I suggest everyone to support Kirk at Pen Realm. He is a super nice guy and very easy to work with. And it's easier to meet him at a pen show than Taylor Swift.

Great topic! I rarely buy fountain pens at full price. I've noticed that most new pens drop in price about a month later, usually anywhere from $50-$100. I also use my own affiliate discount code or credit for certain shops that I am an affiliate of on top of that sale price if I can. I have a few inexpensive pens that I love, but not many. Oh and I've also noticed the increase of "limited edition" pens...It's gotten out of control.

There is an uncovered factor of region/country distributors who makes their rules for sale of their fountain pens, including MSRP, shipping, units, etc. It affects all aspects, and ultimately the authority behind the sales to us. Make no mistake, they want to extract as much profit as possible.

What a fantastic resource! Thank you so much for putting this together! I have barely scratched the surface of places to shop at, mostly bc I focus on shopping in Canada when I can. However, I have noticed the selection tends to be a bit better in the US, so it’s really nice to have a place to check when I’m shopping in the future! 💗

I really enjoyed this video! I think the trap I have fell into in the past was missing completely out on a pen because it was limited edition and sold out before my pen allowance money was enough to buy it. I really like when companies make enough pens. I get it from a marketing and profit standpoint. I still remember a special pink Benu pen I wanted so badly but it got away. LOL It is nice to be able to find discounts and specials! Thank you for all the tips and thoughts which give so much insight into pen buying.

Lao this was great! Thanks you for the great information and resources mentioned. Very helpful.

This video was great. You forgot Endless Pens, I love them. They have great sales and customer service too. Rachelle in Seattle

as someone in the UK i almost always buy pens and inks from either cultpens or stilo e stile ^^ cult pens ship with 1st class post (if youre in the uk) so it gets to you super fast, though also good to know: from stilo e stile, as long as you keep your order under 135GBP (around 155EUR) you wont get hit with a customs charge, and their prices are *very* good compared to most UK retailers. sometimes, like with recent sailor PGSs, its even cost effective to have the customs charge! other great UK options are Art From The Heart and also The Writing Desk ^^ Anyway, i loved the video, as always, even if i'm a little late to watching it this time haha

Hi Lao, Thank you for your thorough analysis of this topic. One intangible that I wanted to add that may be factored into the cost of a pen is the ideation process. Ideation can be very iterative and requires creativity and prototyping. That process can take some time and could explain the higher cost of certain pens. Your analysis made me think more about how I place value on pens and I will definitey think more about an expensive pen purchase in the future. Your retailer list is very helpful and some are new to me. Keep up your great content! Have a wonderful day. 🌸

Thank you very much this topic is very helpful.

Hi Lao, such an interesting and relevant topic for us emersed in this as you aptly said lifestyle, for some of us its more than a hobby, its a form of insanity haha. Have been reading through the interesting comments, adding much value to the discussion. I really love Emy at Pen Venture, what a lovely guy and true professional. Stillo & Stile also excellent. Cult pens..and i dont know if i saw you mention Pure Pens here in the UK, a family run company. Thanks for your thoughts on this subject. It is really appreciated, as it has not been addressed in depth to my knowledge. ❤ Helen, Derry, Northern Ireland UK 🇬🇧

How did I not know about Atlas's last chance section before now??? Game changer!! Not that my bank account is thrilled....

This was such a great video, Lao! Being mindful about our choices can make the hobby so much more enjoyable. I do also take into account what efforts the various retailers take to provide information on their website, such as multiple photos (not just stock photos) of the products, making inhouse swatches, etc. I know you didn't include 'makers' here, but I have purchased directly from Franklin-Christoph on several occasions, and something I appreciate is that when they do a special edition with a retailer (like current with Goulet) the pricing seems to be consistent with their overall pricing for the model. 💕🖋

Such a great resource. Thanks Lao!

Lao, thank you so much for putting this together!! Fantastic resource, and really well done. I just love a good discount, lol. Also, thanks for including a Canadian shop - Wonder Pens are great for finding fun stationery items in general, and their pricing is good too - with the advantage of the exchange rate on your American dollars, you'll get some great deals when you visit them.

Another potential cost factor might be the design process. Some products go through multiple versions before the final one is approved and put into production, and it takes time to work out the perfect design and incorporate feedback into what to change and what to keep. Employees also need to be paid a living wage, and when products are made in smaller batches instead of mass-produced by millions, costs are necessarily higher. Cult Pens is also great for having lower BENU prices, especially on pre-order, and some U.K.-exclusive pens. One of the pens I'm waiting to unbox is a Retro 51 only available from U.K. retailers, plus a matching sleeve. And not only do they have lower Diamine prices, they also have a lot of great Diamine exclusives to their store, like the Seven Deadly Sins set. Truphae is my local store. They have lots of great in-store events, like the upcoming visit from Kirk Speer, visits from representatives of various pen companies, classes, and get-togethers.

