Online Shopping: Directly? Or Indirectly?

[william2001]

Hello,

I was wondering if buying directly from a brand website is better or worse than buying from a pen website.

 

For example (if you are confused):

I am looking forward to buy a Montblanc pen (probably Meisterstuck Classique).

Should I buy it directly from Montblanc.com?

Or should I buy it indirectly from JetPens or Paradise Pens?

 

Thanks,

William S. Park

[Chrissy]

If they are all more or less the same price including shipping I would buy it from Montblanc

Edited August 12, 2014 by Chrissy

[BrandonA]

I've no experience of the alternative sites you list. Are they authorised MB retailers? If they are then it doesn't really make much difference which you choose. I'd look at price, delivery costs and delivery timeframes.

 

Personally though I'd get for the MB site as I like to buy to buy from source but this is my biased preference.

[sd10521]

I would check the prices and make sure they are an authorized dealer first.

I understand Fountain Pen Hospital is an authorised dealer for Montblanc and they do offer a discount on Montblanc pens.

If you want to get it through Montblanc, look to see if there is a boutique in your area. It is nice to actually touch one before paying for it.

[Tasmith]

The Montblanc Boutique in Virginia is in Tysons Galleria in McLean.

[ac12]

William,

Amuse me for a bit.

How does a 13 year old teen, afford a MB pen?

[Runnin_Ute]

Mow lawns?

[aardvarkbark]

If you're confident that you are getting authentic first quality pen with full mfr warranty, in addition to a discount availble from a pen seller, you may want to consider sales tax savings too. Since MB has a retail presence in VA (Tyson's boutique) and by your flag, I presume that's where you live, I imagine you'll have to pay sales tax when buying on the co website. Same for Paradise if they have a retail presence in the state. No sales tax if you order from FPH's website since their only location is NYC. JetPen doesn't have a physical retail presence anywhere, but I don't think they even sell MB, so kinda moot.

[tonybelding]

I ran into this dilemma when I wanted to buy a new Wahl-Eversharp Skyline. I could order them from Anderson Pens or from Wahl-Eversharp's own website for the same price. I never bought from Anderson Pens before, though I'd heard good things about them. This is not a decision I'm accustomed to making. Most pen makers don't sell direct, so they don't compete directly against their own dealer network. However, I do think direct selling is going to become more and more common.

 

I did actually order the Skyline from Anderson Pens, but I found myself second-guessing that. So, why do pen makers even need retailers anymore? I can think of a few reasons.

 

One, to get their pens into boutiques, into brick-and-mortar stores. Two, to sell their pens through shoppes that can customize them or provide specialized services (like nibs.com or Richard Binder). Three, to get their pens onto one-stop-shopping websites where we can buy pens, ink, paper and more in the same place (like Goulet), which also gives their brand more visibility. (Hint: It took me a long time to realize Wahl-Eversharp was back in business, since I never saw them in the places where I usually shop.)

 

So... I doubt retailers are going away. However, I live in the middle of nowhere, so brick-and-mortar stores mean nothing to me. I do like to put together an order with several items at a time from Goulet, but when I'm buying an expensive pen that's not really an issue either. I think in the future I'd be open to buying more pens direct.

Edited August 13, 2014 by tonybelding

[Dalimar]

  On 8/12/2014 at 9:45 PM, william2001 said:

Hello,

I was wondering if buying directly from a brand website is better or worse than buying from a pen website.

 

For example (if you are confused):

I am looking forward to buy a Montblanc pen (probably Meisterstuck Classique).

Should I buy it directly from Montblanc.com?

Or should I buy it indirectly from JetPens or Paradise Pens?

 

Thanks,

William S. Park

 

I would buy it from the retailer. This comes from experience buying from Manufacturers. Generally speaking, should you require customer service or after-care, it will come easier and more personable from the retailer then the manufacturer if the retailer offers such after-care. Goulet Pens is a good example of stellar after-care from a retailer.

