Goldspot at the Philadelphia Pen Show

We're getting packed up and ready to make the trip down to the Philadelphia Pen Show at the Downtown Sheraton and wanted to give everyone a head's up on what to expect when you get down there.

First of all, weather is supposed to get a little unkind tomorrow, so be careful if you're making the drive. Secondly, we'll be setting up shop to get going when the show kicks off at 10am on Saturday morning. There should be plenty of signage in the lobby of the Sheraton to point  the way up the escalators to the ballroom that the show is being held.

To whet your appetite a little bit, here is a preview of the items we will have on hand to sell during the weekend:

The featured pen this year will be the Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age Collection. The lava of Mt. Etna is now available with stainless marine steel trim. We will also have the bronze age versions of the Homo Sapiens on sale as well. My Pen System personalization is free on any Visconti pen purchase.

We will have the very last of our TWSBI Diamond 540 clear pens (in broad point) and the ROC100 pens, which are still available in all point sizes. We will also have all color bands of the innovative TWSBI ink well on hand.

Although we don't have all the colors of the Noodler's flex nib pens, we do have a good amount of inventory that we will bring of the standard nib creeper and the Ahab pens.

We have the very last of the Pelikan m205 Blue Transparent fountain pens, which will be available at the show in extra-fine, fine, medium, broad and italic nib sizes.

Last year, many folks enjoyed the items we brought from the island of the misfit pens and we're doing the same this weekend as well. We will have nearly new pens that have engraving snafus and other slight cosmetic defects for a great value buy.

Of course, what would be the pen without the ink and paper. We will have most (if not all) the colors of the Pilot Iroshizuku ink, Pelikan Edelstein and J. Herbin. We will have Rhodia webbies and some staplebound notepads available as well.

Promotions - this weekend, you'll be able to take advantage of great Pen Show sale opportunities, along with the special promos you've come to know and love on our website. For example, orders over $35 will get a free Parker Leather Pen Case, while supplies last. Anything that we normally offer on the website, but we don't have in-person, you can buy with free shipping if your order is given at the show. Any orders we take for items not at the show will be entered and fulfilled on Monday when we get back.

For those of you that can't make it, we're sorry we missed you this time around! We'll take plenty of pictures of the crowd, the vendors and the PENS!

Poll : Are Paper Catalogs Preferred Over Shopping Online?

] I recently took a poll over at Fountain Pen Network, which is probably the most active discussion board about fountain pens there is, about the validity of paper catalogs versus shopping online when it comes to buying a new pen. The result was a small, but effective sampling with comments that I found to be very thought provoking and back up the evidence shown in the results.

 

The question I posed :

As an internet savvy person who loves to slow down the pace of life by writing with a good fountain pen, I often find myself living in a juxtaposition. I work for a company that sells writing instruments online, which is a communications platform build out of 1's and 0's, not paper and ink. The proliferation of the internet threatens the validity of the products we sell.

As an internet marketer and a fountain pen enthusiast, I find myself asking whether a paper catalog's validity is sliding due to the rapid rise of user feedback and reviews that can be found on nearly every item on the internet. I know there are a lot of folks out there that can appreciate turning the computer off and sitting down to enjoy page-flipping a real book in front of them. But is that where you really make your decision when it comes to shopping for a new pen? Or do you merely get the idea of what you would want to buy from a physical catalog, and THEN research it on the internet for reviews?

 Of course, to some degree, I am preaching to the choir. I have to know, asking an online community of pen lovers, that I was going to get an internet-friendly response. However, given that we are a pen store that exists in the same online ether, I have to take the results with a grain of salt.

My impressions from the results and comments:

• We already get a lot of catalogs and other unsolicited marketing material in the mail.
• Yet they are more pleasant to browse and absorb than the overwhelming internet.
• However, when it comes to the final purchase, no one buys directly from a paper catalog.

Psychologically, I believe it comes down to getting a second opinion. When we know that we can research the company, the product and the service online and get other opinions before we pull the trigger, we believe that the best decision will be made, given the circumstances. I totally agree. The internet has given us the ability to prevent a lot of bad decisions. When we chalk things up to experience, we can let others know of our criticisms and inform future generations of shoppers before they make the same mistake. But how do we make a print catalog, which is a great format to relax, curl up with, bring to the john and doggy-ear, as informative as digging through the 'Net?

