Stipula Repairs: What's With The Delays?

[dms525]

I bought a Stipula Faceted Etruria last Spring. The section came unglued from the barrel. I sent it to Yafa for repairs. They sent it to Stipula in Firenze. That was in July or August.

 

I haven't gotten the pen back. Yafa cannot get a firm estimate of when Stipula will complete repairs and send the pen back. In fact, Clara at Yafa told me this morning that they have not received any repaired pens back from Stipula in six months! They keep telling her "We're working on it."

 

Does anyone know if anyone is at home at Stipula? What's going on with them?

 

I really love the Stipula Etrurias, but I am losing confidence in the company and hesitant to buy more of their pens, as much as I like the ones I have.

 

David

[fabri00]

The ownership of the company changed about a year ago. This news has circulated in all forums.

Probably it will take some time before everything is settled.

[dms525]

The ownership of the company changed about a year ago. This news has circulated in all forums.

Probably it will take some time before everything is settled.

 

Thanks for your reply, fabri00. I had read about the ownership change. I believe it was in the Summer of 2013. At that time, from Susanna's report, the management and employees of Stipula were retained. I fear some more recent disruption in operations.

 

David

[aardvarkbark]

I sent a Delta to Yafa and an Omas to Kenro in August, both sent on to Italy. Best both seem to offer me is: 'they have it and we hope to get it back soon.' I think Italy was on holiday during late Aug and early Sept. I get the impression neither distributor is told when pens are being sent back; they just arrive when they arrive. I imagine it is as frustrating for them as it is for us, especially since they don't want a reputation for excessively long service to damage the brand and cause lost sales. I wouldn't be surprised if they're even more concerned than the manufacturers themselves.

[dms525]

I sent a Delta to Yafa and an Omas to Kenro in August, both sent on to Italy. Best both seem to offer me is: 'they have it and we hope to get it back soon.' I think Italy was on holiday during late Aug and early Sept. I get the impression neither distributor is told when pens are being sent back; they just arrive when they arrive. I imagine it is as frustrating for them as it is for us, especially since they don't want a reputation for excessively long service to damage the brand and cause lost sales. I wouldn't be surprised if they're even more concerned than the manufacturers themselves.

 

My understanding is that the whole of Italy takes August off, with the exception of the hospitality industry.

 

When I spoke with Clara this morning, she certainly expressed considerable frustration, both with the delays per se and also with the paucity of communication from Stipula. So, you are certainly correct in your imagining.

 

I don't know how much of this is corporation-specific and how much is Italian business culture. I'll have to ask my Sicilian Italian teacher.

 

David

[langere]

I have some more recent news. My Stipula Passoporto broke in half when I was carrying it in my pocket. I sent it to Yafa in April, I think. I got it back in October, all fixed up (no more carrying the pen in my pocket!).

 

So - they are repairing pens, it just takes a loooong time for them to return them.

 

Erick

[dms525]

I have some more recent news. My Stipula Passoporto broke in half when I was carrying it in my pocket. I sent it to Yafa in April, I think. I got it back in October, all fixed up (no more carrying the pen in my pocket!).

 

So - they are repairing pens, it just takes a loooong time for them to return them.

 

Erick

 

Thanks for the encouragement, Erick! But I fear a problem of unknown type and extent has developed subsequently. Please note: These are fears based on fantasy. I have no information. That is what I seek.

 

David

[fabri00]

Thanks for your reply, fabri00. I had read about the ownership change. I believe it was in the Summer of 2013. At that time, from Susanna's report, the management and employees of Stipula were retained. I fear some more recent disruption in operations.

 

David

I have sent back to stipula one pen in summer 2013 for nib changing (it was a new pen) and in one month it cames back.

 

This september I sent them a Nettuno (limited serie on Nettuno brand, but produced from Stipula) and is still there.

 

It look like thry are working slowly now.

[SoCalBilling]

I bought a Stipula Faceted Etruria last Spring. The section came unglued from the barrel. I sent it to Yafa for repairs. They sent it to Stipula in Firenze. That was in July or August.

 

I haven't gotten the pen back. Yafa cannot get a firm estimate of when Stipula will complete repairs and send the pen back. In fact, Clara at Yafa told me this morning that they have not received any repaired pens back from Stipula in six months! They keep telling her "We're working on it."

 

Does anyone know if anyone is at home at Stipula? What's going on with them?

 

I really love the Stipula Etrurias, but I am losing confidence in the company and hesitant to buy more of their pens, as much as I like the ones I have.

 

David

I had a Stipula Vacuum Filler (a pen that I had had only for a short time) sent to Yafa back in March and I got it back in late August. I used it for about a month before the filling system broke again! so frustrating! I am dreading sending it back again only having to wait so many months. I'm not very confident that the problem will be fixed and fear that once I do get the pen back, that it will break down once again after a few uses.

