Introduction

In the current global economic environment, the fluctuation of consumer goods prices has become a common phenomenon, and the stationery industry is no exception. Particularly, pen products in the stationery sector, as rigid demands for daily learning and office use, their price changes directly affect consumers' purchasing power and consumption decisions. With the rise of a new generation of young consumers, the stationery market is constantly adjusting its strategies to attract the attention and consumption of this group. They often adopt strategies such as IP collaborations, organizing stationery exhibition events, creative design and personalized customization, social media marketing, and online channel expansion to meet the market demands of the new generation of young consumers.

In recent years, the price increase of gel pens may be influenced by various factors, such as the increase in raw material costs, technological improvements in the production process, the rise in labor costs, and changes in market demand. The price increase of gel pens has also changed consumers' purchasing behaviors and consumption concepts. As our consumables, the reasons behind the price increase trend of gel pens and its impact on market consumer concepts are very much worth investigating, in order to provide deeper industry insights and strategic recommendations.

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This article obtains first-hand information about the price changes of gel pens in two ways. First, we collected the historical and current prices of gel pens in different scenarios and recorded the price changes obtained from the comparison. Second, we randomly distributed 46 questionnaires online regarding the consumption behavior and price change perception of gel pen consumers, and conducted a statistical and analytical review of the questionnaire results.

I. Market Price Current Survey Results

Through data statistics on several major e-commerce platforms, we found that the prices of gel pens from different brands have generally increased, with only a small number of prices falling. Currently, the average price of a certain brand of gel pens is maintained at 4-7 yuan, with relatively stable prices. However, by comparing data from the same period last year, we noticed that the frequency of promotions for some models has decreased, which may indicate potential future price changes.

When visiting offline stationery stores, we recorded the selling prices of gel pens from multiple brands. According to the store staff's recollection, the unit price of gel pens from some brands has increased compared to last year; and depending on the cultural and creative selling stores, the more design-focused, located near the city center, or large brand chain stores, the higher the unit price of the stationery sold, and the more complete the categories, including some limited edition and IP collaboration products.

The average price of private brand gel pens in some brand stores has remained unchanged compared to last year. Through communication with the staff, it is understood that the store's marketing strategy seems to focus more on brand image and product quality rather than price competition.II. Consumer Attitudes Towards Price Changes

Out of 46 samples, 28 individuals did not perceive significant price changes, while 15 out of 18 believed that the price of gel pens has increased, and 3 thought the price has decreased. This indicates a certain consensus among consumers that the price of gel pens has risen. Among them, 7 people believe the change occurred within the past two years, and 12 people believe the change occurred more than 2 years ago.

Consumers who support the price increase often start from a macro perspective. For instance, sample 12 stated: "The general improvement in living standards and salary levels has led to a general increase in the prices of various goods"; sample 14 believed that "it's not just pens that have increased in price, other things have also risen," indicating that the price increase is a result of changes in the overall economic environment. Sample 37 pointed out: "Running out of natural resources." (Exhaustion of natural resources), while sample 43 mentioned: "I feel it's related to online shopping; the competition is getting fiercer, and brands definitely have to compete in terms of price and other aspects," suggesting that external factors have led to price increases.

Consumers who oppose the price increase criticize from the perspective of cost-effectiveness. Sample 9 believed: "I don't have a bias towards domestic products; if domestic products become as expensive as Japanese goods, why wouldn't I buy Japanese products?" Sample 31 expressed: "It's unreasonable; it's just a pen, a pure consumable, it shouldn't be too expensive." Sample 34 pointed out: "The price of some gel pens has increased too quickly, and the cost-performance ratio is very low."

In this survey, a total of 32 females and 14 males participated. Consumer data shows that females spend an average of 15.25 yuan per month on gel pens, while males spend 6.04 yuan, with females spending nearly twice as much as males. In terms of the expected reasonable price, females expect 6.18 yuan, and males expect 5.18 yuan. Females' expected price is lower than their actual expenditure, while males' expected price is close to their actual expenditure. This may indicate that females not only purchase products with higher prices in the consumption of gel pens but may also buy in larger quantities.

Regarding age groups, the vast majority of respondents (93.48%) indicated that they used gel pens most frequently during middle school (ages 13-18), followed by college (ages 19-22), and then elementary school (ages 12 and under).

