I was looking at the Visconte Aida pens but when I did a search around the this forum and Ebay and pen selling companies I found the prices to be all over the map. Of the ones that are in stock and available to the first person with the cash I have seen everything from $450 to $750 with everything in between. I have also seen recent mentions of ones that were recently sold for as low as $350. I know that sellers ask whatever they think they can get, but this spread seems really large to me for a current model pen. At least I know what kind of prices to be looking for now - something in the $350 or under range for a new one, or less for a used one.

Maybe 750 is list and 450 is the price from a dealer who will give you forty percent off? There are some internet sellers who mark things down 30-40 percent from list and some who keep them exactly at full list price. So while the spread is indeed wide it does not seem unusual. j

The Italian list price of Visconti Aida is 580 euro, that is approx 900 USD at today's exchange.

Yes.... you are correct. The Aida sells for prices ranging from 100 percent of MSRP to 50 percent MSRP. I got mine for 50 percent MSRP on eBay. Grab the best deal you can find, and don't seek to understand the marketplace. It will only make your head hurt.

Thanks John, Susanna, and Charlie! It makes me wonder why some sellers are not more competitive yet they seem to stay in business and people seem willing to pay dramatically higher prices for the same pen they can buy from other dealers. For antique pens I can understand it better since things like condition and rarity and whether someone has one for sale all contribute, but for a modern pen currently supplied by the manufacturer that can be ordered from any dealer on any day I am amazed that the market place does not seem to have much sway on pricing.

I do not sell pens and I am not in any business, so I might be off base here. But I can think of a few things that might account for some of the price differences we see.

Differences in return policies. Often places that are selling at a large discount can not accept returns. Some of the online places with slightly higher prices have liberal return policies for a non LE pen that has been dipped and handled but looks new.

How much a place gets charged for the wholesale price may vary. I have heard, though I do not know this for a fact, that Pelikan sellers in Asia get their pens cheaper than American dealers get the same pen, thus the lower price in Asia and the situation referred to as "gray market" pens.

Again, I am not a business person, so I may be a little off here. j

Generally, for merchants who stay in business for decades, the ones that can get list are the ones who give the most personal service past a simple exchange.

On high end luxury goods, high prices are often seen as good thing. The whole luxury goods meets the Internet is something many luxury manufacturers still haven't figured out. I've seen some say that their warranty is void for any items bought over the internet. This is meant to encourage people to use their local retailers who keep their prices "more luxurious".