Why Is Platinum 3776 Coming From Japan So Much Less Expensive?

[bullet08]

been reading great praise for the Platinum 3776. searching for the good price, i'm finding that same 3776 from japan is much cheaper than one in US. in US, it's about $175 or so and up with 14k nib. but from the japan with same 14k nib, it's around $100. why is it so much less expensive? i heard there are ones with steel nibs, but from the description, these are with 14k.

 

are there some fakes going around? or is it that they are marked up from US dealers?

[serpent]

because the sellers here are more profit oriented. if someone is willing to pay their price they will continue to sell high. Why is most ink here sold at List price?

[maverink]

transport + customs+profits

[Garageboy]

Also, not sure if the US distributor is simply charging more...

Case in point, Mac Camera - back in the day, Mamiya cameras were hella expensive in the US, due to them

[kernando]

Would you have it be the other way around?

 

3776 is not a model. It's not specific. Probably almost all the Platinum pens with gold nibs are 3776.

[Keyless Works]

I bought my Platinum 3776 Chartres Blue for about $80 in Japan with a 14kt gold nib. The only difference I can see is that the ones sold in the US are sold with a converter...that doesn't really make up the $100 price difference though.

 

At least with the Pilot Custom 74 they change the color from black to translucent colors AND include a converter

[arcadeflow]

There are no fakes of these Japanese pens, they really cost a lot less if you buy online from Japan. If you buy in a store there, you will pay list price though. I am thinking about ordering a Pilot Custom Heritage 91 from Rakuten, about $73 or something, plus shipping. Some people claim that these online retailers are sometimes selling unwanted stock, like returned pens and things like that, but I think it is worth the risk. I would never pay double price for marketing reasons purely.

[KBeezie]

I've wondered about this as well, I got my Platinum Century 3776 in Black/Gold with a 14K Soft Fine nib from a Rakuten shop for around 90$ USD Shipped (shipping only took about 3-4 days).

 

Same pen (if you can find it with a soft fine) is around $176.

 

It's not the same for every model, and I noticed it's primarily on the Platinum, Since for example the equivalent to the Falcon cannot be had that much cheaper. I did however notice that you can get a Vanishing Point (aka "Capless") if you don't mind the original colors for around $80 USD shipped (also on Rakuten) from Japan as opposed to $140 here in the US.

 

I can understand profits and such, but some models are nearly 2-3x the cost, while others are a mere 10-20% price difference, and depends on the brand (otherwise if it was strictly customs and duties, you'd see that price increase affecting all the brands).

 

I bought my Platinum 3776 Chartres Blue for about $80 in Japan with a 14kt gold nib. The only difference I can see is that the ones sold in the US are sold with a converter...that doesn't really make up the $100 price difference though.

 

At least with the Pilot Custom 74 they change the color from black to translucent colors AND include a converter

 

You can order the converter from most of the Rakuten shops for $5 or less, which is cheaper than in the US. I remember I forgot to read that my Century 3776 didn't come with one, but it was an option for just that much.

 

Edit:

I have noticed that getting a Century 3776 with a Music Nib from a Rakuten shop cost almost as much as it would be here in the US.

Edited August 20, 2014 by KBeezie

[chas0039]

As a collector and user who does not care for demonstrators(pilot Custom 74), I am very glad that the Japanese market exists. Same goes for the SF series of nibs which don't seem to be catching on here.

Of course saving $80 or so per pen on my Japanese collection doesn't bother me a bit either.

[Keyless Works]

Edit:

I have noticed that getting a Century 3776 with a Music Nib from a Rakuten shop cost almost as much as it would be here in the US.

 

 

I bought my Custom 74 with a music nib for $85 new in Japan...I also tried Platinum and Sailor music nibs (Pilot's are the best if you want line variation) and to my knowledge they shouldn't be more expensive than other nibs.

[KBeezie]

 

I bought my Custom 74 with a music nib for $85 new in Japan...I also tried Platinum and Sailor music nibs (Pilot's are the best if you want line variation) and to my knowledge they shouldn't be more expensive than other nibs.

 

The Music Nib you've tried on the Platinum, is it the same one people get on the Century 3776?

 

The Black Custom 74 with a Music nib appears to be about $95 on Rakuten right now (Bunkidou shop, like I got my Century 3776 from), which probably puts it around 105 shipped. The one for around $73 USD before shipping doesn't appear to have a music offering. ( http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/bunkidou-shop/item/fkk-1000r-b/ )

 

I've not held a Custom 74 before, so I'm curious about them. Course if I could get one of those in a Dark Green or Blue with a Music nib that would be cool.

