Gary,
I brought this up yesterday in the Business section with regards to their original post. I went back to see if I posted first (great minds must have been thinking alike at the same time) - and I was early morning. See my response at:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25597&whichpage=2
But you asked the question directly, and I'm really glad you did.
My son was looking at the biking magazines and the REI catalog the other day - to purchase new tires for the Trek 420 road bike he has (I gave him my bike after I bought a new Lemond [
]). He told me he was thinking of ordering the tires. I asked him why he didn't just purchase them from Vitesse - the bike shop we have always gone to. He told me he would save a lot - even with shipping. But - what if he gets the wrong tires? Who installs it? Then he told me he would go to Vitesse to be sure and then purchase online - but I asked him how he felt about using their reps to learn about the bike and the tires, and then purchase from another source? Well - if it is significant savings - he should ask Vitesse if they will come closer in price - if not, then do what ever he can afford. But it is a parrallel situation isn't it?
This new pen kit company is charging $.80 per pen kit, but then an additional $.75 per pen kit for shipping. This brings it to $1.55 per pen kit. Ernie at Bear Tooth (and another vendor here in the US who posted once....can't recall the shop.....but offers them for less then Ernie if I am recalling properly) offers them for $1.59 each if you purchase in bulk (100 to the bag) - but then you have his shipping on top of that. If you are paying $4.95 for priority mail, that comes to $.28 per pen kit, and each pen is now costing you $1.87 each. If you go with the kits from China, you save $28 per 100 slimline pen kits. If you want black chrome or standard chrome, you are getting an even bigger break with the new company - but I think this is a promotional, not their regular price.
Of course, if you are only purchasing 10 or 20, you are getting an enormous price break - but with so few pens, you are still realizing only a couple of dollars.
So - ethically - what do you do?
I know nothing about this company, but I tend to agree with Gary and Lou (and Mark). They've already given the best reasons for staying local - but beyond what they have said, there is a lot to be said for maintining loyalty with your suppliers. It's nice to have a choice to fall back on if supplies are out at CSUSA or Bear Tooth, or if I have a specific need for black chrome in enormous lots and want to make a purchase on a one-time basis to fill an order - I might use this company. But otherwise - it is worth it to spend a few bucks more here in the US and support the guy who is doing his best to provide us with kits and service.
Jack maybe one of our newest members - but his membership is more like the membership of the CSUSA rep then it is a person who turns or is a dedicated woodworker. I joined because I found a site filled with woodworkers who share a hobby/passion etc. to turn pens and other objects. My first post was not to sell everyone a product. In fact, my first 50 posts had nothing to do with selling. I believe it was the same for most of you. I see that Jack's profile only provides a link to his company's website, that his only posts so far (4) have been sales in nature, and as far as I can tell, he has never turned a pen and may have no interest in it at all. I wonder if he knows that we use lathes to create pens? [
][}
] Yes, he may be a new member of the IAP - but..........? So far he has been up front and honest about his intentions. Only time will tell as to his agenda and to the integrity of the company he fronts here. I expect we will all be watching and waiting to hear comments from members who purchase from the company he is advertising. I hope it is all positive!
Best wishes,
Roger Garrett
