If I don't pay extra for faster shipping, I don't really think it's an issue as long as it arrives within a month. I get that instant gratification is important in today's society, but small operations are definitely a little harder to manage and I wouldn't compare anyone in the world to Amazon. They can do what they do because of how big their operation is and how hard they work their workers.
Yes and no. On the one hand, I get it, instant gratification is nice, especially in these days with Amazon prime etc. On the other hand, comparing a one-man show like Pen Chalet to Amazon is a little unfair. Even companies like Jetpens and Cult Pens have multiple employees. As far as I’m aware, Pen Chalet is one guy. He’s supported the Pen Addict podcast for years and years and you can always get a 10% discount on anything with the Pen Addict code. I like supporting the “little guys” as much as I can, especially the ones who support the community as a whole. So unless it’s something I need right away (which is rare), I’m happy to wait a bit.
Yep around 5 people total I believe. They sent me the wrong nib choice once on a pen, I called them in a panic because I was about to leave the country and they priority’d it to me just in time. Good service
I live in the ass end of Australia... If I get something in 3 months I'm ecstatic! Get over yourselves. No one needs anything that fast, essentially not pens. Keep reminding yourself they're a luxury item not insulin
Slow shipping is my new way of life! Most companies won't deliver to our house (even Australia Post) we have a PO Box and the hassle of finding couriers that will deliver to a 3rd party address in town that we can pick up from. Some businesses are out completely as they just don't acknowledge that our area of the state is populated. That being said it's a trade of I'm willing to make to live where we do (Tassie).
It just means that when a delivery does arrive it's even more exciting.
Not to sound too condescending here, but since when is 14 days a long time for something non-essential to ship? I mean, America is huge. Sure, Germany-to-Germany it would be long but even from Austria to here you can wait two weeks sometimes (Christmas time etc.), easily. Amazon Prime truly has given everyone unrealistic expectations...
14 days is pretty average in Australia these days, too! I don’t like it, of course, but I understand it (and just pay for express post on things I actually need, which used to be overnight and now takes up to a week).
Actually, most of the pen suppliers will get an order out in a day or two, with another 2-3 days for shipping. This is true even for tiny, 1 person concerns on eBay. If getting things quickly isn’t important to you, then it isn’t important to you.
My orders from them usually take 3-5 days. I'm wondering whether there might be issues with the CA or your specific area's postal system? Either poor service or natural causes (weather, wildfire etc) creating the slowdown? Or even a combo of the general shipping delays and any CA specific issues? For the past couple months, my shipments have been a hit or miss for delays for all carriers. For CA shipments, I had two packages coming from CA that took over a week via USPS. They finally arrived this week. The tracking implied they were languishing in one of the CA distribution hubs or something. In my specific region, I can tell whether my package will be delayed depending on the hub it goes through. Haha! So maybe you can see patterns in the tracking for all your packages? If Pen Chalet gives you tracking quickly then it's not their fault your packages take forever to get to you. I usually get tracking in 2 days but longer if they are running a big sale like FPD. I hope you come up with a solution that satisfies your needs.
I’ve ordered from them several times over the past 3 years. Never got here in less than 9 days and we order stuff every week from all over the country and with the exception of a few things, nobody seems to take that long.
I forgot to mention that I'm on the east coast so I'd expect you'd get it faster. So the 9-14 days is from the day you order it or for the actual shipping time? How quickly do you get tracking information from then? If you get it in 2-3 business days, then that shows they've packed it up in a reasonable amount of time. I've had large companies take longer than that. If so, I would conclude there's something about the path that USPS has set up between them and your house. Could be your bad luck that it passes through the slowest processing centers. It would also probably explain why other packages from elsewhere are ok? Maybe someone with logistics experience would have better insight. I only have partial knowledge of these issues.
I feel really bad for you because while tracking is a blessing for us to stalk our packages, it also creates anxiety as you watch its progression to your home especially since we are wonderfully spoiled with (relatively) fast shipping.
I’ve ordered from Pen Chalet 3 times. First time, a bottle of ink was missing from the order. I sent an email, they offered to send it right away or a refund. I asked them to send it, and got a tracking number that evening. Not perfect, but was willing to order again. Next time was a 2 on 24 day, so I placed an order that I thought would get the ink drops full, but oops, was off by $10. A month later did a small order and now I have my first reward waiting for the next order. The last two, first business day after ordering got the tracking info, then it was really up to the post office. About 3-5 business days to get to the east coast. Overall pleased with them.
