Jetpens

[Matt88]

Hi all

 

I'm quite curious about jetpens. You see, I've been shopping around to find a resonably priced Pilot Heritage 92 (fine), or a Pilot Vanishing Point (extra fine). Most websites average around $220 for the 92, but, and this is what caught me by surprise, JetPens have it listed for only $133. This might come accross as a peculiar question, but is there a reason why their prices are so competitive?

 

This will be my first jump into this price bracket, and I love a fine line; so, which pen out of the above mentioned would you guys recommend?

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[OTDoc]

Not sure why they are so competitive but I have had good luck with them. I think they have some sort of special link with Japanese made pens that enables them to get a deal. Its a guess though.

[cellmatrix]

If you're looking for a great deal try the japanese vendors, for example Jsubculture. They sell pilot custom heritage 92's for $104 . For vanishing points, they sell them for $69. Plus $8 shipping. There are other japanese vendors out there with similar prices, for example on amazon. Good luck!

Edited August 7, 2015 by cellmatrix

[shawndp]

On Japanese specific pens there is a massive markup in our market... I imagine JetPens is sourcing their pens in a smarter manner than most local vendors (sidestepping the distributor) or just not playing along with the others' sometimes crazy prices. Like someone said buying direct from Japan will save you big money. The EF Vanishing Point is an extremely nice pen BTW - but seems like it is picky on inks (wetter ones seem to work better because of the thin line).

[Barkingpig]

I do not think this is restricted to the Japanese pen market exclusively. I mentioned to a dealer once that I was purchasing a particular pen (Omas) from a dealer because his price was less than others. The dealer "went off" on ME because "HE had NO RIGHT to offer a pen @ a lower price!" I was stunned & realised that there is obviously almost something beyond jealousy between dealers & their offered pricing. I suspect some dealers are content to sell possibly MORE pens @ LOWER prices than others. I have never forgotten the anger of the owner toward another dealer for "betraying" the obvious 20% suggested dealer discount that seems to exist. I wouldn't be surprised that they would attempt to "report" such a violation. Also I will always be bothered by the apparent implication that I was equally "guilty for purchasing a pen offered @ such "discount."

Another dealer sold me a pen (Sheaffer) @ an equally significant discount & admitted that he did so regularly because he was happy with his profit but had been "admonished" by the distributor for doing so. It is a very strange world when retailers are not allowed to determine the profit margin they are comfortable with. I prefer buying from dealers that offer the "best prices" & will continue to support them when I purchase. When there is almost $200 price "savings" between prices of identical pens I can purchase either another pen or a LOT of ink with that money.

[82Greg]

Many companies strongly suggest a minimum retail price and try to force dealers into line. However, many manufacturers and their distribution networks don't seem to care to keep prices even around the world. Pelikan is a great pen, but I'm very disappointed with their pricing strategy that keeps pens in the US extraordinarily high compared to the standard European prices (less VAT). Before the internet age, customers had little option and may never have found out about the pricing disparity.

 

Things have changed and manufacturers, distributors and retails (both B&M and online) need to update their pricing strategy.

[markh]

If you're looking for a great deal try the japanese vendors, for example Jsubculture. They sell pilot custom heritage 92's for $104 . For vanishing points, they sell them for $69. Plus $8 shipping. There are other japanese vendors out there with similar prices, for example on amazon. Good luck!

 

I've looked at Jsubculture, but find it impossible to find what I'm looking for. A search for Pilot Custom 845 fountain pen returns more than 5,400 hits.

 

Is there a trick to finding a particular fountain pen??

 

 

.

[WaskiSquirrel]

I don't know why the price difference, but I purchased a Pilot 92 from JetPens and I'm very happy with it.

[shawndp]

This is the second thread in the past week about the price disparity. My local store has lost well over $1500 in sales to international vendors because the prices they expected me to pay were not agreeable with me. Point here is that I hope some vendors smarten up to the fact that people shop globally.

[ThreadorYarn]

 

I've looked at Jsubculture, but find it impossible to find what I'm looking for. A search for Pilot Custom 845 fountain pen returns more than 5,400 hits.

 

Is there a trick to finding a particular fountain pen??

 

 

.

 

What works for me is to start with just one word in the search box (top of the http://shop.j-subculture.com/ page) and make sure the dropdown box has "computers & stationery* chosen instead of the default of ALL.

 

When the results show up, on the left side-bar, click on the Stationery & Office Supplies link (6-7 down from the top).

 

When those results show up, on the left side-bar, click on the Fountain Pens link. (top link)

[markh]

This is the second thread in the past week about the price disparity. My local store has lost well over $1500 in sales to international vendors because the prices they expected me to pay were not agreeable with me. Point here is that I hope some vendors smarten up to the fact that people shop globally.

 

I'm sorry to hear about local retailers losing business. In my decision where to purchase a pen, I factor in the idea that I should help keep them in business.

 

But....

 

When there is a 2:1 price difference, despite my interest in supporting the store, I feel like I'm being taken advantage of. If the local store is 10 to 15% more, I would probably buy local. If the local store says "we charge list price," they don't understand the business they are in - pens are manufactured objects, and the one I buy from Japan is the same as the one I buy from somewhere nearby.

