# What were your GROSS SALES for 2011



## Chasper (Dec 31, 2011)

This is an annual poll that has been taken in 6 of the last 7 years.  You can see the results of previous polls here http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=72818


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## tt1106 (Dec 31, 2011)

40 dollars.
I did a pen for my Boss' Secretary to give to him.    I netted 10.


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## wiset1 (Dec 31, 2011)

I guess I probably should sell some of these pens, but I seem to give them away for charity/auctions and to some of the Marines that work with us.  The others sit in a box in my closet...I guess I should do something with them.


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## Chasper (Jan 1, 2012)

Don't just post what your sales were (or were not), for your vote to count you need to check one of the choices.


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## Ruby pen turning (Jan 1, 2012)

wiset1 said:


> I guess I probably should sell some of these pens, but I seem to give them away for charity/auctions and to some of the Marines that work with us.  The others sit in a box in my closet...I guess I should do something with them.


Well yah you need to sell some. Giving them to charity is the best thing to do. I am sure the charities can get some good bucks for your pen creations. The rest of them you need to sell so you can get more $ to buy more kits,wood, and best of all more or better tools.


I wish I kept better track or track at all of m expenses. I know we did very good this year at shows and ETSY. Helped pay bills and some left over for a new band saw and  to restock on wood and kits. Now I can start the cycle all over again.


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## BSea (Jan 1, 2012)

This was my 1st year turning pens.  I sold just about $500 worth.  But most of that was in the last 2 months.  I know Christmas had something to do with that, but it's a start.  I know this will probably never be more than a hobby for me because I hate the "production mode" style of making pens.  I've been know to take 3 weeks to complete a pen.  I've re-finished a pen multiple times till I get the finish where I want it.  So I never expect to make a living doing this.  I'd just like to come closer to breaking even.


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## paintspill (Jan 1, 2012)

i think i would like to talk to the 2 that made $100,000 +


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## alphageek (Jan 1, 2012)

paintspill said:
			
		

> i think i would like to talk to the 2 that made $100,000 +



Just remember that is GROSS ... With that kind of sales comes lots of costs too...  Travel, booth fees, etc.  I believe that both of those people are active forum members.


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## drgoretex (Jan 1, 2012)

Heh...the tax man LOVES this thread...

Ken


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## Displaced Canadian (Jan 1, 2012)

My wife tells me that I could make actual profit if I quit giving pens away. I sell through someone else and they make money, me not so much. It helps him out and I'm happy. I only sell about 40 a year. My pens are getting better and the price per pen has gone up. Hats off to the big sellers. Not something I would want to do. I would love to watch you work one of those shows, couldn't help you. My people skills are more, " Do you want it or not? No? Then get out of the way. Who's next?" I hear that doesn't work for sales.


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## Andrew_K99 (Jan 1, 2012)

At first I was like wholly #%=€{¥ how could you sell $100,000 + worth of pens but breaking the number down results in fewer pens then I thought.

$100,000 is equal to:
200 pens at $500.
400 pens at $250.
500 pens at $200.
1000 pens at $100.

Now that's a lot of pens but doesn't seem so far fetched as I first thought it was.  Congratulations to those that turn a profit turning pens.

AK


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## Chasper (Jan 1, 2012)

Hello, this is a poll.  We need some readers to start clicking on some choices.  This is a continuation of a poll that has been going on for seven years, it provides some valuable data regarding trends, but it doesn't work unless we get some response.

You don't have to have sold anything, there is place for "no sales."  Keep in mind that the poll asks for "gross sales" not profit.  The poll has asked for gross sales every year in the past.   We need 200-300 respondants to get valid data, that hasn't been a problem in previous years.

This poll is anonymous, no one will know who responded and how how, not me, not anyone.


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## Atherton Pens (Jan 1, 2012)

Just bumping the thread....
about 125 votes out of 11,000 members....?


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## Woodlvr (Jan 3, 2012)

I made around $500 by word of mouth. I am hoping to move up this year if I can get some medical issues under control, if not I will probably be selling all of my stuff to find a hobby that I can do with as few as limitations as possible. Good luck to all of my friends on here that sell their wares may you get the highest possible profit to keep you afloat and continuing to make pens. Good Luck in the this New Year.

P.S. I would like to find a business plan to help me achieve casual to energetic level without killing myself.


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## Chasper (Jan 14, 2012)

This poll has about two weeks yet before it closes and it could use another 100 or so respondants to improve the statistical validity.  I'm interested in responses from anyone, not just those who attend shows and consider their pen sales a business.  More responses makes for better data.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Jan 14, 2012)

I posted my gross sales way back at the beginning, but it is surprising with todays economy to see that we've doubled the members who sold over $100,000.00 this year.. I'll bet that if we had asked the 6 that most of their sales would have been at higher end Art shows and highly juried Art and Craft shows. This will be my last year on the circuit and I'm cutting back to less than 50% of my shows, it's just time for me to head in a different direction but it's been one hell of a ride.