 

Anthony

[dms525]

An update: Before the New Year, I sent emails to Stipula inquiring about the repairs on my Etruria. No response. I sent another email. No response. i have spoken with Yafa a couple more times. Each time, it's "Maybe we will get some pens back by the end of the Month." That's been the word for several months.

 

Does any one have more information on the status of Stipula (the company) and on their repair backlog?

 

David

[SoCalBilling]

An update: Before the New Year, I sent emails to Stipula inquiring about the repairs on my Etruria. No response. I sent another email. No response. i have spoken with Yafa a couple more times. Each time, it's "Maybe we will get some pens back by the end of the Month." That's been the word for several months.

 

Does any one have more information on the status of Stipula (the company) and on their repair backlog?

 

David

I feel your pain David. I took me 5 months to get my Stipula back the last time I sent it. I sent it back to Yafa (who will most likely send it off to Italy again) for the same problem, but this time I am expecting it to be longer - 6 months' that's what Clara told me it probably would take. The problems with the pen coupled with the time it takes to get them corrected, does not encourage me to want to purchase another Stipula pen.

 

Good luck to you; hopefully you get your pen back soon.

 

Anthony

[dms525]

I feel your pain David. I took me 5 months to get my Stipula back the last time I sent it. I sent it back to Yafa (who will most likely send it off to Italy again) for the same problem, but this time I am expecting it to be longer - 6 months' that's what Clara told me it probably would take. The problems with the pen coupled with the time it takes to get them corrected, does not encourage me to want to purchase another Stipula pen.

 

Good luck to you; hopefully you get your pen back soon.

 

Anthony

 

Thanks for the sympathy, and good luck with your repair!

 

It's too bad Stipula makes so many attractive pens and their stubs are such beautiful writers.

 

David

[zchen]

I just had to send a brand new Stipula to vendor for examination because the piston is leaking at the turning knob. I hope I can get it exchanged rather than wait for the repair....yikes.

[SoCalBilling]

p

 

Thanks for the sympathy, and good luck with your repair!

 

It's too bad Stipula makes so many attractive pens and their stubs are such beautiful writers.

 

David

It is too bad, because as you say, they make several beautiful pens. What I don't understand why it takes soooo long to have these repairs done - are there that many broken pens! Also, if Stipula (or any other foreign pen manufacturer can set up a successful local distribution, then why not have the pens repaired locally as well. Of course these are issues beyond my knowledge, but it seems logical to do so.

 

Anthony

[Sasha Royale]

Offering my biases >>

VERY BUSY, at an independent pen repair shop, is a positive sign.

VERY BUSY, at a warranty repair shop, is a negative sign. I wonder the reason

that Stipula has a backlog of repairs.

 

(Just sayin'.)

[watch_art]

Maybe they're on vacation?

[dms525]

Maybe they're on vacation?

 

If they have been "on vacation" for over six months, do you still call it "on vacation?"

 

I had a professor who talked about people of whose work he had a low opinion as being "permanently out to lunch." Is this a similar state?

 

David

[stephanos]

This confirms my own experience, except that I've not even managed to get to the sending in stage.

Perhaps the company will rise from the ashes, but I'll be focusing my pen money elsewhere. They do make lovely pens (the 0.9mm stub that I have is a whole lot of fun), but the price is just too high and life too short to spend my limited resources on a company where one cannot trust that they will sort out a problem, ever.

[fabri00]

Not to find an excuse, but as far as I have undetstood Stipula is a very small company: 5 or 6 peoples in total.

Probably that explain why they are not well organized.

i'm also waiting for my Nettuno back from them since october. Luckly I havr other pens to use, in the meantime!

Those are the small disadvantages in having to do with small artigianal companies. On the other hand they manufacture very nice pens.

[dms525]

Not to find an excuse, but as far as I have undetstood Stipula is a very small company: 5 or 6 peoples in total.

Probably that explain why they are not well organized.

i'm also waiting for my Nettuno back from them since october. Luckly I havr other pens to use, in the meantime!

Those are the small disadvantages in having to do with small artigianal companies. On the other hand they manufacture very nice pens.

 

No question that Stipula makes "very nice pens." In fact, I think that is an understatement. They are amazing .... if they aren't broken.

 

I have never heard that a smaller enterprise is more difficult to organize than a larger one.

 

I would rather Stipula turned around repairs faster, but the bigger issue is their lack of communication, both with the pen user and with their distributor. In contrast, when I send a pen (or 4) off to a nibmeister in the US, I get an immediate estimate of when I can expect to get it/them back. It may be months, but I feel better having this information. Note that this information often comes in an automated email reply or is posted on the company web site, so it requires zero time from the company.

 

Stipula's lack of communication is at best rude. At worst, it suggests poor organization and unreliability and makes one wonder about quality control and other aspects of manufacturing. This uncertainty makes one hesitant to spend a lot of money on their product.

 

David