 

Namaste,

Dalimar

[WaskiSquirrel]

I prefer to buy from a retailer because of the customer service. It's just anecdotal, but find the retailers are better about working with me if there is a problem.

 

JetPens does not carry the Montblanc brand, but it's a great store.

[KBeezie]

  On 8/12/2014 at 10:43 PM, ac12 said:

William,

Amuse me for a bit.

How does a 13 year old teen, afford a MB pen?

 

There are more MB pens than just the 146/144/149 etc. I have a MB, cost me less than $100 (#225 in user condition)... just sayin'

 

Far as age? Who knows, the kid could be newly into affiliate marketing or something, I've seen some get some decent coin doing that because they're not quite as afraid to take risks, especially online endeavours.

 

Far as the topic on hand.

 

Find an authorized retailer that you trust or enjoy dealing with, and go with that. For example if GouletPens actually sold MBs as an authorized dealer, I'd rather deal with them than deal with MB directly (retailers seem to go the extra length to help you). It seems like that's what you're going to end up doing anyways, since they refer you to a boutique, or they deliver your order from a retailer/dealer closest to you.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2014 by KBeezie

[de_pen_dent]

  On 8/12/2014 at 10:43 PM, ac12 said:

William,

Amuse me for a bit.

How does a 13 year old teen, afford a MB pen?

 

I think he used it as an example.

 

William - feel free to not answer this question, regardless. What you can and cannot afford, and how, are NONE of our business.

 

Back to the topic - I prefer to buy from dealers I have a good relationship with, rather than a faceless corporate website. In my case, I would buy from Dennis @ La Couronne, and get both superb service and a great price.

[william2001]

  On 8/12/2014 at 10:43 PM, ac12 said:

William,

Amuse me for a bit.

How does a 13 year old teen, afford a MB pen?

 

 

  On 8/13/2014 at 12:26 AM, Runnin_Ute said:

Mow lawns?

 

 

  On 8/13/2014 at 4:21 PM, KBeezie said:

 

There are more MB pens than just the 146/144/149 etc. I have a MB, cost me less than $100 (#225 in user condition)... just sayin'

 

Far as age? Who knows, the kid could be newly into affiliate marketing or something, I've seen some get some decent coin doing that because they're not quite as afraid to take risks, especially online endeavours.

 

Far as the topic on hand.

 

Find an authorized retailer that you trust or enjoy dealing with, and go with that. For example if GouletPens actually sold MBs as an authorized dealer, I'd rather deal with them than deal with MB directly (retailers seem to go the extra length to help you). It seems like that's what you're going to end up doing anyways, since they refer you to a boutique, or they deliver your order from a retailer/dealer closest to you.

 

 

Well, I do pretty much everything to earn enough money for fountain pens.

 

  On 8/13/2014 at 5:35 PM, de_pen_dent said:

 

I think he used it as an example.

 

William - feel free to not answer this question, regardless. What you can and cannot afford, and how, are NONE of our business.

 

Thanks, but I don't mind answering it, so I did.

-William S. Park

[william2001]

  On 8/12/2014 at 10:21 PM, Tasmith said:

The Montblanc Boutique in Virginia is in Tysons Galleria in McLean.

 

 

  On 8/13/2014 at 3:31 AM, aardvarkbark said:

If you're confident that you are getting authentic first quality pen with full mfr warranty, in addition to a discount availble from a pen seller, you may want to consider sales tax savings too. Since MB has a retail presence in VA (Tyson's boutique) and by your flag, I presume that's where you live, I imagine you'll have to pay sales tax when buying on the co website. Same for Paradise if they have a retail presence in the state. No sales tax if you order from FPH's website since their only location is NYC. JetPen doesn't have a physical retail presence anywhere, but I don't think they even sell MB, so kinda moot.

Thanks!

I didn't know there was a close MB boutique near me.

-William S. Park