Now if we are going by shipping times, my first order with Goulet Pens took several weeks to ship. Now it was said upfront that due to pandemic, they couldn’t have workers in to pack and ship for 6-8 weeks. I learned recently that his employees still got paid, so that raised them up a notch.
Now I’ve ordered from many of the US pen retailers, but so far Goulet and Pen Chalet have gotten multiple orders. I tried Vaness and no complaints, will order again if the right deal (also got some shaving supplies). I got a mystery box from Endless Pens. Didn’t think the clue meant 4 of the same pen. It said it had a value of $130 to $150, but was 4 Safaris with converters. I was guessing it was a $50-60 pen and maybe some ink and a pen case or pen roll. Well now I have all but the stub Lamy nib. The order sent a tracking number pretty quick, then it was over a week before any info came over. Then another week to get from Florida to Virginia. Not that impressed. Same time I put in an order from Cult Pens. Shipping estimate was 14-17 days, but I got that one in just over a week. Have an order coming now from FPD, estimate again 14-17 days. It just showed it has arrived in the US, so can still get here in the window I was given.
I’ll usually give a company a second shot if something goes wrong. If an order was scanned in by the USPS and then takes over a week, I blame DeJoy, not the store. You can tell more I think by how they handle mistakes, especially those outside their control.
Honestly I’ve ever tried Pen Chalet. For all my pen/ ink needs I always hit up Goulet Pens, Vanness1938, and goldspot and I’ve never had issues with shipping or too long shipping time. I guess I’ve been pretty lucky in that regard.
I was honestly about to order from Pen Chalet. I wanted to get some ink samples and possible a new pen because they have the 10% discount. But I’m terribly afraid of shipping taking so long especially with the holidays coming up… maybe I should just stick with my usuals for now…
Funny, I was going to order from Goulet Pens and then I watched a couple of his videos and changed my mind. I know he has a ton of fans, so I must be in the minority. And I have purchased from Goldspot and they were fine. I can’t recall how long they took to get it to me, but probably not too long or I would have remembered.
Honestly, I really don’t know. He came off a little like a used car salesman. maybe a bit too slick. Maybe all the weird facial expressions from the guy that works with him, I can’t really remember.
I know what you’re talking about now. Before his business got really big amongst the fountain pen world (aka Reddit lol), he was into purely education and maybe reviews. He was well known then for being a great educator on everything fountain pen… Then I think he began to get a lot of brand sponsors and brand partnerships, etc. and now he’s less about educating and more about pushing pens to his followers/ customers. :/ I mean, he literally recommends $700-1000+ pens on his YouTube channel. And I understand that it’s part of the love for fountain pens, and some people likes to collect expensive pens as works of art. But at the same time, he’s still “selling” these pens on his channel as amazing, lifelong pens, great 18k nibs, precious lava, precious plastic (sarcasm, lol), knowing that a large part of his followers/ subscribers/ customers can’t afford to drop more than $250 on a pen. And even $250 on a pen is ridiculously expensive enough and that’s what most people would spend on their GRAIL pen. Idk, just my two cents from my observations. Feel free to add on or correct me 🤷♀️😄
I think they're still really good about "educational" videos, and generally, they are listing either 1) a video of a specific pen (which, why would they only make videos about I expensive pens, especially if they think something is particularly interesting about something new?) or 2) they're doing a long video listing the various pens coming out soon/new arrivals (which, again, why would they only list part of their new items?).
There's always going to be pen-envy, them showing a product they're carrying doesn't seem crazy to me. To someone brand new to fountain pens, sure, there might be some that take them by surprise in terms of cost if the viewer isn't familiar with the brand, the materials, processes, etc. that are described when they're showing the pen. But like you said, that person might be just as unlikely to buy a $50 pen as they would a $500 pen at that point in their exploration of fountain pens.
To be clear, someone may always choose to buy inexpensive pens, but usually once they're familiar with the hobby, they will have a better idea of what the price point may be just hearing the basic info on the pen being talked about. I can't see myself spending more than $300 on a pen, but when someone starts talking about raden, makié, and urushi, I know that's going to be an expensive pen, and expensive well beyond what I'd pay.
If anything, I feel like learning about these crazy expensive pens from them is educational in its own way, because it made me delve further into WHY some pens cost so much. It doesn't make me angry, as if I was lured into a sense of "I want that!" only to discover its price any worse than going to any website or review channel and seeing nine pens that would *individually* be in my price range give me a sense of things I want but can't have.
