Jump to content

Overpriced


Kuscer

Recommended Posts

Have you ever seen a really nice pen and thought: ''Oh man I want that pen!'' Then you saw it was like $800 and you just couldn't afford it. There are so many overpriced pens out there and it's just not fair! Share your opinions!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 511
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Cryptos

    64

  • de_pen_dent

    48

  • mrchan

    48

  • Blade Runner

    27

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Just because you can't afford it doesn't make it overpriced. There are a lot of expensive pens out there, yes. There are some overpriced pens as well, at all price levels probably.

 

I think you're really talking about expensive pens maybe, not so much overpriced?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 Over priced and over sized pen I can name. MB 149

 

The M146 seems better. The 149 looks comical for the size/

 

And these:

 

http://www.skitzone.com/2010/top-10-most-expensive-pens-in-the-world/

 

This maybe expensive but totally worth it if I could afford it one day:

 

http://fpgeeks.com/2011/11/namiki-emperor-golden-rose-limited-edition-fountain-pen/

 

That is one hell of a nice looking pen.

#Nope

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you ever seen a really nice pen and thought: ''Oh man I want that pen!'' Then you saw it was like $800 and you just couldn't afford it. There are so many overpriced pens out there and it's just not fair! Share your opinions!

 

No..can't says I have...............................

 

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:P Just because I can't afford something doesn't seem like it's overpriced to me. a MB 149 feels overpriced to me (*ducks*), but there are certain pens where I can somewhat understand where the cost is coming from along with the 'demand' for them, especially if it's handmade or hand inspected every step of the way. Some like the more expensive Maki-e pens are done by renowned artists and done in several layers of urushi and maki-e that you're mostly paying for the artwork (Though I would expect that the nib feed would also be a stellar performer for the price they have on those).

 

Course I will probably never really understand the price of some of those pens until I can actually experience them. I wouldn't mind photographing some of those more expensive pens and just returning them after I've tried it for a week just so I can say I've tried it, and would add yet another one to my collection of pen pics. But I'm not likely to 'save up' just for one single $800+ pen just yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's just not fair

 

But it is fair. My most expensive pen is my fifty dollar TWSBI and I like it very much. That leaves a lot of pens I'd like to have but can't afford but I chose a profession where I'm comfortable but I can't be extravagant in my spending. I made choices as to what kind of work I wanted to do and how much money I would make in that line of work and I don't regret my decisions.

 

Larry

 

Looking for a black SJ Transitional Esterbrook Pen. (It's smaller than an sj)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fifty dollars for a pen!!!!! :yikes:

Yep, that's over priced to some.....eventually one gets more expensive pens.

 

You can get pens cheaper if they are used. I bought a used 'near new' with sticker still on it MB146 for €150 today in a live auction.

I strive to keep my budget for old used pens...(Vintage) at under €100 more than likely €70.

 

You can wait for sales. I got a new MB Virginia Woolf €750 pen for 450 a couple of years ago....of course I didn't buy a pen, bottle of ink or any paper for a year. :unsure:

 

I started out buying €15-20, then 20-25 and finally broke the 30 mark....from then on the sky was the limit...why I even spent €50....and once €70.

 

Do not join the Pen of the Week in the Mail Club.

Nor the Pen of the Month in the Mail Club.

 

One can get a much better used pen in the Pen of the Quarter Club.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

You can get pens cheaper if they are used. I bought a used 'near new' with sticker still on it MB146 for €150 today in a live auction.

What auction places?

 

I see the bay for old and used pens going higher than some modern pens.

#Nope

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who ever said life is fair? There are always things which most of us won`t ever be able to afford. So what, that`s life.

 

Thinking that the more expensive a pen (or anything) is, the higher the satisfaction you`ll derive from it, is a very a slippery slope on the glacier of materialism & will ultimately end in your extinction (that`s a guarantee!) ;) . I`m sure there`s huge selection of pens out there within you monetary limits which will give you enough satisfaction. And if you absolutely feel that you need to have just that 800$ pen, then I`m sure you`ll find a way to save up the bucks for it. I doubt, though, that you`d be satisfied then - another even more expensive pen will afterward loom on your horizon.

 

& to answer your question: Yes, it occasionally happens & I think `what a shame that it`s so pricey´ & then I think, well, I could buy it without robbing a bank or ruining myself (& no one would need to know about it) - it always ends with: "Yes I could, but it`s actually not worth that much money to ME"

 

(I don`t even dream about it :) )

Edited by Polanova
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's hard to say whether or not something is "overpriced", as that's a very subjective measure.

 

For me, there are some <$10 pens that are overpriced. Not because of the price tag, but because even at that price point I can find much better pens (thereby rendering the poor performers "overpriced"). On the other hand, I'll happily spend ~$150 on a pen (Pilot VP in my case) and believe I got good value for the money. Personally, I haven't felt the desire to spend >$200 for a pen. Mainly this stems from my current feeling that I'll derive greater pleasure out of two or three less expensive pens in varying styles (I'm currently in a phase where I want to experience many different styles as I am still searching for the characteristics that would make up my "perfect pen"). However, if I were to come across a pen that for me was perfect in every way, it's hard to say what I'd be willing to spend.

 

I should also note that I do believe that some pen brands have a status symbol surrounding them, which does indeed drive the price up higher than a similar performing pen from another manufacturer. That's neither good nor bad, but something to consider.

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers ~ Voltaire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:P If it's ever over "my" price, I probably wouldn't feel comfortable using it on a regular basis anyways.

 

A lot of people I know locally think a Pilot Metropolitan is overprice, like why the hell would anyone spend more than $2 for a pen.

