Price increase.....

[PedroDelgado]

Has anyone notice the price increase on the pen kits at exoticblanks.com?:frown:

I am talking about the Sierra Elegant Black Ti/Ti Gold was $14.95 a couple of weeks ago, today it is $17.45.

What other sources are there for kits?

Cheers

 

[alphageek]

Pedro,

I won't comment on the price, but I'll bet Ed will... Ed4copies is very active here (and is part of exotic blanks)

As for other vendors ... Check out the links section at the top of the page...
http://www.penturners.org/links/browselinks.php?c=3

Just be careful if there is a kit you like specifically and are looking for other places. There is a lot of kits out there and the same name doesn't mean the same kit... also different names could be the same kit. Very confusing!

 

[Rob73]

I would imagine even buying kits in bulk these vendors deal with some pretty tight margins in a fairly micro-niche market place. If someone raises a price it's probably because they had to pass it on. I believe most of the kits being sold come from a very small manufacturer list. That being said..

Smitty sells kits (not sure what his site is)
PSI - pen state industries
woodcraft
craft supplies USA (woodturnerscatalog.com)

Those are ones off top of my head. I haven't bought any kits in quite some time.

 

[Lenny]

Has anyone notice the price increase on the pen kits at exoticblanks.com?:frown:

What other sources are there for kits?

Cheers

I'm not sure which one(s) you are referring to ... but 'NO' ... I don't see what changed?
I see a buch of new kits as well as some new combinations...

Care to be more specific as to what your are looking at/for?

 

[ed4copies]

Has anyone notice the price increase on the pen kits at exoticblanks.com?:frown:

What other sources are there for kits?

Cheers

I'd sure like to know which kits!! We have not changed our prices, but the discounts are based on total number of Berea kits and Diplomats ordered. So, if the discount subroutine has a "glitch", which is certainly possible---PLEASE let me know about it!!!

We sell Berea kits, which are available from us, Berea, Beartoothwoods, Arizona Silhouette, Woodcraft, Lee Valley, some Rockler ---in the USA. You should find the pricing fairly consistent among the outlets, except we discount at 7, instead of 10 kits. And, if you are ordering over 100, of one model--Berea direct, is probably your best bet.

They also have outlets in Canada.

 

[Holz Mechaniker]

Has anyone notice the price increase on the pen kits at exoticblanks.com?:frown:

What other sources are there for kits?

Cheers

I'd sure like to know which kits!! We have not changed our prices, but the discounts are based on total number of Berea kits and Diplomats ordered. So, if the discount subroutine has a "glitch", which is certainly possible---PLEASE let me know about it!!!

We sell Berea kits, which are available from us, Berea, Beartoothwoods, Arizona Silhouette, Woodcraft, Lee Valley, some Rockler ---in the USA. You should find the pricing fairly consistent among the outlets, except we discount at 7, instead of 10 kits. And, if you are ordering over 100, of one model--Berea direct, is probably your best bet.

They also have outlets in Canada.

Well if there was an increase I would bet it is from the cost of shipping and packaging. Not to mention the ever yo-yo'ing prices of petrol.
This is something you would have to accept. If your making pens for commerce. that is something you must apply to your overall prices.

 

[Smitty37]

Pricing

Has anyone notice the price increase on the pen kits at exoticblanks.com?:frown:

What other sources are there for kits?

Cheers

Shipping from Taiwan and China (and I suppose elsewhere) are subject to prevailing fuel prices. Hence the price to vendors increases to reflect shipping increases. Unless one makes very large orders that are shipped by sea, shipping is a very big part of the actual cost of the item.

That being said pricing is a business decision made by each vendor - if I think prices charged by a vendor are too high I don't buy there--but I don't complain on this forum about them.

 

[ed4copies]

Those of you who know me know I have a different philosophy about this type of question on the IAP forum.

I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Any customer who has a question is welcome to PM me, Email me, or contact me in any way they choose!! I know our prices have not gone up, so if Pedro simply "goes away mad" there can be no resolution to the issue!! This way, he can tell me exactly what he sees as an increase and we can get to the bottom of the story!!

My suspicion is that he went to the page for the Triton and saw the new Convertible and did not recognize that as a NEW category. THEN, if he compares us with other sites, NONE of them will HAVE the Convertible, further contributing to the confusion.

If you are attempting to purchase from us we certainly want to assist you in any way we can!!


As to the COST increases, Smitty is ABSOLUTELY correct--shipping has gotten expensiver (like that word??) And we HAVE HAD shipments sent by AIR, which is much more expensive than Sea, which is priced into Berea's MSRP. HOWEVER, we have NOT passed these costs on to our customers, because we realize we are the "new kids on the block" and when we are "short" of inventory, it is NOT our customers, or Berea who are to blame---it is POOR PLANNING by ME!!! So, sometimes items are sold at a loss--I'm, OK with that!!

