Why Should I Buy From An Mb Boutique Over An Mb Dealer?

[KTNJ]

I purchased my first Montblanc, the Rouge et Noire, from Paradise Pens and received a nice discount as well. They only had a medium, and I wanted a fine, so they are sending it in to get a nib swap. If the pen needs service down the line, as I understand it, I can bring the pen to a boutique, even though I did not purchase it there (I could be wrong).

 

In buying the pen, I didn't realize that there was a Montblanc Boutique almost literally across the street. Is there any incentive for me to have bought the pen there? Any better service or warranty/repair? Do they strike deals or just sell things at full retail? I guess I just don't understand if there is a difference in service procedures like nib swaps or repairs if you bought the pen at an authorized dealer of straight from the boutique.

 

I would just like to hear from some of you who either have a preference for shopping at the boutiques or for preferring to shop at pen shops, whether they be local or on another continent.

[jar]

An authorized dealer may have greater freedom when it comes to pricing. There should be no differences in terms of service as long as it is an authorized dealer.

[Parker51]

Knowledge base on the part of who you are interacting with.

Willingness to let you actually touch the pen you are interested in purchasing.

Selection.

[FOUR X FOUR]

In this instance, probably not much difference. The people at paradise pens have pretty good knowledge of the MBs they sell. As far as the nib exchange is concerned, they both send your pen to MB. In my circumstance, a Boutique would have been better. I bought most of mine from a luggage store that just happened to be an authorized seller. That's fine but the young behind the counter didn't know a fountain pen from a pencil

[zaddick]

I buy from the cheaper soure as I tend to know more abut the pens than anyone who works at the boutique and most any authorized dealer. (That sounds like a brag, but sadly it is not.) Price is the key for me. As noted the service and nib excange services are the same. the only reason I can think of to pay more at a boutique is to cultivate a relationship that can lead to access to new releases or other inside info. But buying a few pens here and ther ewill not get you that relationship anyhow.

[dubhe]

A good price and an authorised dealer stamp is all you need. I always buy at the airport or when travelling somewhere with a favourable exchange rate. The last MB I bought new I paid 30% less than the UK boutique price. It is currently away for a nib exchange which I did through my local authorised dealer, not where I bought it from.

[ct315]

in my experience in shopping at a paradise pen, they have the same prices as the boutique and they send mb repairs to the same place as the boutique so in terms of repairs, it would be the same

[Valdair]

In my experience, ADs charge 30~40% more for all products.

[bubba818]

A boutique sometimes would have a back room sale up to 50%. Last time I went there I bought a gift (etoile de montblanc) 50% off, a meisterstuck solitaire carbon mechanical pencil 40% off and an extreme 2 pen pouch.They gave me several freebies like 2 boxes of ink cartridges, a business card holder, silver polisher, nib cleaner, extra pencil lead and cleaning cartridges. They also cleaned my pure silver solitaire meisterstuck free of charge. They have more selections and they are not afraid to let you try some of the more expensive pens without ink. They let me dry write a coral heritage 1914. I was ready to buy it but it was just too heavy and too big for me, I wish they made a coral 1912. This was my experience at a boutique in Beverly Center, the service might be different in your area.

 

One major downside I see going in a boutique is that my sanity and budget seems to disappear.

[meiers]

In my experience, ADs charge 30~40% more for all products.

That has never happened in my universe.

The trick is to shop around

AD's and MB boutiques operate within different business models.

Edited April 23, 2016 by meiers

[Tasmith]

I purchased my first Montblanc, the Rouge et Noire, from Paradise Pens and received a nice discount as well. They only had a medium, and I wanted a fine, so they are sending it in to get a nib swap. If the pen needs service down the line, as I understand it, I can bring the pen to a boutique, even though I did not purchase it there (I could be wrong).

 

I bought my 146 elsewhere and brought it to the MB Boutique in Tysons II for a nib swap. They didn't even look at my receipt, just where I wrote the date of purchase in the warranty book and checked it with a loupe for authenticity.

