What Are Your Clients Favorite Styles of Pens

[Johnathan]

Wood, Plastic, Big, Small, Rollerball, Fountain, Pencil, etc...

For custom pen work can you please tell me what your clients like most, or maybe what qualities are they looking for in a pen. Thanks for your help. I am such a better penturner becuase of you all. I'd be nowhere without your experience and advice!

Johnathan

 

[Dario]

I've only sold a few pens...and my customers have "varied" reasons for picking their pens. They bought it because of the following:

1. The wood is local to us (mesquite and cedar)
2. Beautiful wood and color (buckeye, amboyna, cocobolo, etc.)
3. It is the right size (slimline, cigar, euro, etc.)
4. Finish is pretty (CA, lacquer, friction polish)
5. Some don't want a pen with a piece they can loose (cap)
6. Pen feel solid and well done.

I am sure I missed a lot of other reasons but the bottomline is, different people have different preferences.

I try different kits, finish and wood (more than I care to) just to have a better selection. I will try synthetic materials soon too...though I am not that thrilled about it.

There, I may just added more confusion [] but I am sure the next guy will be of more help. []

 

[TheHeretic]

I do a lot of Cigar pens. I really only do about 5 different kinds of pens. Cigar, slimline, Baron (sometimes Jr Gents), Polaris, the large Gentlemans pens.

I know I have sold far more Cigars than any others. Mainly as that is the type I like to do the most. I am trying to get more of others in stock but.... It does take time, and this year (2005) was absolutely bad for me for a variety of reasons. I know I will get to the point I want to be at but... Again it takes time.


And most of the custom pens I have done have been in Cigar. Some large, and I do mean large pens, for a few people who needed a large pen to work with, were of 1 1/4" square to start with so.... Even some of my glue up pens were cigar.

Some of it I guess is what a person likes and does more of. I know in some areas that that type of pen just wont sell very well. I have noticed and will prolly start to do more of the Barons as they seem to go well with the clientelle that I sell to.


Dean
Columbus OH

 

[mrcook4570]

Wood and antler sells very well for me. I find it difficult to move plastic. I also find it difficult to sell pencils. My best selling styles are the slimline and Baron (and Jr Gent). Gents, cigars, and Brokers also do well. The euro and americana rollerball are ok. The atlas and americana ball point are duds for me.

RB/FP is approximately 60/40.

 

[Rifleman1776]

European in Bethlem olive wood with cross clip. Same in dogwood close second.

 

[chigdon]

I sell probably at least 80% Barons. I have replaced cigars with Jr. Gent Ballpoints and also turn Jr. Statesman, Statesman, and Emporers too. I try not to turn any more slimlines than I can help.

 

[huntersilver]

I sell the El Grande and Gentlemens the best. Next the cigars.
I sell more wood than plastic, but it depends on the area.

 

[wood-of-1kind]

Mont Blanc(European) is my best seller preferably dressed in (exotic) wood.

-Peter-

 

[Daniel]

For pre made stuff at craft shows wood just barely edges ou tthe other materials. I think it is the novelty of being wood, people are fasinated that a pen can be made from wood.
for my online sales where the customer can pick whatever they want. wood is the only thing I sell. Amaricana and gent styles almost exclusively. I've sold three flat top style fountain pens to Italy in the last two months. all wood. My customer didn't even really care what wood as long as it was wood.