Avoid Disappointment: Tips for Buying Limited Edition Fountain Pens Online

Pens are supposed to bring us, the stationery and fine writing enthusiasts of the world, immense joy and happiness. So, it can be incredibly upsetting when a new pen arrives and falls way short of expectations.

1 out of 5 stars: “This looks nothing like the picture I saw online.”

The Problem with Buying Pens Online

Most pens, especially the entry-level models like the Lamy Safari, TWSBI Eco, Kaweco Sport, have identical, common designs. That means when I buy a Safari in Blue and you buy a Safari in Blue, they should look like the same exact pen. It would be impossible to tell them apart.

If (and when) your pen journey brings you to the realm of the acrylic resin and ebonite pens, you’ll notice that each pen has a unique pattern of swirls and color distribution. No two pens of the same model and material are alike and they can sometimes be drastically different.

I know this concept might seem rather niche for most non-pen people, but it is something that deeply affects pen enthusiasts and can lead to heartbreak over getting a pen that is far from expectations.

If you’re like 95% of Goldspot’s customers and don’t have a pen store within walking, driving, or mass transit distance from your home, then you have probably faced this dilemma: A beautiful, limited edition pen made in a swirly acrylic, a Brooks Primary Manipulation 1, for example, drops on the web. It’s splashed all over social media, you get e-mails from your favorite pen retailers, and your pen pals are commenting on Discord that they couldn’t click add to cart quick enough.

Before you get sucked into a feeling of FOMO, you ask yourself, will the pen I receive will be just as amazing as the one shown in the photos?

A pen, like one made from Jonathon Brooks’, Tim McKenzie, and Jennifer Early (among other resin makers), can look very different from piece to piece. The particular Leonardo Primary Manipulation I own has a much cooler color palette than the average shown in the manufacturer’s photography. I love it like this. I actually prefer it like this.

Full transparency: I took advantage of my perks as a Goldspot Pens employee and searched through the inventory we had to choose this pen. I stayed late one night and even facetimed penboyroy and my friend Mike to help me pick which pen I eventually went with. If everyone could shop for pens this way, I would 10/10 recommend it.

However, unless you’re local to the central Jersey/shore area, it’s not possible to choose your pen this way. Or is it? Read on for helpful shopping tips.

Set Pen Shopping Expectations

But first, let’s address the mindset. Here’s how you can temper expectations when it comes to shopping for these types of pens:

  • Think of the pen like a newborn baby. This is your nibby baby. You’re not going to give back the baby just because it came with jet black hair instead of dirty brown hair, right? Love and appreciate the pen because it's now yours to cherish.
  • Think of purchasing these pens like opening packs of collectible trading cards or mystery box items. There’s a certain degree of randomness inherent in the universe and these types of pens are a visual representation of that organic randomness.
  • Embrace the quirks of your specific pen. It has a unique identity that makes it immediately distinguishable - like being able to identify your dog at the park by its spots.
  • Or, if you are completely unwilling to accept the variable nature of these designs, commit yourself to only buying these types of pens when you can see them in person (at a show, private sale listing, or at a shop)

If you’re feeling pressured by the FOMO of a limited edition - remember that pens, even if they sell out quickly, often pop up on buy/sell marketplaces like eBay - so the opportunity might be around longer than you think.

Pen Shopping Tips

Now that we’ve addressed mindset and tempered our expectations, here are a few tips on how we can better shop for these types of fine pens.

The first approach is being able to select the exact piece by using front and back photos. This is best exemplified by the SCRIBO Feel Cenote fountain pen made from mottled ebonite. A Goldspot-exclusive design, we had 75 pens which varied greatly in mixture of colorful swirls.

As an experiment, we asked SCRIBO to send us all the pens in trays so we can photograph the entire run, front and back, posting each individual pen as its own variant, which means you could select the exact pen pattern you prefer.

So, if you buy #23, which has a Fine, 14kt gold flexible nib, you’ll get the exact pattern shown on the website, which has a higher distribution of greens and blues with little black and purple. And while the images on the site don’t show every angle of the pen, it does provide a pretty good idea of what you can expect.