 

 

.

[markh]

 

What works for me is to start with just one word in the search box (top of the http://shop.j-subculture.com/ page) and make sure the dropdown box has "computers & stationery* chosen instead of the default of ALL.

 

When the results show up, on the left side-bar, click on the Stationery & Office Supplies link (6-7 down from the top).

 

When those results show up, on the left side-bar, click on the Fountain Pens link. (top link)

 

 

Thanks.

 

BTW, I was able to eventually find the 845 with some looking. It's significantly cheaper from Rakutan|Bunkidou - I have purchase from them before with good results.

 

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/bunkidou-shop/item/fkv-5mr-b/

 

.

 

 

.

Edited August 8, 2015 by markh

[shawndp]

 

I'm sorry to hear about local retailers losing business. In my decision where to purchase a pen, I factor in the idea that I should help keep them in business.

 

But....

 

When there is a 2:1 price difference, despite my interest in supporting the store, I feel like I'm being taken advantage of. If the local store is 10 to 15% more, I would probably buy local. If the local store says "we charge list price," they don't understand the business they are in - pens are manufactured objects, and the one I buy from Japan is the same as the one I buy from somewhere nearby.

 

 

.

 

 

I like having a local pen store to go browse and buy in person - for this convenience some markup seems logical. I'm not looking for the absolute cheapest price out there but when my 3776 was less than half price and Lamy's are 40% cheaper it is where I draw the line. I think I should go order something from Jetpens now...

[ISW_Kaputnik]

It's interesting that Jet Pens not only has close to the Japanese prices, but they offer the fine-medium nib, which hasn't been available from US dealers before (that I've noticed).

 

The CH 92 has become one of my favorites, or two of them, I got one each from Japanese dealers on eBay and Amazon. With shipping, each cost slightly more than the current Jet Pens price with the "free" shipping option, but I don't believe they had it for that little, then. Maybe this is the start of a trend, and other U.S. dealers will find ways to source these for less. I wouldn't mind paying a little extra to a U.S. dealer just on the theory that it would be easier to handle a return, but on the other hand, I haven't yet had to pay to ship something back to Japan.

 

I've bookmarked the Japanese Subculture site, looks interesting. Until now I've mostly relied on eBay dealers that others had recommended.

[Matt88]

Wow, I didn't imagine I'd get so many replies. Thanks, everyone, for all your help/information.

 

As Jetpens' competitive prices put both of these asweome pens within my grasp, I'll definitely be buying from there; I just have the difficulty in deciding between the two.

[WirsPlm]

Word of warning about JSubculture - they're not very good at security, and you should take extra steps to not leave your CC info vulnerable if you shop there.

 

When I used it, I found that JSubculture emails your passwords to you when you sign up. Sending an email is a lot closer to sending a postcard than a letter, so it's easy for any random passerby to get curious and start reading it. Any random script kiddy can take your plaintext password and order whatever they want.

 

Hopefully they've fixed this (I haven't used it in a while so maybe they got their act together), but I'd suggest taking your CC information out of there as soon as you finish an order so you can have peace of mind.

[Brianm_14]

Here are some thoughts this thread has brought to mind, all IMHO and with the awareness that YMMV. Nothing here is meant to offend anyone or suggest I am anything more than a passing observer fond of reflection.

 

Jetpens is a legitimate business which selectively offers good or great deals. If I could, I'd buy stock in them. Examine their site carefully over time; it's an education in decisions about quality and volume. They do well partly because a person may come for a few well-discounted items, yet also pay $34 -or more- for a Lamy Safari available from Lamy, via Amazon Prime, for $10 - 14 less. So shop for the bargains, right?

 

(A meandering aside: I prefer to buy locally if the store provides friendly assistance and support when there are post-purchase issues. A place where we learn each others names. But also posts reasonable prices.

 

As a dealer in another line of goods once told me, too many people want to buy at Walmart and later cry to him when they need help with the warranty. That is a legitimate complaint. But pressuring or even expecting dealers to tow the line on "suggested" retail list prices amounts to brazenly skirting laws against price fixing. A seller who takes me to task in that direction will never see me again. Some places, local or online, seem to expect to get every "list price" penny on an item. That is obnoxious, as full list prices are likely set to allow for discounts and sales. Think about the usual ordeal of buying a car, and how that is a set up intended to pounce on the unwary. Again, only IMHO, especially if you are a fair car dealer!)

 

Online, there seem to be two or three broad choices. One is Amazon, which has their own rules to protect a buyer, but often isn't a cheaper source; also, any item may be offered by multiple sellers who vary in quality of service. (Amazon also heavily capitalizes on impulse purchases which by their very nature must be delivered before buyer's remorse sets in.) Right now, however, I find that if I order a product on Amazon which is shipped from abroad -tea, a pen or ink, other items- there is a 25%+ chance the item will never arrive. Yes, the money is refunded, but it it a fruitless, futile exercise. By the way, in several reviews I tried to post about this failure rate, and for the first time in over 200 reviews, Amazon declined to allow my reviews to appear. Some of these caveats apply to eBay as well.)