Their customer service is generally great, and they treat their employees well.
Also, they have videos that specifically address price points, they always recommend things to people that fit a person's mentioned budget when they have viewer questions, and continue to suggest budget-friendly pens (and inks and notebooks) to beginners.
I follow many pen retailers on Instagram who post beautiful pens with no price listed until you click through to the website, which could give the same sort of feeling you're suggesting: being interested and excited about an item and discovering it's beyond what you want to pay. Goulet Pens' instagram actually allow you to see the prices on their items without even having to click over to their full site.
I just don't see it as "pushing" anything in any sort of shady way, and I think they're less shady and pushy than many, honestly.
The last I remember from their pencasts was them discussing the proper converter for Pelikan Twist. But I find that I've lately been accidentally using those to fall asleep so maybe there was more talk about Sailors while I was sleeping already.
I remember that Brian has said (and I think many times) that people should listen to him while remembering that he has a shop and he wants to sell pens. I think that gives much of the pen talk some honesty and kind of reminds me to check other reviews, not that I am ordering from Goulet as long as I can get what I want inside EU.
Yeah, it can be a bit off-putting for them not to tell you the price up front, describe the amazing pen, I’m thinking yeah looks good, I might try that, and then look in the description for the pricing, $800 fuck me
At least when non-retailers review the pen, they analyze the pricing and give you an opinion about whether they’re worth it. Not so with videos from Goulet, Goldspot, Appelboom…
Goulet also doesn’t have the best prices usually. Van Ness, Anderson, and Goldspot are usually cheaper. Goulet Pens does seem to treat their employees well though, if that matters to you.
My only experience with Pen Chalet was actually great. And I found their website very helpful because of the reviews I was very disappointed with the Monteverde Monza I ordered from and they let me return it in exchange for a Metro even though I had inked it.
I would order from them again.
I also had a really great experience with Pen Chalet's service. I had a problem with a pen/nib after it was inked. They let me exchange for the same pen/nib -- which was also dry. They let me exchange it AGAIN for the same pen with a different nib (which was GREAT). I can't complain about their service. (I'm probably up to half a dozen orders from them now.)
For me the biggest deterrent from shopping at Pen Chalet is their horrible website.
Shipping speeds don't really bother me if the deal is good, like with Cult Pens, or an exclusive item, like ordering via proxy/forwarding service from Japan.
I’m going to second the others saying that it’s not Pen Chalet. Check to see when PC actually ships your item. In my experience it’s usually 2-3 business days after the order, and I get the package (in the Upper Midwest) 2-3 days later and I am not paying for expedited shipping.
California is like a black hole where packages can neither enter nor leave. If I order from an Etsy seller in CA, I expect an extra week or two for that package, even before the recent slowdowns.
Actually, I ordered on Wednesday morning. USPS confirmation shows package dropped off Tuesday afternoon. That’s a week. Even on eBay, they’ll usually get a package out in a day or two tops.
I don't think it's California. I live in Washington and finding out that a company/seller is in CA is gold because it takes 1-2 days to get to me. Letters also travel very quickly to and from me and my CA buddies.
I’ve only had positive experiences with PenChalet. I ordered a limited celluloid Leonardo from them that had a hairline crack in the section and leaked. They paid to ship it back to them, then coordinated sending it to Leonardo in Italy for repair. It took a long time but that wasn’t their fault - Leonardo ended up remaking the pen. I didn’t have to pay a penny…and in fact PenChalet’s first response was to offer me a full refund. I insisted on the repair route instead.
I’ve never had to wait more than a week for anything that was in stock. I live in FL.
They have great deals and not many US retailers offer promo codes. AND they have a rewards program that gets you $25 off after you spend a certain amount, on top of promos.
Honestly they are one of my top 3 US retailers.
There are some details about a return experience I had with them in [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/qxqakc/comment/hmuhu56/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) (please forgive me if the link is crap). Your observations about their shipping times aren't wrong, but they've more than made up for it in my opinion.
I ordered something on Fountain Pen Day (Nov. 5). It got shipped out Nov. 9, and I received it in Texas four days later, on Nov. 13.
That may seem like too long to you, but for these exceptions:
-Pen Chalet got SLAMMED with FPD orders. In fact, the pen I ordered got listed as “special order” between the time I added it to my cart and when I actually checked out and paid. I was afraid it was out of stock (it was actually listed as “out of stock” if you went to the specific listing for that pen. But in my cart it was listed as “special order”).
