Do you sell all of the pens you make?

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Terredax

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I look through the pens that are made here and many members make a lot of pens. Do you really sell that many pens? Who is buying your pens, professionals, collectors, or just people looking for a better writing experience?
It would be nice to be able to sell a couple of pens occasionally to help cover the cost of making more pens, but I don't know anyone willing to pay for the cost of the kit and blank, so there wouldn't be any possible profit.
I plan to gift the pens I make, since I don't know where to sell them. We don't have farmer's markets, or art galleries, or any of the other places that people say they sell at. I am unable to do a lot of travelling, so that limits me from going any distance.

I was just curious if all of these pens get sold.
 
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Chasper

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I try to sell them all and mostly succeed. Some end up at give-aways, users, or trash. Some hang around in the storage cases for a few years before they get sold.

I sell at art shows, wholesale accounts, business accounts, and a few galleries; even an online sale now and then. Lots of travel for long distances.
 

Dan Masshardt

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Jan 30, 2013
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All mine are for sale - most of them sell eventually. Some take awhile, but most sell. A few don't.

The answer to the who is almost always those who are buying gifts.

People aren't looking for a pen, but they are looking for gifts, especially this time of the year.
 

brownsfn2

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Plain City, OH
What do you mean they don't sell Dan? You mean they have not sold YET. :)

I sell all mine as well. I do have one pen that has been on my site for 2 years though. I guess I could lower the price but I am stubborn. :)
 

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
John

I do not know your history and maybe you shared this with us somewhere but it does not matter. You got some good answers already. There are many threads here dealing with selling your wares. You need to do a search and get familar with the site somewhat. I do not mean this in any negative way so people do not jump on my case about doing a search. There is so much info here it is impossible to give all the links.

But will tell you I sell my pens through a couple craft shows I do but through word of mouth. Many ways to sell pens even if you do not think of them. Such as always carry a pen you made with you and use it any time you need to sign anything. You will be surprised. I have sold at least 6 circuit board pens this way. You can start an ebay account or an etsy account. You can start your own web site. So there are ways that do not take much effort. Good luck.
 

Dan Masshardt

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What do you mean they don't sell Dan? You mean they have not sold YET. :) I sell all mine as well. I do have one pen that has been on my site for 2 years though. I guess I could lower the price but I am stubborn. :)

I've had some sit for two years and then sell for full price to an enthusiastic buyer. Sometimes you have to wait for the right person to come along.
 

plantman

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Green Bay, Wi
I am a collector, tools, cars, woods of the world, and pens. I have anywhere from 600-700 pens in my collection at any one time. I very seldom sell any of my pens unless pressed by someone that really likes one. Most are one off designs or customized kits that I have made. I make some for gifting, have made some for out troops, and made others for charity groups. I will make custom pens for people that I know and charge only for materials used. The satisfaction is in the process of making the pen and the smile it receives when presented to the new owner, not the amount of profit it can bring !! I will usually only show a part of my collection at our annual woodworking guild display/show, and may sell a few to interested people. I'm too old to start up another business on the side, and dislike dealing with people that tell their wives that they could make that themselves !! Those people that can, don't come out and say that out loud. Long story short. I'm a collector not a small business. Jim S
 
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campzeke

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Jun 28, 2015
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Tampa, FL
I don't sell all the pens I make but I do make all the pens I sell. Usually by work of mouth or on social media. I make a few and post photos on social media and usually sell a couple of them. I also carry a soft sided pen case with me almost everywhere I go and sell one every now and then. I stopped in a local gun shop yesterday and showed the owned three 30 Caliber Bolt action pens I had in my case. ended up with a custom order for 6 of them. Made my day a little better!
 

jttheclockman

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I am a collector, tools, cars, woods of the world, and pens. I have anywhere from 600-700 pens in my collection at any one time. I very seldom sell any of my pens unless pressed by someone that really likes one. Most are one off designs or customized kits that I have made. I make some for gifting, have made some for out troops, and made others for charity groups. I will make custom pens for people that I know and charge only for materials used. The satisfaction is in the process of making the pen and the smile it receives when presented to the new owner, not the amount of profit it can bring !! I will usually only show a part of my collection at our annual woodworking guild display/show, and may sell a few to interested people. I'm too old to start up another business on the side, and dislike dealing with people that tell their wives that they could make that themselves !! Those people that can, don't come out and say that out loud. Long story short. I'm a collector not a small business. Jim S



Oh Jim, Jim, Jim. You do not know how many times I have heard that line over the 25+ years I have been doing craft shows. These people stand there and examine the piece over and over. I just tell them go ahead. I will see you next year selling. Good luck.
 

Drewboy22

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Aug 21, 2015
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San Antonio, Tx
I have not been making pens very long but I have made 31 pens and 28 of them have sold (Pen #1 being one of those I still have). I have an etsy account but have not had pens around long enough to put them on it. Every pen I have sold has been by word of mouth and people seeing my pens everyday when I use them. I have gotten myself into a habit of taking my newest pen to work with me. I do this for a couple reasons: 1. I get to test the pen and make sure it writes nice before I sell it to someone and 2. The people that saw yesterdays pen may like today's pen better.

