PELIKAN took my Binderized M200 away! o_O

[Edgar Allan Bo]

It was such an nice sunny morning… I started learning for my exams and looking for the postman to arrive and bring me some new pens I’m awaiting!

 

“Ding-Dong” – there he comes, and… no pens, BUT a note from the customs duty office that I have something there waiting for me!

 

Oh, that could only be my new M200 from Richard Binder, with a 0,9 Stub nib! *Yaay!*

 

I got my bicycle out of the basement and rode all the way to the customs duty office, where I had to open the package... so I opened it and I held it even in

my hands for few moments but after the woman there took a look at all the paper-stuff she started acting like it was drugs os something like that :blink: and

then she told me that my pen is now being officially confiscated by PELIKAN! ...uhm... what!?!

 

... ... ... ...

 

She said that Pelikan instructed them to send all Pelikan pens from abroad to them (Pelikan), where their lawyers will take a look at the case :blink: and that

it could take a month or two until I hear something from them...

 

And now!?!

Edited June 17, 2009 by sk2yshine

[Chris Chalmers]

Can they do that???????????

I would be mad as HELL :bonk: :bonk: :bonk: just because the nib has been reground is no need for a recall - after all the nib units are sold seperately - and you aren't having the pen for anything except your personal use!

Have you phoned Pelikan and asked them what the game is???

How did the Customs know it was a Pelikan pen anyway???

Something smells fishy to me!

[Pepin]

This sounds like a scam. Contact Pelikan asap and yell, "where is my Binderized pen???" I'm sorry to hear.

[1000km]

Interested to see what Richard has to say about this. Presumably they are clamping down on grey import/non-officially distributed pens.

Edited June 17, 2009 by 1000km

[Ondina]

Go back to Customs with your receipt (you've kept it, right?). Demand a written statement of what you've been told in words. Sealed and so.

Do you know any lawyer that could go along with you? Pay him a ride and a coffee and kindly introduce her/him to the customs lady. Let the pro do the talk.

 

This sounds weird, if not a scam.

 

Edited to add: Ah, and yes, please do contact Pelikan ASAP and see what they say.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Ondina

[bjornhansson]

I guess Pelikan is doing this to prevent counterfeiting. As (all?) Pelikan pens are made in Germany, I think it is quite natural for Pelikan to be suspicious when pens are imported into Germany. On the other hand it seems somewhat strange that the pen is said to be sent to Pelikan. Even though Pelikan's experts may need to look at the pen in order for Pelikan to determine that the pen is not counterfeited, such an examination could probably be conducted by the sending of detailed photographs (via e-mail) from the customs office to Pelikan. Hopefully it won't take very long before you get your pen back!

[FrankB]

I have never heard of such a thing! I think Ondina is right - get it in writing. Sonething is definitely wrong with this scenario.

[Edgar Allan Bo]

I was slightly baffled when the woman told me that the pen is now going to PELIKAN AND is maybe never coming back again... for whatever reasons!

 

But there is nothing wrong with the pen... sure, the nib is customized, but that's not Pelikan's problem, the pen isn't fake because of that!

 

IF the reason is that they fear that some Pelikan pens might be fake - they cannot check EVERY pen, if EVERY Pelikan pen from abroad has to be sent to them first to be checked - then it will take them soo much time to go through all these pens and to check every case... that is very inefficient!

Edited June 17, 2009 by sk2yshine

[Frits B]

I was slightly baffled when the woman told me that the pen is now going to PELIKAN AND is maybe never coming back again... for whatever reasons!

 

But there is nothing wrong with the pen... sure, the nib is customized, but that's not Pelikan's problem, the pen isn't fake because of that!

 

IF the reason is that they fear that some Pelikan pens might be fake - they cannot check EVERY pen, if EVERY Pelikan pen from abroad has to be sent to them first to be checked - then it will take them soo much time to go through all these pens and to check every case... that is very inefficient!