Hi Mr. Lao. Thank you for making such a thoughtful video. I applaud you for main videos such as this rather than reviews etc. Limited editions have a higher price ceiling compared to the standard designs and usually have the same nib. Have you ever thought of making a video about an exit strategy towards buying pens ? I managed to achieve my exit strategy not too long ago. Bought all of my grail pens within a span of few months and was shocked to discover that my favourite pen wasn’t the priciest amongst them. When you love a pen to the extent you don’t feel like using anything else what does that say about limited editions ? By the way i was a fan of Leonardo till i bought my first Aurora Mamba

What a great topic. Except for Amazon, I don't buy pens unless I have rewards points to redeem, or a discount code. How's things going; with your family staying with you? That's so nice of you to open your home. I'm sure you're used to peace and quiet. That Persephone pen is glorious. You have the best pens. That pen is a perfect example of your topic because it is quite expensive, especially for a steel nib pen. It IS a quandary when a pen is limited, or you just KNOW it will sell out. Example: the Esterbrook/Ferris Wheel Press collaboration of the Nebulous Plume. I was prepared and waiting for that pen drop, and still barely got one from Goldspot, before they sold out. Which brings up another question. With a new pen drop; worldwide; it makes sense that each retailer may only have a very few pens in stock. Do you have any info on that?

for helpful video, thanks for posting

Awesome video. As far as goulet I avoid them now as much as possible due to their uncomfortable relationship noodlers. I prefer to spend my money with companies whose actions are more in line with my morals when possible .

Jet pens are amazing. Prices are Top Dollar on pens, but the shipping is super fast. My last order got to me in 2 days.

Lao, thank you for the great video. I just wanted to add to the list of great pen stores. Please include Endless Pens. They have a great selection and always have sales under the HopDrop category.

Your profit figures are figured out wrong. The maker makes a profit. The distributer makes a profit . Finally the retailer makes a profit.

I’m guilty of buying gray market import Japanese pens instead going through their North American AD’s, because I feel that North American buyers are getting ripped off at the retail prices for many of these models. I will of course concede that this has much to do with the yen being weak and Japanese buyers earning lower salaries on average, but it stings to see ¥12,000 Sailor Profit Standards being priced at almost triple that in North America. I don’t consider myself a collector and owning highly redundant items is an anxiety trigger, so I have a stronger immunity built up against these special limited editions. Instead, I stick with neutral colored pens, and use different varieties of inks. Alternately, if inks are more important than pens, one could buy a demonstrator pen like a Pilot Kakuno, and keep one paired up with each full-sized bottle of ink that they own. I personally like shopping with Yoseka stationary, especially their ink samples. They even send you a handwritten card with your orders.

I have nothing at all against buying pens at the lowest price possible, but to me. a fountain pen, or anything else, is worth whatever people will pay for it, including how much I am willing to pay for it. If enough pens sell at a thousand dollars, or whatever price, a company is foolish to price it lower. If no one buys at that price, then the cost will come down. My most expensive pen cost $14,000 and has been worth it many times over. But I've also had pens that cost two hundred dollars that turned out to be junk, and definitely were NOT worth the price. I consider the price far less than I consider how much I want a given pen. Ink samples, to me, are VASTLY overpriced in two ways. One is that we don't get anywhere near as much ink for the price. The cost, in fact, is a total rip-off. Reason two is that samples prevent us from using bottled ink that we already have, and that is a MASSIVE waste. I have never bought a pen because it was a limited edition, but I have bought several limited editions simply because I loved them. Many do think it's great to have a pen that only a few other people have, and I feel the same, but that isn't why I buy a pen. And I'd much, much rather buy Diamine ink from Amazon that from any pen company. I buy a few cheap things from Goulet pens, but nothing expensive. I don't care how much a pen costs, buy when someplace else is selling an expensive pen at a much lower cost only a fool buys the one priced the highest. Goulet is simply much more expensive that some other places, and when talking about pens that cost several hundred to several thousand dollars, I am NOT paying the difference. I can sometimes buy a very good fountain pen from what I save by not buying at Goulet. I have resin pens I love, but, to me, most resins pens look like cheap Chinese pens. I prefer metal pens. Namiki Maki-e are my favorites. But I do buy Some upper end Visconti pens. Anyway, value, to me, doesn't mean hunting and hunting for a sale, and not buying unless I find a discount. That means doing without something I really want. Value means I love a pen and am not willing to miss out on it because I can't find it at a discount.

such an informative and interesting topic!