What pen(s) are you waiting for in the mail?

[chromantic]

Finally! Nineteen days, the first 10 of which was just sitting in the Italian Post Office. Pictures to follow.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, now getting something of a runaround from these seller of the burgundy Decimo.   PM'd the seller a couple of days ago and asked what the problem was (and even plugged that into Google Translate, since the seller's English isn't that good, and my Japanese is pretty much non-existent).  Seller is claiming that the pen should ship in a few days -- but the ORIGINAL delivery date range was February 5-13, and has now been pushed back to the 18th.

And JUST got off a chat window with someone from eBay who wasn't overly helpful, other than to say that eBay is going to nudge the seller to ship as promised....   But that's the better part of an hour of my life I will never get back (especially since the person I was dealing with clearly didn't have much better a command of the English language than the seller did...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Manalto]

Platinum 3776 Century in laurel green. I've had the burgundy (Fine) for years.(I don't think they made them in green when I bought it.) It's served me well and is by far my most-used pen. 

[PJS_prog]

@inkstainedruth, I've gotten to the point, after so many aggravating transactions over the years, that I almost never buy anything off eBay anymore.  It's just not worth the constant hassle, at least to me.

[Misfit]

I’m waiting on a Karas Kustoms fountain pen in olive green. 

[Doug C]

Opus88 Buffalo horn.

[AmandaW]

The postie says my blue Faber-Castell Hexo is on board for delivery today.

[inkstainedruth]

10 hours ago, PJS_prog said:

@inkstainedruth, I've gotten to the point, after so many aggravating transactions over the years, that I almost never buy anything off eBay anymore.  It's just not worth the constant hassle, at least to me.

I've actually mostly have had good experiences with eBay -- but this is a relatively new seller, and one I haven't dealt with before....  

I do now have tracking information, but when I tried to plug it in at first, I wasn't getting any actual results (probably due to it being Japan Post).  The guy I talked to in the chat window on eBay was able to get a response from the seller, and just had a chance to check the tracking # now (it hasn't been the best day, just in general ).  The package has now been processed through the facility at Tokyo Int., and I now have it set up to track it through USPS when it gets stateside.  So that's something, at least....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: But of course, last night I did kinda rant at the guy in the chat window about the times I DID have bad problems with sellers -- and how in one case I was NOT able to provide feedback because I was able to get my money back AND keep the items.  And how when -- more recently -- the seller cancelled the sale and I got notified by PayPal BEFORE getting notified by EITHER the seller or eBay.  And when I was told I COULDN'T provide feedback on a "cancelled" transaction and basically said, "HOLD MY BEER!" and did it ANYWAY -- and to this day I do not know if the seller got a better offer after accepting mine, or actually never had the item to BEGIN WITH (both of which are pretty slimy).  

[lascosas]

"processed through the facility at Tokyo Int." means it is awaiting a flight, and that can take days.  It is often the slowest part of the wait.  And you can track it through USPS from the time it is received by Japan Post. 

[inkstainedruth]

Yes, I now have it set up to get updates from USPS via email.

I just hope that the package goes to the street address with the CORRECT zip code attached to it (I've learned from experience that's not always the case....  Years ago I got email from the person I was working under for the OTHER hobby that she'd heard from a higher up that I wasn't a "paid member" of the organization.   And I was like, "Say WHAT?"  And realized I hadn't gotten any of the monthly newsletters for a while.  But because my husband's younger brother worked for USPS, after an issue with getting someone else's mail when we lived in Massachusetts, I knew what to do (and was really glad I'd paid to get the newsletters sent via 1st Class Mail as well).  And talked to a Postal Inspector here, showing her the stuff I was supposed to get; but I also contacted the organization's headquarters in California -- and then kept a weather eye out in case it happened again (which it did).  And every time we had our memberships extended -- but that means that the membership renewals come JUST before the big event in August....   And that gets awkward time-wise sometimes.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Driften]

Got paid today, so I decided to order an Edison Elysian in DiamondCast Blue Macaw. I had thought about going to the California pen show this weekend, but the Elysian is such a unique design I would rather give it a try.

