Request denied

[Powerstroke 7.3]

I make pens and stoppers for a hobby and sell a few here and there but most are given away or sold for cost, a few at market price. With that said I had a guy at work buy a small bolt action pen (just above cost) and after showing it to his wife and friends came back and asked how "cheap" I could make him some more - so he could sell them on ebay.... Oh and he is my boss....

I have come to the decision to tell him I don't sell them for that reason because if I wanted to sell them to make any real profits I would do it myself. I just can't believe he wanted me to give them to him for cheap so he could sell them!!!!

 

[randyrls]

I think that is a good definition of Chutzpah!

 

[Jim Burr]

Good play Aaron. I'm asked frequently "What is your wholesale price?" My response is "You aren't a wholesale customer, until you are...price is fixed". After 12 years...stuff is paid for so it's not a big deal. If the quality is perfect and it's a 100% top notch pen...get your $$ worth!

 

[Band Saw Box]

I would tell him you want 80% of what they get for the pen after all costs they have to pay. And if a pen by chance has a problems they have to pay you to fix it.

 

[BSea]

I would tell him the truth. You sold him that pen just about at cost because you considered him a friend.

If he wants you both to make some money, tell him that if he buys the materials and sells them, you'll make the pens and split the profit with him. I think he'll move on. And if not, just only do as many as you feel comfortable doing. If it's 1 or 2 a month, then do that and no more.

 

[D.Oliver]

Just wait until your yearly review is done before you give him bad news or he might give you a request denied on your next raise!

 

[mredburn]

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[Dale Allen]

Tell him you will make any quantity he wants at 10 percent over the cost of materials and delivery will be in (fill in the number of years until you plan to retire+20) years.:biggrin:

Hey, that's not saying no!

 

[plantman]

Tell him how simple it is to make the pens, and if he justs buys a lathe, he could make all the profit. Don't say anything about a drillpress, pen vice, glues, kits, finishing materials, or any of the other odds and ends required to complete a pen. Or, you could say that you will make the pens, and as long as you already work for him, you will just add the hours onto your weakly hours at work. I think that is realy stretching a friendship and boss/employee relationship myself !!!!! Jim S

 

[Cmiles1985]

I'm slightly temperamental. My response probably would have rhymed in some way with last part of the following: make like a chicken, and get plucked! Of course, I'd have to make sure there was another few employers lining up to hire me.

 

[low_48]

I've met that kind of person many times over the 40+years that I have been woodworking. It's the good old system of capitalism. Buy cheap, sell high.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

He'd be in for a rude awakening anyway.

He could buy them from you at a couple bucks over your cost and still not recoup his money on eBay.

eBay is about the single worst place I can think of to sell handmade items like our pens.

 

[Tom T]

I agree with Dan, make him a few and when he sees how he does and the issues with it he will not be doing it for long. Your cost not including your machinery is at least $20.00 per pen. Sand paper, micro mesh, glue, oops on a blank or two, Kit, etc.

 

[Woodkiller]

Tell him to many people sell on eBay as a hobby and there's no profit to be had. They make just enough to make another one, and you can't compete with that.

 

[mredburn]

Why not just tell him that you gave him the first pen at or just above cost as a friend. If he wants to order more of them they will be X amount of dollars and let him decide if he still wants to pursue the Ebay venue.

 

[OLDMAN5050]

That's life.

 

[Powerstroke 7.3]

Why not just tell him that you gave him the first pen at or just above cost as a friend. If he wants to order more of them they will be X amount of dollars and let him decide if he still wants to pursue the Ebay venue.

This is what I did and he said he would think about it and about five minutes later he was in my office asking about getting pens for his son and son-in-law. I will be charging full price to him and not the friend/family deal. Thanks to everyone's advise.

 

[mredburn]

Sounds like a happy ending.

 

[CrimsonKeel]

Why not just tell him that you gave him the first pen at or just above cost as a friend. If he wants to order more of them they will be X amount of dollars and let him decide if he still wants to pursue the Ebay venue.

This is what I did and he said he would think about it and about five minutes later he was in my office asking about getting pens for his son and son-in-law. I will be charging full price to him and not the friend/family deal. Thanks to everyone's advise.

yep what I would have done. I set my price now and no one gets deals unless they buy multiple pens. if you want one its that price ill cut 5 bucks off each if you're buying multiples. however if he is selling them on ebay then full price is all I would ever charge.