The Thrill Of Purchase And The Bitter Pill Of Disappointment

[luigilevin]

While reading the classified 's and different blogs and commentaries I notice a common thread amongst FP fanatics and that is: the initial thrill of ordering a new pen is commonly met with disappointment in the featured of the pen , in that the weight or the nib or the style of the pen has not lived up to that initial expectation, and maybe is the reason for the huge trading of pens by their disappointed new owners. Rgds. L

[luigilevin]

personally I have this with most of my purchases, and as a practical example from my first sale on FPN, the buyer of my pen e mailed me the folowing " I thought the pen was bigger than that, and hopefully when inked up it will be a great writer" I think the main culprit that influences the online world of FP purchasing is magnification. All potential sales depend on quality photos of the pen anatomy in such detail, that our subconscous has an image of this tree-trunk of a pen with a spade-size nib, but when we open that package from the post office or UPS curior, there is that initial shock of asymmetry between our memory-image and the pen reality rgds L

[lionheartlee]

Like you said i think it is the thrill of the hunt...then the pain of the wait. I am currently trying to find a Twsbi Mini white with rose gold...after i find i i will not so paitnetly wait by my front door. Regardless If the mini (a pen ive never held before) holds up to my expectation...that shopper's high is now gone. only to be replaced with another order. FP's/Ink/Paper have that in common with any other ad

[PS104]

The tabloids in the supermarkets frequently print pics of the Hollywood set w/o all the makeup and sometimes worse, in way-too-revealing bathing suits.

It's the same with pens. The pics and description make it sound like the grail pen you just sold your first-born for. When the package arrives it's like finding coal in your stocking. Merry Christmas Grinch!

This is true of all on line non-professional sellers whether it be FPN, eBay or any other venue

As someone once said, "You sell the sizzle, not the steak"

[Biber]

Such are the perils of retail therapy. Caveat emptor.

 

While I agree with the op's astute observation, to be fair, there is also a noticeable amount of pre-purchase research being done here on FPN as well. Just depends on what type of purchaser you are.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Biber

[jvcn]

I'm late to this, but I would say that's why I like to buy more expensive things from Amazon or a local retailer who allows no questions asked returns. If there's something wrong they fix it. If not or if I'm just disappointed I can return the pen.

 

With used vintage, you don't have that option.

 

With cheap Chinese pens, it's always a crapshoot, but when they cost less than 4 dollars a pen, I'm willing to take those risks.

[Calamus plasticus]

Those are the risks of online buying... many times we are buying a picture, not a pen :-)

When possible, It's better to wait for the chance to hold the pen in hand... but I know by experience than very of ten that's not possible... so, long life to classifieds!

[rwilsonedn]

The essence of the human condition is that in almost any situation we can imagine something better than reality. The longer we have to conduct the imagining, the better the dream, and the more painful the revelation of the truth.

The essence of much philosophy is that we can choose not to be disappointed.

ron

[Gloucesterman]

Do you want to hear about disappointment??? Let me tell you about my recent encounter and we can all laugh a little along with a short groan!

 

Recently I am on the Bay and skimming through the ads, oops I mean auctions.

 

One of the headlines for an Esterbrook "J" catches my attention - Esterbrook J w/8996 nib, etc. Okay, I check out this nib and find out that it is not a very common nib. The bidding goes on and I (overshooting my original limit, of course) win the auction. Oh good. It's an interesting nib and one I am looking forward to getting and using.

 

About one week later the well protected package arrives. I quickly work my way the the padding, tape and bolsters. Pull out the pen... reasonably good condition - as advertised! Now to check out this nib... 8996, right?

 

NOPE!!! :gaah: How about 9668! Yes. The seller looked at the nib upside down and got 8996 from 9668. (One I have no interest in...

 

Long story short. Notified the seller, returned the pen, received refund including my return shipping. Disappointed? Absolutely. Big KUDOS to the seller as he fully stood behind the sale and the return. A big thank you to him and a "back to the olde fishing hole" for an 8996. Or NOT. Oh, nevermind. :lol:

[rwilsonedn]

brgmarketing: Great story!!!

ron

[tragique]

brgmarketing: That is one of the funniest Esterbrook stories I've heard. Glad you were able to get a refund!

