Hi everyone!!!

I've always liked writing with fountain pens, and I proudly carry around my stainless steel Parker Frontier.

Last weekend, my wife told me that as a 30th birthday present she would give me a pen, and she wanted me to choose it. After some coming and going I picked a Lamy Studio Palladium, that has a sexy shape, nice weight, and effective writing - I am an architect, by the way...

I asked it to be engraved, with my initials and the number 30 (GLC 30). My instructions were to make it "simple" (I guess that's what suits that pen). I couldn't believe when I went to pick it up and they did the engraving on the cap, instead of the body, and with letters around 8mm tall!!! The employee said that I didn't ask for the engraving to be in the body nor that I wanted a small size for the letters... so he had done as I requested.

Has anything like this ever happened to any other member?? Tomorrow I'll meet the manager of the shop, what should I do???

I'm loving browsing the forum, there's so much to learn in here!!!

Regards,
William.

Hi William,

Welcome to FPN!

Here's my opinion:

The customer is always right.

Tell that to the manager if he gives you any trouble. It's a birthday gift; it should be fun, not a hassle.

Good luck, and please let us know how you fare!

Cheers,
Tom

Hi William!

Another new member salutes you as you enter the FPN

Regarding your Lamy, first of all I'd like to hear what you have to say about it as I'm thinking of getting one myself. Secondly, haven't been in the exact situation as you are with regards to the pen shop - but I'd insist on a new replacement pen as the clerk didn't care to ask about detailed instructions from you about the engraving. A clear case of liability in my world...

Let us now how it develops.

Kind regards,
Karl

I bet there are more lawyers than architects among the pen fans...

I really appreciate your support, I'll post the outcome tomorrow. Regarding the pen review, I didn't pick it from the store, so I haven't really tested it yet...

Regards,
William.

Hello mate

Sounds like a misunderstanding of what you asked for and if there was any confusion it was up to them to check what you wanted as at the end of the day you're the one who was paying.

Did you confirm the instructions in writing, or did they ask you to confirm it in writing ? If not then its there fault for not clarifying it.

Stick to our guns mate, be firm and stay polite and make it clear that if it's not what you wanted then you arent going to pay for it.

Welcome to the forums, sorry to learn of your problem. The shop should have checked with you, but to be honest most people want a nice discreet engraving not something like this.

I would complain, at the very least they should replace the cap if not the whole pen.

Best of luck.

Andy

Hi and welcome,

I'd request a replacement as what you got was not what you want, an engraving is a very personal thing and it should be the way you wish it to be...

IANAN

Welcome to FPN.

Landed in Heathrow once while traveling from Amsterdam to Accra. Weird connections. Would have loved to stay awhile.

As an argument of last resort (after all the others suggested here), you can always say to the manager that a replacement cap is very easy for them to get (after satisfying you with a new cap and body, with engraving). It's a small price to pay to satisfy a customer...

Welcome to FPN!! Never had a pen engraved but own a few vintage pens that were engraved by owners way back when. They may as well make it right because if they don't and you don't take the pen then they will have to get a replacement cap anyway before they can sell it!

Greetings and welcome! They should replace the cap. If they give you a hard time just inform them that you have 9,000 friends anxiously awaiting the outcome of this situation so that they can decide whether or not to make a purchase from this establishment. That ought to set things right!

Welcome to FPN, GLOC .

Sorry to learn of your bad experience. We are Lamy retailers so I can tell you that a replacement cap, at spare parts price, is £25.65 including VAT. Therefore the shop could give you a replacement and not really lose money on the whole deal (apart from the cost of engraving).

BTW, as a reference to others, Lamy's own engraving service is excellent.

Martin

Welcome William. I hope they replace the cap out of curteousy but as usual they will try and pass the blame onto you for not specifying the size and position of engraving. It seems to be the way of the world nowadays. You have to explain everything in detail and hold their hand during the process incase they screw up.

Thanks again, I am coming to this meeting with more confidence now.

To my ease of mind, I know now that I can get a spare cap from a real Pen Expert, so in the worst case I'll ask for them to engrave the body, with my fully written specifications, and buy a new cap from Martin's.

As Tom mentioned, it should be a plesure, not a hassle. If it arouse my true pen collecting vice (as until last Saturday I just looked at Pens in every shop that was showing them, but never realised how happy that made me) and allowed me to discover this Network, that I would probably hadn't otherwise, it's worth the hassle!

Wait for the outcome later today.

Kind regards,
William.

Welcome to FPN.

Hi all,

I just came back from the shop. The Manager was quite kind, and she told me that if that was not what I wanted, I could get a new pen. She didn't have in stock, but after a phone call I could walk for ten minutes (for US readers, walking is quite normal in England!) to another branch, and my pen would be waiting for me. She said that the barrel wouldn't fit in their engraving machine, so they couldn't do it (?). End of story: here I am, a happy customer with my new Lamy Studio Palladium and some credit (for the refund of the engraving) that I may spend on my next pen !!!! I'll consider it a lesson learned and will think of engraving it elsewere, probably during my christmas holidays.

Thanks again for your advise and support!

William.

William,
I am happy to hear this adventure turned out well.

Welcome to FPN.

Mike

Yaaaa!!! I love happy endings!! Congrats!

Hi William,

I'm glad this worked out so well for you! I also like the way you think (money saved on pen equals more money to buy more pens!)

Happy 30th!


Cheers,
Tom

I am glad it turned out well for you. That manager was a wise businesswoman! Kudos to her and congratulations to you!

Welcome and Happy Birthday William!

I had a business card holder engraved that way once. It was embarrasing to have the letters so huge. I never did anything about it though, thinking I should have been specific. Now I can just blame my failing vision and be glad for the HUGE letters.

Happy to hear you were satisfied. That is the way business should be done.

How do you like the pen?

Outstanding. A new pen. A new favorite store. Couldn't be a better result. I suggest enjoying the pen for a month and then, if you still crave the engraving, take it to a speciality shop. Enjoy

Congrats on the outcome and kudos to the shopkeeper.

I agree with the others. If I asked for a pen to be engraved I would expect the barrel to be engraved, not the cap.