I bet you’re asking yourselves, why doesn’t goldspot do this for all the swirly acrylic pens? Or at least the store exclusives and limited editions? The simple explanation is cost. As you can imagine, it takes our team time to organize all the pens, photograph them, then inventory them in such a way that our shipping team can pick exactly what the customer ordered.

Perhaps we will revisit this with future Goldspot exclusive pens. But, for now, we usually use our second approach, which is to take photos of multiple pens to show a range of what to expect.

We did so with the Edison Newark Patent Pending Pink, which is made from Jennifer Earley’s hand-poured resin material. Every pen has a different mix of pink, orange and light green with varying amounts of translucency through the ribbons of color.

What can you do with this information? It allows you to set clear expectations like we discussed earlier. This way, you won’t be surprised if your primarily pink pen has splashes of green. In fact, you may be tickled pink with delight.

But, let’s say you’re head-over-heels for the Dunkin Donuts pink and orange, but don’t care for the green as much. The third approach gets the pen experts involved to help pick your pen.

Our customer service team might kill me for mentioning this, but we have, on certain occasions, taken photos of specific pens for customers. That way, you could choose among a few pens to pick the style you want.

However, opening boxes and taking photos isn’t feasible to do for every pen and every customer. So, we usually suggest our fourth approach, which is to make a color request in the order comments.

For example, if you place an order and ask us to pick you a pen that has the least amount of green or a high degree of transparency, we’ll use our best judgment to select the pen that fits your preferences. In that case, the Goldspot team will do the best we can to satisfy your request.

After applying all these tips, it’s entirely possible that you might still get the pen and not be happy with the color. What can you do if you absolutely don’t like the pen?

First, if you just received the pen, Goldspot Pens has a 30-day return policy when you can send the pen back for exchange or refund - even if you don’t care for the color. These returns are considered “preferential.” The pen isn’t defective, you just don't like it. And, that’s okay!

However, if the pen is a popular limited edition that is selling quickly, it might not be possible to exchange for another color of the same pen. It might be sold out by the time you receive the pen.

So, if you are outside of the 30-day return window, or the particular limited edition has sold out, you can sell it or trade it within the pen community. It might be possible to find another pen enthusiast who is looking to trade their pen or a collector who might have missed out on the edition who is willing to pay a premium to have yours.

Pen Collecting Takeaway

Embrace the inherent uniqueness of swirly, colorful limited edition pens, especially those made from materials like acrylic or ebonite, and adjust expectations accordingly. Going forward, use strategies like looking for photos of individual pens when available, making specific color requests, and keeping an open mind to the surprise element that comes with these pens. This way, you can better appreciate each pen's one-of-a-kind characteristics while making more informed purchasing decisions.

Avoiding Pen Disappointment: Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if the pen I receive doesn’t look like the online photos?

Many pens, especially limited editions made from swirly acrylics or hand-poured resins, can look different from the online photos due to their unique patterns. If you're unhappy with the appearance, Goldspot offers a 30-day return policy. Alternatively, you could sell or trade the pen in collector communities.

Can I request to see photos of the exact pen I’ll receive?

Yes, in some cases, you can! Goldspot sometimes posts photos of individual pens, particularly for exclusive releases like the SCRIBO Feel Cenote, so you can choose the exact one. However, this isn’t feasible for all pens. You can make special color requests in the order comments, and the team will do their best to accommodate.

How can I avoid disappointment when buying limited edition pens online?

To temper your expectations, embrace the unique quirks of these pens. Think of it as a surprise element, much like opening a mystery box. If you're very particular, stick to buying pens in person at shows or stores, where you can see exactly what you’re getting.

How can I select the best limited edition pen online for me?

Check if the website offers photos of multiple pens to show a range of color variations. You can also reach out to customer service for help, or leave specific color preferences in your order comments. It’s a good way to get closer to the look you want without being able to hand-pick the pen yourself.

What happens if I miss out on a limited edition pen that sells out quickly?

Don’t worry too much! Many limited edition pens reappear on buy/sell marketplaces like eBay. Collectors often trade or sell pens, sometimes even at a premium. You might get another shot at owning one if you keep an eye out!

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