What sells better: Wood or Plastics???

[Rudy Vey]

I really do not want to make this into a poll, but it is something I like to be discussed:

Initially all my pens were wooden, but I always did turn some Acrylics, but sold only the odd plastic pen.
Lately, I see a drastic shift in my sales of higher end pens, mainly roller balls (Retro, Baron and Statesman Jr) towards acrylics. I hardly have sold a Statesman Jr or Retro in wood (and here I used always stabilized woods, burls, IBO and other fine woods). I have displayed Barons in superb BEB from AZ next to a run-of-the mill acrylic - guess what - I mainly sell the acrylic. Pretty much all my sales in Statesman and Retros are the new Penmakers Choice plastics from CSUSA - wooden ones are still all in my stock (IBO, super spalted Tamarind, two-tone Amboyna Burl, Afzelia Burl, DI, BOW etc). On the other side, nearly all my Sierra sales were wood. Wood outsells plastics at least 20:1. The only Sierras I sold were Snakeskin and Carbon fiber in clear acrylic, and a few custom ordered cactus skeleton, specially colored inside the blank and the tube.

Is this just me, or do others see the same trend?
I display about 2/3 wood and 1/3 plastics (acrylics, snake skin, Carbon fiber, Cactus etc). I have even customers calling me and ask me if I can make a special pen for them in specific colors in acrylics/plastics.

I am interested in your experience - please share with us!

 

[ed4copies]

Rudy,

I have lots of experience in plastics, send those customer to me and we will both be happy!!!

 

[ed4copies]

Now the serious answer:

I do not take wood pens outside. So, at the outdoor shows, I sell 100% plastic.

Indoors, it drops to about 97%. But, my entire presentation is geared to sell resins (and other alternative materials). When I sell a wood pen, its to a customer who knows I do have them hiding behind the cherry cart.

Wood cracks and I don't like having customers come back at a show to complain. Resins solve this problem.

A good friend pointed out to me that high end manufacturers don't make WOOD pens, so the high end customers are not likely to be seeking wood.

Just a FWIW!!!

 

[Ratto]

Rudy,

I get very few requests for acrylic pens. I sell mostly Statesmans, Gentlemens, Churchills and Sierras. My customers prefer the exotic wood and burls that I use. They like to look at the acrylic pens but they purchase the wood pens. I have stopped turning acrylic pens since they are not selling.

Dave

 

[winpooh498]

We defiantly sell more "Plastic" material Pens then wood, in all styles. I have found the same thing with our bottle stoppers as well.

 

[DCBluesman]

In general, resins sell MUCH better. Go to any pen show and you will see about 99% resin pens and they sell like crazy. That being said, I'm a stubborn old cuss and I make and sell far more wood pens. Of course, if I made more resin pens, that would likely change.

 

[ed4copies]

Lou,

You don't sell wood pens, you sell wood STORIES!!!
(VERY effectively)![][][]

 

[wood-of-1kind]

There is just more of that "special" appeal when selling a hand made pen that is crafted out of wood. But I can't deny the obvious, that plastic sells much better at the pen shows that I've attended.[] I may have to change my material recipe but then again I just can't part with my name just yet.

-Peter-[]

 

[Rudy Vey]

One more: Saturday I brought 12 pens to a new store that will sell them for me. Guess what, the gals did not choose any wooden pen!! Well, two they did, but these were the colorful laminates I have (not Dymondwood)and I would not consider them wood pens. Finally, I pushed them to take at least one Amboyna Burl pen. The rest, 9 pens, are acrylics (including carbon fiber and snakeskin under acrylic resin). Interesting. Looks like I will make and sell more acrylics in the future - like Ed does. Easier finish, too - just sand and polish them to a nice sheen - no need for CA, Enduro or else[][][]

 

[Ligget]

99% of my sales are pens built to customer specifications.

I could show them many pens already made and ready to go, but they seem to like the thought that they can decide on style, plating, barrel material, finish etc..

Plastic and wood sales are approx the same.[]

 

[Jim15]

I think one reason might be that there are many more and better looking resin blanks to choose from now as opposed to 3 or 4 years ago.

 

[jjudge]

I was just thinking through this very same question over the last weeks.

I've noticed the same thing:
high end pens, at the nice pen stores, are non-wood

However, I notice my recent orders are for
tuplipwood, stained/resined/boxelder burls,
acrylics, corian, ebony and cocobolo
and segmented acrylics

So, I will concentrate this year on:
- acrylics and corian
- find some more similar (ebonite? odd plastics, etc)
- higher end woods (dense, oily, exotic, burls, etc)
- some castings (non novelty castings)

... and more "craft" into my pens:
- segmenting, inlay, and other construction techniques
- learn close-end pens, embedding clips, etc.
- any tricks to move away from the pen kits, too

-- joe
(at this rate, I'll never get back to normal woodturning and finishing my guitars)

 

[Milpaul]

I started making pens as a way to use leftover scraps from WOODturning. Curiosity led me to try acrylics and trustone. I was very surprised when I started selling pens that most of the sales were something other than wood. I still prefer the burls and exotic woods but have been making more "plastics" for the pens I know will sell. I have noticed that women certainly prefer the acrylics and the biggest sellers of wood pens are the higher end fountain and rollerballs bought by men.

 

[jjudge]

Raspberry swirl twist pens have gotten the most response from women.
I continue to hear about how much they love their pens -- months later.

-- joe

 

[TellicoTurning]

I think my sales are running about 60/40 on the pens, acrylics to wood... my other wood turnings are doing very well. Matter of fact at my last two show dates, I didn't sell any pens, but a number of peppermills and bowls.

Unlike Peter (wood of 1kind) I've decided that my company name.. doesn't really reflect all that I do now, so I am changing to new name soon.