You are too reasonable about this. What happens here is theft. Pelikan is not the owner of its pens once they have been sold, and what you do with it is your prerogative. If I buy trousers that are too long (happens all the time) I have them shortened. In addition, Pelikan is a private company which is not in a position to instruct a customs officer to confiscate your pen, to the same extent that they cannot tell the police to search your house for fakes. You should claim immediate return of the pen to its lawful owner = you, and lodge a complaint with the customs officer's superiors.

[Edgar Allan Bo]

QUOTE (Frits B @ Jun 17 2009, 01:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was slightly baffled when the woman told me that the pen is now going to PELIKAN AND is maybe never coming back again... for whatever reasons!

 

But there is nothing wrong with the pen... sure, the nib is customized, but that's not Pelikan's problem, the pen isn't fake because of that!

 

IF the reason is that they fear that some Pelikan pens might be fake - they cannot check EVERY pen, if EVERY Pelikan pen from abroad has to be sent to them first to be checked - then it will take them soo much time to go through all these pens and to check every case... that is very inefficient!

You are too reasonable about this. What happens here is theft. Pelikan is not the owner of its pens once they have been sold, and what you do with it is your prerogative. If I buy trousers that are too long (happens all the time) I have them shortened. In addition, Pelikan is a private company which is not in a position to instruct a customs officer to confiscate your pen, to the same extent that they cannot tell the police to search your house for fakes. You should claim immediate return of the pen to its lawful owner = you, and lodge a complaint with the customs officer's superiors.

 

well, I have at least the certificate where it says that the "object" is under "temporary custody" of PELIKAN and that I have the right to appeal against this decision of the customs duty office BUT even IF I appeal against it - the pen has to be sent to PELIKAN in Hannover at first!

 

So all I can do now is to wait... and wait... and even if I call someone at PELIKAN, I doubt they even have a clue about what's going on, they will tell me that I have to wait... and wait...

 

I explained everything to the woman there and explained how "stupid" the whole thing is but she said that there is NO chance to take this pen with me right now, and I will get it back after PELIKAN has checked it and only IF they have nothing to complain about... maybe they'll exchange the nib because the Binderized one isn't an original Pel-nib anymore! (and then they'll put a scratchy EF on the M200 body and finally give it back to me!) o_O'

[montblancdude]

WHAT?????????? Pelikan can't just take away your new pen! You paid for it!!!!!! What happens to it after that is YOUR business, not Pelikan's!!!!!! A reground nib is no cause for the pen being recalled!!!! It's not like you're selling the pen or anything.... it's theft, I think.

 

I strongly encourage you to contact Pelikan ASAP and demand (in a nice, professional manner so you don't turn them off) what is going on with your pen. It's important to follow up on this!

[John Cullen]

If what I have been told by a friend who works for the ag dept is correct, the US does not regularly test any real number of cows or sheep for Mad Cow/BSE etc.... The US waits for a problem to be reported and goes from there, unlike many other countries that do test the vast majority of animals to detect as early as possible any problem. Perhaps I was misinformed.

 

As for the Pelikan issue.... Yeah, it is crazy, but clearly they can and will do this with the full cooperation of the government. I remember getting a package from the East that had been opened and roughed up at customs somewhere along the line and then being told there was no way to make any claim against a customs inspection. My sister lived in the middle east for a few years and things were taken out of her mail on a regular basis. A friend of mine who lived for years in middle Europe told me to never send her valuables as the mail was regularly inspected and questionable items like chocolate were removed.

 

It sucks, but I would be shocked if Pelikan was doing something the law was not going to support. sk2yshine, I hope like heck you get the pen back!!

Edited June 17, 2009 by John Cullen

[Kamiyashi]

Not to parrot everyone else, but this sounds ridiculously suspicious. I'd talk both to Pelikan and someone in a higher position than this woman. Supervisor, preferable.

[Frits B]

well, I have at least the certificate where it says that the "object" is under "temporary custody" of PELIKAN and that I have the right to appeal against this decision of the customs duty office BUT even IF I appeal against it - the pen has to be sent to PELIKAN in Hannover at first!