There is a cost to education---air freight is MY cost of education, it should NOT be passed on to the customers.

Others will differ with this business practice---they are entitled to run their businesses as THEY see fit. This is simply MY view and Dawn allows me to do as I wish, since the Berea kits are "My product".

Questions are encouraged--here or by PM or email. Thanks for reading!!
​

 

[Dorno]

well said Ed. You cannot please everyone all the time and sometimes it's near impossible. I cannot believe I am saying this but if you look around there are places selling some pens at ridicilously low prices and that being said people are then expecting everything to be cheap.


Cheers Ian

 

[okiebugg]

Has anyone notice the price increase on the pen kits at exoticblanks.com?:frown:

What other sources are there for kits?

Cheers

That being said pricing is a business decision made by each vendor - if I think prices charged by a vendor are too high I don't buy there--but I don't complain on this forum about them.

IMO you are being a bit hard on the man. No offense intended.

BUT​

If I see something that I feel is out of the normal, I'm going to question it and wait for an answer. I'm sure that someone will have the kindness to set me straight.​

 

[Smitty37]

Hmmmm

I'm not sure what you mean by "being hard on the man" I didn't even critize the man...I just gave some reasons why prices are going up and noted that I wouldn't do what he did.. That is not criticism.

 

[Russianwolf]

Those of you who know me know I have a different philosophy about this type of question on the IAP forum.

I LOVE IT!!!!!!



My suspicion is that he went to the page for the Triton and saw the new Convertible and did not recognize that as a NEW category. THEN, if he compares us with other sites, NONE of them will HAVE the Convertible, further contributing to the confusion.


[/FONT]​

Actually Ed, I think he read the MSRP, instead of the pricing for Exotics. He mentions the specific kit in the OP.

 

[ed4copies]

Taken from that page, here is the price schedule (sorry mods, I know no other way to answer)

Pricing Discounts Platinum Ti Gold

2-6 $13.75 $14.95

7-24 $12.60 $14.40

25+ $11.55 $13.10

Don't know where you saw $17.45 unless it is the MSRP.

Here is the link to Exotics page:
http://www.exoticblanks.com/index.p...tegory_id=173&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=60

Again, THANKS for asking---we can't answer a question unless we know about it.

 

[ed4copies]

Actually Ed, I think he read the MSRP, instead of the pricing for Exotics. He mentions the specific kit in the OP.

Mike, this was edited last night--when I saw it, there were no specifics!!

Happy to clear it up and I believe you are exactly correct!!

BTW, the other vendors of Berea kits are VERY CLOSE to this same discount schedule---but they use multiples of 10 kits, because they come "master packed" in tens---we changed to 7 because of a poll I did here---seven seemed a better number for the convenience of the buyers---YOUSE guys!!!!

 

[PedroDelgado]

No, the MSRP is $18.00 and the price per kit is $17.45 "Sierra Elegant Beauty Black Ti/Ti Gold". Once again, I sincerely did not mean to offend anyone, simply trying to save a few $$$ on 15 kits to put gas in my car.
Here is the link:
http://www.exoticblanks.com/index.p...tegory_id=173&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=60

 

[ed4copies]

Thanks for the link!!

Now I understand your question and I need to look at Berea's price list. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention. Will give a better explanation (or FIX) later today. Again, my thanks!!!!

 

[jimskio]

Looks to me that if you are getting 15 kits the price is $14.45 each

jimskio

 

[turn4fun]

Am I confused? Both Berea and Arizona Silhouette sell the black tit./tit gold Sierra Elegant Beauty pen kits for $11. Are these the same kits that Pedro and Ed are talking about? Or is this a different kit with a similar name?

 

[ed4copies]

Am I confused? Both Berea and Arizona Silhouette sell the black tit./tit gold Sierra Elegant Beauty pen kits for $11. Are these the same kits that Pedro and Ed are talking about? Or is this a different kit with a similar name?

Actually, there are four kits with very similar names and platings. My "Berea rep" has been assisting me today, trying to figure out what is which!!

Fortunately none of these is a "big seller" for us and since the beginning of Exotics no one has purchased them at the "single pen" price. But, we now know we have them somehow confused.

Obviously, we WILL fix it. More important to me, the mistake has not cost any customer as much as $5. So, it's not a disaster. BUT, I will be modifying the prices of all four pens--as soon as I figure out what it SHOULD be.

Again, thanks for calling it to my attention. For the time being, these kits will be removed from the site, while we straighten it out.