Edited by KBeezie
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have seen some that are and some that aren't over $800. I almost bought a MB 149 90th in June, but just couldn't get over how overpriced it was for what it was. If that pen was anywhere south of even $700 new I would have bought it without a second thought simply because the nib was so amazing, but as it was I couldn't. After having owned a Nakaya and knowing that my Dorsal Fin took six months of working by hand versus injection molding and machine polishing for the 149, the value just isn't there anymore. I wish I was around to buy one five years ago when prices were more reasonable.

 

Unfortunately I also feel the same way about Pelikans and even Aurora at their prices versus the labor that goes into them. I'll probably buy all of them eventually, simply because they are all still amazing pens that are worth owning. I'love just feel a bit cheated by the price.

Edited by alarickc

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/Runnin_Ute/fpn_1424623518__super_pinks-bottle%20resized_zps9ihtoixe.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Price is what the market will bear AKA it's only worth what someone will pay. If I make a pen and value my time, the materials, my artistry and my expertise at $5000, I can do that. If no one buys at that price I have choices: lower the price, stop making that type of pen or make them for my own pleasure. If the pen sells at $5000 I'll keep charging that. How is that "unfair?"

 

What you really mean, IMO, is that you can't afford X pen and don't think the manufacturer should be permitted to charge more than you can afford.

 

A fair is a place they give ribbons to pigs.

Life's too short to use crappy pens.  -carlos.q

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Price is what the market will bear AKA it's only worth what someone will pay. If I make a pen and value my time, the materials, my artistry and my expertise at $5000, I can do that. If no one buys at that price I have choices: lower the price, stop making that type of pen or make them for my own pleasure. If the pen sells at $5000 I'll keep charging that. How is that "unfair?"

 

What you really mean, IMO, is that you can't afford X pen and don't think the manufacturer should be permitted to charge more than you can afford.

 

A fair is a place they give ribbons to pigs.

 

Kind of like what's going on here. http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plymouth-luxury-pen-maker-Queen-goes/story-22909298-detail/story.html

 

(Course I never heard of them before now).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's my home. I lived there for over 30 years and never had an inkling that Conway operated out of the city. http://www.dharmawheel.net/images/smilies/shrug.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh well, when browsing CFP I saw the Omas LE Vintage Extra Lucens - lovely pen, such a beauty! Then saw the price tag - ouch! And I went on to order an even more expensive Nakaya.

 

So I'm inclined to agree: yes, there are pens that are overpriced.

Greetings,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Price is what the market will bear AKA it's only worth what someone will pay. If I make a pen and value my time, the materials, my artistry and my expertise at $5000, I can do that. If no one buys at that price I have choices: lower the price, stop making that type of pen or make them for my own pleasure. If the pen sells at $5000 I'll keep charging that. How is that "unfair?"

 

What you really mean, IMO, is that you can't afford X pen and don't think the manufacturer should be permitted to charge more than you can afford.

 

Disagree.

 

Essentially, when the retail price exceeds the cost of production by a certain factor then it is over-priced and exploitative.

 

In a comparison between (for example) a Nakaya and a MB 149, I think it is fair to say that there is a quantifiable and significant difference in the materials, workmanship and time that goes into a Nakaya. This means that the MB is overpriced for what it is: a machine produced item. That being said, MB exploit their market image in such a way that they currently - and for the foreseeable future - can inflate the price of their product knowing that people will buy for the name largely (but not wholly) irrespective of the quality.

Edited by Cryptos
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 Over priced and over sized pen I can name. MB 149

 

The M146 seems better. The 149 looks comical for the size/

 

Totally agree. I can't see any reason to own the 149 over the 146. The 146 looks far more balanced, compared to the massive 149. Unless you have massive hands, I can't see how the 149 would be comfortable.

 

I was watching an FPGeeks video today, of some Carbon Fibre pen (can't remember the name), and it retailed for $1200 more than its non CF model, than was already over $700.

 

Tom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Totally agree. I can't see any reason to own the 149 over the 146. The 146 looks far more balanced, compared to the massive 149. Unless you have massive hands, I can't see how the 149 would be comfortable.

 

I was watching an FPGeeks video today, of some Carbon Fibre pen (can't remember the name), and it retailed for $1200 more than its non CF model, than was already over $700.

 

Tom.

 

You must mean the Monegrappe Miya? Yeah, I was almost sold on getting that (I'm curious about Italian pens), but when the price came up near the end of the vid... yeah, I pretty much dropped my jaw on the floor :))

 

Anyway, about overpriced pens: this topic really is a hot one, huh? It's always a balance of cost of production, marketing, wanting to make a tidy profit, and how consumers perceive the worth of these things. It's overpriced if you can't afford it or if you don't want to shell out X amount for a particular item; it's reasonably priced if it's within your budget or, more importantly, how much you think it should cost, and meets your own personal standards, irrespective of how others might perceive the product.

"The price of an object should not only be what you had to pay for it, but also what you've had to sacrifice in order to obtain it." - <i>The Wisdom of The Internet</i><p class='bbc_center'><center><img src="http://i59.tinypic.com/jr4g43.jpg"/></center>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

See that's where I think these discussions falter.

 

All other things being equal, if two companies produce a similar product (cost, time, skills) and one marks-up by 700% (MB, I'm looking at you) and the other marks-up by 200% then I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume that the more expensive version is not only overpriced but probably crassly exploitative.

 

EDIT: I mean yes, a company will sell at a price point that the market will bear, but that has nothing to do with the product value and everything to do with perception.

 

I'm reminded of something I saw in the mall today. A salad bar selling a full bowl of salad for $10, but a half bowl of salad was $7.50.

 

Barnum had it right.

Edited by Cryptos
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...