Iroshizuku Price Increase

[JakobS]

Now.... Does anyone have direct word from Jetpens themselves to verify this information? We can't all go crazy buying up the ink that's left if Jetpens themselves won't be changing anything.

 

what pen is that pictured above?

 

If you mean in his signature, that is a Pilot M90, its a limited edition for about $180. Its nib is the big show piece of the pen.

 

Back to regular programming!

 

P.S. I have to agree with the Sailor inks, definitely will be looking into more of their regular and special edition inks.

Edited December 14, 2009 by JakobS

[kps]

I can't see a scenario where he would be likely to like what JetPens does.

If I ran Pilot's USA operations, I'd think it would be useful for Pilot to know which products are in demand and would be worth marketing officially.

[RitaCarbon]

I ordered Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo Night Sky (greenish blue), and can't wait to try it. I thought the price is too high, but it's worth at least for the experience. And now, after that crazy price increase, who's going to buy it? Strange business decision.

[Jimmy James]

I can't see a scenario where he would be likely to like what JetPens does.

If I ran Pilot's USA operations, I'd think it would be useful for Pilot to know which products are in demand and would be worth marketing officially.

Some would argue that this is what he's supposed to be figuring out in house and maybe he's not worth so much to the company if there's such a healthy grey market for things he could be selling here direct.

[jphu]

Ok so before everyone goes bananas buying ink, I emailed Jetpens and this is their response:

 

Thanks for your e-mail and interest in our products. Nope, we have no plans to discontinue the Pilot Iroshizuku inks, we will continue having them available for our customers. We apologize about any rumors.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

Have a great day!

 

Best,

Jamie

JetPens

 

Nothing is mentioned about price increases. Or, they may not be aware of what Pilot USA has planned or their intentions.

But at least we know current supplies won't just disappear

[Kamiyashi]

Ok so before everyone goes bananas buying ink, I emailed Jetpens and this is their response:

 

Thanks for your e-mail and interest in our products. Nope, we have no plans to discontinue the Pilot Iroshizuku inks, we will continue having them available for our customers. We apologize about any rumors.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

Have a great day!

 

Best,

Jamie

JetPens

 

Nothing is mentioned about price increases. Or, they may not be aware of what Pilot USA has planned or their intentions.

But at least we know current supplies won't just disappear

 

That's wonderful news! Thank you for sharing!

 

Even in worst case scenario, I still don't understand how Pilot USA could force Jetpens to stop carrying it. If I buy a book in Japanese from an import company, if an English version comes out, the publisher can't make the import company quit carrying the original language version. So I guess there's hope for all of us yet. :clap1:

[professionaldilettante]

I can further reconfirm this, as Jamie has sent me a similar message:

 

Hi XXXXXXX,

 

Thanks for your kind e-mail and support of JetPens. Nope, we have no plans to discontinue the Pilot Iroshizuku inks, we will continue having them available for our customers and don't have any plans to change the price.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

Have a great day!

 

Best,

Jamie

JetPens

 

That is a relief, but this little scramble has Jetpens really happy I bet.

[bluemagister]

I e-mailed co-founder Lily Kim at PCOW (Jetpens's parent company) and informed her of the rumor that Jetpens will no longer be allowed to carry Iroshizuku ink. Here is her response, directly quoted from her mail to me:

 

*"We don't have any plans to discontinue

this product, I apologize about the rumor. We will have the ink

available for our customers for as long as they need it."*

 

So if there is some plot by the US Pilot people to cut Jetpens out of the Iroshizuku import loop, then Jetpens has not heard of it.

[dizzypen]

Hey Julie! Interesting to see that confirmed by another person.

 

JetPens won't be allowed to carry the ink at that price point, per the Pilot rep I spoke with (I'm Pocket Blonde). He mentioned that he wasn't going to bring Iroshizuku over and have retailers sell it for $35 when JetPens, which buys directly from Pilot Namiki and not through him (eliminating the middleman in the Pilot Namiki chain and therefore keeping the price low), sells it for that much less.

 

Remembering out talk, it seemed to me that he didn't want JetPens carrying the ink at all. He might not be averse if they raise the price, but he never said that. His tone was more "they won't be allowed to have it at all" and I didn't really want to get into it with him. He is, however, the US regional manager and was very much into the "I" word ("I'm brining Iroshizuku over," "I'm offering this ink to retailers," etc.).

 

Well I think he is dense! Perhaps he should look into a cheaper price point rather than just forcing the competition out of the market. He's a regional manager; he ought to realize that a $35 bottle of ink is going to mean low sales numbers. I mean all he has to do is look at the average price of ink in the US (domestic or otherwise) and he will see that $35 is out of line. Even some of the more expensive Asian inks are still $25 or less here.

[Okami]

Ok so before everyone goes bananas buying ink, I emailed Jetpens and this is their response:

 

Thanks for your e-mail and interest in our products. Nope, we have no plans to discontinue the Pilot Iroshizuku inks, we will continue having them available for our customers. We apologize about any rumors.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

Have a great day!

 

Best,

Jamie

JetPens

 

Nothing is mentioned about price increases. Or, they may not be aware of what Pilot USA has planned or their intentions.

But at least we know current supplies won't just disappear

 

I emailed JetPens yesterday and received the same response. I think we'll have to wait and see.

[oceansportrait]

$35 is ridiculous. If that should happen though, there are stores on the rakuten website that sell Iroshizuku inks for what adds up to ~$23-25 once shipping factors are included, so I don't see any problem with it other than the added inconvenience.