[Mastiff]

Absolutely. But I think that is what makes this 'hobby' (correct me if I am wrong) more interesting. You go through multiple pens that you trial and error with and finally find a handful that are really right for you. At the same time, your collection 'matures' into your personal impression of perfection, of course, at the cost of your financial loss.

[I like mango cheesecake]

Yup those disappointments turn in to a sale normally known as a catch and release. I've done that before.

[Russ]

I have dealt with the photo vs. reality issue before as well. I use Google images to find photos of the pen in natural light, beside common objects, and the like, to check promotional materials against reality. I also read every review I can find. I am not usually disappointed when something arrives in the mail. The exception was a Taccia Moments whose online cherry-red color was more coppery when it arrived, but since it is a superb pen I got past it. Again, Google images and read every review possible. Minimize distortion and false hopes.

[robert1962]

I had a different kind of "photo vs reality". A Bay auction showed 8 vintage pens which were poorly described but, I thought I spied a sleeper among the blurry images. I took a shot and won the auction but - was I a WINNER? Fast forward a week. Already celebrating victory, I tore open the box - 7¹/₂pens. Of course the one pen I was interested in, the one I was right about, was missing the cap. I contacted the seller who said that she did notice that "some things" were missing when she packed the box and that "under these circumstances" she felt that she could offer a refund if I hurried return of the package. Golly - thanks.

 

For the bargain price I paid I should have kept that very nice half-pen, but every time I picked it up, it started laughing at me and, anyway, I already have a drawer full of half-pens.

 

Fwiw, there are many more stories of expectations exceeded, but they're not as memorable.

 

Bob

[cobalt]

The 4-Stages of Pengenic Existence (or why our cognitive heuristics get the better of us, thanks Daniel Kahneman!)

 

Stage 1: The Buy. The thrill of anticipation, excitement enhanced by endless positive discussions and reviews. If other people rate it highly, and I'm like most people, I'll probably like it too. Yes. I'm just like you.

 

Stage 2: Arrival. Looks good, but one must get past the eye-candy.

 

Stage 3: Inked. The hand rebels and asks what is this 'thing' you've given me? Paper shrinks in fear. Ink flows like blood from a stone.

 

Stage 4: Rejection. Pen heads for a box never to be seen again.

 

Another one bites the dust. When will I learn? I am not just like you.

 

And I begin again, Stage 1: The Buy. There's this review of the new custom Blue Dahlia smartpen with two tone gold nib: syncs with the fountain pen app on your smartphone, writes when you're not at home. Wow.

[bobje]

Pretty impressive to apply Daniel Kahneman to consumer behavior in the stationery category, cobalt!

[steelblue]

My only big disappointment so far was early on when I decided to bid on a Rotring 600. You know, because they'll be gone soon, industrial design etc.

I had visions of hefty, substantial German steel with deep flawless knurling and I'm not even sure what else but I clearly remember having no doubt this would be the perfect pen. I didn't pay anywhere near the $200 "buy it now" cost thankfully but when it arrived, I was seriously disappointed. It was far smaller in diameter than I expected and just a very basic pen. I'd never, ever have paid more than $40 had I seen it person if I bought it at all. Add to this the cap rattle when posted and it's just not a pen I will use though many really love it. It taught me to always check dimensions and think very hard about pen cost especially when they originally sold for much less.

[tinta]

Compared to many folk on FPN, I have purchased only a small number of pens.

These pens are always new (often from internet sellers) & are usually the same tried & true models that I like, with only colour or finish variations. I'm usually happy with my purchases.

However, nib customization is another matter.

 

You send the nib technician your pen (or in some cases the nib/section or unit), with detailed information that describes the type of nib you want & the way it should be set up,... then you wait in queue (sometimes for quite a long while).

 

Nib customization seems to be more of an art than a science. You may occasionally get a disappointing nib, even from a well respected technician. I have had at least one such nib from each of four reputable techs that I've used.

 

The up side is that most of techs want you to be a satisfied & to be a repeat customer.

They usually offer at least one free return for an adjustment.

Edited October 14, 2015 by tinta

[Fabienne]

Flex, is there anything more disappointing than how stiff the average "wet noodle" is? Nope. Sorry. I have been sold several wet noodles yet never received one! Blast. When I resell them, I have to call them flex or super-flex and get less money for them. I just take what I can from the transaction and tell my friends who to look out for.