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Lamy To Go Brick & Mortar Only?


jmccarty3

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I was surprised to see the following in the Pure Pens (UK) online newsletter this morning:

 

"We were extremely disappointed to be informed by Lamy that in their new terms and conditions for 2017, sales of their pens would be restricted only to retailers with a presence on the high street. Unfortunately, as an online retailer with a limited amount of calling in person customers, this means that once our current stock of LAMY products have been exhausted, we will no longer be able to order any further items from their range."

 

I'm not a Lamy user and I don't follow the company closely, but if this is true internationally, it would mean that companies like Goulet and even Amazon would not be able to sell Lamy products. The Andersons do have a brick and mortar store, so they would not be affected.

 

Can someone clarify? Surely there is more to this than meets the eye.

 

 

Rationalizing pen and ink purchases since 1967.

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Actually, if you check the Lamy link on their website (http://purepens.co.uk/acatalog/Lamy-Pens.html) they go a bit further than this:

 

"Even though we offer a fuller range than many high street shops, often at more competitive prices and with a greater knowledge of our products, Lamy have none-the-less decided that we cannot reorder from them. In fact, we feel they have been quite rude and bullying about it, asking us to only sell our remaining stocks in certain ways and to essentially throw away any items we have if they have not been sold by a certain date."

 

That's not a good look - and a disturbing precedent if Lamy decide to roll this policy out world-wide. I wonder though whether this is a directive from Lamy "Head Office", or a decision made by the UK distributor? Will keep an eye open, but haven't (yet) heard anything like this in Aus.

Edited by Jamerelbe
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It is NOT a worldwide thing. I confirmed that we are not affected.

 

I am not sure if this is just a UK thing, or if any other countries/regions are affected. I did not get that information.

 

Disclaimer, my personal (non-GPC) opinion to follow: I know there have been other online retailers (I cannot speak to Pure Pens, I hear good things about them!) who have not been representing the brand well and posting steeply discounted prices, often poaching other markets (like listing on Amazon US), and I believe this is Lamy UK's attempt to weed those out. It may be an unfortunate situation where good online retailers are below the line, and maybe this isn't the best way to handle those retailers. I hope they would allow the good ones to continue selling once they weed out the bad ones.

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I also got the email from Pure Pens and I wish there were some clarification from Lamy on the matter. I know there are some questionable sellers out there but it seems weird to put a line related to high street stores over something else. Maybe it's just me, but my brick and mortar experience as been pretty meh (either limited stock or almost where I feel unwelcome). In contrast, I feel the internet has provided a lot of opportunities for very knowledgable businesses that I enjoy buying from.

 

I do really like Lamy as a whole and had been really looking forward to the Safari in Petrol (especially since it would be the first year where I could get the special edition ink in bottles without importing it). I'm less thrilled if I can't get it from any of my usual shops.

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asking us to only sell our remaining stocks in certain ways and to essentially throw away any items we have if they have not been sold by a certain date."

 

 

Well that's a bit cheeky, IMHO.

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Well, I'm glad that I got my first and last Lamy(Lamy 2000) in before this. WHSmith for 82 quid.

 

The ramifications from this will be inflated prices and reduced availability.

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No shops near me sell the Le safaris, and I also only use EF nibs, which are not stocked by them either. This is indeed a strange move on Lamy's part.

<img src='http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /><span style='font-family: Arial Blue'></span>Colourless green ideas sleep furiously- Noam Chomsky

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Well, I'm glad that I got my first and last Lamy(Lamy 2000) in before this. WHSmith for 82 quid.

 

The ramifications from this will be inflated prices and reduced availability.

Just bought a Dialog3 from WHSmiths

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This is very disappointing news for the retailers affected, and for me as a customer. I've bought multiple Lamy pans, probably all from online shops such as Pure Pens (and Cult Pens, who I think are also online only). Poor show, Lamy.

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Madness.

 

Specialists have to be online to get a big enough catchment, so Lamy are cutting out the experts who stock in real depth.

 

If they want to cut out disreputable sellers, they simply don't need to sell to them. Cut out all but reputable, experienced online sellers; then make it difficult for new sellers to qualify could make sense.

 

I know I have said little new, but I reply in the faint hope that Lamy might see enough upset among their users to re-think. I have no decent B&M seller within reach so will get any Lamy bits soon and then stop buying.

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This decision has commercial failure written all over it (excuse the pun :rolleyes: ), why would you want to reduce your market share/brand exposure?

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I'm hoping it's only short term. Think I've got half of my Lamy's from either Writing Desk or Writing Bureau, though both my Dialog3 and Scala Glacier I got from Amazon (not a 3rd party through them) for Very good prices. As above not sure how they can stop Amazon, plus I suspect that is the small online only retailers were to be able to afford a legal challenge, Lamy would be forced to back track.

 

Not sure what's up with Lamy at the moment. I'm a big fan of their pens and design philosophy, but recently they've made some odd choices.

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Bureau Direct do have a B&M store.

 

After reading Pure Pens UK website statement they also have a B&M presence yet they have been affected, bad craic :o

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