I disagree.
I think we all get a bit to carried away with the concept of premium labelled products, whether it's tescos finest, other supermarket marketing differentials, or even pen kits. We are familiar with the standard options of gold, chrome, and gun metal and a wish for something else drives our wish for another plating, or even a premium plating. Premium? Or just different with a price premium? It's a yellowish colour, is it gold or not, let's be honest if it looks like gold, unless we are being deceived, or being invited to deceive others, do we really care what it is, be it titanium gold, black titanium or whatever, if it looks the dogs bollocks that's all that matters.
It's a bit like rosewood as a premium blank, it looks beautiful to us, but how many of my customers by pass the rosewood and go straight for the oak? Most if I'm honest with you.
In this debate their are three groups of debaters, the likes of Eamonn and Phil who market their pens to sell at the high end where a degree of exclusivity is important, people like me who aim at the volume market, and the third group who are the, and no disrespect intended or meant, but for want of a better definition, those who sell occasionally or are occasional turners.
I think you need to look at this the other way round Dan, where is this pen going to compete in the matrix of available pen kits. Is this kit, for me, going to sell at around £55 and compete with the Atrax the kits for which are sub £8, or is it going to sell at £70 for a more expensive plating? I'll sell some at £70 but you'll only be getting an order for half a dozen a year. I bought 20 sterling silver plated Cambridge pens at a Xmas bargain price of ten dollars last year and am struggling to sell them at £75. My market has a volume ceiling of around £60.
Your circle previously described will grind to a halt if you end up with slow moving stock, but if this one moves with a standard plating, you can always do a different plating with more confidence and the cooperation of the supplier at a date in the near future. If you put that as a standard plating cost, my Atrax offering gets a price hike, the alpha moves into the £55 slot and I hopefully shift thirty/forty a year. Stick it as a premium plating and it'll be a slow mover for me.
I'd love to see this as a "premium" plating, it'll be a joy to turn and assemble, but my business model would point to a standard plating and a £55/60 retail.
Over to you Dan!
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