[zchen]

 

I bought my Custom 74 with a music nib for $85 new in Japan...I also tried Platinum and Sailor music nibs (Pilot's are the best if you want line variation) and to my knowledge they shouldn't be more expensive than other nibs.

 

Sailor Music nib is standard line up and does not command higher price.

 

Platinum does charge higher price for music nib option. Retail price for 3776 Century w/Music nib is 20,000 Yen compared to 10,000 Yen for regular 3776 Century. With the regular 3776 Balance there's a 5,000 yen difference for music nib.

http://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/fountain_3776.html

http://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/fountain_balance.html

 

There is also a slight difference when it comes to Pilot's music nib now, for the custom 74 there's a 2,000 yen difference on retail price.

http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/fountain/custom74/

 

But no difference for Music nib option on the Custom 742, 743, and Heritage 912.

 

 

The Music Nib you've tried on the Platinum, is it the same one people get on the Century 3776?

 

The Black Custom 74 with a Music nib appears to be about $95 on Rakuten right now (Bunkidou shop, like I got my Century 3776 from), which probably puts it around 105 shipped. The one for around $73 USD before shipping doesn't appear to have a music offering. ( http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/bunkidou-shop/item/fkk-1000r-b/ )

 

I've not held a Custom 74 before, so I'm curious about them. Course if I could get one of those in a Dark Green or Blue with a Music nib that would be cool.

 

Music nib is an option for Black Custom 74 only, you'd have to find a retailer willing to do nib swap if you want it on the other colors.

Edited August 21, 2014 by zchen

[bullet08]

i guess with internet and people finding better prices everywhere, even oversea, it will hurt the local dealers in some way.. i wonder what is the dealer price and if they are actually that high and the deal have to mark it up to make profit.

[maverink]

the world is flat thanks to amazon rakuten ebay etc..

[chas0039]

i guess with internet and people finding better prices everywhere, even oversea, it will hurt the local dealers in some way.. i wonder what is the dealer price and if they are actually that high and the deal have to mark it up to make profit.

 

I have no "local dealers" so that isn't an issue. From the impressions I get from internet dealers, I don't think they get away with a huge markup on anything. There is just a lower wholesale cost in Japan. If it were the same cost here, somone in the US would be blowing them out at lower prices.

[Hewson]

Japan shipping to the US needs to be accounted for. The EMS system is notorious for exorbitant fees

[maverink]

i buy my pilot platinum pens online rakuten has been a favourite and EMS charges me usd10 i have got all my pens sealed in plastic bags so iam not getting returns. so donot worry and go aheaqd and order your pen from a rakuten dealer.

[rutherfordr]

Japan shipping to the US needs to be accounted for. The EMS system is notorious for exorbitant fees

Really? Every time I've ordered a pen from Japan, the EMS shipping charge (to the USA) has consistently been $13.00.

[gerigo]

It's retail practice you're bumping up against. The price you see in the US is the cost of distribution, transportation, warehousing, marketing as Maverink in several posts above mentioned.

 

In Japan, there are 2 options open. There is full price retail at a brick and mortar store like Maruzen and Itoya, and there are online retailers that offer pens at significant discount.

 

The service at stores like Itoya and Maruzen are second to none. For pens that are more expensive, you'd want to buy from them because you can try the pen you actually buy. If you feel there is something wrong with the pen, there is a nib meister right at the store to make things right in 5 minutes. I wanted to get a limited edition pen that was available at Itoya. When the nib was not working as well as I liked, I asked the lady whether there was another one, and she promptly brought out the only other one they had. And when that was worse then the first one, she brought the nib meister in. He not only adjusted the nib, he also showed me the way I should hold my pen. Instantly, the nib wrote like magic. I would not hesitate to pay full price again for such a service.

 

As for the discounters, there is a place for them too. They are great for daily use pens because in my experience, Japanese nibs are manufactured to a much higher standard. I have not had issues with ANY of my Japanese nibs. The above mentioned pen was from a European manufacturer. In my opinion, pens that are under $200 are good buys from online retailers from Japan. As it is, it is cheapest to buy Japanese pens from Japan. When you factor in the 20-30% discount from online retailers, it's a bargain that's very hard to say no to. But of course, you take the risk that if there is something wrong with the pen, the distributors here in the US have every right not to help you.