Buying pens in the UK/online

[ctate]

Having read about the marvels of the Lamy 2000, I am wondering if anybody knows of a good place to purchase one online in the UK? They are about £100 in the shops - which I think is a lot of money considering everybody else in the world seems to be able to get them for $100 (this is rip off Britain, after all! )

 

I suppose there is no point buying from the United States as Her Majesty's Government will just charge a small fortune in customs duties.

 

Any tips gratefully received.

 

PS I know of a good ebay dealer who sells Waterman and Parker but no Lamy unfortunately.

[goodyear]

Buying online in the UK, I have had nothing but great experience with The Writing Desk, having bought a couple of pens and several gallons (seems like) of ink. Excellent service from good people who are a pleasure to deal with. Martin is active here under the name twdpens.

 

As to price, they list the Lamy 2000 at ~£94 - I know, I was killing some time browsing there earlier. TWD is generally cheaper than shops, but as you've noticed everything costs more here.

 

You can of course buy from abroad, but as you've noted HM Government will take their cut if they nab the parcel on the way through. I bought a Pel with a customised nib from Richard Binder recently, and by the time C&E took their cut it cost about the same as buying it from TWD - but then I would have had to pay more to get the nib altered, which is why I ordered from RB in the first place.

 

(Buying from abroad, I've mainly only imported camrea gear and have never been stung for duty on it - some of it is luck, most depends on how the seller marks the customs declaration. I've never asked for it to be... economized on as that is potentially stcky for the seller, but everyone values the package in their own way, it seems.)

 

If you can get it from someone in Europe, my udnerstanding is that there is no further duty to be paid.

 

My connection with The Writing Desk is ourely as a (very) satisfied repeat customer.

[adyf]

I have bought lots of pens from the States. I ask the seller if they wouldn't mind marking the value declaration as a $20 gift and most are happy to do this. If you don't then you will pay around £30 customs charges, which defeats the object of buying from the States in order to save money.

[MNDZA]

I just bought my Lamy 2000 from Gilbertson Clybourn in Chicago. It cost me more than it would online, but I believe in supporting independent shops. The guy at this place is also very friendly and helpful.

Edited March 14, 2007 by MNDZA

[plipule]

I echo Goodyear. The Writing Desk are great, and indeed my first Lamy 2000 came from them (the second was the result of an uncontrollable urge in Selfridges). Their prices are reasonable (for the UK) and their service is excellent. And no, they don't pay me to say this ...

 

I do know that we pay more for our pens than do our American friends, but I also don't have a huge problem with the price that is charged over here for the Lamy 2000. In the general scheme of things, I think it is worth the money. In general I have only resorted to ordering from the US when I can't get something over here, or at least not at remotely reasonable prices. I got a Namiki Falcon sent over for example from the Fountain Pen Hospital (who did an excellent job).

 

The other problem with the whole customs thing is that sometimes Royal Mail get involved and then you get hammered with a 'handling fee' as well as the tax. That has caught me out before and effectively doubled the price of the thing I had ordered (not, this time, an FP).

[anywho3]

Hi ctate

 

There are one or two good websites to buy pens from

 

For the more expensive pen, like the Lamy 2000 I would reccomend the office collection

 

http://www.theofficecollection.co.uk/erol.html#868X0

 

They sell the particular pen you are looking for at £89!

 

 

Also another website I have spent a hell of a lot of money on but with cheaper mroe everyday pens (their customer services is second to none!) is cultpens.

 

http://cultpens.com/

 

Although they do have one or two more expensive pens, they specialise in the cheaper end of the market but a fabulous website nonetheless.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

 

[marklavar]

QUOTE (ctate @ Mar 14 2007, 02:03 PM)

Having read about the marvels of the Lamy 2000, I am wondering if anybody knows of a good place to purchase one online in the UK? They are about £100 in the shops - which I think is a lot of money considering everybody else in the world seems to be able to get them for $100 (this is rip off Britain, after all! ) I suppose there is no point buying from the United States as Her Majesty's Government will just charge a small fortune in customs duties. Any tips gratefully received. PS I know of a good ebay dealer who sells Waterman and Parker but no Lamy unfortunately.

I've used Cult Pens before and found their prices - and their service - very good. For such a cheap pen I don't think it's worth buying from overseas, because when you take shipping costs into account your saving will be minimal.

[max]

Hi,

Why don't you buy directly in Germany.

There is no tax or customs when sending from Germany to the UK, the postage is maybe £2 more then inside the UK, and the average price from online dealers in Germany is around £65 - £70 (around EURO 90).

 

I have had excellent experience with:

 

www.missing-pen.de (Rolf THIEL)

and

www.fuellhalter.de

 

Both speak perfect english, are very helpfull, and you can pay by paypal, creditcard, ...

 

So unless you are afraid going outside the UK, this might be a way to save quite some £££

 

Max

 

[ctate]

Many thanks for all the comments. I am tempted to buy from Germany

[anywho3]

Pity the websites are in German!

 

[Col]

QUOTE (anywho3 @ Mar 17 2007, 01:53 PM)

Pity the websites are in German!

That's OK, he can have fun with some hilarious Babel Fish translations.

[ctate]

Thanks to those who sent personal messages on this topic. I didn't know this facility existed until I discovered it by accident. Anyway, an error occured and all the messages were lost before I got a chance to reply so if you are reading this, and you messaged me, thanks for taking the time and trouble.

[Chris]

I second (or third) TWD for service, though I have not bought pens from them only 'pints' of ink in wonderful colours but that is because I have not bought a new pen for many years now.

 

For second-hand/vintage pens I have had very good service from Andy's Pens. I have never been disappointed and the pens are reasonably priced I think and always very accurately described. (And I've just succumbed to yet another Sheaffer snorkel with a lovely Triumph nib).

 

Chris

[Armchop]

Hi ctate

I dont bother in the uk. I haven't bought a new pen from a direct seller in UK for long time.

i) Some ebay shops (sigmapens.co.uk) for Laban Mentos. £35 on ebay to suck you in but £60 in his own store. Ebay 2nd hand sellers.

ii) Otherwise isellpens.com and penhero.com in USA. Excellent prices, ecellent sevice and excelent for NOS or discontinued items. They only charge $10-$15 for postage which is what you'd pay in the UK parcel post. I have bought pens from these guys cheaper in $ than the number 1 and 2 UK online sellers (as found by Google but we all know who they are) put in at £ prices.

iii) Marketplace on FPN. Keep looking. Always good things to snap up.

 

Good hunting.

 

Armchop

 

 

[anywho3]

Here is a good website for Pelikan pens!

 

http://www.pelikanpens.co.uk/index.htm

 

Enjoy