As a company that’s shipped out hundreds of thousands of personalized pens to both individuals and groups since 1994, we at Dayspring Pens have discovered the perfect formula for buying custom pens in bulk.

We have compiled everything you need to know about buying a personalized gift for a group so that you have the smoothest possible experience when you buy—whether it's for your office's promotional giveaway or your wedding.

What Do I Need to Know to Buy Personalized Pens in Bulk?

Customized gifts like ballpoint pens with custom engravings communicate to others that you care about the individual receiving the gift; you want to give them the best gifts. They aren't just a cog in the wheel.

Indeed, you always want the recipients to feel seen and appreciated.

And...

You're Probably Spending Some Money!

Buying in bulk means you are going to be spending at minimum a couple hundred bucks.

You are going to want to get something that is not only special, but is really worth it like a personalized brand name pen. It's functional and unique.

It also means...

Mistakes like mixing up names and late deliveries reflect poorly on you as the giver. Additionally, they send the wrong message to the recipients.

So how can you avoid these? By using a solid checklist!

The Checklist for Buying Personalized Pens in Bulk

1. Know the occasion
2. Determine your timeline
3. Draw up a budget
4. Know your recipients
5. Check for discounts
6. Choose between Logo, Engraved Handwriting, or Standard Text Engraving
7. Collect all the names/prepare your engraving file

Let’s explore each in detail.

Know the Occasion

What’s the occasion?

As obvious as the question sounds, it’s easy to get simple things mixed up and personalized gifts for the wrong occasion.

Imagine getting wedding gift pens saying “In Loving Memory” on them or buying fountain pens for a group of pilots.

As functional as an engraved pen is, it is important to make sure you choose the right pen for the right occasion.

Is the occasion something practical? Ballpoint pens are ideal for people constantly on the go.

Is the occasion a once in a lifetime event? Commemorate with luxury gold pens.

Determine your timeline

When do you need it by?

If you are planning on giving pens that aren’t personalized, then time and planning aren’t that crucial.

You can easily order the pens on the eve of the event, and everyone’s happy.

But if you’re looking to buy customized and personalized pens in bulk, it’s a good idea to begin planning early.

Production time versus shipping time

Custom gift businesses will list the production time (how long it takes to prepare the order) as well as the shipping time (how long it takes to get to you).

At Dayspring Pens, standard engraving takes four to five business days. However, shipping can take between 3-7 business days based on your location in the US or longer for international.

Hence, it’s best to give yourself at least two to three weeks from when you place your order to when you need to give your gift pens out.

If you’re pressed for time and need the custom pens fast, we’ve got the rush production order. That guarantees your order is completed in one business day.

You can always choose to expedite shipping if you need as well.

Draw a Budget

How much money are you willing to spend on your custom pens?

Not every occasion requires something expensive. What the occasion is will determine what the appropriate price point is for your pens.

If you are buying on a corporate budget, you will want to know just how much you can spend per item as well as what your HR department allows for gifting.

Keep in mind:

• The occasion - does it warrant a higher price gift?
• The relationship between you and the recipients - is it personal or professional?
• Your time frame for giving - how fast you need the order made?

Know What Your Recipients Want

This is essentially a question of what kind of relationship do you have with your recipients. How do you choose the right pen for them?

What are their interests and hobbies? Do they have favorite colors or quotes?

If they’re your employees or work colleagues, what are their roles and performance achievements?

Is it a promotional event and you need giveaways? If yes, then engrave the pen with company’s logo or name.

When it’s a graduating class, make it personal and special for each student. An example is “Congratulations, David! You’re graduating!”

Personalization is going out of your way to share your brand or make people feel special. They’ll know that the gifts were made for them.

A team of junior employees receiving a personalized pen with their names and achievements engraved from the CEO gives deeper meaning to the gifts.

Additionally, it demonstrates that the CEO went the extra mile of knowing the contributions of each individual employee to the company.

Even when the customized pens are promotional giveaways, it pays to put in more thought so that your gift is kept. The longer someone keeps your promotional gift, the more contact they have with your brand.

Check for discounts

If your order is in bulk, then the cost difference between retail and wholesale purchases cannot be overlooked.

Check with your sellers to see what discounts apply to your order.

In addition to free standard engraving, Dayspring Pens offers up to quantity discounts and ships out all orders for free anywhere in the United States.

You don’t have to break the bank to personalize a bulk of custom pens.

Understand the Customization Options

There are three main techniques employed in achieving customized pens: imprinting, clip emblems, and engraving.

Engraving is often the quickest and easiest way to order. At Dayspring Pens we have three different engraving options:

1. Standard Text Engrating
2. Logo Engraving
3. Engraved Handwriting

Standard Text Engraving

Standard text engraving is 1-2 line of up to 30 characters of lettered engraving. This can be in any language (including different characters like Arabic, Mandarin, or Greek as well as some basic emojis).

The first line is free. A second line of engraving is generally an additional fee.

This is perfect for individual names or a brief message.

Logo Engraving

Logo engraving will be your company logo or emblem engraved on the pen.

It can be coupled with standard text engraving and has a one time per logo fee for rendering the file.

Once your file is on record with us, you never have to pay the fee again and logo engraving will be free for all subsequent orders.

You will be sent a proof of the logo engraving for you to approve before the pens go into production.

Engraved Handwriting

Engraved Handwriting takes a sample of a person’s handwriting and engraves it onto a pen.

This can be a signature, short message, a child’s drawing, anything that is submitted.

This also has a fee for rendering the file per file uploaded.

Collect Any Additional Information

The last major thing to do before making a purchase is to double check your order and make sure you have all necessary information.

If you are placing a logo order: do you have a .ai or .esp file? Do you have the correct number of pens? Do you need gift notes?

For standard text engraving: do you have all the individual names correctly spelled? Are your titles and abbreviations correct?

Do you need an itemized receipt?

Make sure you have everything in order to make the process as seamless as possible.

Go Out and Make Your Bulk Personalized Pen Order

Looking for bulk personalized gift pens can be a task filled with different products and search results that make finding the right pen a hassle.

If you start your shopping with our helpful checklist, we hope you will be able to reach the absolute best gift items at a price that perfectly matches your needs.

Have any questions about the intricacies of buying in bulk for whatever occasion from advertising to wedding? Feel free to contact our customer service and we would be happy to help along the way.

Sam Di Nardo is an author for Dayspring Pens, where she has honed her expertise in ballpoint, rollerball, gel and fountain pens since joining the team in 2018. From her initial role as an Engraver to becoming the Production Manager, Sam's journey has been marked by her passion for the history, manufacturing, and the unique value of gifted writing instruments. A graduate of Regent University with a degree in English Literature and a special interest in Old Norse literature, dive deeper into Sam's world and discover why she's your trusted guide in the realm of gift pens. Follow Sam on LinkedIn.