 

In buying the pen, I didn't realize that there was a Montblanc Boutique almost literally across the street. Is there any incentive for me to have bought the pen there? Any better service or warranty/repair? Do they strike deals or just sell things at full retail? I guess I just don't understand if there is a difference in service procedures like nib swaps or repairs if you bought the pen at an authorized dealer of straight from the boutique.

 

The MB Boutique has tester pens so you can test which model and nib combination you prefer. That's a service most other retailers can't do. When I brought my 146 to the MB Boutique for the nib swap, they could not have been nicer to me. However, when I went to pick it up I was treated poorly almost like they thought I was there to steal something. I was dressed about the same on both occasions and even called ahead to inform them I was picking up my pen that morning. Staffer: "Why are you here?" Me: "To pick my pen up, I called to confirm this morning the it was back from nib swap". Staffer goes in back and gets the manager (who did the nib swap). Manager: "Why are you here?" Me: "To pick up my pen, I called this morning saying I would come buy to pick my pen up from nib swap and here is my receipt." And then the manager watches from across the store as I receive my pen from the staffer.

 

I would just like to hear from some of you who either have a preference for shopping at the boutiques or for preferring to shop at pen shops, whether they be local or on another continent.

 

For the way I was treated when I picked my pen up, that will be the last time I'll ever set foot in an MB Boutique. There are plenty of pen stores in the DC area where I shop and have always been treated very well and they'll continue to have my business.

Edited April 23, 2016 by Tasmith

[FOUR X FOUR]

I buy from the cheaper soure as I tend to know more abut the pens than anyone who works at the boutique and most any authorized dealer. (That sounds like a brag, but sadly it is not.) Price is the key for me. As noted the service and nib excange services are the same. the only reason I can think of to pay more at a boutique is to cultivate a relationship that can lead to access to new releases or other inside info. But buying a few pens here and ther ewill not get you that relationship anyhow.

Hitting the imaginary like button

[mrchan]

I buy from the cheaper soure as I tend to know more abut the pens than anyone who works at the boutique and most any authorized dealer. (That sounds like a brag, but sadly it is not.) Price is the key for me. As noted the service and nib excange services are the same. the only reason I can think of to pay more at a boutique is to cultivate a relationship that can lead to access to new releases or other inside info. But buying a few pens here and ther ewill not get you that relationship anyhow.

I agree with this in its entirety. In truth, most pen stores only have one person who knows their stuff. My knowledge about the pen I am about to buy is always more extensive because I research it a lot before I commit to a purchase. All in all, I find that buying from pen stores or boutiques far too pricey, and as such, tend to get my pens from eBAY or online dealers. For this up and coming rouge et noir coral serpent pen however, the price at the boutique is similar to online so I think for this up and coming purchase, I will probably buy from the MB Boutique since they are very nice and accomodating (Brisbane MB store).

[luckduck369]

The only reason I buy from a boutique is when they have the private sale. However, they stopped doing that all together. I haven't bought a pen from the boutique since.

[Jezza]

My experience in the exact same scenario suggests you might brace yourself for a rather cold response from your Montblanc Botique. I purchased the Rouge et Noir from Fountainpen Hospital in a medium. Upon receiving the pen, I knew I would need a fine just be looking at the nib, so I took it to my local Botique. Now, I get it: I didn't buy the pen from them, so I don't expect them to roll out the red carpet, especially when they see the receipt and recognize I received a discount. However, I did NOT expect to be informed I should send it back to FPH. I replied that it was my understanding the pen just needed to be purchased through an authorized dealer and be in mint condition. I provided a copy of my receipt and the dealer stamped warranty certificate. San Diego Montblanc then informed me there may be a charge--multiple times--and an excruciating wait time. They made it abundantly clear they did not want to perform the exchange.

I understand that I did not purchase the pen from them--though I have sent all of my pens through this Botique for paid service in the past. Still, boutiques are not merely points of sale; they are also supposed to be a point of contact for after sales service. My experience was...less than welcoming.

