Why No Fp Show In India ? Global Views Pl.

[pankaj]

Customer base as well as use of fountain pen is considerably large in India. Demography of B&M pen shops is noticeably high, specially in big cities like Bombay, Delhi , Bangalore. India has a long tradition of ppl using fountain pens. The huge population is conducive to market demand. Still I don't think any pen show is ever organized in India. Wondering why? One reason could be it has never impressed the FP biggies : may be India market is not that significant. As an enthusiastic FP collector, prolific user and old member of this Forum, seeking global views and reactions plzzz.

Regards to all.

[soum]

Most of the Indian fountain pen market is home grown with local enterprises and brands being dominant. Very few international brands have authorised distributors and official presence in India. IMO, the constraint to pen shows in India seems to be due to this. The local enterprises are fragmented and too small individually to initiate and organise a pen show. Further, the availability of sponsors would be a problem due to the lack of big brands.

 

There are a few B2B shows for the stationery world. Bangalore has one such show slated for this September. I expect it to be dominated by ball point pens, but anyway, I'll be there and report any fountain pens that I see.

[hari317]

when we say "a pen show" what are the things that we expect? I have never been to a pen show.

[Wolverine1]

I havent lived in India for the past 21 years, so, take my impressions with a grain of salt. While Indian FPN members are really into all aspects of the fountain-pen hobby, I wonder if the general population in India is really into FPs in a big enough manner. I feel that the vast majority of people are perhaps satisfied with pens that are domestically produced, and are satisfied by small-scale local producers. For example- I grew up in Assam, and the only pens available were about made by "Doctor" and "Sulekha" brand pens manufactured in West Bengal. Even "Camlin" pens were not easily available.

This being said, things have changed in India for the better. The economy is a lot better. It is my hope that a pen show akin to the Chicago or the Washington DC or the Ohio pen show is organnized somewhere in India soon.

Edited June 25, 2013 by Wolverine1

[de_pen_dent]

Dont think there is enough demand. Just b/c people use pens doesnt mean they are "into" pens.

[pankaj]

Pen show is not necessarily confined to domestic pen products. Obviously Indian pens are not at all up to the mark (international brands.) I don't use any Indian pen.

But I think barring a negligible few, almost all use international brands like Sheaffer, Waterman, Parker, Montblanc. Statistically, India is the third largest market next to USA and Germany, for Montblanc pens ( FP + BP ). Pen Show can be a distant thought for all the international brands and dealers, and should include all : FP BP RP Inks.

 

Of course, except for USA, I think no other country can assure the desired volume or scale of sale in a pen show. The first few rounds may end up below cost and be simply promotion rounds. Just my stray thought.

[soum]

... Obviously Indian pens are not at all up to the mark (international brands.)...

 

IMO, not quite correct to generalise that way as a blanket statement. The "mark" that you judge a product by isn't necessarily set by international brands. That mark is the result of the utility derived out of a product when used appropriately, versus the price that you've paid. Put differently, it's the cost-benefit ratio. The benefits in this case would be a sum of tangible and intangible benefits and would differ among customers. That's why there are a range of products in the market.

[georges zaslavsky]

First there are also spanish and german pen shows which are smaller than the american penshows but they mainly regroup some very reknown european fountain pen sellers and restorers. In a pen show, you rarely see big brands because they never sell their pens but are only here to promote them. So who says penshows say luxury places and not shanty towns and this can't happen in countries where poverty is high.

[de_pen_dent]

So who says penshows say luxury places and not shanty towns and this can't happen in countries where poverty is high.

 

Hmm... the last time I drove from Bombay airport to my hotel, I saw a Porsche dealer, a Bentley dealer, a Rolls Royce dealer, 2 BMW showrooms, an Audi showroom. I didnt see a Merc showroom but I know there is one in the neighborhood, and I know Jag and Range Rover also sell here. And due to import rules, these are prices that are 2.5 times what you'd pay for these cars in the States.

 

So the "shantytowns", as you so charmingly describe them, do well for themselves.

 

A small percentage of rich people in 1 billion is still a very high number. So your stereotype-driven answer is off the mark, in my opinion.

 

I'll go back to my earlier point - users != afficionados. I have a couple of fairly expensive watches - that doesnt mean I'll be attending a watch show. In fact, I'd say the relative ubiquity of fountain pens is probably a reason why there probably isnt going to be a pen show. Here, FPs are utility tools and not really exciting/unique enough for people to want to go to a show.

Edited June 26, 2013 by de_pen_dent

[MC_in_Houston]

This is a profit making business opportunity going unfilled.

[pankaj]

 

IMO, not quite correct to generalise that way as a blanket statement. The "mark" that you judge a product by isn't necessarily set by international brands. That mark is the result of the utility derived out of a product when used appropriately, versus the price that you've paid. Put differently, it's the cost-benefit ratio. The benefits in this case would be a sum of tangible and intangible benefits and would differ among customers. That's why there are a range of products in the market.

Sorry, I'm not derogatory. I am equally appreciative, like you, of the home products. But what I am trying to emphasize is the comparative standard. Cost benefit is a different paradigm.

