Differences In Lamy Packaging?

[Arstook]

Hello friends,

 

I recently purchased two Lamy Aion fountain pens from two different online dealers. Each arrived in a different package. I was just curious why that might be the case. Is it just arbitrary, based on what Lamy had when producing different batches, or is it that they were designated for different market regions?

[marlinspike]

I'm guessing the one on the left was sold by a European seller?

[Mr.Rene]

Mine comes from UK and it was packed in the left box style...

[Arstook]

I'm guessing the one on the left was sold by a European seller?

The left one was from Goldspot Pens and the right one was from Brian Goulet. It's possible that Goldspot got their pens from a European subdistributor. I'm pretty sure that Goulet has a official relationship with Lamy.

[PAKMAN]

This seems to be pretty common with Safari's and 2000's depending on where the pens were originally marketed for. Also, I noticed that brick and mortar stores have a display case full of Lamy pens and when you buy one they reach under the counter and grab a box, which sometimes may vary from what you expect.

[AidenMark]

Might it be that the box is purchased by the dealer as a separate item and 'sold' on to you with the pen?

 

Hence the dealer is entirely free to cut costs by selling you the pen in a less elaborate box, or compliment your wealth and taste by selling you the pen in a prestigious box for $5 more.

 

Whenever I have had paid a low price for a Lamy it came in a plastic bag inside a square cardboard tube.

No problem with that.

[marlinspike]

The left one was from Goldspot Pens and the right one was from Brian Goulet. It's possible that Goldspot got their pens from a European subdistributor. I'm pretty sure that Goulet has a official relationship with Lamy.

Interesting. Goldspot is an authorized dealer, but I've only seen that left box on non-US market pens, so now I'm confused.

[Arstook]

Interesting. Goldspot is an authorized dealer, but I've only seen that left box on non-US market pens, so now I'm confused.

 

To make things a little more confusing, both boxes came with the converter. I understand that in Europe, Lamy pens don't usually come with the converter (?) I'm not a hundred percent sure about this so please chime in if you know better!

[catbert]

Mine came from a European retailer in the left box style without a converter.

[gammada]

It is my understanding that retailers get to choose the packaging they want for their pens. Here in Mexico, Miguel Angel Pen Shop fon instance, gives all Lamy Safaris and Al-Stars a nice plastic box that opens into two lids. Whereas all of the pens I've bought from Europe and the US come in the more common cardboard box with the slat openings.

 

Kaweco also lets distributors choose packaging options.

[Arstook]

It is my understanding that retailers get to choose the packaging they want for their pens. Here in Mexico, Miguel Angel Pen Shop fon instance, gives all Lamy Safaris and Al-Stars a nice plastic box that opens into two lids. Whereas all of the pens I've bought from Europe and the US come in the more common cardboard box with the slat openings.

 

Kaweco also lets distributors choose packaging options.

That makes a lot of sense! Thank you. I don't know when I'll ever be in Mexico, but if I do, I'll make sure to stop by the Miguel Angel Pen Shop. I like the idea of fancier packaging.

[sentience]

There’s definitely some variety out there! I’ve bought three different Lamy Studios from three different retailers here in Australia, and they’ve all come in a third kind of box:

 

[Arstook]

Who knew there were so many box varieties?! I like this third box quite a bit. It's one that I think would work best when giving a Lamy as a gift.

[a m a r g o]

It is my understanding that retailers get to choose the packaging they want for their pens. Here in Mexico, Miguel Angel Pen Shop fon instance, gives all Lamy Safaris and Al-Stars a nice plastic box that opens into two lids. Whereas all of the pens I've bought from Europe and the US come in the more common cardboard box with the slat openings.

 

Kaweco also lets distributors choose packaging options.

 

That makes a lot of sense! Thank you. I don't know when I'll ever be in Mexico, but if I do, I'll make sure to stop by the Miguel Angel Pen Shop. I like the idea of fancier packaging.

The different packaging options are a selection made by the main distributor of Lamy in any given country, and within that market, local vendors/distributors might choose the optional or the standard one considering the line of writing instruments we're talking about.

 

In Mexico, all the lines above the Al-Star are delivered in the textured cardboard trifold box or the metal box with a hinged lid cover, and all the rest below it, in the plastic hinged double lid cover box or the standard cardboard box with transverse cuts. Quite a few years ago, every vendor would package the writing instruments, equal or above the Safari, in the double lid plastic boxes, which could have double or single retainers if you bought the set (fountain pen - mechanical pencil) or just a single instrument, and every other instrument below the Safari was delivered in a translucent plastic box with transverse cuts, which surely was the inspiration for the current cardboard box with cutoffs. Nowadays, only the biggest retailers provide the double lid plastic boxes:

 

 

Here's the current packaging options from Lamy:

 

https://www.lamy.com/content/corporate_gifts/writing_systems/gift_packagings/index_eng.html

 

I've never seen the plastic hinged double lid cover box in other markets, I think it's an exclusive packaging for Mexico, but it could be that the main distributor fabricates them in-house under the VoBo of Lamy's design team. The official distributor of Lamy is Bolex, a manufacturer of writing instruments as well, but I think focused only in the wholesale or promotional side of it: ballpoints, markers and pencils for hotels, companies, governments. I've never seen their products in the shelfs of stationary retailers along a Bic, Uni, or Pilot, which is a little bit weird.