[Toll]

 

I purchased my first Montblanc, the Rouge et Noire, from Paradise Pens and received a nice discount as well. They only had a medium, and I wanted a fine, so they are sending it in to get a nib swap. If the pen needs service down the line, as I understand it, I can bring the pen to a boutique, even though I did not purchase it there (I could be wrong).

 

I bought my 146 elsewhere and brought it to the MB Boutique in Tysons II for a nib swap. They didn't even look at my receipt, just where I wrote the date of purchase in the warranty book and checked it with a loupe for authenticity.

 

In buying the pen, I didn't realize that there was a Montblanc Boutique almost literally across the street. Is there any incentive for me to have bought the pen there? Any better service or warranty/repair? Do they strike deals or just sell things at full retail? I guess I just don't understand if there is a difference in service procedures like nib swaps or repairs if you bought the pen at an authorized dealer of straight from the boutique.

 

The MB Boutique has tester pens so you can test which model and nib combination you prefer. That's a service most other retailers can't do. When I brought my 146 to the MB Boutique for the nib swap, they could not have been nicer to me. However, when I went to pick it up I was treated poorly almost like they thought I was there to steal something. I was dressed about the same on both occasions and even called ahead to inform them I was picking up my pen that morning. Staffer: "Why are you here?" Me: "To pick my pen up, I called to confirm this morning the it was back from nib swap". Staffer goes in back and gets the manager (who did the nib swap). Manager: "Why are you here?" Me: "To pick up my pen, I called this morning saying I would come buy to pick my pen up from nib swap and here is my receipt." And then the manager watches from across the store as I receive my pen from the staffer.

 

I would just like to hear from some of you who either have a preference for shopping at the boutiques or for preferring to shop at pen shops, whether they be local or on another continent.

 

For the way I was treated when I picked my pen up, that will be the last time I'll ever set foot in an MB Boutique. There are plenty of pen stores in the DC area where I shop and have always been treated very well and they'll continue to have my business.

 

 

That is highly unusual in my experience -- I stop by the Tyson's Boutique with some regularity -- and I have always been treated with exceptional, professional kindness. In fact, I buy nearly all of my Montblanc products -- pens, inks, and other goods -- from this Boutique because of the great service. To the larger question, about Boutiques versus Authorized Dealers, I recognize there are better deals to be had on-line or via AD's, but I truly appreciate the extra attention that Boutiques offer -- invitations to events, special attention to orders that I want place, etc. It can be summed as a very pleasant relationship!

[zaddick]

The only reason I buy from a boutique is when they have the private sale. However, they stopped doing that all together. I haven't bought a pen from the boutique since.

I found out they did have one this year, at least in San Francisco. I happened to pop into the boutique and asked about the secret sale (apparently they prefer the term private sale) on a whim, kind of lamenting the fact they no longer happen. The sales person said, "Oh, today is the last day but there is nothing interesting left for you... only 1 tray." So I had her take out the tray and she was right, but apparently they still do exist to some extent.

[EclecticCollector]

I found out they did have one this year, at least in San Francisco. I happened to pop into the boutique and asked about the secret sale (apparently they prefer the term private sale) on a whim, kind of lamenting the fact they no longer happen. The sales person said, "Oh, today is the last day but there is nothing interesting left for you... only 1 tray." So I had her take out the tray and she was right, but apparently they still do exist to some extent.

.

They had it both this year and last at the San Jose store as well. Several interesting items available last year, not much this year.

[Maktoob0303]

Only thing I'm afraid of is - no return policy, and fountain pens are not "factory new" since a lot of people tried it in store already. Also, I heard that it takes awhile to change a nib.

[zaddick]

Only thing I'm afraid of is - no return policy, and fountain pens are not "factory new" since a lot of people tried it in store already. Also, I heard that it takes awhile to change a nib.

Secret sale items have the full warranty as a new pen would. Sending for a nib swap takes the same time as other non limited editions. The pens may have shop wear though and will not be the latest release of anything.