Good luck !!
 

plantman

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Green Bay, Wi
I am a collector, tools, cars, woods of the world, and pens. I have anywhere from 600-700 pens in my collection at any one time. I very seldom sell any of my pens unless pressed by someone that really likes one. Most are one off designs or customized kits that I have made. I make some for gifting, have made some for out troops, and made others for charity groups. I will make custom pens for people that I know and charge only for materials used. The satisfaction is in the process of making the pen and the smile it receives when presented to the new owner, not the amount of profit it can bring !! I will usually only show a part of my collection at our annual woodworking guild display/show, and may sell a few to interested people. I'm too old to start up another business on the side, and dislike dealing with people that tell their wives that they could make that themselves !! Those people that can, don't come out and say that out loud. Long story short. I'm a collector not a small business. Jim S



Oh Jim, Jim, Jim. You do not know how many times I have heard that line over the 25+ years I have been doing craft shows. These people stand there and examine the piece over and over. I just tell them go ahead. I will see you next year selling. Good luck.

John; I never contest these people, I just say I'm sure you can if you spend a $1000 or more and several months learning to make a $25 pen. they usually have no reply. Jim S
 

Terredax

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I would like to just give away all of the pens I can make, but my income wouldn't allow that. Some special occasion pen gifts I could swing, but if I could get even a small profit to partially cover the cost of more kits, that would help greatly. Of coarse, after making a pen or two, I may not have the ability to do it, so I'll have to wait to see if pen making is something I continue.

If I find that I want to be a pen maker, I will look into the mentioned outlets.
Thanks for the input and recommendations.
 

jd420214

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Feb 6, 2015
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New Lothrop MI
I sell some should I say my wife does she always either has a few in her purse or should I say duffle bag or one of the cases we have she does it at doctor apt stores you name it. Two weeks ago she had some minor surgery in the recovery room she sold two too nurses and one to one of the doctors gave one away to a nurse who was a veteran and she left a card with him and she sold four more from that card.
More a hobby for me keeps me busy and helps with my nerves its really relaxing for me a fellow vet turned me on to doing it at the VA its been really helpful.
 

Rick_G

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Nov 30, 2007
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Bothwell, Ontario, Canada.
I sell very few. In the small community I am in people start clutching at their chests when I mention $20 for a slim that took me a couple hours to make. (I don't work fast) Right now I am doing 12 pens with a masonic logo on them for one of the wife's cousins. He sent me $200 to cover my costs. I am happy with that. He's is one of the few relatives of my wife's that I actually like. :biggrin: My time on the lathe is hobby and relaxation whether I am turning pens or anything else. If one of the young women in my church is getting married I make them one to sign the register with if they want one. I also get it engraved with names and date. Most get given away, a couple hundred to our men and women in uniform each with a letter of appreciation for their service. I've got some really nice thank you letters, my favourite from a Major that had used the pen that morning to sign the orders to bring his troops back from Afghanistan.
 

Skie_M

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Lawton, Ok
I started so that I could make some as gifts for friends and family, but selling commissioned pieces certainly helps keep things going.


I never had a lot of money on the side for this little hobby of mine, and didn't have time to be going off to shows and beating the streets hawking my wares, as it were ... so I found a local novelty shop that was willing to put my items up for sale as commissioned items.

The store takes the risk of loss and a 35% commission fee, and I set a price I can live with for parting with the pens that I have made that weren't sold directly to customers or given as gifts... At the end of every month, I check and see what's sold so that I can replace it with something new, and pick up my check. I sometimes stop by sooner just to check up on my pens and keychains and while I'm there I also pick up some of my raw materials ... This same novelty shop has some EXCELLENT prices on semi-precious stones that I use for my inlays... Turquoise, Malachite, Tigereye, Lapis Lazuli ... Did I mention that this particular novelty shop also sells Wiccan materials?

For some strange reason, they can't seem to keep my Bethlehem Olivewood pens and keychains in stock, always selling them .... I always found that strange and amusing ... a Witchcraft supply store selling Christian themed items .... who are they selling to???
 

Kragax

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Jan 17, 2015
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I have pens for sale in two retail locations on commission. Sales are hit and miss but it allows be to buy more kits. Is it self sustaining? Nope. But it's a lot of fun.
 

jfoh

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May 27, 2007
Messages
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I make several hundred pens that are graduation gift for the local high school graduating class. Maybe another two dozen a year as gifts. Sell about 400-500 a year through retail locations. I don't do shows anymore. Sales cover all the rest cost so a hobby becomes a free hobby.

Not too worried about tax issues my purchases almost always meet my receipts so not profit to report. If a business does not make a profit three out of five years it is not a business on general terms. And trying to write off a hobby is a fast way to get audited. Seen too many hobby horse farms get caught in the hobby-business quagmire. Loose money every year and you have a hobby according to the IRS, make money every year and they reserve the right to call it a business. Go figure the IRS can be a fickle .... , well you know...
 
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Tellico Plains, Tennessee, USA.
I no longer make or sell pens, even though I have about a dozen in a case that's at every show and if someone asks I can show them... all my wood and antler pens have sold, so mostly what I have are acrylics... Also don't do commission work... I make a bowl or pepper mills and if you like it buy it, if not, someone else will. I've done commission work about half a dozen times and while some have worked out, some did not and it's just too much bother for me now. I strictly make what I like now.

I still sell at my local farmer's market and starting next weekend at the local Holiday Market until Christmas.
 
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