Edited May 22, 2018 by coppilcus

[Astronymus]

I can imagine Lamy rules prohibit that. The message may be: Lamy is affordable but not cheap.

[a m a r g o]

I can imagine Lamy rules prohibit that. The message may be: Lamy is affordable but not cheap.

Which part are you referring to?

Edited May 22, 2018 by coppilcus

[MHBru]

My aion came from Goulet and matches the packaging on the left and included a converter

[Arstook]

The different packaging options are a selection made by the main distributor of Lamy in any given country, and within that market, local vendors/distributors might choose the optional or the standard one considering the line of writing instruments we're talking about.

 

In Mexico, all the lines above the Al-Star are delivered in the textured cardboard trifold box or the metal box with a hinged lid cover, and all the rest below it, in the plastic hinged double lid cover box or the standard cardboard box with transverse cuts. Quite a few years ago, every vendor would package the writing instruments, equal or above the Safari, in the double lid plastic boxes, which could have double or single retainers if you bought the set (fountain pen - mechanical pencil) or just a single instrument, and every other instrument below the Safari was delivered in a translucent plastic box with transverse cuts, which surely was the inspiration for the current cardboard box with cutoffs. Nowadays, only the biggest retailers provide the double lid plastic boxes:

 

C51F3751-4F3C-4ED1-8536-CA0228E703CF.jpeg

AD2E2A21-F28C-4A7C-A748-8DFABA052FE1.jpeg

 

Here's the current packaging options from Lamy:

 

https://www.lamy.com/content/corporate_gifts/writing_systems/gift_packagings/index_eng.html

 

I've never seen the plastic hinged double lid cover box in other markets, I think it's an exclusive packaging for Mexico, but it could be that the main distributor fabricates them in-house under the VoBo of Lamy's design team. The official distributor of Lamy is Bolex, a manufacturer of writing instruments as well, but I think focused only in the wholesale or promotional side of it: ballpoints, markers and pencils for hotels, companies, governments. I've never seen their products in the shelfs of stationary retailers along a Bic, Uni, or Pilot, which is a little bit weird.

 

On second thought, I think the packaging for Lamy in Mexico is my favorite. Are Safaris and Al-Stars more expensive in Mexico than the US? I've seen online vendors here charge about $25 USD for a Safari and about $35 + USD on Al-Stars. One thing I'm guessing that explains the fancier packaging in Mexico, is that maybe the Safari and Al-Star pens are marketed as luxury pens there. While in Europe and the US, they're marketed as entry-level affordable items. I remember reading on a forum that Lamy Safaris are also sold as luxury items in China where they can go for as high as $65 USD.

[Calabria]

Interesting. I used to get the metal boxes which make great pen cases. I've been given the left cardboard version in a variety of places - SF store, FPH, Germany. I like it a lot but it's kind of useless afterwards.

[a m a r g o]

On second thought, I think the packaging for Lamy in Mexico is my favorite. Are Safaris and Al-Stars more expensive in Mexico than the US? I've seen online vendors here charge about $25 USD for a Safari and about $35 + USD on Al-Stars. One thing I'm guessing that explains the fancier packaging in Mexico, is that maybe the Safari and Al-Star pens are marketed as luxury pens there. While in Europe and the US, they're marketed as entry-level affordable items. I remember reading on a forum that Lamy Safaris are also sold as luxury items in China where they can go for as high as $65 USD.

They’re certainly not marketed as luxury items, but the market is smaller and retailers have dodgie business plans; generally speaking, they try to amortize their investments with the second client that crosses the door. It’s quite a strange thing if you see it from the client perspective, because the sales keep going up besides the devaluation of the peso, which is taking a beating lately, and that is reflected immediately in the prices. I’ll guess that they value more the possibility of being able to keep purchasing some items at absurd prices, instead of value their hard earn money appropriately...

 

The Safari is around $33 usd and the Al-Star begins at $45 usd, for more reference, the Lamy 2000 it’s at the $200 usd mark.

 

I would say that the different categories of value perception, regarding the products, are more or less the same than in the USA, but ‘we’ care less about the amounts we pay for them and for sure have less returning consumers.