[Doug C]

1 hour ago, Driften said:

Got paid today, so I decided to order an Edison Elysian in DiamondCast Blue Macaw. I had thought about going to the California pen show this weekend, but the Elysian is such a unique design I would rather give it a try.

Wow! I didn't know about this model.  Very nice.

[Driften]

1 hour ago, Doug C said:

Wow! I didn't know about this model.  Very nice.

 

Edison launched this model last October in their signature line you can only order direct from current inventory or what ever you would like custom. So far only one YouTube review of this model. 

[jchch1950]

A very special pen design. Congratulations on your new pen.

[ruby.monkey]

Just a couple this time - a Pilot Custom 743 with FA nib on the way from Japan, and an Ackerman Pens Classic intended for the Brause Steno (AKA the Blue Pumpkin). I didn't think it was even possible to make a feed that would work with this nib, so I'm really looking forward to testing the pen out.

[Manalto]

On 2/12/2025 at 7:25 PM, inkstainedruth said:

And how when -- more recently -- the seller cancelled the sale...

 

This has become a source of aggravation for me lately, as it has happened too often, and each time with an item that was a good deal compared to the other options. No explanation or apology (Heaven forfend) were given, of course. I can only imagine the seller realized he could get a lot more for the item, so pulled it with the intention of relisting at a higher price. I have no basis for this accusation other than a cynicism born of experience.

 

It's a trend I've seen developing in customer service over decades, I suspect as a result of corporate, rather than individual, ownership: the more shabbily you can treat your customer, the lower his expectations will be. This policy works particularly well when it spans a generation; as a new consumer, you accept the status quo at your point of entry into the marketplace, and if there's a decline (there will be), then, oh well.

 

Please forgive my rant. All will be sunshine and roses once I've had my "morning coffee."

[Doug C]

17 hours ago, Driften said:

 

Edison launched this model last October in their signature line you can only order direct from current inventory or what ever you would like custom. So far only one YouTube review of this model. 

Please post pictures when you get it. 

[inkstainedruth]

Well, three days later and I haven't gotten ANY updates about the burgundy Decimo.... 

Given that I bought it February 1, and when I checked its progress on eBay just now, and it was (allegedly) shipped on February 12, -- but the "Shipment history" is now saying "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" as of 9:50 PM YESTERDAY (not sure what timezone that is, but here in Pittsburgh it's now it's February 15, about 5:50 PM ET) and I haven't heard a peep from the seller after I had to have eBay basically sit on him.... 

The last time I ordered something on eBay from a seller in Japan?  It was the day before Thanksgiving, and the seller warned me that due to the time of year, it might be longer than the 10-14 days for Economy Airmail from Japan....  Well, in THAT case, it took ELEVEN days -- and I was able to track its progress the entire time, including when it was out for delivery.  It's already taken longer than that for THIS purchase (took TEN days just to get eBay to pry the tracking info out of the seller (which is making me NOW wonder if the seller even had the pen to begin with, but was suddenly going "Oh sh*t!  I've got to run out and buy a pen so I can ship it to the buyer in the US...").

And the original delivery date has now been extended to the 18th but apparently hasn't LEFT Japan as of a little under 24 hours ago.  And that's not even taking into account how long it will take, once it gets stateside, to go through Customs and then on to the USPS.... 🤬.

The only good thing so far in this entire ordeal is that I see the "swearing" .gif hasn't gone away here on FPN....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA:  Starting to wonder if the pen will arrive in time for my husband's birthday -- which is in APRIL....

[PBWilson1970]

I'm waiting on a handful of Kaco Retro pens in a variety of colors. My other Kako Retro works very well and these were a good bargain. Also, I can have more of my inks ready to go once I get them inked up. I've found that I really dislike NOT having certain colors ready to roll, er glide.

[Mark from Yorkshire]

A oblique nib holder