The Twsbi 540 Is ... What?

[ImolaS3]

Everybody is excited because these are great pens at a great price.

 

Not sure "everybody is excited" I couldn't give two hoots.

 

I have 3 TWSBI pens in 3 colours with 3 different nibs and they are fine pens but rarely used as they look cheap and I don't get the same pleasure from them as my other pens.

 

30% more ink??? Big deal

 

 

A solid coloured (as opposed to translucent - I don't necessarily mean a single colour) pen with ink window and gold nib would excite me a lot more!

[Nonsensical]

Everybody is excited because these are great pens at a great price.

 

Not sure "everybody is excited" I couldn't give two hoots.

 

I have 3 TWSBI pens in 3 colours with 3 different nibs and they are fine pens but rarely used as they look cheap and I don't get the same pleasure from them as my other pens.

 

30% more ink??? Big deal

 

 

A solid coloured (as opposed to translucent - I don't necessarily mean a single colour) pen with ink window and gold nib would excite me a lot more!

 

They ARE cheap...relatively speak, at least. :roflmho:

 

Or as speedy prefers, good value for money.

Edited August 10, 2011 by Nonsensical

[mr T.]

Dsatco, I don't know if you realize, but the current year is 2011. Which means that $50, or around €35, is far from being a fortune. A Lamy Safari costs around 20€, and it's just some plastic with a steel nib, a Pelikan "lower-end" piston-filler is around 100€ (and it's just some plastic with a steel nib), so TWSBI's pricing is very reasonable, provided it is a compromise between those two.

 

In a B&M shop in the EU, a Pelikan M200 will cost about € 75,-. The TWSBI 540 costs about € 35,- ($50,-), P&P costs about € 13,- ($18,44) and VAT for imports to France are 19,6%. So a TWSBI 540, ordered at the TWSBI-shop at eBay, will cost about € 60,-.

[Nonsensical]

In a B&M shop in the EU, a Pelikan M200 will cost about € 75,-. The TWSBI 540 costs about € 35,- ($50,-), P&P costs about € 13,- ($18,44) and VAT for imports to France are 19,6%. So a TWSBI 540, ordered at the TWSBI-shop at eBay, will cost about € 60,-.

Indeed. I personally find the TWSBI to be more solidly made, and built like a tank, though.

 

The Pelikan does win in terms of looks, but I'm too scared to carry mine with me to class, which really defeats the purpose- for me, at least.

 

We have to remember that many many, many of these pens will be sold within the USA- and it is quite cheap for $50 + $3, given that the price paid for a Pelikan M200 will still set you back $80+ in the US.

Edited August 10, 2011 by Nonsensical

[yoitzo]

There are also those of us who missed the 530s and only caught the glowing reviews. At $50 a pop, why not try it out? If it's a dud, it's not too much of a loss and it can always be gifted.

[USMCMom]

There are also those of us who missed the 530s and only caught the glowing reviews. At $50 a pop, why not try it out? If it's a dud, it's not too much of a loss and it can always be gifted.

 

That's right ... if you don't like the TWSBI you have, gift it or put it in the Classifieds.

[rearviewmirror]

Everything else in life is going up in price, so why not pens?

 

I don't mind paying a little bit of a premium to a small company focused on quality and not concerned about market share.

[Qstick333]

This is my 1st TWSBI and only my 2nd pen (in 2 weeks, I am addicted). I appreciate the fact that Speedy has gone to great lengths to be accessible. Should a problem arise, and I'm sure it will to someone on here, at least I know Speedy will respond. That is better than many in all industries.

 

I'm excited to get my hands on my first piston filler....ink stains on my clothes, here I come :-)

[andybiotic]

So...all that's different is the ink capacity? And that warrants almost a 30% increase in price over the 530?

 

And everybody's excited about this? Man, I've GOT to start making crumby pens.

 

 

For once... I am afraid I agree with dsatco... 30% more ink for a ~30% increase in price (didn't do the math, just copied from dsatco)... I personally think it is quite expensive at USD$50 (not including shipping)... If I want to try it out in the future, I am not paying more that $40 (including shipping) for a second hand one...

 

Do you know there are about 3-4 separate posts already (maybe 5 including this one) just on pre-ordering, buying or announcing the 540 and that is before anyone has tried it yet? I am sure there are MORE to come It will be the next Noodler's flex!

 

I am not bashing or hating the 540, I am just... not excited... sorry :embarrassed_smile:

Edited August 10, 2011 by andybiotic

[jpdyson]

Aside from the known improvements (which is more than just ink capacity - and if you couldn't this information via search, I'm sorry, you weren't looking very hard) one of the biggest, most direct reasons given for the price hike is a new distribution structure that will allow for more distributors. One of the things Speedy said kept the 530 so low in price was the short distribution chain. Well, it's (ostensibly) longer now.

 

That, and let's be honest - the man is trying to make some money. At the previous price, the pens flew off the shelves. Anybody could see it was under-valued, a fact confirmed by the price-hikes once they got scarce (up to $99 before they were totally gone, sat at $60 for a while). If anybody would like to point out another demonstrator, piston-fill, self-service oriented pen (designed with much input from this community) or even a close competitor at the price, I think that would be great. In fact, that's just about where my comfort range is for buying pens (this price point) so I'm all ears. Honestly! No snark! It just seems like from these comments I'm missing out on some excellent pens in my budget.