In terms of income and occupation, more than half of the respondents spend no more than 9 yuan per month on gel pens, and about 28% of the respondents spend between 10-19 yuan per month. It is worth noting that all respondents who spend more than 50 yuan per month are undergraduate students, with a monthly disposable income of no more than 5999 yuan. Additionally, among the 6 people who spend an average of more than 20 yuan per month on gel pens, 4 have a monthly income between 3000 and 5999 yuan and are all students.

Overall, most respondents are relatively restrained in their spending on gel pens, and the group with higher spending is mainly middle-income students. This may be related to their occupational status and personal interests, as some gel pen enthusiasts tend to purchase products with higher prices.

III. Channels of PurchaseIn the selection of channels for purchasing neutral pens, the majority of respondents (65.22%) prefer to buy from physical stationery stores, which may be related to the immediate purchase experience and intuitive product selection they offer. Following closely are brand online flagship stores (possibly due to brand reputation and the convenience of online shopping), department stores (possibly due to the convenience of one-stop shopping), and non-brand online stores. The wholesale market ranks last as a purchasing channel, which may be related to its lower shopping convenience and immediacy.

These data reflect that consumers will choose different purchasing channels when buying neutral pens according to different needs, such as pursuing shopping convenience, immediacy, or diversity of choice. At the same time, the popularity of brand online flagship stores indicates that brand influence holds an important position in consumers' minds, and the role of online channels in market marketing cannot be ignored.

IV. Consumer Requirements for Products and Brands

In the survey, respondents generally regard writing experience, price, and durability as the most important considerations, reflecting that consumers mainly focus on the basic use value and cost-effectiveness of the product when choosing a neutral pen.

Nevertheless, some consumer preferences show diversity. Specifically, two respondents believe that "appearance" is the most critical, four respondents consider "brand" as the primary consideration, and two respondents particularly value "IP collaboration" products. This indicates that in addition to the basic functions and economic aspects of the product, design aesthetics, brand identity, and cultural collaboration as additional values also have a place in the purchase decisions of some consumers.

To meet the needs of this segment of consumers, stationery manufacturers and retailers need to invest and optimize in product design innovation, brand image building, and marketing strategies. This may include launching attractive appearance designs, establishing and maintaining a positive brand image, and attracting the target consumer group through collaborations with popular cultural elements. Through these methods, the market competitiveness of the product can be enhanced to meet the diverse needs of different consumers.

Survey results show that 54.35% of respondents have purchased non-brand or off-brand neutral pens, which may be attributed to the price advantage of these products. However, branded neutral pens still dominate the market, indicating that brand is an important consideration for consumers when purchasing neutral pens.

Overall, in the Chinese neutral pen market, branded and non-branded products coexist, and Japanese brands have shown strong competitiveness due to their advantages in certain aspects. Brand awareness holds an important position in consumers' minds, which means for manufacturers, investment in product quality, design innovation, and brand building is key to winning the market.

According to the questionnaire survey, consumers show diversity in the selection and purchasing behavior of neutral pens. Most consumers have not significantly felt the increase in the price of neutral pens, but consumers with a reasonable attitude towards price changes will consider from a macro perspective, such as the increase in living costs and changes in the economic environment. Consumers who think the price increase is unreasonable focus on cost-effectiveness. Women spend more on neutral pens than men. The high school period is the peak time for pen use. Consumers tend to buy neutral pens in physical stationery stores, and brand online flagship stores are also very popular. When choosing neutral pens, writing experience, price, and durability are the most important factors for consumers, but there are also some consumers who pay attention to design, brand, and IP collaboration elements.

V. Price Fluctuation Analysis1. Overall Analysis

- Raw Material Cost Increases: Fluctuations in the prices of raw materials are a key factor affecting the prices of gel pens. For instance, increases in the prices of plastic and ink directly raise production costs, leading to price increases for some brands of gel pens.

- Seasonal Changes in Market Demand: The increase in demand for stationery during the back-to-school season leads to seasonal price increases for some brands of gel pens, a phenomenon observed on e-commerce platforms and physical stationery stores alike.

- Brand Strategy Adjustments: In the face of fierce market competition, some brands attract consumers through price reduction promotions, while others rely on improving product quality and brand image to support their pricing strategies. Still, others engage in marketing and sales through collaborations and co-branding with popular IPs in the current market.