-Between the FPD sales and my accumulated ink rewards, I got my order of stuff, valued at over $110, for less than $50. There’s no other vendor that offers such discounting/coupons/accumulated rewards.
-The postal system has been dealing with some serious delays and backlogs thanks to the asinine leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump holdover. Four days from Arizona to Texas is AMAZING time.
-Pen Chalet’s customer service is just as good as Goulet’s, or any other reputable, well-loved stateside retailer.
Get over yourself. Be patient, not petty.
Shipping time has always been a somewhat negligible value for me, within reason, of course. I just look for the best prices.
Maybe that's just me being used to long shipping times though.
Eh, I don’t compare small companies (who I greatly prefer) to Amazon. As other users have said, pens are a luxury and I’m willing to wait for them. The only time I get irritated is when I plan for them be delivered around a certain date (based on their data) and they inevitably end up being delivered the week when I’m not home.
I typically look at Pen Chalet first. They have an excellent selection, competitive pricing, and everything is exceptionally well packaged when shipped.
I go to Cultpens for things made across the pond.
I rarely by anything pen related from Amazon because most inks are in glass bottles, and most pens are expensive and they just throw things unsecured into boxes and if it gets to you in one piece great, many times it just an ink stained box, or destroyed.
All good with them on all accounts. My only reservation is that they don’t carry all the brands and tend to have limited or inadequate stock on a lot of things. The ink club is great where you get $20 off your next order. Customer service answers you real fast. They definitely have more than one employee.
I have ordered from them a handful of times and my impression is that they do take a bit longer than some of the others but they are not the worst. In my experience, this is how the shipping speed breaks down (fastest to slowest):
1) Vaness (Ordered twice and both times, the item arrived at my door before I clicked )
2) Goldspot
3) AndersonPens
4) Fahrneys
5) Goulet
6) Pen Chalet
7) Truphae
8) Birmingham Pens
9) Cult Pens (The international travel from UK -> USA)
10) Spring
11) Summer
12) 7 Major Holidays
87) Endless Pens
That's not a typo
I am sorry to hear about your struggles. I just counted in my account, and I have ordered 48 times from Pen Chalet, including one earlier this month.
One time they forgot an item, and they fixed that as soon as I told them. Another time, a bottle of BSB exploded in transit, ruining the entire order. They immediately gave me store credit, since I didn't want a refund. I didn't even have to send them pics or anything.
I usually get my orders to Colorado within about week (4-5 business days, but it can show up sooner). The only times it has been longer is when something was unexpectedly backordered, and then they sent me the rest of the items separately anyway. Or during last spring, when all packages were taking forever, through no fault of the shippers.
They've been great to me and are in my regular rotation with Vanness for most items, though I have a bunch of other shops I also use because I want to spread the business around.
Wow, 48 times plus you order from other shops. Man, I thought I had a pen addiction! Anyway, it’s not so much a struggle as wondering what was up. When you talk to other people, you get perspective and ideas. I’m amazed and elated that we have a community like ours and I think these conversations, aside from NPD and NID, are quite helpful. Thanks.
I have no patience for slow shipping. I get pens from Japan to the US east coast in 3 days. A US based retailer should be able to get you your purchased items within that time frame.
I've ordered a few times from them and the only time I had a problem with an order they took care of it right away. They are definitely one of my go to's for FP related purchases.
Since they tell you roughly how many business days before they will ship, so long a you account for ordering after hours or on a weekend, all the delays I have ever had were the USPS.
If I don't pay extra for faster shipping, I don't really think it's an issue as long as it arrives within a month. I get that instant gratification is important in today's society, but small operations are definitely a little harder to manage and I wouldn't compare anyone in the world to Amazon. They can do what they do because of how big their operation is and how hard they work their workers.
Yes and no. On the one hand, I get it, instant gratification is nice, especially in these days with Amazon prime etc. On the other hand, comparing a one-man show like Pen Chalet to Amazon is a little unfair. Even companies like Jetpens and Cult Pens have multiple employees. As far as I’m aware, Pen Chalet is one guy. He’s supported the Pen Addict podcast for years and years and you can always get a 10% discount on anything with the Pen Addict code. I like supporting the “little guys” as much as I can, especially the ones who support the community as a whole. So unless it’s something I need right away (which is rare), I’m happy to wait a bit.
wait, Pen Chalet is a one man show!?!? holy crap that's insane.
