DrD
Member
In the odd event that there will be craft shows this fall, I started thinking about what sells and why. In the 2 areas of the country in which I have participated in these shows - NE Ohio and NE Mississippi - it seems that "attractive" selling price, i.e., low low, and the overall attractiveness of the pen is what sells. I've never much cared for SlimLines, but since they can be offered at a low selling price, i.e., less than $12.00, they sell. They do not not seem to generate to lot of either repeat of "upgrade" business. To this end, I have had better success with BHW Streamline 7mm Flat Top. The top center pen in the photo represents such a pen, without the center band, and even slightly longer and with more girth than the SlimLine on the left. I believe I have found greater success at shows when offering something that doesn't look like a pen made from a kit - but again the selling price must be attractive. A BHW Streamline 7mm made without the center band seems to get a lot of comments like: "That certainly doesn't look like a kit pen."
So, by checking the dimensions of related pens from different suppliers as found in our IAP Resources, I discovered that most any SlimLine is dimensionally similar - not necessarily exactly the same as, but similar - to BHW's Streamline 7mm, CSUSA's Roadster, Father Sing, and more. So what's the point? A chrome Streamine kit from BHW will cost you about $8.00, the Father Sing doesn't come in Chrome, but it does come in Rhodium for a little over $8.00. A Chrome SlimLine can be had for as little as $1.50 to no more than a couple of bucks. The photo shows a progression: far left a basic SlimLine in Bacote, top center in green dyed Boxelder Burl, with a low cost clip substituted, bottom center same in Cambodian burl, and far right, same in Paduk (sp?).
Now, I've been able to sell pens for north of $100.00 but, most were back in the $25.00 range which had a cost of materials of $12.00 or more. I've can use a SlimLine as a base, and my $25.00 has a cost half or what it was in the past. If you're at a show with a bunch of bargain seekers, you still need to sell pens, if for no other reason than to recoup costs of the show. I can offer the pens in the picture for the practically the same price as everybody else is getting for their plain SlimLines.
As always, idol thought from a ramblin' ole mind. All thought always welcomed; constructive thoughts are appreciated
So, by checking the dimensions of related pens from different suppliers as found in our IAP Resources, I discovered that most any SlimLine is dimensionally similar - not necessarily exactly the same as, but similar - to BHW's Streamline 7mm, CSUSA's Roadster, Father Sing, and more. So what's the point? A chrome Streamine kit from BHW will cost you about $8.00, the Father Sing doesn't come in Chrome, but it does come in Rhodium for a little over $8.00. A Chrome SlimLine can be had for as little as $1.50 to no more than a couple of bucks. The photo shows a progression: far left a basic SlimLine in Bacote, top center in green dyed Boxelder Burl, with a low cost clip substituted, bottom center same in Cambodian burl, and far right, same in Paduk (sp?).
Now, I've been able to sell pens for north of $100.00 but, most were back in the $25.00 range which had a cost of materials of $12.00 or more. I've can use a SlimLine as a base, and my $25.00 has a cost half or what it was in the past. If you're at a show with a bunch of bargain seekers, you still need to sell pens, if for no other reason than to recoup costs of the show. I can offer the pens in the picture for the practically the same price as everybody else is getting for their plain SlimLines.
As always, idol thought from a ramblin' ole mind. All thought always welcomed; constructive thoughts are appreciated
