Buying new pens for swag

[Timelord]

We are buying some new pens with our website logo on them and the supplier is telling us that the black ink pens would cost more than the blue ink pens. This seems just a little strange to me. Anyone else run into anything like this?

[HansV]

Perhaps blue is cheaper because it's the largest in terms of numbers produced - economies of scale.

[Timelord]

Not sure about blue ink being the largest in terms of numbers produced. I cannot find any evidence of what sells best. But I did find
http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?la ... =Black+ink" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[John Gray]

As a lifelong user of blue ink, I would agree with Hans! Alternatively, count the relative numbers of blue pens and black pens displayed for sale in your local supermarket.

[PJ_in_FL]

More likely black is higher due to supply vs demand - like the graphs used in the Economics 201 courses back at UK (Kentucky, not Great Britain). If black is in higher demand, the cost can be higher until demand balances out.

Like Mr. Gray, I also preferred blue ink until going to work in the mil-aerospace industry and being instructed only black ink could be used. May be a hold over from the days when copiers didn't reproduce blue color as well as today's models.

[DaveA]

mil-aerospace industry and being instructed only black ink could be used.

Part of the supply and demand and then comes the government requirements and the prices even go higher.

[viking33]

More likely black is higher due to supply vs demand - like the graphs used in the Economics 201 courses back at UK (Kentucky, not Great Britain). If black is in higher demand, the cost can be higher until demand balances out.

Like Mr. Gray, I also preferred blue ink until going to work in the mil-aerospace industry and being instructed only black ink could be used. May be a hold over from the days when copiers didn't reproduce blue color as well as today's models.

You beat me to it regarding the carry over of some older copiers not being able to reproduce blue as well as black.
Strange, since I just had a discussion about this with my lawyer, who insisted that blue ink be used on signatures, because of the reproduction problems with making legal copies with black ink.
I'm sure that it doesn't apply with today's machines.
He also mentioned that it was a way to determine if a document was an original or a copy. Older copiers didn't distinguish between the two colors ( they all looked like black ink ) but now if it's shown as blue, it's an original. Black, it's a copy. So said the legal expert.
[I think I have that straight?]

[Timelord]

All pretty interesting. I made a few calls and we will be getting a discount on the pens (since we are ordering so many) and that will make the black ink the same price as the blue ink. Everybody is happy. Thanks all

[John Gray]

Everybody is happy.

Except those people who prefer blue ink?!

[DaveA]

How does a copier reproduce both blue and back on a copy?

I have yet to see one, other than one of those HIGH priced Multi color Laser Jets?

[viking33]

How does a copier reproduce both blue and back on a copy?

I have yet to see one, other than one of those HIGH priced Multi color Laser Jets?

So I found out that the local courthouse SCANS documents now, instead of copying. ( they do scans in color! )

[Leif]

How does a copier reproduce both blue and back on a copy?

Perhaps it's a duplex copier

I have yet to see one, other than one of those HIGH priced Multi color Laser Jets?

Our multi-function HP scanner/copier/monochrome printer was far from high-priced, but you can scan in colour, grey scale or black and white. Where a document is critical, we scan in colour to preserve colours, otherwise I find grey-scale is best for copying (scanning) and printing a multi-colour original.

Otherwise, referring to the choice between black and blue, with forms we complete at work that need filling in and then scanning or copying, using a decent pen is more important that the colour. Blue and black usually copy equally well, but a cheap black ball-point leaves a better trace than a blue equivalent. (And documents we send to the Middle East need to be multi-colour to 'prove' they are originals...)

[PJ_in_FL]

How does a copier reproduce both blue and back on a copy?

I have yet to see one, other than one of those HIGH priced Multi color Laser Jets?

High-priced? My $75 (after discount) Lexmark x4270 makes color copies, using the lower cost technology of creating a color scan then printing the image via the color ink-jet.

Much cheaper than the older high-voltage drum transfer technologies of the high-end copiers. 10,000 volts was common for transferring the image-in-toner from the drum to the paper, with color copiers having a drum for each color! And as a bonus, they were excellent ozone generators!

All that hardware for paper handling, and the electronics to manage the imaging and transfer added up quickly. The color saturation and duplication are much better.

You get what you pay for.

[DaveA]

OK, so I do not have one of the ALL-in-one devices and have not really used one.
I do Have a OLD HP 2100 Laser Jet and a HP 1220c Desk jet.

Neither has built in scanning bit, that is what I have scanners for.