how can they

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
wood-of-1kind

wood-of-1kind

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
4,115
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
I have asked the same question as that is a seemingly low price in comparison to what we pay for kits. The overall quality of these pens is good although very limited in choices of wood to which to choose from. Making and selling them in very high volumes would appear to a long way towards a low price as shown. In this aspect I wonder if perhaps "we" are willing to be allowed to be "overcharged" for kit pens. Yes, I understand the theory of supply and demand...but
 
Woodchipper

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,226
Location
Cleveland, TN
I know of a fellow who buys pen kits by the 100 to get a big price break. You have to remember those pens are made in China or another Asian country. Example- an American worker will get $500 a week; a Chinese worker will get $500 a month! That's why so much is done overseas now.
 
mark james

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,752
Location
Medina, Ohio
They also note a possible 0-3mm margin of error on measurements. Close to 1/8" :eek:. No fingernail test there.
 
jttheclockman

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,148
Location
NJ, USA.
I asked this question or similar back in 2016 and I did purchase a couple of the pens I mentioned in that link and have to tell you they are stellar. Nothing wrong with them no underturning or over turning if they were even turned. Do not know this. But the materials used and the kit too is pretty darn good. For a few bucks it is amazing and glad we do not have to really compete with them.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f18/how-world-143263/
 
magpens

magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,911
Location
Canada
Seems incredibly cheap ! . I also think that we are paying too much for our kits.

We should get someone to buy a couple of these pens and report to us about quality.

(Don't make it me !!!)

Get a load of the package size ... (maybe the 3mm accuracy spec is also a way off ... I would hope so!) ...

  • Package Size: 30cm x 20cm x 10cm (11.81in x 7.87in x 3.94in)
 
Last edited:
Herb G

Herb G

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,461
Location
Southern Maryland
You guys are way off on your estimates of what a Chinese worker earns.
I saw a documentary recently where the average factory worker lives on premises at the factory. They are usually uneducated, rural, farmer's kids who flock to the factories for a better life, and help support their rural families.
They average $.13 an hour. That's 13 cents an hour folks. But, they have to pay for room, board, and their food out of that too, so they actually make way less than that.

Their living conditions are deplorable, and they have to eat mostly rice & very few vegetables.
The only meat they get is what they buy in town when they get paid.
 
Last edited:
Woodchipper

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
5,226
Location
Cleveland, TN
I'm going with what my son observed in two visits to China which is the opposite. Will run this by him to get his input. Sometimes documentaries focus on what is highly negative. What Herb said, IMO, might be true in some instances. FWIW, I had a sales business and called on a fellow who was with the Windermere company- hair dryers, curling irons, etc. He showed me photos of a factory that made the embroidered patches for the USPS! He also said if a foreign company wanted to open a factory in China, the government did all the recruiting for the factory. Unique way- "You will report to such-and-such factory and start work on a certain date!" Saves reading hundreds of applications!
 
TellicoTurning

TellicoTurning

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
8,206
Location
Tellico Plains, Tennessee, USA.
I can't speak to the wages in China as I have no first hand knowledge, but I know that the country is modernizing as quickly as they can. I spent 40 years in the traffic and transportation trade. The last 10 years I worked for a forwarding company out of Houston and one of my clients was a very nice Chinese man who came to this country when he was 19, when I worked for him he was either approaching or had already arrived into his 70's... He became a citizen of USA and started a company that supplied industrial parts to China. Over the years I shipped fully equipped Ambulances, machinery and burners for electrical plants... Most of my shipments of the burners were originated out of Cleveland, OH and the letters of credit I processed ran over $!M each shipment... I generally did a shipment every month for about 6 years. Chinese technology is fast approaching that of the U.S... and possibly in time so will salaries. The Chinese are very industrious people. When labor costs in China do reach the same or similar level and U.S., then a lot of the manufacturing there may come home.
 
Last edited:
wolf creek knives

wolf creek knives

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
3,055
Location
Wolf Creek Montana
Good topic of discussion. So where do all the pen kits and other things PSI has, and other suppliers, get their pen kits from? I know a lot of kits I buy from other than PSI come in a PSI plastic bag clearly marked PSI. I know recently I was told that an item I was looking for was out stock until the end of March due to the Chinese New Year celebration. Well I know where it came from. Are there any pen kit manufacturers located in the U.S. I'm not talking the high end ones, just the everyday ones, slim line, trim line etc.
 
wood-of-1kind

wood-of-1kind

Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
4,115
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
OLDMAN5050 said:
Ok found this today ED so I'm still wondering how the kit can be so inexpensive before the wood is turned this vendor has sold 225 units at $1.63





ed4copies said:
Still 19997 left and one transaction in six months==would you be a little desperate at that point?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

My observation has been that these wooden pens are most likely purchased by a promotional DISTRIBUTOR and then resold with 1 laser engraved logo for approximately $9 or so here in Canada. That represents a nice markup. When I was asked if I wanted to "bid" for a company's promotional contract, I declined. I could not come close to that price based on my cost for a kit based on the hardware as seen in this topic discussion. As previously mentioned, I have seen these pens first hand and must honestly say that they are a quality pen.
 
wolf creek knives

wolf creek knives

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
3,055
Location
Wolf Creek Montana
wood-of-1kind said:
OLDMAN5050 said:
Ok found this today ED so I'm still wondering how the kit can be so inexpensive before the wood is turned this vendor has sold 225 units at $1.63





ed4copies said:
Still 19997 left and one transaction in six months==would you be a little desperate at that point?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

My observation has been that these wooden pens are most likely purchased by a promotional DISTRIBUTOR and then resold with 1 laser engraved logo for approximately $9 or so here in Canada. That represents a nice markup. When I was asked if I wanted to "bid" for a company's promotional contract, I declined. I could not come close to that price based on my cost for a kit based on the hardware as seen in this topic discussion. As previously mentioned, I have seen these pens first hand and must honestly say that they are a quality pen.
Click to expand...

Same thing here in Montana. You can go to any "souvenir" shop and pick up a cheaply made pen for around $7-8. They come with your name or the locations name engraved usually on the upper barrel. I refer to these as "trinkets and trash" souvenirs. They sell all kind of junk in these stores now, not just pens.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Previous Next
Top Bottom