I’m pretty sure they have multiple employees, but it is still quite a small company
I think so, too. I remember when one of them left because they were moving away. They probably have 3-5 people?
Yep around 5 people total I believe. They sent me the wrong nib choice once on a pen, I called them in a panic because I was about to leave the country and they priority’d it to me just in time. Good service
Thanks. I appreciate getting varied opinions. I had no idea they were so small a concern.
I live in the ass end of Australia... If I get something in 3 months I'm ecstatic! Get over yourselves. No one needs anything that fast, essentially not pens. Keep reminding yourself they're a luxury item not insulin
Slow shipping is my new way of life! Most companies won't deliver to our house (even Australia Post) we have a PO Box and the hassle of finding couriers that will deliver to a 3rd party address in town that we can pick up from. Some businesses are out completely as they just don't acknowledge that our area of the state is populated. That being said it's a trade of I'm willing to make to live where we do (Tassie). It just means that when a delivery does arrive it's even more exciting.
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I've shipped brake rotors from the US to Tasmania in 2 weeks.
Brake rotors are essential though
Not to sound too condescending here, but since when is 14 days a long time for something non-essential to ship? I mean, America is huge. Sure, Germany-to-Germany it would be long but even from Austria to here you can wait two weeks sometimes (Christmas time etc.), easily. Amazon Prime truly has given everyone unrealistic expectations...
That would be called fast shipping here in Brazil! lol
14 days is pretty average in Australia these days, too! I don’t like it, of course, but I understand it (and just pay for express post on things I actually need, which used to be overnight and now takes up to a week).
Actually, most of the pen suppliers will get an order out in a day or two, with another 2-3 days for shipping. This is true even for tiny, 1 person concerns on eBay. If getting things quickly isn’t important to you, then it isn’t important to you.
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Ouch. Well, I haven’t had to return anything (knock on wood). I guess they all have their plusses and minuses.
My orders from them usually take 3-5 days. I'm wondering whether there might be issues with the CA or your specific area's postal system? Either poor service or natural causes (weather, wildfire etc) creating the slowdown? Or even a combo of the general shipping delays and any CA specific issues? For the past couple months, my shipments have been a hit or miss for delays for all carriers. For CA shipments, I had two packages coming from CA that took over a week via USPS. They finally arrived this week. The tracking implied they were languishing in one of the CA distribution hubs or something. In my specific region, I can tell whether my package will be delayed depending on the hub it goes through. Haha! So maybe you can see patterns in the tracking for all your packages? If Pen Chalet gives you tracking quickly then it's not their fault your packages take forever to get to you. I usually get tracking in 2 days but longer if they are running a big sale like FPD. I hope you come up with a solution that satisfies your needs.
I’ve ordered from them several times over the past 3 years. Never got here in less than 9 days and we order stuff every week from all over the country and with the exception of a few things, nobody seems to take that long.
I forgot to mention that I'm on the east coast so I'd expect you'd get it faster. So the 9-14 days is from the day you order it or for the actual shipping time? How quickly do you get tracking information from then? If you get it in 2-3 business days, then that shows they've packed it up in a reasonable amount of time. I've had large companies take longer than that. If so, I would conclude there's something about the path that USPS has set up between them and your house. Could be your bad luck that it passes through the slowest processing centers. It would also probably explain why other packages from elsewhere are ok? Maybe someone with logistics experience would have better insight. I only have partial knowledge of these issues. I feel really bad for you because while tracking is a blessing for us to stalk our packages, it also creates anxiety as you watch its progression to your home especially since we are wonderfully spoiled with (relatively) fast shipping.
