Buy Pen From Japan

[Charles Skinner]

I am not planing to do this anytime soon, but just wondering how long the shipping usually takes, ---- when a new pen is shipped from Japan. ---- C. S.

[Driften]

A few days to a month or so. All depends on how it's shipped. EMS is faster then the normal mail, but in general the cheep shipping has been 10-14 days the few times I've ordered. It's about the same as when I've ordered from the UK. But I've seen DHL and UPS from Europe make it to me in 3 days.

[almoore]

Hi

 

When I order from Japan to the UK, using standard airmail, it takes about a week door to door, the Japanese post office is very efficient.

 

Al

[inkstainedruth]

The only time I've ordered a pen from Japan, the seller didn't give free (but slow) shipping as an option. It was $11, IIRC, for the Economy Airmail (this was a couple of years ago, so the costs may have gone up since then). The seller warned me that while it normally took 10-14 days, it might be longer due to the time of year (I ordered the pen just before Thanksgiving). It took... 11. Eleven days from Tokyo to just outside Pittsburgh, ordering the pen in late morning a week and a half before while at my sister-in-law's in NYC, and having the mailman knocking on my front door for me to sign for the package about 3 PM. I was amazed at how fast the pen flew (no pun intended) through US Customs when it reached New York. And I was able to track its progress with tracking from (first) Japan Post and then (after it got through Customs) through the USPS tracking. I was HIGHLY impressed.

Seller -- pisuke2005 -- did not do ANYTHING to tarnish the 100% positive feedback rating as far as I was concerned.... And if that seller had something I wanted and the price was good, I would not hesitate to order from that seller again. And even with the charges for the economy airmail shipping, the pen, a Pilot Decimo in a color you can't get in the US, was cheaper than anything I could buy through a US retailer because of Pilot-USA's markup....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: I have heard horror stories from other Japanese vendors, so if you do the eBay route I strongly recommend ONLY going with a seller with 100% positive feedback.

Edited February 8, 2020 by inkstainedruth

[corniche]

Hi Charles,

 

I've purchased several pens from Japan and its typically been 2-3 weeks.

 

 

Sean ⚜

[Mongoosey]

I purchase fountain pens from Japan all the time, primarily from penpen-avenue on ebay, and it doesn't take long at all; maybe 2 weeks with free/standard shipping.

 

I've purchased from J-subculture and they are fast as well, but sometimes they take an extra week depending on the processing time of the order.

 

It's nothing like those slow orders from China.

[A Smug Dill]

I don't think there's a simple or categorical answer to the question of how long it usually takes; it depends a lot on the shipping method or service selected, as well as the international destination, of course.

If sending by EMS, I've had packages (containing fountain pens) physically dispatched on Saturday in Japan and ready for collection at my Australia Post Parcel Locker address by Tuesday afternoon. That's lightning fast, considering the need to clear Customs in the middle of the process, and for my local post office staff to get around to physically depositing the packages into a locker after receiving it from the main delivery hub in Sydney; not a moment was wasted it would seem!

I think it can safely be assumed that every consumer/recipient would prefer (to hear) shipping is quicker instead of slower, so in the interest of reducing the average lead time to final delivery, I strongly advocate choosing Japanese sellers that offer delivery by EMS as an option and using that service, so that in time we would be able to answer, "It's usually very quick, and only takes three or four calendar days."

[katerchen]

Depends, really. If they send with EMS : usually a week.

 

-k

[Addertooth]

I have commonly experienced one and a half to four weeks.

 

I like buying used pens from Japan, as they tend to devalue European and American pens.

[KBeezie]

Every time I've ordered from Japan, to here in the US, I opted for the EMS shipping which is usually between $10 to $15 depending on weight, and it's usually at my door within 3 or so days.

[fabri00]

It depend also from the time required to pass custom clearance.

In Italy could take few days in case of courriers or even 2 weeks in case of normal post.

If then a payment for custom duties or vat will be requested, then also this will take time,

Edited February 13, 2020 by fabri00