I had made it if ask between $60 and $75. Regular price. I'd sell to a good friends around $50. Maybe $60 for a casual friend.

As much as the quality and finish are excellent I just don't think it's a $100 pen in the real world. Unless you have just the right market.

I'll bet $5 your coworker would balk at $100. Unless you gave her a range like that in advance.

 

[builtbybill]

Dan,

I agree with you 100% on this. I already know what I am selling it to her for, I just want to be able to tell her what the pen is actually worth so she does not think that I am trying to rip her off.

The problem is that she just liked the cigar pen and then you went and made something cool that would raise the price substantially.

I'd make another one with no segments at a lower cost and let her choose between the 2.

If I had made it if ask between $60 and $75. Regular price. I'd sell to a good friends around $50. Maybe $60 for a casual friend.

As much as the quality and finish are excellent I just don't think it's a $100 pen in the real world. Unless you have just the right market.

I'll bet $5 your coworker would balk at $100. Unless you gave her a range like that in advance.

 

[ladycop322]

$75

 

[Krash]

I posed this same type of question in the past.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f18/what-would-you-charge-126850/

The consensus seemed to be about

2 x material cost + labor hours x $20

You can adjust from there but I agree with Dan. I usually sell my pens for $60-$70 depending on the kit cost.

 

[builtbybill]

Thanks for all of the positive comments. I personally really do think it looks good, but never thought that it would be worth what you are saying it is...maybe I need to think about selling some!! Right now focused on trying to sell our house and hopefully relocate back to New England. Once there want to start casting and stabilizing my own blanks, that might be a good time to try and start selling.

Thanks again,

Bill

 

[Akula]

What did she see to like the Cigar style?
Why didn't you make one like it?

Those type segment pens are either a hit or miss. What happens when you decide on the price, she don't like the pen?

Did she have any idea what pen prices can be? I would have at least asked her for a price range. What if she is a person that was thinking $10 for a pen?

I always tried to pin things down as close as possible when someone wanted a pen from me. I start with a price range then that allows me to offer up the style, plating and then work my way to material. In the end, the person knew what it was going to cost and I knew I would be working to go beyond their expectations.

 

[low_48]

Cheapest? Lots of variables, but $30 would be the absolute cheapest. I have never been able to get the prices folks on here say they do. Just sold an order of 22 pens. I could try to get $100 each, but would not be able to sell orders of 22 at a time for that price.

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

I'm thinking the same as Dan.

 

[Joey-Nieves]

That is the pen I usually sell for $65, but It anywhere from $60 to $80 will work.

 

[Karl_99]

I would sell it for $75.
In your post, you seem concerned about the cost and what your customer may be comfortable with. I do not start a custom order without a clear agreement on what will be made and how much it will cost.

 

[builtbybill]

Trust me, she will be fine with what I am charging her, we already had already discussed a rough cost. She is not a "customer" she is a friend, and worst case she says no then someone in my family gets a pretty nice pen.

I would sell it for $75.
In your post, you seem concerned about the cost and what your customer may be comfortable with. I do not start a custom order without a clear agreement on what will be made and how much it will cost.

 

[Quality Pen]

Pens are tricky to price. How many people here think a black acrylic pen with chrome components is worth 400 to 800 dollars?

Mont Blanc does that all day long. And yet plenty of the pens on this site easily rival or trump those pens and sell at a fraction.

The person buying ,however, is not so interested in the materials as compared to the benefits the pen provides them.

I would say i could see the pen pictured sell for over one hundred dollars... but never at a flea market!

 

[thrustmonkey]

I've had 3 cigars listed on Etsy for over a year near that price range and nobody will touch them.

One is a Ti Gold with maroon Tru-stone and Gold matrix for $70

One is a 24kt Gold & Blk enamel with patriotic camo acrylic for $50

And another 24kt Gold & Blk enamel with copper & gold acrylic for $60

I guess you can get a better price in person than you can on line, except for me ("I like that pen but not for that price!").

 

[CrimsonKeel]

I sell cigars with rhodium plating for 60$

 

[avbill]

I disagree with Dan This cigar pen is easily 125 to 135 dollars

 

[its_virgil]

Labor intensive? As in a long time? May I ask your definition of labor intensive? Also expensive $ for the whole container maybe but fir the amount for one pen not so much.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

CA is an expensive and labor intensive finish. $95 with an inexpensive gift box, $105 with a Rosewood presentation box. Nice job on the pen!

 

[Fish30114]

To state what I would price that pen at I would have to know what was involved in making that blank. I can't make a blank like that--yet at least--so I would probably have to pay on the order of $12-$15 for that blank IME, given that, I would be looking at minimum pricing of that pen of $75, but I definitely agree with the poster that said that he could see the price of that pen being on the order of $125.

 

[plano_harry]

I sell Hybrid Cigars with simple segmenting for $95 - $105 depending on the wood quality. Twice your material cost + $25 per tube is reasonable, unless there is a lot more time in the blank. That one is pretty simple.

 

[lwalper]

I usually get $25 for a simple slimline, no segmenting or anything special. For other styles, generally 3x COG unless it's something elaborate with several hours invested. Even then, it's often hard (practically impossible) to recoup labor. That's a good looking pen.

 

[wyone]

For me.. RETAIL price... probably $85-$95.. GOOD friend price.. $50.... Casual friend price $70

 

[jttheclockman]

Pens are tricky to price. How many people here think a black acrylic pen with chrome components is worth 400 to 800 dollars?

Mont Blanc does that all day long. And yet plenty of the pens on this site easily rival or trump those pens and sell at a fraction.

The person buying ,however, is not so interested in the materials as compared to the benefits the pen provides them.

I would say i could see the pen pictured sell for over one hundred dollars... but never at a flea market!

Are you serious???? How many people here have a name that is well known in the pen industry.?? How many people here have a trademark?? How many people here do the advertising Mount Blanc does.?? How many people here make the amount of pens they do and so on and so on and so on.??? Not even in the same league. Ask yourself do you think Mount Blanc is competeing with you or are you competing with them??? You or anyone of us is a blip, maybe a dust particle on the screen.

I won't tell you what to charge because you seem to have a price in your mind anyway. The thing I caution you though is be careful. Word of mouth gets around and that are how sales are born and what you charge one can get sticky for others. Good luck and nice pen.

 

[Hubert H]

A good price is one that both seller and buyer are happy with. Even stores selling the same thing will have different prices. Some people just want to buy from a particular store and will pay more to do so. Nice pen.

 

[Mike Powell]

I agree with Dan...

 

[rd_ab_penman]

I sell all my Hydrid's for $45.00.

Les

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I sell all my Hydrid's for $45.00. Les

That is a bargain right there!