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## wood-of-1kind (Jan 14, 2012)

This is a good yearly poll and I voted as many others. However, I do question the validity of the data. There may be some casual voters that may "hit" a number and vote just for the heck of it without reflecting reality. Good to know that we are striving towards a response rate of 300 just to truly make it a 'random' poll. The 300 represents a good 'sample' size. JMO.


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## Linarestribe (Jan 14, 2012)

Are these in just pen sales or does this include the guys selling stuff to pen makers?  

I want to meet the 50,000 and up guys and pay for an apprenticeship. I want to take this seriously. 

Jorge


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## 76winger (Jan 14, 2012)

I'm glad this got bumped today. It's first time I've seen it, since I don't get on every day, 

I've obviously missed it in the recent treads area of the home page, where I usually read and reply to most postings I see passing through. I probably miss a lot, but would miss more if only watched certain forums of interest and ignored others. 

Although I still view this as a hobby, I find myself in the middle of the casual sales class from this poll, which is about what I expected. 

Now if only the expenses of adding tooling and growing inventory didn't throw me back in the negative by a couple of $k I'd be excited. But still, the inventory is $ in the bank, so I'm still happy with last year and look forward to doing better this year!


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## Smitty37 (Jan 14, 2012)

*Both*



Linarestribe said:


> Are these in just pen sales or does this include the guys selling stuff to pen makers?
> 
> I want to meet the 50,000 and up guys and pay for an apprenticeship. I want to take this seriously.
> 
> Jorge


 I assume it includes the some who do both...I probably has $1000 in pens and somewhat more than that in other things that I sell to other penmakers.


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## Chasper (Jan 30, 2012)

This poll closes today (Monday Jan 30) at 8:36 pm.  It is your last chance to vote and another 100 or voters would be good for the statistical reliability of the results.

Thanks for participating.


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## weasel1219 (Feb 1, 2012)

About 1200, during a 6 month period.


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## wood-of-1kind (Feb 2, 2012)

Gerry, thank you again for doing this poll. It would be interesting to see a "comparison" of numbers over the last five(5) polls, just to see the where the numbers are trending towards. Good to see that more members can actually make a sustainable income from pen making.


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## Andrew_K99 (Feb 2, 2012)

The amazing thing is how much this adds up to.

If you take the mean value for the poll (IE $0-$1000 = $500) and multilple it by the number of votes the total sales of 191 members is *$3,874,000*!!!  This excludes the 22 people that voted that they don't sell.

AK


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## Chasper (Feb 2, 2012)

There are some summary stats at the original post for the 2010 poll here http://www.penturners.org/forum/f17/what-were-your-gross-sales-2010-a-72818/ and there is a quick analysis after the 2010 poll here http://www.penturners.org/forum/f22/glory-days-75378/ You will find links to the earlier polls at the 2010 poll link and above.  
I will do some analysis when I get an opportunity.  Meanwhile, please feel free to dig through the data and post any observations you have.  I'm a long time user of this type of trend information, but I have no legitimate claim to expertiese in analysis.  There must be someone out there who could do a better job in the analysis.


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## JohnGreco (Feb 2, 2012)

I think one of the coolest things about this (aside from some of the totals a few of you posted!) is that there was only a 3 vote difference from 2010 to 2011.

My wife does a LOT of statistical analysis for her work, and some of it has rubbed off on me. One thing I've learned is that 2 points don't make a trend- is there a poll from 2009 by chance?


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## Chasper (Feb 2, 2012)

JohnGreco said:


> I think one of the coolest things about this (aside from some of the totals a few of you posted!) is that there was only a 3 vote difference from 2010 to 2011.
> 
> My wife does a LOT of statistical analysis for her work, and some of it has rubbed off on me. One thing I've learned is that 2 points don't make a trend- is there a poll from 2009 by chance?



NO, there was not a poll in 2009.  The previous pollster discontinued the polls after 2008 and it was well into 2009 before I noticed.  The best I could do was to revive the poll in 2010.  

I agree that no two points make a trend.  Also when a data group seemingly increases greatly in significance because of an increase of 3-4 occurances, there almost certaintly aren't enough respondants to make the data valid.


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## Smitty37 (Feb 2, 2012)

*Meaningful*

One number that is probably meaningful, although I think possibly a little skewed is that 80 plus percent of responders are not big sellers.  I have the opinion that the number of members in those catigories (more hobby than business) is very likely even higher than 80% because I'd almost bet that you got a bigger representation of those who sell $100000 and up than you got for the membership as a whole.  My guess would be that you got 20%/25% or more of the top sellers responding against about 2% of the general membership.


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