Anyone? Bueller?

New Pen Buying Guide

With our Pen Trunk Show weekend coming up next week (Oct 9th & 10th), we thought it would be helpful for those attending to get a few pointers from the experts when it comes to buying a new pen. Even the connoisseurs might pick up a tip or two when coming in to search for the perfect pen.

We here at Goldspot like for our customers to have the most knowledge up front so they can make an informed decision when it comes to investing in a new writing instrument. I couldn't tell you how many times I've made runs into the stock room to take a specific measurement for a client who wanted to know if the pen would be a good fit for their hand. So, with the selection of writing instruments that we will bring to the show, you can touch, feel and scribble with a number of pens that may be a great fit for you or a loved one.

Here are a few things you should take into consideration when shopping for a new pen:

• Style - First and foremost, your eyes will experience a pen far before your hand will. If the aesthetic attraction is not there, then most likely, you'll never feel the urge to pursue it any further. If you like the overall shape and model of the pen, but the color doesn't sit well with you, most likely, we'll have that same pen in multiple colors. Ask us if it does come in any other finishes.
• Pen Type - Ballpoint, Rollerball and Fountain Pen are your typical three choices. Of course, there are mechanical pencils, multi-pens and other variations, but the chief question to ask yourself is, "what am I using this pen for?" If you're out on a job site all-day or going door-to-door with a clipboard, you would want to consider the convenience of not having a cap. If you prefer a more fluid line or a more traditional pen to address invitations, journal or write the great American novel, you can easily consider a rollerball or fountain pen.
• Weight & Size - Putting the pen in your hand, you need to imagine the scenario that you have a blue exam book in front of you and two hours to complete the Final Essay question. How is your hand going to feel lugging around a heavy metal pen as opposed to a lightweight resin? Increased weight and size are also indications of a more luxurious feel, which may benefit you more if you are giving it to someone whom you want to impress with your gift.
• Writing Quality - Do you have to press hard to write with the tip? Does the ink flow nicely without skipping or smearing? Do you grip the pen uncomfortably, or feel that your grip is sliding as you write? Writing quality is a big make-or-break and don't be surprised if some less expensive pens write better than their luxury counterparts. By writing about a paragraph's worth of words, you can quickly get a feel for the tip or nib.
• Refills - Are the refills for this pen going to be easy to get? Well, if you would like to get them through Goldspot they would be. But if you have a Staples close by, you would want to know what you can find easily there. Cross, Parker and Waterman are commonly found there, but their selection is shrinking and they don't tend to carry all the colors. For a fountain pen, you would want to consider your preference in filling system. Do you prefer disposable ink cartridges or would like filling your pen from a bottle?
• Price - OF COURSE! How could I not mention this earlier. Searching for a new $20 pen offers a much different selection than if you have a $200 budget.  We'll have a large cross-section of pens on display that give you options at nearly every price point (even in the $1,000's!).  We want to make sure you'll get the most "bang for your buck," which is why we sent our invites to the show with a special coupon that you can use on your purchase.

The above guide should give you a good starting point to do your research and come ready to try out a few pens to make your decision. If there are any other pointers that I may have forgotten to mention which may be helpful for shoppers, please feel free to comment!

5 Reasons to Visit our Pen Show

First of all, I will apologize to our readers who will not be in the area the weekend of the pen show. We will have something special going on that weekend on the website so that you won't feel left out. For everyone that is within driving distance of the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, New Jersey, we would like to encourage you to make the trip and visit us at the Pen Trunk Show. When : Saturday & Sunday October 9th - 10th, 11am - 5pm Where : Wolf Fine Jewelers at the Monmouth Mall, Eatontown NJ --Directions-- To further entice you to bring the family & friends, we would like to offer the following reasons why you NEED to be at this show:

