# What were your SALES for 2005 ?



## PenWorks (Dec 21, 2005)

We did a poll last year like this. I think it is a good way to judge our market and if we are making any headway. So tally up your sales in the next week and report in here.

Wishing you the best of Pen Sales for 2006 !


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## ashaw (Dec 21, 2005)

Because of other issue did not push my pen sales this year.  Hope next year will be better. Last year did over $5,000.00.


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## Old Griz (Dec 21, 2005)

Have had a real good year... if this coming weekend at the market goes like the others, I will definately do over $5K


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## Ron Mc (Dec 21, 2005)

I guess you can't vote if you look at the stats?[8)]


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## jckossoy (Dec 21, 2005)

Didn't get a chance to make that many pens this year.  The kids I taught have made more than me[].  Hopefully, I'll get more time this winter.

Kol Tov,


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## pete00 (Dec 21, 2005)

Hmm i couldn't vote either,
Just started $100.00 to date with 10 days to go. 
That means ill give away another 10 pens....The ad said "make $$$ turning"" all im doing is "spending $$$ turning" perfect !! [][]


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## woodpens (Dec 21, 2005)

We sold $4300 so far this month. That brings our total to a little over $33k for the year. This includes my pens as well as those made by pen artists in the Pen Gallery. We don't sell in shows, so virtually all were website sales. The past three years were about the same. Our growth slowed after the World Trade Center attack, but I feel like things are starting to recover now.


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## PenWorks (Dec 23, 2005)

I guess I will have to revise next years poll to over 30K or 40K , way to go Jim []


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## PenWorks (Dec 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Ron Mc_
> <br />I guess you can't vote if you look at the stats?[8)]



That's what you get for cheating Ron [] 
You can't look at the answers then vote [)]
This is different than school, you could ussually fool the teacher, but you can't cheat the computer. []


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## woodwish (Dec 24, 2005)

In pens I was way under a $1000, just don't sell many and really don't try to.  I give away most of the ones I make.  I never have managed to find a market for pens but I have been very successful with a variety of kaleidoscopes.  I have a real passion for making them and enjoy every one.  I think each one is magical and each is totally unique.  I think that same passion I have for making them carries over to selling them.  As many other things I make to sell I still bet 90% or more comes from my k'scopes.  Amazingly I also sold a lot of bottle stoppers this year but most turners say they can't give them away. []


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## Termite1964 (Dec 26, 2005)

I sold about $7,000.00 worth of pens this year.  I sold most through word of mouth.  I only did 5 shows for a total of $1,750.00.


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## Glenn McCullough (Dec 28, 2005)

I delivered a 65 pen order for $2600.00 that was just raised to 70 for next year. I did 2 shows for $1200.00 in just pens, bottle stoppers were a big, big hit this year bringing in more $. The rest was about $1500.00 in custom orders.


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## roberts (Dec 28, 2005)

Hi all, 
I am lucky if I have sold more than 10 pens (full size) this year. There must be something about the shows I go to, nobody wants a pen (or pencils)unless it is less than a couple of quid ($3), they say why have a posh pen to loose when you can get 10 for a pound in your local bookstore. I have done fairly well on pen-keyrings, the kids love them and I cannot make enough, I usually sell them at Â£3.50 ($5.00).

Happy New year to you all

Bob `S` 
[] Snowy UK


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## RPM (Dec 29, 2005)

This was my first year making pens.  I approach it as a hobby and everything I have done is by word of mouth with customers now coming to me.   I met my goal of paying for my equipment and inventory with sales between $3,000-4,000.  Good luck to all in the new year!
Richard


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## Mikey (Dec 30, 2005)

There needs to be another poll option:

"those who have spent $$$$ and never made a dime"[]


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## GBusardo (Dec 30, 2005)

I am up to $130 in sales  lol   lookiing to break even in 2009! []


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## chigdon (Dec 30, 2005)

Assuming I have no last minute orders in the next 2 days the year comes to $12,736.  This is due largely to corporate orders along with the 'fallout' sales from those group sales, personal sales, and some retail.  I don't do any shows and have yet to get into corporate sales.  Hopefully I can come close to this next year.


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## AirportFF (Dec 31, 2005)

I really admire you folks that can pull in that kind of money. I only wish that I could. I might actually be able to give up my second job.

But then again, I don't do craft shows (yet) but I have a few I'll hopefully be attending this year.


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## chigdon (Dec 31, 2005)

> _Originally posted by AirportFF_
> <br />I really admire you folks that can pull in that kind of money. I only wish that I could. I might actually be able to give up my second job.
> 
> But then again, I don't do craft shows (yet) but I have a few I'll hopefully be attending this year.



There may be some way to do it that you are just not thinking of.  Any business people that you know, lawyers, realtors, salespeople, etc. are all potential clients.  And by this I don't mean one pen but multiple pens that they would use for client gifts.

For me it really is a second job.  It is a fun second job but it is a job which means I am working on it 75% of the time when I want to and 25% of the time when I don't.


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## AirportFF (Dec 31, 2005)

I agree that those are all potential clients. The issue is that I don't happen to know any of them (except my divorce lawyer) I'm in the process of setting up a website and I just did complete an order for 30 slimlines last month. So hopefully word of mouth will generate some more business.
Believe me, I'm not complaining. I've had this equipment for almost 5 years now. It's nobody's fault but my own for not making the best of it. You have no idea how happy I was to find this site. It keeps me motivated.[]


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## chigdon (Dec 31, 2005)

It keeps me motivated as well and especially keeps me humble when I see what some of the 'true artists' here are creating.  Good luck finding some contacts.


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## wthomp (Jan 5, 2006)

I did $6300 this year and had a ball! I can't wait for this year to get started. In fact I just got my supply restock today and I'm gonna get started tomorrow so I don't have to bust my hiney for Easter like I did for Christmas. Man!!! Two days in one week I never made it to bed. What a ball, huh??? Will


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## TexasJohn (Jan 5, 2006)

Geez, I think that after puting a pencil to it, I will be able to recover what I have expended on equipment (in the past 10 years)if I can make and sell pens for the next 38 years. Now let's see, I'm 74, so that would make me about l???? when I break even. Hmmmm! I can hardly wait until I start turning a profit. [][][]


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## opfoto (Jan 7, 2006)

Somewhere between the 1st 2 options. Funny how you left that one out. 

It'll be allright. Thats what my therapist said right before they had to pry the chisel from my hands!


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## Monty (Jan 18, 2006)

Sorry for the late post but I'm just now getting to total my sales for last year. Did about $3800 in pens, backscratchers, magnifying glasses etc, for the year. Most of that was from 5 shows from October through Christmas.


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## Johnathan (Feb 12, 2006)

Well, I just started at this but I hope to have a good selling year for 2006.


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