A Montblanc Mind-boggler

[playpen]

Yesterday when the day was over, and my purchases had been completed at FPH, I asked one final question before being dragged out the door by my darling husband. The question was, "How much is that pen?" The pen in question was the Montblanc Solitaire. I asked because my husband (who met me there after work) looked at every pen in the store and declared that he liked that one the best. Naturally I had to ask the price. After much mysterious figuring and consulting, we got our answer.

Today, we were in Manhattan and lo and behold, what should we see but the Montblanc store up on 57th Street. We naturally visited the store and asked the price of their Solitaire (exact model as FPH's). Here's the mind-boggling truth....Montblanc's price was THREE DOLLARS less than FPH's... this leads me to ask an obvious question....I am not sure what this question is..but it would be something like, "Huh?"...or, "Would you repeat that please?" or or or....

[BobR]

For what it's worth, FPH's website says they will "always" beat a price from an authorized US dealer on in-stock items.May not be worth much here.

[playpen]

Yes, you are quite right about that but I was quite surprised that they would actually be more expensive than the Montblanc store itself.

[Scottish007]

FYI The store you mention in Manhattan sucks! They botched the repair on my limited edition pens (long story). Be happy with your purchase and thank yourself lucky that you don't have to deal with that store.

 

P.S. I will never buy another Montblanc - ever! :bonk:

[Grimoire]

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Montblanc, Scottish007.

 

I managed to drop my Meisterstuck and cracked the cap. I brought it to the Montblanc store in Boston. They replaced all of the resin parts, not just the cracked cap, for some outrageously paltry fee, like $40 or some such. It was like getting a new pen.

 

Although I don't think Montblanc compares to, say, Pelikan, as a writer, I couldn't have been more pleased with their customer service.

 

On topic:

 

I've found that it's actually not that uncommmon for places that claim to offer a substantial discount to really be charging more than full price...

[Glenn-SC]

While they may "beat" any price from any authorized dealer, it doesn't mean they have to "offer" you that price when you walk in the door.

 

If the MSRP is $10 and you are willing to pay $10 for something, they offer you that price.

 

They may know it is going for $8 down the street, but if you are willing to pay what they are asking, why should they cut their own profits?

 

And if you pay more just because you didn't shop around, that's your fault, not theirs.