• Browse the latest and greatest pens in person! With more brick-and-mortar pen retailers closing their doors, this is a rare opportunity to view an expansive collection of fine pens "in the flesh." We will allow you to dip test fountain pens to find the nib size that fits your style of writing.
• Find amazing deals and great gifts for the holidays. Ever visit the clearance section of our website? We have a ton of special closeout items that are up to 60% off retail price. Literally, it would probably be a ton if we brought it all. If we don't have what you're looking for at the show, we will ship it to you for no charge shipping & handling.
• Expert, knowledgeable advice from professional pen people. In addition to our Goldspot staff, we will have a few of the nicest brand representatives on hand to help with any question you may have about a Lamy, Aurora, Montegrappa, Monteverde, Delta or Conklin pen.
• Door prizes and contributions to Susan G Komen for the Cure. We will have pen-related door prizes and giveaways for those who stop by the show. Also, in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month every sale at the show will contributed toward a donation to the Susan G Komen for the Cure foundation.
• You get to meet us! Being an online retailer, we seldom get to see our loyal clients face-to-face. Many of you are on a first name basis with our employees and can rely on calling up and getting a helpful, familiar voice on the other end. We're as excited to meet you, so come on down!

The event is being co-hosted by Wolf Fine Jewelers, which will have their own fine jewelery and watches on display in the store. There will be something for everyone and you can make a day of it by visiting the other department stores and shops in the Monmouth Mall. The mall also has a nice food court and an attached Loews Movie Theatre. To receive updates and a special print-out coupon to bring to the event, please make sure you are signed up for our e-mail newsletter. You can RSVP to the event through the Pen Trunk Show Event created on Facebook.

I have a HUNCH you don't know much about Pens...

I recently read an article in Wired Magazine about hunch.com, a new "recommendation engine" that worked on a different level than your everyday search engine like Yahoo or Google. The user informs Hunch about your personality and preferences using seemingly unrelated multiple choice questions like, "White meat or dark?" or "What do you think of Robin Hood?" From these answers, the site uses some fancy-dancy algorithm to suggest things that you would like.

My first question was : "Does it work for pens???"

$25? Are you Kidding?

Pen people are particular (say that three times fast) about what kind of writing instrument they carry around with them. Fine pens marry utility and style in a way that makes watches, jewelry and other luxury items look one-dimensional. Not only does the pen have to match aesthetic taste, but it also has to work to the writer's liking.

So, I "hunched" a recommendation for a pen. After all, who isn't looking for a new pen to drool over and scrape up couch cushion change for months to afford. I go to the topic of Fountain Pens and Hunch proceeds to ask me more questions, the first being "How much are you planning to spend?"

Apparently, they don't have many fountain pen people use the site just yet. I automatically opt for the "more than $25." I would have liked to see an option for "$50 to $100", "$100 to $200" and "more than $200".

Then, it asks me what tip size I prefer. Good follow-up question. I select fine. As I answer each question, the column on the left changes, re-prioritizing the results from top to bottom, depending on what answer I select.

"Do I have a color in mind?" asks Hunch. It only offers blue or black as the option and I wonder for a moment if it is referring to the ink or the color of the pen. "I know a pen for every color in the rainbow," I think to myself.

I look over my results at the moment : at the top spot is a Levenger True Writer (which I have two of in my collection), followed by a Mont Blanc Starwalker, Mont Blanc Meisterstück, Graf von Faber-Castell, another result for a Meisterstück and a Lamy Safari in extra-fine. With half the results showing Mont Blanc, I'm thinking that Hunch has a layperson's knowledge of fine pens. Everyone knows Mont Blanc, but ask anyone who knows pens and they will tell you that Mont Blanc is hardly the "only show in town" when it comes to pen brands.

After I select "blue" as my color preference, I notice that Hunch does not add any blue pens to my list, only shuffling the results, moving a Pelikan Souveran up to where the Faber-Castell pen was. The final question in the series was "would you prefer a retractable pen?" I think that if I say "yes," we will see some Namiki Pilot Vanishing Point fountain pens which we now have up for sale on goldspot.com However, Hunch doesn't show me any Vanishing Point pens, no Lamy Dialog 3's, not even a retractable ballpoint pen.

Compared with Googling "fountain pen," Hunch does provide you with a simpler view of actual fountain pens instead of bombarding you with "los links." In google, my results for fountain pen were dominated by stores that sell fountain pens, along with one link to wikipedia. An actual, real result for a fountain pen may be a few clicks away from that point.

Overall, Hunch was about as knowledgeable as asking a random person on the street when it comes to pens. It is slightly more intuitive, and less ad driven than Google, but it certainly does not beat asking someone who works at a pen shop...and that's what we're here for! Humans 1, Algorithms 0