Observation

[ldimick]

I have been looking at some pen web sites tonight. Several of the sites show pens that have sold. In almost every case the pens that have sold do not have any fancy turning on them. They are, for the most part, pens with traditional lines but good woods and finishes. This mirrors my personal observations of my pen sales. I don't think that people like the fancy turnings as well. A perusal of the 'master' turners at IAP, stay away from the fancy rolls etc. The prime exception is Yoyo and to some extent Anthony.

The 'fancy' turnings may look great as art but they don't seem to be viewed as practical for writing.

So, while some people decry the 'bushing to bushing' pens they seem to be more popular with the people buying pens. If that's the case then more time should be spent on making blanks and finishing.

 

[mrcook4570]

That observation is fairly consistent with my results as well.

 

[Old Griz]

Mine too.... my sales are all bushing to bushing with no fancy beads, coves or shapes...

 

[pensbydesign]

i find that my best sellers is with a small bead with a cove behind it for your fingertips.

 

[Gary Max]

But the other side of the coin-------------YoYo and Anthony sell more pens and make more money than I will ever make selling plain slimlines. That you can take to the bank.

 

[AirportFF]

I agree, bushing to bushing sells better for me. It's like I state on my site, it's "functional art". I like some of the fancier turnings, but I've also seen some that are very overdone. I'm finding people prefer Subtlety and function.

But then again that's just me....

 

[Ron Mc]

One needs to remember that there are far more people out there that will spend $25.00-$85.00 for a pen than otherwise. I see my "artists pics" page as a "rest assured factor". It lets my potential customers, that are looking for a pen, that they have found a pen turner that knows what they are doing. It makes them think, "Wow, If they can make these their other pens must be amazing".
The higher end buyers are there. They love a unique pen and are more than willing to drop a few hundred dollars on it. At first I was shocked that someone would spend $200.00 for a segmented pen but when it continued to happen I decided that this was the market I wanted to play in and hold on to.
I don't know if I would say to spend more time making blanks. A design has to be found that the customer base likes and then developed over and over until you find the exact design that the majority of the customers find appealing.
Once the customers base if found and nurtured then they will contact you for future needs. For me January means I need to make Jr. Statesman "Morning After" for one client and design and make a "Grateful Dead" looking pen for another.

 

[BryanJon]

Well said Ron. Your segmented work is truly inspiring.
I have found that my sales as well have been the , bushing to bushing variety. I have found a niche though with my aniline dye technique, that sells very well for me.

 

[Mikey]

I would have to agree with the post. The nice turned ones with decoration are nice to look at, but don't feel that great when writing a lot. Small beads are OK, but large knobs and other things start to hurt after a bit. FWIW, I also agree in that a few posted on a site are also nice because the customer will see what art can be made and realize the person making them is a craftsman.

 

[DCBluesman]

Excellent topic, Lynn! Most of my efforts are in the near-bushing-to-bushing arena.

While today's hot young musical talent may well buy a $5,000 mauve jumpsuit, the classic navy or charcoal pinstripe suit will outsell it 1000 to 1 or more. While we are looking for that one-in-a-million sale, the more standard stuff is what will pay the bills.

There are and will always be exceptions. In over a year of watching Ed D's (YoYoSpin's) creations, I don't think I've ever seen a b2b pen, BUT, he stays within a fairly narrow range of experimenting. A lot of the beauty of Ed's work is in it's simple diversion from the average b2b work. My analogy is that Ed is the Norman Rockwell of pen turning as opposed to the Picasso.

 

[JimGo]

I agree Lou. Ed's "push the envelope" of classy and standard, without going overboard. The same can be said of Ron's segmentations versus some of the stuff that gets posted here; very elegant, without being over-the-top. That's not to say that the "overboard" and "over-the-top" pens won't sell, but like you pointed out, those pens appeal to a narrower market that must first be found.

 

[dubdrvrkev]

Like I always say, Chevrolet doesn't make it on selling Corvettes alone, those trucks and cavaliers (cobalts) are the bread and butter.

 

[chigdon]

I agree with you as well. Basically I have to remind myself that I am selling to non-woodturners! Simple sells for me (even though it won't get me into PMG). I just try to seperate mine by using only super rare woods.