 

When Amazon follows the L L Bean model of "every customer a satisfied customer" they can be champs.

 

A clear step up is Jetpens, a very smart seller, offering a cannily selected line of products. Watch what they offer, and see how the line shrinks and expands. It was founded by some Stanford graduates frustrated by the unavailability of many Japanese writing products in the USA. Their free shipping on orders over $25 is very attractive and very smart, too. In my experience, they provide quick, solid customer support. Clearly, they intend to be competitive in their niche, and seem to know exactly what that niche is. The business is run like a "tight" ship with a good captain and crew, and that lowers prices. Good place to stock up on supplies like inks.

 

The next step up are a number of firms exemplified by Goulet and Anderson Pens. They offer some discounts, but also appeal to those who want a more personal sort of customer service. It goes beyond a piece of candy and a handwritten thank-you. These are the places that will surely take the hassle out of dealing with post-purchase problems. They may even screen for some problems before shipping. But the prices necessarily will reflect the fact that this sort of personal service costs them time and effort.

 

How many of us have known that we could save some money by shopping at Walmart or other mass retailer, yet went to another, pricier store to avoid the lines, indifferent help, and an oddly limited selection?

 

Life is short, and money hard to come by. Shop at places that satisfy you, and value your time and effort by getting things right the first time around. Spend your money with people you respect, and who respect you. These are all interesting business models, and would make for a good comparative study for a MBA thesis.

 

The next question to ask, is how DO the Chinese make any money on Jinhao and similar pens?

[cellmatrix]

Personally I love Jetpens, Anderson pens and Gouletpens and have done business many times with them. Fantastic operations, fast shipping great customer service etc.

 

If either sold vanishing points for $69 like Jsubculture does (as I mentioned above), I would definitely buy from them.

 

Instead their prices for the vanishing point $127 or $140 are obviously not even close.

 

FYI, Jsubculture is not some kind of bogeyman, instead I have bought from them before and they have treated me just fine. They are just one example of how you can save money by buying directly from Japan.

 

Another alternative is on Amazon, where there are a group of Japanese sellers which sell pilots, platinums and sailor pens at really low prices. For example $68 for a platinum 3776 compared to $176 at any of the american based vendors like Goulet or Anderson. For that price I could get two pens with some money left over from the japanese folks for what one pen would cost from Goulet or Anderson.

 

So even though I like Jetpens, Andersons and Gouletpens, and I feel bad that they may have bought a bunch of japanese pens at what is now turning out to be above market price, I am not going to subsidize them just because they are nice people. The cold hard facts are that if I have a chance to save $50 or $100, I'm going to take it.

 

Edited August 9, 2015 by cellmatrix

[thatotherguy1]

I'm willing to pay more for service. However, there's a point when it's no longer prudent to buy from one vendor over another because of their pricing differences.

 

I paid $30 more for my Lamy 2000 from Goulet than I would have paid for the exact same pen from Amazon. I knew going into the transaction that I could have gotten a better deal on Amazon, but knowing that Goulet's pens were real (especially given the recent fake Safari from Amazon hullaballoo) combined with the fact that I was (and am) a very satisfied previous customer of Goulet and have had an excellent experience with their customer service (which I can't say about Amazon- the last thing I had to return was so much of a headache that I was considering just giving it to someone) made the $30 worth it. However, it's a lot harder to justify paying $176 for a Platinum that I can get from a Japanese seller on Amazon for $80. That's past the point where I don't find it prudent to pay more for service.

 

Yes, I realize it's largely because a lot of these cheaper sellers are Japanese and Japanese pens are hugely marked up for the American market. The sellers can't help that. However, I can choose to shop in another location if I find the price to be significantly better. I'll eventually spend the extra $100 I saved at Goulet anyways

[Bex66]

This dilemma keeps on running. I think UK sellers deliberately sell pens for the same price (though there is one retailer who undercuts the others and runs excellent offers).

 

I bought a Lamy 2000 from a Japanese seller on Amazon, for £105, about 2 years ago. They were selling in most UK online retailers for £150 at the time. I had to wait 6 weeks, rather than 24 - 48 hours and thought the pen was never going to turn up (I emailed the seller and he assured me it was on its way!)

 

I also got hammered for £18 import tax, which I hadn't considered. I'd worked out that it should be £8, but I couldn't prove this to the Post Office worker without opening the parcel and she wouldn't let me have it until I'd paid the £18! I also found the nib to be good enough, but I think it should be better, and I can't risk sending it back, without risking its disappearance. Emailing Lamy just resulted in a reply telling me to contact the seller!

Looking back, I should have paid the UK price. I have returned several pens for nib changes to UK retailers, no questions asked. The service is exceptional every time.

 

A lesson learned.

 

Those cheap offers are very tempting though.

 

Edit: sorry this was off-topic! I've ordered a few small stationery items from Jetpens. They have arrived in the UK very promptly (in about a week). I have been very happy with their service, though I've never bought a Pilot from them. I'm put off by the import duty...

Edited August 9, 2015 by Bex66