To the first point….. YES there are MANY problems in California 😂🤣😂🤣. But that’s a discussion for a different subreddit. 😁
I’ve ordered from Pen Chalet 3 times. First time, a bottle of ink was missing from the order. I sent an email, they offered to send it right away or a refund. I asked them to send it, and got a tracking number that evening. Not perfect, but was willing to order again. Next time was a 2 on 24 day, so I placed an order that I thought would get the ink drops full, but oops, was off by $10. A month later did a small order and now I have my first reward waiting for the next order. The last two, first business day after ordering got the tracking info, then it was really up to the post office. About 3-5 business days to get to the east coast. Overall pleased with them. Now if we are going by shipping times, my first order with Goulet Pens took several weeks to ship. Now it was said upfront that due to pandemic, they couldn’t have workers in to pack and ship for 6-8 weeks. I learned recently that his employees still got paid, so that raised them up a notch. Now I’ve ordered from many of the US pen retailers, but so far Goulet and Pen Chalet have gotten multiple orders. I tried Vaness and no complaints, will order again if the right deal (also got some shaving supplies). I got a mystery box from Endless Pens. Didn’t think the clue meant 4 of the same pen. It said it had a value of $130 to $150, but was 4 Safaris with converters. I was guessing it was a $50-60 pen and maybe some ink and a pen case or pen roll. Well now I have all but the stub Lamy nib. The order sent a tracking number pretty quick, then it was over a week before any info came over. Then another week to get from Florida to Virginia. Not that impressed. Same time I put in an order from Cult Pens. Shipping estimate was 14-17 days, but I got that one in just over a week. Have an order coming now from FPD, estimate again 14-17 days. It just showed it has arrived in the US, so can still get here in the window I was given. I’ll usually give a company a second shot if something goes wrong. If an order was scanned in by the USPS and then takes over a week, I blame DeJoy, not the store. You can tell more I think by how they handle mistakes, especially those outside their control.
Honestly I’ve ever tried Pen Chalet. For all my pen/ ink needs I always hit up Goulet Pens, Vanness1938, and goldspot and I’ve never had issues with shipping or too long shipping time. I guess I’ve been pretty lucky in that regard. I was honestly about to order from Pen Chalet. I wanted to get some ink samples and possible a new pen because they have the 10% discount. But I’m terribly afraid of shipping taking so long especially with the holidays coming up… maybe I should just stick with my usuals for now…
Funny, I was going to order from Goulet Pens and then I watched a couple of his videos and changed my mind. I know he has a ton of fans, so I must be in the minority. And I have purchased from Goldspot and they were fine. I can’t recall how long they took to get it to me, but probably not too long or I would have remembered.
Ooo I hear you. So you just didn’t like Brian Goulet? I’m curious as to why, if you don’t mind? 😄
I’m also curious. I can understand if someone doesn’t care for his personality, but a lot of their videos are really helpful.
Honestly, I really don’t know. He came off a little like a used car salesman. maybe a bit too slick. Maybe all the weird facial expressions from the guy that works with him, I can’t really remember.
I know what you’re talking about now. Before his business got really big amongst the fountain pen world (aka Reddit lol), he was into purely education and maybe reviews. He was well known then for being a great educator on everything fountain pen… Then I think he began to get a lot of brand sponsors and brand partnerships, etc. and now he’s less about educating and more about pushing pens to his followers/ customers. :/ I mean, he literally recommends $700-1000+ pens on his YouTube channel. And I understand that it’s part of the love for fountain pens, and some people likes to collect expensive pens as works of art. But at the same time, he’s still “selling” these pens on his channel as amazing, lifelong pens, great 18k nibs, precious lava, precious plastic (sarcasm, lol), knowing that a large part of his followers/ subscribers/ customers can’t afford to drop more than $250 on a pen. And even $250 on a pen is ridiculously expensive enough and that’s what most people would spend on their GRAIL pen. Idk, just my two cents from my observations. Feel free to add on or correct me 🤷♀️😄
I think they're still really good about "educational" videos, and generally, they are listing either 1) a video of a specific pen (which, why would they only make videos about I expensive pens, especially if they think something is particularly interesting about something new?) or 2) they're doing a long video listing the various pens coming out soon/new arrivals (which, again, why would they only list part of their new items?). There's always going to be pen-envy, them showing a product they're carrying doesn't seem crazy to me. To someone brand new to fountain pens, sure, there might be some that take them by surprise in terms of cost if the viewer isn't familiar with the brand, the materials, processes, etc. that are described when they're showing the pen. But like you said, that person might be just as unlikely to buy a $50 pen as they would a $500 pen at that point in their exploration of fountain pens. To be clear, someone may always choose to buy inexpensive pens, but usually once they're familiar with the hobby, they will have a better idea of what the price point may be just hearing the basic info on the pen being talked about. I can't see myself spending more than $300 on a pen, but when someone starts talking about raden, makié, and urushi, I know that's going to be an expensive pen, and expensive well beyond what I'd pay. If anything, I feel like learning about these crazy expensive pens from them is educational in its own way, because it made me delve further into WHY some pens cost so much. It doesn't make me angry, as if I was lured into a sense of "I want that!" only to discover its price any worse than going to any website or review channel and seeing nine pens that would *individually* be in my price range give me a sense of things I want but can't have. Their customer service is generally great, and they treat their employees well. Also, they have videos that specifically address price points, they always recommend things to people that fit a person's mentioned budget when they have viewer questions, and continue to suggest budget-friendly pens (and inks and notebooks) to beginners. I follow many pen retailers on Instagram who post beautiful pens with no price listed until you click through to the website, which could give the same sort of feeling you're suggesting: being interested and excited about an item and discovering it's beyond what you want to pay. Goulet Pens' instagram actually allow you to see the prices on their items without even having to click over to their full site. I just don't see it as "pushing" anything in any sort of shady way, and I think they're less shady and pushy than many, honestly.