 

[smoky10]

My wife took some pens to work(school)with her to show and to give one to the principle. She had SL's' Euro's, cigars, and a few barons. The ones she sold were SL's with a couple of beads and the principle chose a SL made of cherry and with a couple of beads because it matched his cherry desk. I'll have to make a cherry pen holder for him.

 

[Rudy Vey]

All my sales are the standard bushing/bushing pens. Several of my "artsy" ones or the ones with the "pregnant" shape are still sitting around. We started to give them away in form of a free pen raffle or when a craft show is asking for a freebee for their raffle.

 

[alamocdc]

Some pens... Sierras, Emperors, etc. don't particularly lend themselves to much outside the B2B environment, so in that aspect I would tend to agree. On the other hand, a number of the other styles I turn do allow for some... let's just say artistic expression... and I try to do as much as I can. To date, I've had no problem selling either. In fact, some of my more "wild" creations have been the fastest to sell. The point is, I think it depends on a number of factors and the customer base may be the most critical.

 

[ldimick]

Some really good points here. I particularly like the Chevrolet analogy.

I have always set my sites on creating a pen that is worthy of PMG membership. But after reviewing some of the comments I question whether or not I have the desire anymore. And I am NOT bashing PMG. It seems to be for artists instead of technicians. And the reality is that I prefer to make pens that will sell instead of being placed on a shelf.

I thnk Billy has come close to the next factor to consider and that is the customer base. In my office I can sell a pen for more money than I can in other places. But they want a more functional pen than in other places. I guess that what I am aluding to is that we need to identify the market we want to be in and focus on turning what they want to buy.

I LOVE fountain pens. I have made many beautiful FPs. But my market doesn't like them. I HATE Slimlines but I can sell them almost as fast as I can turn them. I sometimes find my tastes out of step with my market. In many cases I find it almost distasteful that we are turning acrylic. Sort of a purism thing. But the truth is that they are beautiful and people buy them.

So, how do you determine what you are going to turn? How much of what you turn is for your tastes and how often are you turning pens that you really don't excite you?

 

[woodpens]

I sell pens made by myself and a couple dozen other turners including several PMG members. The pens that sell best through my website are most definitely those with standard lines (B2B). Eye catching figure and colors sell much better than fancy shapes and beads. Laminations and inlays do pretty well too, but shapes just don't sell well through my site. The piano pens and USA flag pens have been popular with the customers who spend $150 and up. Personally, when I make a pen that has not been ordered, I look for the most striking piece of wood I can find. My pleasure comes from God's creations (with a nice finish). []

 

[woodwish]

I have made some fancy ones that get some attention, but the only ones that sell are B2B's, which I prefer to make and use myself anyway. What sells (or at least it seems to me) is quality wood and good finish. I think I probably have spent more time attempting to get a great finish than I did learning to turn B2B. Good thread! [8D]

 

[YoYoSpin]

I know two things on this subject...customer's wants are very hard to characterize and even harder to predict.

BTW, I really appreciate all the kind (I think []) words on my pen-art. For me, experimenting with shape and color, and trying to never make two exactly alike is what makes this such an interesting and rewarding hobby.

 

[PenWorks]

Yep, definately lots of good points and really depends on your goals, desires and market.

I have strayed from the B2B lately, I make fewer pens and enjoy my turning more. I chose not to compete in the competive wooden pen business, don't have the time or the desire. I turn for enjoyment and creativity first, sales secound.

But I don't care what you are making or selling, pens to tops, there is no substitute for quality craftsmenship, it will allways shine through.

 

[vick]

I second Anthony but I kind of came about it in an opposite way. I moved and lost my sales market so I started making more complicated pens since I would be swimming in pens at the pace I make B2B's. I have not sold a one of them, but I am having fun.

 

[btboone]

I'm the same way Mike. I can't sit back and make B2B's. Ok, so technically I don't use bushings anyway, but you get the point. I'd be swimming in them, and there's no challenge there. It would be all too easy to produce hundreds of $50 or $80 pens. I like the challenge of a tougher untried design and working out the details. You always learn something new in the process.