 

So all I can do now is to wait... and wait... and even if I call someone at PELIKAN, I doubt they even have a clue about what's going on, they will tell me that I have to wait... and wait...

 

I explained everything to the woman there and explained how "stupid" the whole thing is but she said that there is NO chance to take this pen with me right now, and I will get it back after PELIKAN has checked it and only IF they have nothing to complain about... maybe they'll exchange the nib because the Binderized one isn't an original Pel-nib anymore! (and then they'll put a scratchy EF on the M200 body and finally give it back to me!) o_O'

The Pelikan website has a page Kontakt which provides a link to Frau Simone Bahrs who is in charge of PR. You might direct her to this post and explain that stupid actions like you have to suffer are not in Pelikan's best interest. Pelikan may want to eradicate fakes but this in no way justifies clamping down on individual customers who happen to have bought their pen from an authorized dealer abroad.

[WendyNC]

sk2yshine, my sympathies for the mess in which your poor pen has been caught up. I'm sitting here baffled and coming up with all kinds of reasons why this can't be anything more than a customs employee stealing your pen, but then keep reminding myself that I know nothing of German law and it's this which controls here. Please keep us apprised of developments, particularly any information from Pelikan.

[agchristie]

actually sadly by german law this is absolutely allowed. If you have anything sent to you which could be a fake for example MB or rolex watches or louis vuitton bags customs has every right to keep it in and destroy it and you have to pay extra fro the fines, the destroying etc... I've heard this happen to lots of people if they tried to bring anything that could be a fake into germany. Doesnt matter if you bring it in personally or have it sent to you by post. And Pelikan has every right to get customs to check for any possible fakes sadly.

Edited June 17, 2009 by silexink

[jbn10161]

With the advance disclaimer that I know absolutely nothing about this, it seems to me more likely that Customs is checking with Pelikan whether the pen is real or counterfeit, as opposed to Pelikan's directing Customs to return pens to it. In other words, Customs is inspecting. That's what they do. Instead of having their own pen experts, they're sending it off to the authority who actually knows. It still seems very odd to me, though, that Customs would care that much about pens or that they'd send it off to Pelikan instead of just asking you to produce a receipt.

[Richard]

I have just left a voicemail message for my Pelikan representative, asking him to contact me about this issue.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Richard

[Edgar Allan Bo]

actually sadly by german law this is absolutely allowed. If you have anything sent to you which could be a fake for example MB or rolex watches or louis vuitton bags customs has every right to keep it in and destroy it and you have to pay extra fro the fines, the destroying etc... I've heard this happen to lots of people if they tried to bring anything that could be a fake into germany. Doesnt matter if you bring it in personally or have it sent to you by post. And Pelikan has every right to get customs to check for any possible fakes sadly.

 

yepp, I know all that, but it's the first time I see it in such silly case, I mean, it's an M200, and even if it was an M1000, as far as I know there are NO fake M200's / M1000's out there... I tried to explain all that to that woman but she had no clue about FP's and I think she was even confident that my M200 is a fake! :mad:

 

I could understand it if it was an MontBlanc LE or something VERY expensive, but hey - it's an M200!!! WTH!?! do they really make this with EVERY imported pen!?!

[Possum Hill]

If what I have been told by a friend who works for the ag dept is correct, the US does not regularly test any real number of cows or sheep for Mad Cow/BSE etc.... The US waits for a problem to be reported and goes from there, unlike many other countries that do test the vast majority of animals to detect as early as possible any problem. Perhaps I was misinformed.

So, the USDA does have a program and some people think it's not adequate. For any issue there's a group that thinks government isn't doing enough and another that thinks it's wasting money trying to do too much.

 

The argument over whether the details of the USDA's program are adequate is a very old one by now. It was hashed over at considerable length by people who knew what they were talking about. They still disagree with each other. It doesn't seem likely that anything beyond allegations of conspiracy between government and big agribusiness would come from continuing here.