Need advice on pen style and wood for pens to sell

[Joel Sauder]

I have been invited to sell some pens on comission with a local artist
co-op. I was hoping to get some advice from experiences pen sellers out there as to what patterns and woods to focus my efforts on to maximize my profits and minimize my loses. So here are my questions:

1) What pen designs are your best sellers? (i.e. Slimline,Click Top Mechanism, Parker/Classic, Jumbo/El Grande, Fountain, Polaris, etc.)

2) What woods seem seem to be your best sellers (i.e. cocobollo, ebony, dymondwood, plastic, etc.)

3) What are your worst selling pen designs?

4) What are your worst selling woods?

Thank for the help accelerate my learing curve and minimizing the number pens that will not sell

Joel

[Greg Ketell]

Sedona, Jr Gent, Jr Statesman, cigar (better finishes) are my best sellers.

Best selling is actually acrylics. But in the woods, things like amboyna burl, mallee burls, desert ironwood, Bethlehem Olive Wood, etc.

Churchills sell well but break so you get to repair them often. Slims are good Low-Cost sellers but 15-30 is the range for them. Any pen with low-grade finishes that wear off quickly. See CraftSupplies USA for description of the finishes.

Check out International Association of Penturners for pen-specific info.

Fountain pens sell less frequently but for much more money if you put a good nib on it.

GK

[Jason Hallowell]

I recently simplified things and now carry only limited pen styles. For ballpoints, I use slimline, cigar, and atlas/patriot/carbara. I have narrowed the rollerball/fountain styles down to only Jr Gent, Jr Statesman, and panache. I also only offer the most durable platings, chrome, gold ti, black ti, rhodium, and platinum.

I find that even plain local woods have better appeal than beautiful exotics, and have narrowed the wood choices down to primarily local woods, and a few different types of burl. I have never liked plastics, so I have no experience selling them.

I think every market is different, and it's also important to make and sell the things you like and enjoy making. Hope that helps some, and good luck.

[Bernie Weishapl]

My best sellers are Sierra, Slimline, Euro's and El Grande. Acrylics do well if not to wild and believe it or not my best selling wood pens are cedar, black walnut and maple.

[Jeffrey Fusaro]

joel--

i'd keep your pen kits and pen blanks on the simple (and inexpensive) side.

i've had several people buy pens made from burls. box elder and amboyna are popular. the stabilized blanks are easier to work with.

acrylics are popular, too. different strokes...

bottom line - don't tie up a lot of money in expensive kits. they look real pretty, but they end up being too expensive for most folks.

fountain pens appeal to a very small segment of the population.

i have a display case case full of expensive, pretty pens that no one was willing to ante up for.

[Dana Berenson]

A lot depends on were you are selling them? I've sold at a number of craft fairs where people are looking to spend $20 or less on cheap gifts. For those I've done well with slimline pens. Be creative with the shapes but not too crazy. Make sure you would be happy with the shape if you were writing with it. At every show I have done, I have sold every cocobolo pen I've made. Darker woods like Pau Ferro do well. Bloodwood does well also if you shine it up nicely. Maple is always the last to sell on my table. Grainy woods like oak, mahogany, wenge, zebrawood don't tend to sell as well either.
Be really careful with the larger Gent and Jr. Gent pens - The parts are more expensive and if you make a mistake.... - They do sell well but I would not rely on them exclusively for any show.
Also, make sure you offer some kind of container to send each pen home with. They sell plastic triangular boxes or felt holders cheap. There are a number of nice wooden boxes you can get relatively cheap but I'd stay away from the "Lift box" style that lifts the pen up when you open the box. Unless your pen is a perfect shape and style, the pen ends up at the bottom of the box and you have to fish it out.
Good luck and make sure to share pictures of your work as you get sucked in.

[Dale Gregory]

I agree with what Jeffery said keep it simple and less expensive to purchase and you will have a better chance of selling them. (I've seen his expensive pens in person and they are spectacular!) That said, if your at a show drawing more upscale folks you stand a better chance of unloading some of the more fancy higher priced pens, so I guess it all depends on the situation.

Dale