SHIPPING & RETURNS

 
 

General Shipping/Handling

  • Orders will leave my shop in 1-2 weeks.

  • As of January 2021, due to Brexit, VAT complications, and its inchoate war on free trade, for the time being, I will no longer be shipping to the U.K.

  • Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These fees are the buyer's responsibility. If you need to, please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs may be prior to buying.

  • I won’t accept orders placed to be shipped to an intermediary shipping company. (No JAC, for example.) They will be canceled.

  • I only accept orders where the buyer and shipping address are the same. If you are sending it to someone else as a gift, PLEASE make a note in the order. If you have a relative who lives in the US, and you want me to ship it to them to bring to you when they visit you, you must spell out and acknowledge that person as the “recipient” of the item in the order notes. If you don’t do this, I will cancel your order immediately, without notifying you first.

  • Orders with a different name on the buyer's address and shipping address, and no explanation in the order notes, will, likewise, be cancelled immediately.

  • Write the CORRECT ship-to address the first time! I cannot guarantee that a change will actually be accommodated if you ask me to change something post facto.

“Store Pickup”

  • I do not have a storefront, I am not open to the public, and I don’t do in-person “delivery” or store pickups. Showing up on my block and hassling me to sell you a pen without a very significant ($250+) bribe is not going to work. Sorry.

United States Buyers:

  • There is no money-back guarantee on postage for items that take too long to arrive.

International Buyers:

  • I will not declare a lower value of the package on the customs form than the true price of the item.

  • If you have the option, please remember to take into account the level of risk you are willing to sustain and choose your shipping plan wisely.

  • If I’m not allowed to ship to where you are, I’ll have to cancel your order.

  • USPS First class is getting harder to deal with. Get DHL if you can.

  • I have seen First class packages take as long as 12 weeks to arrive. No joke.

  • First Class:

    • "Tracking" information may be spotty/non-existent if you requested First Class. You are not receiving a tracking number with your item. (If it even arrives!) You are getting a customs number. It may provide some locational transparency while in the US, but after it leaves my country’s border it may not show much more information.

      • True tracking numbers are important because in the event of a lost package or any other type of claim, the customs number won’t hold up.

    • The customs form for First Class shipping has a maximum number of item lines of FIVE. If you order more than 5 different items and ask for first class, I won't be able to fill out the customs form, I won’t be able to ship your item, and I will need to cancel your order immediately.

    • Maximum item value for First Class shipping is $400. If you exceed that, your package can’t be shipped.

    • If your international First Class package does not arrive, and you’ve been waiting at least 40 days since shipment, let me know.

Claims

  • If you’re thinking about filing a claim, I don’t know how long the claim will take. I won't be able to tell you.

  • If the claim is successful, after I get paid, I will refund your money. In the mean time, remember, it can appear at any time.

  • If more than ten business days have passed since the shipping date for "Priority Mail Express International and you live in one of the countries mentioned in the most up to date form of this document:

    • http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_006.htm

  • Call (+1) (800) 222-1811, and tell the USPS what happened. We’re entitled to have that postage refunded. If the package was received, but received late, that is one matter, and all we’re seeking is a refund for the staggering money we had to spend. If the item still hasn’t arrived, that’s a totally different matter, and the postal employee you speak with will counsel you on what to expect/do next. If your country is not on the aforementioned list, ask the agent for counsel. After your conversation occurs, email me. 

Returns:

I want you to be satisfied customer and if there is any kind of problem with the functioning of your items, I will work with you to find a solution that makes you happy. 

There is a 21 day return/replacement policy (from shipping day) for defects in writing function.

If your merchandise was damaged in transit, send proof of damage (so if you shipped Priority, I can get insurance to cover my costs, if you ordered first class, we're stuck) and I will replace the item if it is in stock. If the item is not in stock, you will receive a full refund of your transaction, and I want you to ship the item back.

"Seconds", clearance, One-Offs:

  • Sold as is, no returns. 

But what if it leaks or is defective?

The first thing we have to do is rule out user error. These pens were designed to work, well!, out of the box and without any modification, but that doesn't mean nothing can go wrong. If there is trouble, and you’ve tried to problem solve it through the media on my website, Youtube Channel or elsewhere, give me a call. The code to make that happen is on another page on this site. You’ll know it when you see it.

The pen bodies, on the other hand, are separate from the functioning parts of the pen, and I don’t offer returns on them unless they were damaged in shipping. See above.

Repairs for non-defective pens?

If you damage your pen, tell me what happened, and I'll see if we can't work something out. I don’t charge that much for repairs, but they’re not a typical part of my workflow (because my stuff works pretty well) so they can take a while. I’m doing my best, though.

What if I’m unsatisfied with writing results?

(This section pertains to pens with flex nibs.)

These pens are high performance, and unlike normal fountain pens–by their very nature, dip nibs in a fountain pen are capable of extraordinary results, but if you have never used one before, there is an undeniable learning curve. If you are unsatisfied with the immediate results of your pen, the first thing we’ll need to rule out is a malfunction of the nib or the pen. Usually, there’s something simple. Often they can be handled in 10 minutes on the phone. If you’re not getting the results or experience you want, and other things haven’t worked, please consider making me a short video so I can see how you’re doing your work. That usually clears things up quickly.

I’ve been doing this for a while now (almost 10 years as of November, 2023), I’ll be able to steer you in the right direction. 

I really want you to have a positive experience with my company, so I’ll work with you to find a solution that makes you happy. If there is any doubt in your mind about whether modern vintage flex is for you, invest a few dollars, and consider buying a packet of nibs you’re interested in with a simple holder and try them out for yourself.

Last modified: November 24, 2023.