[USMCMom]

When the 530 was introduced, if I remember correctly, I paid $40 plus shipping. Perhaps someone else can recall what shipping (US) was. For those of us who like our TWSBI pens and use them, we now have the 540. For those who don't like them for whatever reason, that's fine ... there are certainly more than enough pens for everyone to choose from. I can't help but wonder, though, why those who don't like the TWSBI pen(s), care that many of us do and not just by-pass the TWSBI threads .....

[79spitfire]

 

I've got a Parker 21 I'll trade you for it... That way you can complain about it... (it's damaged)

 

I agree with those who state you should not buy one if you don't care for it, and trade off the one you have, (or sell it).

Edited August 10, 2011 by 79spitfire

[svfd757]

I LOVE my 530 but can't get myself to buy a 540 simply because it holds more ink. If something breaks Speedy will do right. That's what kind of guy and company they are. I will be one of the first Vac owners though. Not sure about the mini though. Too small for my fingers. The only way I would purchase a 540 is if/when they come out in red.

[olivier78860]

Dsatco, I don't know if you realize, but the current year is 2011. Which means that $50, or around €35, is far from being a fortune. A Lamy Safari costs around 20€, and it's just some plastic with a steel nib, a Pelikan "lower-end" piston-filler is around 100€ (and it's just some plastic with a steel nib), so TWSBI's pricing is very reasonable, provided it is a compromise between those two.

 

In a B&M shop in the EU, a Pelikan M200 will cost about € 75,-. The TWSBI 540 costs about € 35,- ($50,-), P&P costs about € 13,- ($18,44) and VAT for imports to France are 19,6%. So a TWSBI 540, ordered at the TWSBI-shop at eBay, will cost about € 60,-.

 

 

Mr T, I know that. I'm saving these days to order a Nakaya custom at the end of the year, I can tell you I'm already preparing vaseline to endure the VAT payment I'll have to leave to the state out of a $2000 pen.

 

But we're not talking about price, we're talking about value. And if the TWSBI keeps its promises, that will give us a nice demonstrator pen for a $50 value. I think it's pretty good. The last low-end demonstrator Pelikan pen I saw in Paris was priced 110€. So even 60 is better, provided the nib is as good as a steel nib from Pelikan. And if it's a Bock, it will probably come from the same assembly line.

 

I mean, I don't see anybody complaining about Montblanc trying to sell cheapest of the cheapest plastic ball points for 75€ 10 years ago. But they had a white star on the top... Better brand management I suppose.

 

Otherwise, re-read your marketing books. Brands always start slow, and when they have a good product and a growing customers base, prices tend to increase.

[79spitfire]

I had a though. dsatco, Why don't YOU develop a piston filled fountain pen at say a $40 price point, market it and sell it, then we all can complain about it!

[Northwoods]

For once... I am afraid I agree with dsatco... 30% more ink for a 30% increase in price... I personally think it is quite expensive at USD$50 (not including shipping)...

 

For me it's not about price, but value. I bough a Noodler's pen as my dedicated BSB pen. Everything about it screamed. "CHEAP!" It feels like if you let light hit it wrong it'll fall apart. The TWSBI feels like you could fire it out of a mortar at a brick wall and it'll simply chip the wall.

 

The TWSBI is five times the pen for about twice the cost. That's value.

[agchristie]

What I really find amazing is that he has been able to keep this low price point when looking at the huge amount of testing and former pen runs he had to make till he could produce the perfect 540. In another thread he mentioned something like 14,000 pens were made for the sake of quality control and had to be thrown away which was more than the total sold of the 530s. So I really think one cant complain. Oh and where do you guys get %30 price increase? When I bought the 530 it was $40 and now its $50 which is still excellent value for money and as it is a different product regarding the inner workings and as the distributing system is different this time around, I am amazed at such a small markup. I will not be getting a clear one but simply because I am saving to get any available colours and the ROC one!! Oh and the mini when it comes out which sounds like the perfect pen for me as shorter. Personally I find they do not look cheap at all simply more modern than the pelikan demos or pilot demos but not cheaper.

[Lloyd]

Original 530 price in the USA: $40 + $8 shipping = $48

540 price in the USA: $50 + $3.39 shipping = $53.39

 

11.2% price increase.

[USMCMom]

Original 530 price in the USA: $40 + $8 shipping = $48

540 price in the USA: $50 + $3.39 shipping = $53.39

 

11.2% price increase.

 

Thank you, Lloyd.

[MrsGouletPens]

The increase in price is almost entirely to allow for a retailer profit margin to grow the brand and raise its profile as I understand it. This is an outstanding pen for $50, and I have gladly bought one.

 

Aside from the known improvements (which is more than just ink capacity - and if you couldn't this information via search, I'm sorry, you weren't looking very hard) one of the biggest, most direct reasons given for the price hike is a new distribution structure that will allow for more distributors. One of the things Speedy said kept the 530 so low in price was the short distribution chain. Well, it's (ostensibly) longer now.

 

Exactly. We approached TWSBI last year about carrying the 530's, but the pricing structure was not set up for a retailer. We would have had to mark it up $20 over what they were selling it for on eBay, and we just couldn't stomach doing it. The 540 pricing structure is different to allow us to finally carry them, and I think you'll see them at many other retailers too. Plus then you can combine shipping with other pens/inks/paper/etc for even more savings!