Identifying your work

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dickhob

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Nov 30, 2005
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New Milford, CT, USA.
I'm giving some serious thought to selling higher end ($75+) pens.
Two questions- I sure there will be more.
1.
After looking at several websites, it seems that I need to offer a 30-60 day return and a 1-year repair/replace warranty. Is that about right? I originally considered a "Lifetime" warranty, but if its not necessary I don't want to shoot myself in the foot.
2.
Maybe I'm looking for a problem where there is none, but I'm concerned about being able to identify my pens if they come back. There is no way I can afford a laser at this point. I'm considering a SMALL heat brand logo, but I'm not sure how advisable this might be.

I'd appreciate some opinions.
Thanks
Dick
 
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broitblat

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Feb 9, 2006
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Bellevue, WA, USA.
Dick,

I don't know if this would satisfy your need, but what about something as simple as a dab of colored paint inside one of the tubes as an identifying mark?

-Barry
 

oldsmokey

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Jun 27, 2006
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183
Location
Nampa, Id, USA.
Hi Dick, I would do it with excellent record keeping. There are members here who have wrote excellent pen inventory programs, which include pictures of the completed pen. You can assign a serial number to each pen. When you sell the pen include a warranty registration card with the serial number included in the box. Then the customer must send in the card to activate the warranty. This gives you the customers information, (think mailing list for additional sales) and registers the pen warranty.
 

dickhob

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Nov 30, 2005
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Location
New Milford, CT, USA.
Thanks for the ideas! Being a computer geek, I like the pen inventory and registration- I just have to be careful that I don't spend more time on it than actual turning- I tend to do that.
Dick
 

Texatdurango

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Apr 23, 2007
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4,649
Location
Show Low, Arizona
Just take a photo of your pens!

If you visit my website (http://georges-penworks.com/cappedpens.html), you will see that each pen is numbered. When I buy pen kits I enter them into a spreadsheet so each kit is assigned a number. When I use a kit to make a pen, I use that unique number for the pen. When I photograph the pen, I use the same number to name the file.

An example would be that I bought 100 more Sierra kits. The next available number in my spreadsheet is 268 so the new Sierras are numbered from 268 to 368. I want to make a pen using a chrome kit so I grab #314, make the pen, photograph it for my website and put it up for sale. Along comes Joe who likes Sierra #314 and he buys it online. Paypal sends me an email saying Joe Blow bought Sierra pen #314 so I look it up, pick it out, package it and ship it on it's way.

A year later if he returns the pen, all I have to do is look in my Sierra photo section, and I have found the pen, with it's number so I can tell anything I want by looking at the spreadsheet.

No two pens are alike and a photo will easily show which is which. Another benefit is that the spreadsheet show how much I paid for the kit so if need be I could discount the pen and quickly look up how much I had invested in the pen.

Works for me.
 

Rmartin

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Jan 14, 2007
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1,263
Location
Columbus, Ga, USA.
I like the inventory program ideas, and I would add a suggestion. Set up a registration page on your web site. Email addresses of customers can be very valuable for sending out newsletters or seasonal specials. Just don't over do it or you run the risk of becoming spam.
 

txbatons

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Jul 6, 2007
Messages
964
Location
Carrollton, Texas, USA.
I don't do it for the pens I've sold, but I do keep track of the conducting batons I sell. Each is numbered and then I take a photo and enter the specifics in an Excel worksheet. I write the number on the back of a business card that's included with the sold baton. I make the numbering easy... 07001, for example means it was the first made in 2007. As custom orders come in, I just assign the next number. Works for me. Of course I don't sell in volumes like some of the folks here do.
 
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