HP-35 articles

[Don Shepherd]

Didier, thanks for posting those articles. I just read the first one, about the direct mail marketing of the HP-35. It is very interesting how they determined that selling the HP-35 by direct mail would be the way to go. I know that in 1974 they used the same strategy for selling the HP-65, at an even higher price of $795, and again they were wildly successful. A great product sells itself.

I have acquired two marketing mailing packets from 1974 for the HP-65, including the order card with the customer name and address printed on a computer-generated label. Both were addressed to individuals, one in Illinois and one in the Chemistry Lab Electric Shop at the University of Massachusetts. Since I have the order card, obviously these two gentlemen did not buy a HP-65, at least through this mail promotion. I wish I knew how many 65's HP sold, but I bet they made a ton of money.

I couldn't have afforded a 65 in 1974; I was still in graduate school and my 1968 Beetle cost about twice the cost of the 65. But I acquired one on Ebay about 6 or 7 years ago and it is my favorite HP calculator. It has lasted 41 years and still runs like a champ. I doubt any product made today will still be working 41 years hence.

Thanks for the articles.