Please take a moment to read this page before sending us your pens.
There are as many ways to ship pens as there are pens. some of them are safe, but many are not. Even if you have shipped or received pens in the past that were shipped unsafely but not damaged, this is not a guarantee. the next pen you ship that way, your pen may not make it to its destination undamaged. This page provides you with guidelines based on our 20+ years of shipping and receiving business.
Because we are in the United States, much of the information here is more or less specific to the US. uu. you should tailor it to your own needs, always keeping in mind that a $100.00 pen is more valuable than the $2.00 you could save if you shipped it too cheap.
YOU SHOULD NEVER SHIP PENS WITH INK IN THEM!
When you ship a pen with ink in it, the pen frequently arrives at its destination with the ink all over the outside. This can damage the pen permanently! Always empty and flush your pens before shipping them. You should also allow time for the pen to dry. Allowing the pen to dry is especially important in the winter months.
You should feel free to ship your pens by the method that gives you the greatest confidence — but we recommend that you avoid DHL because in our experience, packages shipped via DHL arrive almost invariably in the condition illustrated to the right. We recommend that you ship pens with insurance for full replacement value.
Important: In case the outside address is hidden, you must include in the package a piece of paper with your name and postal address, along with the name and postal address of the recipient. In general, and especially given the proliferation of shipping services like the UPS Store, the return address outside the package, even if it is present and legible, is not a reliable indicator of where the things to be returned to you should be shipped!
Improperly packaged pens can, and sometimes do, be irreparably damaged in transit, as shown here:
Pack your pens in a box, not merely a padded envelope. Use plenty of bubble wrap, plastic “peanuts,” or other protective materials. Sections of PVC plumbing pipe protect pens well, but the pens should be padded within the pipes so that they cannot bounce around. Note, however, that because pipes can apparently be mistaken for bombs when scanned in an X-ray machine, we recommend specifically that you not use pipes in international shipments.
Don’t create “mummies” by wrapping a bunch of tape around your pens! the additional tape does not add to the protection of the pens and it is very difficult to remove such packaging without damaging the pens.
*Display boxes are often not a good way to pack pens because many don’t hold pens securely for shipping. Shipping your pens in a presentation box will result in higher return shipping costs.* Also, keep in mind that pipes and presentation boxes add significant weight. particularly valuable pens should be sent by certified mail. With the exception of certified mail, which provides its own security and receipt guarantees at the delivery address, purchasing Delivery Confirmation (U.S. Postal Service) can help track lost packages, and purchasing the signature confirmation will ensure that your package is not left at the delivery address without the knowledge of someone there. this will delay the delivery of your package as it often requires us to make a trip to the post office to retrieve your package. You may also want to make sure your pens have replacement value. We cannot be held responsible for any damage incurred during shipment to us. it may be best to ask your shipping agent what will best protect you in case of loss or damage. if you are not in the usa In the US, ask your local postal authorities for advice on the best way to ship your pens to the US. uu.
Our shipping address is to a locked box, not a curbside receptacle. our postman has been instructed to never leave a package unattended at our door in case our lockbox is too full for more packages. this is not the case with ups & fedex they will deliver the packages to the driver at our door unless a signature confirmation is required. We have found that the USPS Regional Rate A1 is a large box and gives you plenty of room for packing material. If your pen uses a proprietary converter, please include it with the pen. While we have a large selection of converters, we may not have the one that fits your specific pen.