Cross Townsend -- Out Of Production?

[MrThoth]

Came across something disturbing recently and wanted to see if anyone knows anything about it.

 

The official Cross website no longer lists any Townsends as available. (The same seems to be true of some other pen types as well.) It's not even listed as a "Collection" -- the Townsend has just vanished from the website.

 

Even more annoying for someone like me who collects Townsends, Cross didn't do an Asian zodiac pen following Year Of The Ox (2021) -- there should've been a Tiger and Rabbit pens since then.

 

So -- does anyone know what's going on? Has Cross cancelled the Townsend (and perhaps other lines) altogether? Has it made some major change in production strategy? Have supply chain delays and other hassles brought on by the pandemic caused a temporary halt?

I'd love to know, because I hate the idea of there never being new Townsends to add to my collection.

[jchch1950]

Cross has also retired the Peerless 125. Maybe they are going to refocus their fountain pen lines with more accessible ones.

[Sidney]

I don't know much about A.T. Cross. I just stumbled onto this post. The Townsend line is on their web site: https://www.cross.com/cr_en_us/writing-instruments/by-collections/townsend

[Braxfield]

Looking at the Cross website (for the first time in years) there is a strong sense of hunkering down. I suspect the wagons have circled in readiness for another change of ownership.  Given the superior quality of their higher end pens (including Townsend), their interesting history, and sheer global name recognition there is surely an opportunity for some entrepreneur.  I know many find their image to be dull and plodding, and it is, but at their best they were creating products and partnerships like the best of the them.  I suppose my error is to assume a "they".  There is no "they".  Or if there is, it is generally a person or persons unknown.  Pen collectors have a habit of attributing human qualities to what are in most cases little more than trademarks. The individuals who created value at Cross have long since been replaced by les compteurs de haricot.  But if Lamy needed additional resources and added industrial heft, what hope for the recent owners of Cross?    

[Pingu]

Looks like the Townsend fountain pen has been discontinued as they show only the ballpoint/rollerball on the Cross website. And there’s a notice to say they are not accepting any new warranty claims. Not a good sign 😟

[Braxfield]

We are currently not accepting new warranty claims at this time, but please check back soon. We apologize for any inconvenience.

 

There is that word "but" to cling on to.  The warranty itself seems to be restated, just a hiatus on "new" claims.  Perhaps we'll see a return of the Townsend Fountain pen as well, once the ducks are back in line.  They're still using a drawing of the Peerless nib on the website, so perhaps even that is not gone forever.  I stand by my hunkering down (pending rescue) speculation. 

[jthole]

12 hours ago, Pingu said:

Looks like the Townsend fountain pen has been discontinued as they show only the ballpoint/rollerball on the Cross website. And there’s a notice to say they are not accepting any new warranty claims. Not a good sign 😟

How can a company that still exists NOT accept warranty claims? Aren’t they legally required to honor the manufacturer warranty?

 

Edit: I just realise this is about the lifetime warranty.

[Pingu]

23 hours ago, jthole said:

How can a company that still exists NOT accept warranty claims? Aren’t they legally required to honor the manufacturer warranty?

 

Edit: I just realise this is about the lifetime warranty.

I guess why the caveat “at this time” “please check back”. It could stay that way forever.  Whatever the problem is, evidently they don’t feel able to handle any claims. They normally replace rather than repair, so that suggests an inability to supply. I’ve also noticed a scarcity of Cross products in the shops that usually sell them.  It looks like they are in a state of dormancy while waiting for some kind of outcome about the company’s future.

[jchch1950]

The Cross company used to offer some solid good pens. They were not trendsetters in design but some of the pens were quite special like the Townsend  Lapis or the Jade. The only problem I found is that the proprietary design cartridges were available with minimal colours and were not easy to find outside the US.

[Ueno808]

I am a longtime fan of Cross pens (those of the "made in USA" era).  Back in the mid-1990s Cross had a promotion that offered free refills for life (of pen) with the purchase of a Cross ball pen.  Under this promotional, you could receive two free refills every year or two, tip size and ink color of your preference.  You also received a voucher for the next cycle of refills.  I redeemed them like clockwork up until 2020 when Cross informed me that they would no longer be honoring that program.  It was a good deal while it lasted and I probably have more refills stockpiled than I'll ever use.

[Pingu]

On 8/1/2024 at 6:23 PM, Ueno808 said:

I am a longtime fan of Cross pens (those of the "made in USA" era).  Back in the mid-1990s Cross had a promotion that offered free refills for life (of pen) with the purchase of a Cross ball pen.  Under this promotional, you could receive two free refills every year or two, tip size and ink color of your preference.  You also received a voucher for the next cycle of refills.  I redeemed them like clockwork up until 2020 when Cross informed me that they would no longer be honoring that program.  It was a good deal while it lasted and I probably have more refills stockpiled than I'll ever use.

I always wonder about these “for life” programs that aren’t. Similarly with old Parker pens where the original paperwork promised a lifetime warranty. Does it form a contract between the company and the consumer? I wonder whether reneging on it can be legally challenged?

[jthole]

8 hours ago, Pingu said:

I always wonder about these “for life” programs that aren’t. Similarly with old Parker pens where the original paperwork promised a lifetime warranty. Does it form a contract between the company and the consumer? I wonder whether reneging on it can be legally challenged?

 

I believe that, when a company reemerges after a bankruptcy, or is transferred to a new owner, it becomes difficult to enforce such a lifetime warranty.

[Claes]

https://househood.com/blog/is-a-lifetime-warranty-actually-guaranteed-or-misleading

 

https://lifehacker.com/money/how-long-do-lifetime-warranties-actually-last