[dianeb]

Ok so before everyone goes bananas buying ink, I emailed Jetpens and this is their response:

 

Thanks for your e-mail and interest in our products. Nope, we have no plans to discontinue the Pilot Iroshizuku inks, we will continue having them available for our customers. We apologize about any rumors.

 

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

 

Have a great day!

 

Best,

Jamie

JetPens

 

Nothing is mentioned about price increases. Or, they may not be aware of what Pilot USA has planned or their intentions.

But at least we know current supplies won't just disappear

 

I emailed JetPens yesterday and received the same response. I think we'll have to wait and see.

 

I doubt JetPens would know anything about this, but I'm sure the emails had them contacting Pilot Namiki to find out what was going on. However, they wouldn't have a say in whether or not they continue to offer the Iroshizuku ink; if Pilot decided to pull it that's Pilot's decision and not theirs.

 

This wasn't a rumor I threw out to confound people; when the Pilot USA regional sales manager told me that, I was really stunned and questioned him quite a bit. He plans to sideline JetPens sometime in the near future, and there was nothing tentative about it.

Edited December 15, 2009 by dianeb

[RitaCarbon]

Why am I thinking that it's all started as a tool to increase the sales? Is it because I feel an unbearable desire to buy another bottle of the second most expensive ink in the world? No way!!!!!!!!! I will resist.

[Nikhil]

Why am I thinking that it's all started as a tool to increase the sales? Is it because I feel an unbearable desire to buy another bottle of the second most expensive ink in the world? No way!!!!!!!!! I will resist.

Maybe the guy in charge is smarter then we thought.

[Bill Smith]

I ordered my bottle of Asa Gao directly from Japan, it's really no harder than ordering from a North American or European dealer.

 

I bought it for $17 Cdn and another $17 for shipping, that's $24 landed in Canadian funds. If Pilot USA wants to sell Iroshizuku for $35 USD MSRP, good luck.

Edited December 15, 2009 by Bill Smith

[GreenVelvet]

Why am I thinking that it's all started as a tool to increase the sales? Is it because I feel an unbearable desire to buy another bottle of the second most expensive ink in the world? No way!!!!!!!!! I will resist.

Maybe the guy in charge is smarter then we thought.

 

Well, indeed... I wasn't looking TOO hard for an excuse to order more Iroshizuku from JetPens, but I did that last night... before I read all the info on this thread about how in fact JetPens has no plans to discontinue it. Oh well! I will surely enjoy the ink.

 

I think JetPens is very market savvy, and I have no doubt that someone there is monitoring posts on FPN.

[RitaCarbon]

Why am I thinking that it's all started as a tool to increase the sales? Is it because I feel an unbearable desire to buy another bottle of the second most expensive ink in the world? No way!!!!!!!!! I will resist.

Maybe the guy in charge is smarter then we thought.

 

Well, indeed... I wasn't looking TOO hard for an excuse to order more Iroshizuku from JetPens, but I did that last night... before I read all the info on this thread about how in fact JetPens has no plans to discontinue it. Oh well! I will surely enjoy the ink.

 

I think JetPens is very market savvy, and I have no doubt that someone there is monitoring posts on FPN.

 

Right! Who else buys their POTTY-MOUTH?

[ethernautrix]

If only Iroshizuku sold a deep, lush, fade-resistant black. *Sigh*

 

 

 

P.S. The bottles are worth the extra coin.

 

P.P.S. I saw Visconti ink in the plastic bottles selling for $19.25 at Flax. Eep. I'm glad I love Noodler's Black and Pelikan Blue-Black.

[RitaCarbon]

If only Iroshizuku sold a deep, lush, fade-resistant black. *Sigh*

 

 

 

P.S. The bottles are worth the extra coin.

 

P.P.S. I saw Visconti ink in the plastic bottles selling for $19.25 at Flax. Eep. I'm glad I love Noodler's Black and Pelikan Blue-Black.

 

Their Misty Rain is almost black. According to some reviews it's fade- and water resistant. I am itching to buy it. But... I am still resisting

[Imzadi]

His tone was more "they won't be allowed to have it at all" and I didn't really want to get into it with him. He is, however, the US regional manager and was very much into the "I" word ("I'm brining Iroshizuku over," "I'm offering this ink to retailers," etc.).

 

 

 

I have met him several times at different shop fairs (I love the Namiki brand and head straight for it and him) and I have to admit I've never felt quite so dumb as when talking to him. When he mentioned JetPens, it just seemed personal on his part. But I'm interpreting a tone of voice that may not have been there and so is unfair. Then again, maybe not.

 

I'd say that the type of customers he and/or Pilot Namiki wants are more upscale and affluent, such as those making pilgrimages to Art Brown or the Fountain Pen Hospital. When I was waiting to pay for my pen at the shop fair, the guy next to me was having his order written up and he bought 7 pens at about $400 a pop. If you're spending that much at one time, a $35 ink doesn't seem like a lot. And if you've got the cash (or credit), you'll want a premium ink to go with your premium pens. There's a big difference between the incredibly beautiful Iroshizuku ink bottle and Noodler's catfish.

 

 

Sounds like he as MB aspirations. The reviews for this ink are all over the place, from OMG it's the greatest thing since sliced bread to it's so-so but I like the bottle. These mirror the MB reviews. If this is the case (and is pure speculation on my part) he can keep the ink. Being average and posing an exclusivity it doesn't have doesn't help my pen write at its best or increase my enjoyment. Just my 2 cents.