 

I am afraid the original topic has gone detour. I certainly appreciate Indian pens, though myself don't use, and they are possibly good pens in their own right, value for money. But all said and done, we all have come to learn so much about these pens here only cuz of HARI. Great appreciation for his prolific research and extremely beautiful pen portfolio photoshoots. Otherwise, the products are not widely available nor seen in too many hands.

 

Anyway, Parker low end pens are manufactured in India ( Noida near Delhi ). Visconti, Sailor, have huge presence. MB is cliche, at least 50 odd exclusive boutiques are there in big cities taken together. They all can get together and organize a show. And Indian stalwarts like Ratnamson can have a grand stand too, who stops.

 

I am optimistic.

[mohan]

Makoba stationaries of Chennai have conducted Pen show last year. Major companies like Montblanc and Sailor had thier presence. Sorry I could not attend it.

[Ron Z]

In the US pens shows started as collectors gathering together to swap pens/parts and to sell pens that they didn't want to keep to other collectors. It's morphed into the more commercial version of today over the last 20-30 years. The shows themselves are owned and organized and run by private individuals. No corporations are involved in the operation, though they may be sponsors providing some cash to the show. The majority of the vendors are private individuals who sell pens as a sideline or a second source of retirement income, not manufacturers. Few manufacturers show up at pen shows, DC and LA being the exceptions. That's not to say that none show up, just that the number who go to the smaller shows VS the number of manufacturers is relatively small.

 

That means that if there are going to be pen shows in India, they need to be home grown. With few exceptions most vendors will not travel to a foreign show. Too expensive for the return. Because of border and customs restrictions it's tough to get US vendors to travel to Canada where most can drive, let alone flying to another continent.

[watch_art]

Kenro has been to the Arkansas show once for sure, maybe twice. I'm not sure.

 

But for pen shows in India - START ONE! Do you know how awesome that would be!? YOU could start the very first Indian Pen Show!

Put it up in lights, bill boards, radio ads, newspapers, the tv news.

 

Do it! And ask questions - I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from people here on FPN. Contact as many local pen makers as you can and ask them to get a table at the show - they can make money at it! Charge a fee to get in - but make it very affordable - you don't want to kill foot traffic. Here it's $5 a day, some places are more, but that's going to be different depending on where the show is. Get in touch with the distributors - they may get a table to advertise their products.

 

This could be so awesome!

[pankaj]

Thank you all. Many thanks Ron for putting it so lucidly. Its crystal clear. Thanks watch_ art for giving insight. You know what ? The FP ppl are really crazy ppl. They love pens so much that out of passion, they sometimes fancy wild thoughts. I was just hallucinating ! Trust me, I don't drug. .Warm regards.

[soum]

...

But for pen shows in India - START ONE! Do you know how awesome that would be!? YOU could start the very first Indian Pen Show!

...

 

Ever since Pankaj started this thread, I've had that thought a few times. It might just be a fantastic start to something. I'm going to definitely give this more thought soon. Not sure how much I'd accomplish and how soon. But I'll definitely work at it. Thanks, watch_art, and of course, Pankaj for starting this thread.

[watch_art]

As long as you break even, after renting a space in a hotel, after food, after advertising, after coffee (lots of coffee!) (or tea), after... whatever expenses you have, then you will have done brilliantly. And if people walk out of there with pens in their hands (bought of course) and smiles on their faces, then you've WON. Do it do it do it!

[hari317]

There are regular stationery and watch fairs that are held in Mumbai.

 

http://www.indobase.com/events/details/iisof.php

 

The stationery fair is where the indian stationery industry players(which includes writing instrument manufacturers and distributors who represent foreign brands) get together to showcase and interact. the last day is open to the public. I have attended a couple of these fairs and they are quite informative. But these seem to be very different from the pen shows as heard and read about on FPN.

Edited June 30, 2013 by hari317

[Ecriveur]

Maybe fountain pens just aren't that popular in India, the same way that cricket just isn't that popular in the United States, in other words, it's just random variation in preference. Another possibility is that Indian fountain pen hobbyists like to travel to Europe and the US, and attend fountain pen shows in those places so there is less demand for fountain pen shows in India. Another possibility is that the fountain pen world is already dominated by a few companies, nearly all of them either European, American or Japanese, that aren't that interested in sponsoring fountain pen shows in India.

[watch_art]

Another possibility is that the fountain pen world is already dominated by a few companies, nearly all of them either European, American or Japanese, that aren't that interested in sponsoring fountain pen shows in India.

 

The companies don't pay for the shows though. The people who pay for the shows are the guys and gals who buy table space for the duration of the show. $100 a day, $200 a weekend, whatever. So if you have 50 vendors renting tables at $150 for the whole weekend, which I think is cheaper than what anybody charges, that's $7500.

 

All the foot traffic that comes in the door. $5 a head at 350 people let's say, would be $1750. If you get a larger show, with a couple thousand people showing up over the weekend, (LA?/DC?) then at $5 a head that would be $10,000. Of course I have no idea how many people who up at those shows - I'm just throwing out numbers.

 

I think some of the shows charge $10 or 15 to get in the door. I think Dallas was $20 for the weekend. Can't remember. But still, they pay for themselves. You don't need a pen company to pay for or sponsor the show.

 

Even at the Arkansas show this year, we came out on top.

After advertising, food, renting the room to hold the show in, and whatever other expenses we had (I have no idea what all went into it) we had money left over. The show should pay for itself.