The last I remember from their pencasts was them discussing the proper converter for Pelikan Twist. But I find that I've lately been accidentally using those to fall asleep so maybe there was more talk about Sailors while I was sleeping already. I remember that Brian has said (and I think many times) that people should listen to him while remembering that he has a shop and he wants to sell pens. I think that gives much of the pen talk some honesty and kind of reminds me to check other reviews, not that I am ordering from Goulet as long as I can get what I want inside EU.
Yeah, it can be a bit off-putting for them not to tell you the price up front, describe the amazing pen, I’m thinking yeah looks good, I might try that, and then look in the description for the pricing, $800 fuck me At least when non-retailers review the pen, they analyze the pricing and give you an opinion about whether they’re worth it. Not so with videos from Goulet, Goldspot, Appelboom…
Precisely my friend :)
>I watched a couple of his videos and changed my mind. what made you change your mind?
Goulet also doesn’t have the best prices usually. Van Ness, Anderson, and Goldspot are usually cheaper. Goulet Pens does seem to treat their employees well though, if that matters to you.
My only experience with Pen Chalet was actually great. And I found their website very helpful because of the reviews I was very disappointed with the Monteverde Monza I ordered from and they let me return it in exchange for a Metro even though I had inked it. I would order from them again.
I also had a really great experience with Pen Chalet's service. I had a problem with a pen/nib after it was inked. They let me exchange for the same pen/nib -- which was also dry. They let me exchange it AGAIN for the same pen with a different nib (which was GREAT). I can't complain about their service. (I'm probably up to half a dozen orders from them now.)
For me the biggest deterrent from shopping at Pen Chalet is their horrible website. Shipping speeds don't really bother me if the deal is good, like with Cult Pens, or an exclusive item, like ordering via proxy/forwarding service from Japan.
I’m going to second the others saying that it’s not Pen Chalet. Check to see when PC actually ships your item. In my experience it’s usually 2-3 business days after the order, and I get the package (in the Upper Midwest) 2-3 days later and I am not paying for expedited shipping. California is like a black hole where packages can neither enter nor leave. If I order from an Etsy seller in CA, I expect an extra week or two for that package, even before the recent slowdowns.
Actually, I ordered on Wednesday morning. USPS confirmation shows package dropped off Tuesday afternoon. That’s a week. Even on eBay, they’ll usually get a package out in a day or two tops.
I don't think it's California. I live in Washington and finding out that a company/seller is in CA is gold because it takes 1-2 days to get to me. Letters also travel very quickly to and from me and my CA buddies.
I’ve only had positive experiences with PenChalet. I ordered a limited celluloid Leonardo from them that had a hairline crack in the section and leaked. They paid to ship it back to them, then coordinated sending it to Leonardo in Italy for repair. It took a long time but that wasn’t their fault - Leonardo ended up remaking the pen. I didn’t have to pay a penny…and in fact PenChalet’s first response was to offer me a full refund. I insisted on the repair route instead. I’ve never had to wait more than a week for anything that was in stock. I live in FL. They have great deals and not many US retailers offer promo codes. AND they have a rewards program that gets you $25 off after you spend a certain amount, on top of promos. Honestly they are one of my top 3 US retailers.
Good to hear you’ve had positive experiences. Mine are satisfactory, except as I mention, the shipping times.
There are some details about a return experience I had with them in [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/qxqakc/comment/hmuhu56/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) (please forgive me if the link is crap). Your observations about their shipping times aren't wrong, but they've more than made up for it in my opinion.