- Impact of Exchange Rate Fluctuations: For brands that rely on imported raw materials, exchange rate fluctuations may affect their cost structure, thereby impacting retail prices.

- Changes in Consumer Preferences: Consumers' high demands for writing experience and durability drive the demand for high-quality gel pens, which are typically priced higher.

- Macroeconomic and Policy Factors: According to a report by iResearch Consulting, increased national investment in education and cultural industries, improved living standards, and accelerated urbanization may increase the demand for stationery products, thereby driving up prices.

- Industry Competitive Landscape: Leading companies may influence price changes through refined management and diversified sales channels. The concentration of market share among top enterprises may lead to an increased demand for mid-to-high-end stationery products, thus affecting prices.

- Technological Advancements: Technological progress may lead to cost reductions or product performance improvements, thereby affecting prices.

- Policy and Regulatory Changes: National investment in education and cultural industries, as well as changes in environmental protection regulations, may also indirectly affect the prices of stationery products.• International Trade Situation: An increase in export demand may affect the supply and prices in the domestic market. The continuous rise in the export value of Chinese stationery, if export demand increases, may exert pressure on domestic prices.

In market research on domestic brand ballpoint pens, although several stationery brands were jointly rated as the top ten stationery brands in 2022, the market situation is changing.

According to data from the China Stationery Association, in 2021, 217 large-scale enterprises in the pen-making industry achieved a main business income of 15 billion yuan, with a year-on-year increase of only 1%. The reason behind this phenomenon is the continuous advancement of paperless office work since the pandemic. The contraction of the entire industry has also forced stationery manufacturers to take the route of high value-added products, increasing prices and profits. Some stationery stores have shifted from a basic positioning to launch more creative and stylish stores, attempting to create a high-end cultural and creative retail brand.

2. Chinese Stationery Production

• Relatively late start: The origin of China's stationery industry can be traced back to the early 20th century, but its real development and industrialization were gradually formed in the decades after the founding of the People's Republic of China. After the reform and opening up in 1978, China's stationery industry ushered in opportunities for development. In the 2000s, China's stationery industry began to integrate into the global market.

• Limited technology: The majority of domestic stationery manufacturers rely on imported materials. Taking M&G as an example, more than 80% of M&G's pen products are ballpoint pens, but the ink is almost entirely imported from Japan and Switzerland, where the waterproof performance of the ink is superior to that of most domestic brands. In terms of appearance and technological innovation, Japanese and Korean stationery brands have many patents, and the space for domestic brand innovation is limited. They can only cooperate with IP images at high prices, and improve in aspects such as color, packaging, and materials, which increases the difficulty of cost control.

3. Characteristics of the Chinese Stationery Market

• Market growth potential: The Chinese stationery market has tremendous growth potential. With the improvement of consumption capacity and the increase in educational investment, the market size is expected to expand further.

• Industry concentration: Compared with Japan, the concentration of China's stationery industry is relatively low, but leading enterprises such as M&G Stationery are rapidly expanding, and there is room for further improvement in market share.

ConclusionAnalysis indicates that the fluctuation in the price of gel pens is influenced by a variety of factors, including the increase in raw material costs, seasonal changes in market demand, adjustments in brand strategies, fluctuations in exchange rates, shifts in consumer preferences, changes in macroeconomic and policy environments, the evolution of industry competition, technological advancements, and international trade conditions. Consumers have different attitudes towards the price changes of gel pens; some understand the price increases, while others focus more on the cost-performance ratio of the products. Research also found that although branded gel pens dominate the market, non-branded or generic gel pens also have a certain market share due to their price advantage. In addition, when choosing gel pens, consumers are most concerned about writing experience, price, and durability, but some consumers also place high importance on design, brand, and IP collaboration elements. Chinese brand gel pens support their pricing strategy by improving product quality and brand image. Overall, most consumers do not significantly feel the increase in the price of gel pens, but consumers with a reasonable attitude towards price changes will consider from a macro perspective, such as the increase in living costs and changes in the economic environment.

By investigating the prices of gel pens and their impact on consumer purchasing behavior, manufacturers and retailers can better understand market dynamics and adjust market strategies. At the same time, such surveys can also provide data support for policymakers to make more reasonable decisions in areas such as education and public procurement. Therefore, this survey not only has theoretical value but also practical application value, helping to promote the healthy development of the stationery industry and the stability of the consumer market.