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GonzoTGreat
756
Dec 29, 2014
This might be a silly question, but ...
Is there any chance there might be a drop of these pens with a "per pen" price at $10/each?
In the most recent drop, there was a nice expansion of the styles and colors which included silver and tiger white (thanks for offering that, btw). There are are even more colors and styles available from Pilot, including purple, etc. Does Massdrop work with Pilot/Pilot-USA to negotiate what's available (and at what prices) for each order?
I would be very interested in participating in a drop (at some point) for Metropolitans at $10/each and with even more color/style options. As it is, I can get them for about $15/ea (all colors, styles and nib-sizes available in USA) and with super-quick shipping. For me it doesn't make sense to buy two for $24 ($12/ea) with "I'll get them eventually" shipping, but for an average cost of $10/pen, it probably does - even as a 3-pack.
This is a hugely popular item for those frequenting the "writing" section. At what commitment level would $30/3-pens be possible? 100? 300? More?
[Edited for clarity, typos, etc.]
JonasHeineman
5987
Dec 30, 2014
GonzoTGreat@Hey @GonzoTGreat -- That's not a silly question at all.
We often have flexibility in how bundles are structured, and I can look into the possibility of better pricing for a bigger bundle and/or higher drop point.
However, this has been a popular configuration and I think we're talking more like thousands and not hundreds of units ordered in a single drop in order to negotiate a deal like that.
Thanks, I will keep your suggestion in mind as Requests for a new drop are collecting.
GonzoTGreat
756
Dec 31, 2014
JonasHeineman@JonasHeineman , Thanks for the quick response.
For me, my daily "workhorse" pens include a Safari, multiple refilled Varsities and a couple Metropolitans. The overall value of the Metropolitan is pretty awesome: very smooth nib, durable pen, converter included. $15/ea is the approx. usual online retail price. Depending on from whom, shipping may or may not be an issue. If someone doesn't mind the possible snags, re: shipping, etc. when participating in the Massdrop sales, then $12/ea w/free shipping in CONUS is a great deal. You put up a deal at $10/ea (ave) in even more color/nib choices (I know the nibs are only fine and medium), then I would seriously consider picking up a bunch. $10/ea is a magic number for me. I would imagine for others as well.
A thousand units you say? Well, I can't imagine what kind of reshipment nightmare that would be, but the demand might just be there. Isn't this one of the ideas behind The Great Massdrop Experiment? Maybe it could be set up with 4+ price-points? If it doesn't get enough commitments, then no harm, no foul and those who pulled the trigger still get the usual Massdrop discount, right?
Anyway, thanks again for the response and for keeping this idea in mind. I'll keep checking. If it happens to show up and I happen to have a bundle of cash sitting around, then ... ;-)
Cheers.
Elliott
225
Jan 3, 2015
GonzoTGreatFrankly, it blows my mind that @GonzoTGreat does not have all ze upvotes. I've not only learned a lot from your comments re:pens, but you've also made some fantastic challenges to Massdrop that benefit not only us customers but, if such a drop became possible, Massdrop themselves by tapping into an avid but niche market. Thank you for your contributions here!
GonzoTGreat
756
Jan 6, 2015
ElliottThank you @Elliott for your very kind words. Now watch my head blow up a like a balloon and pop! ;-)
As a user of these pens, if I can answer a question comprehesively, I hope to help folks understand more of the ins and outs. I'm working on being more succinct while covering the important stuff.
My challenges to Massdrop are (almostly) entirely self-serving: I just want cheaper pens and figure if they go down to $12/pen, what's another 2 bucks if they can get many more to jump on board? And everyone wins ... except for the kid that wanted it yesterday and paid full price, anyway.
Oh, and I'm huge fan of transparency.
Again, thanks for the kind words. Now, I need clean up the mess my exploded head made ... oh my. ;-)
Cheers.