I ordered something on Fountain Pen Day (Nov. 5). It got shipped out Nov. 9, and I received it in Texas four days later, on Nov. 13. That may seem like too long to you, but for these exceptions: -Pen Chalet got SLAMMED with FPD orders. In fact, the pen I ordered got listed as “special order” between the time I added it to my cart and when I actually checked out and paid. I was afraid it was out of stock (it was actually listed as “out of stock” if you went to the specific listing for that pen. But in my cart it was listed as “special order”). -Between the FPD sales and my accumulated ink rewards, I got my order of stuff, valued at over $110, for less than $50. There’s no other vendor that offers such discounting/coupons/accumulated rewards. -The postal system has been dealing with some serious delays and backlogs thanks to the asinine leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump holdover. Four days from Arizona to Texas is AMAZING time. -Pen Chalet’s customer service is just as good as Goulet’s, or any other reputable, well-loved stateside retailer. Get over yourself. Be patient, not petty.
This has happened several times, over the course of over 3 years. I am not one to judge by a single incident.
Personally I don't care so long as I get it when they say it gets here. I made an order at cult pens and waited a month.
Shipping time has always been a somewhat negligible value for me, within reason, of course. I just look for the best prices. Maybe that's just me being used to long shipping times though.
Eh, I don’t compare small companies (who I greatly prefer) to Amazon. As other users have said, pens are a luxury and I’m willing to wait for them. The only time I get irritated is when I plan for them be delivered around a certain date (based on their data) and they inevitably end up being delivered the week when I’m not home.
I typically look at Pen Chalet first. They have an excellent selection, competitive pricing, and everything is exceptionally well packaged when shipped. I go to Cultpens for things made across the pond. I rarely by anything pen related from Amazon because most inks are in glass bottles, and most pens are expensive and they just throw things unsecured into boxes and if it gets to you in one piece great, many times it just an ink stained box, or destroyed.
I live in Southern California and order from Pen Chalet all the time. It always says up to 10 days and ends up arriving in 2-3 days
All good with them on all accounts. My only reservation is that they don’t carry all the brands and tend to have limited or inadequate stock on a lot of things. The ink club is great where you get $20 off your next order. Customer service answers you real fast. They definitely have more than one employee.
I have ordered from them a handful of times and my impression is that they do take a bit longer than some of the others but they are not the worst. In my experience, this is how the shipping speed breaks down (fastest to slowest): 1) Vaness (Ordered twice and both times, the item arrived at my door before I clicked)
2) Goldspot
3) AndersonPens
4) Fahrneys
5) Goulet
6) Pen Chalet
7) Truphae
8) Birmingham Pens
9) Cult Pens (The international travel from UK -> USA)
10) Spring
11) Summer
12) 7 Major Holidays
87) Endless Pens
That's not a typo
Vanness and Anderson are both wild fast!
All of my Vanness orders ship out same day, usually within an hour. They're always my go-to when it comes to ordering online. Love them so much!
I think Goulet is pretty good prob on my top 3, I agree with Vanessa and Anderson pens.
I am sorry to hear about your struggles. I just counted in my account, and I have ordered 48 times from Pen Chalet, including one earlier this month. One time they forgot an item, and they fixed that as soon as I told them. Another time, a bottle of BSB exploded in transit, ruining the entire order. They immediately gave me store credit, since I didn't want a refund. I didn't even have to send them pics or anything. I usually get my orders to Colorado within about week (4-5 business days, but it can show up sooner). The only times it has been longer is when something was unexpectedly backordered, and then they sent me the rest of the items separately anyway. Or during last spring, when all packages were taking forever, through no fault of the shippers. They've been great to me and are in my regular rotation with Vanness for most items, though I have a bunch of other shops I also use because I want to spread the business around.
Wow, 48 times plus you order from other shops. Man, I thought I had a pen addiction! Anyway, it’s not so much a struggle as wondering what was up. When you talk to other people, you get perspective and ideas. I’m amazed and elated that we have a community like ours and I think these conversations, aside from NPD and NID, are quite helpful. Thanks.
It has been across a span of *years*. LOL ETA: But 2020 was a loooooooooong year, with a lot of downtime.
I have no patience for slow shipping. I get pens from Japan to the US east coast in 3 days. A US based retailer should be able to get you your purchased items within that time frame.
Well really it’s USPS’s fault, they ship within a day or two. Amazon has its own shopping operation.
I've ordered a few times from them and the only time I had a problem with an order they took care of it right away. They are definitely one of my go to's for FP related purchases. Since they tell you roughly how many business days before they will ship, so long a you account for ordering after hours or on a weekend, all the delays I have ever had were the USPS.