What would you do?

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Erik831

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So I have this guy, that bought a ($50)pen from me, over a year ago. Few weeks after he bought it, he contacted me saying the plastic threads in the jr Gen. had broken. So I fixed it at no cost. Now a year later he's back with the same problem, so I told him I'd charge him this time. Im afraid to fix it again for free because he's going to think I should do it every time it breaks, I mean you should stop somewhere right? Thoughts?


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Herb G

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Absolutely, charge him for your time & materials. If he bought a Mont Blanc pen somewhere, do you think they'd fix it for free after a year?
Heck no they won't.
 
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I think the first fix for free was plenty on your part. After a year there is nothing wrong with charging for a repair, some would say it's expected. You have no idea how hard he's tweaking it closed day after day.
 

jbg230

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I like mredburn's idea. Good advice.
For now, realize you've been fair with the customer and it's impossible to please some people 100% even with your best intentions. I would stick to your policy and offer him your understanding, if he needs a response, but not more of your work for free. It's not like you ripped him off our duped him into buying it. You wouldn't necessarily be wrong by continuing with a lifetime guarantee, but it is after all, just a pen. My feeling is that you should stand by your workmanship as it relates to the beauty and uniqueness of the pen, not the mechanics of it.
I'm sure the pros out there have had customers complain that the ink ran out too fast too! Should we fix that for free also?
 
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jttheclockman

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There are different schools of thought here and those that say they will fix for life are your bigger pen sellers and they will charge more for their pens. They then can absorb the loss in time and materials and possibility replacement. But if you are a small time pen maker and seller you just can not keep doing for free or else just give your pens away. The thing is to have a warrenty policy in place such as first time you will fix for free and any other time after that there is a fee and make them aware of your fee. The addition of a card with the purchase is a good idea. When a pen leaves your site you have no idea how it is handled and you do everything you can to inform the buyer in its proper use and stress it is an investment. You have little control over kits and you try to make reliable kits which you learn over time. These things are important if you want to be in business.

I sell clocks and scrolled items for a long time. If a person buys a clock from me I will replace the insert for life but will not repair or replace any other part without a fee. I can always return a clock insert so I am not at a loss there and is an easy fix so no time lost. If they ship to me I return shipping for free. But these are my rules.

Now if you rely on word of mouth and the customer has delivered more business or is a repeat customer than all bets are off and you treat accordingly and i would give much more leeway.

So there is no cut in stone answer in my opinion. But if you follow the above thoughts you will do well and if you lose a customer because of a decision you made, move on and forget about it. There are plenty more customers in the sea. Now if they slander you or your business that is a law suit if you can prove it. good luck.
 

ladycop322

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If you did not give a lifetime warranty, then charge him. Once was nice enough to do at no charge. Explain to him that he is twisting the cap too hard and HE is the cause of the pen breaking...not you or your craftsmanship....
 

beck3906

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Fixing a $5-10 pen kit is one thing. But what about when the pen kit costs $50-100? Those could add up over time, even if you're charging premium prices at the time of sale. Not to mention the parts/kits may not be available.
 

leehljp

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If the pen broke in the same place twice, and the pen is not prone to breakage reports, it is highly probably that he is putting it in his pants pocket and putting heavy stress on it when sitting or bending.

As others said, I would make a limited warranty card to go with a sale.
 

nativewooder

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If you can't give a lifetime guarantee, then you are admitting you are selling inferior pens. Why build pens with plastic threads?! Before I retired, I replaced any pen I sold that broke, unless it got run over by an irate wife!
Never let one of my customers leave with a frown on their face, no matter the cost.:biggrin:
 

jttheclockman

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Another life timer.


OK I have a couple questions for you people that give free life time fixes so that the OP can make a more educated judgement. How many times since you have been making pens have you fixed a pen for a customer and have you had to do this repeat times and how many times for the same customer???

What kits are the ones you had to fix?? Did you have to buy new parts or able to fix without or did you have to take the pen apart to fix???

Has this customer been a repeat customer or have they driven sales your way???

How many pens do you say you sell per year???

What are your average prices per pen that have broken or misused??

Has the customer shipped the pen to you and you ship back for free or have they hand delivered and picked up???

Have you changed any sales procedures such as doing away with a certain prone kit, changed finishing techniques because of failures in finishes, added educational material with your sales of any kind???

All these questions come into play when making the decision to fix for free and how often. You may not realize it and just do it but there is a cost to you. How you look at it and if you take repairs off your taxes that is a personal thing. But these same questions apply to each and every person that has a business.

Hope this will help the OP and others as they get into this and try to sell their pens and become rich and famous.:)
 

Chasper

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Another life timer.


OK I have a couple questions for you people that give free life time fixes so that the OP can make a more educated judgement. How many times since you have been making pens have you fixed a pen for a customer and have you had to do this repeat times and how many times for the same customer???

What kits are the ones you had to fix?? Did you have to buy new parts or able to fix without or did you have to take the pen apart to fix???

Has this customer been a repeat customer or have they driven sales your way???

How many pens do you say you sell per year???

What are your average prices per pen that have broken or misused??

Has the customer shipped the pen to you and you ship back for free or have they hand delivered and picked up???

Have you changed any sales procedures such as doing away with a certain prone kit, changed finishing techniques because of failures in finishes, added educational material with your sales of any kind???

All these questions come into play when making the decision to fix for free and how often. You may not realize it and just do it but there is a cost to you. How you look at it and if you take repairs off your taxes that is a personal thing. But these same questions apply to each and every person that has a business.

Hope this will help the OP and others as they get into this and try to sell their pens and become rich and famous.:)

In ten years I remember two and possibly a third pen that I fixed twice.

The fix depends on the damage, if it is a kit problem I replace the entire kit, if the turning is damaged I sometimes reuse the kit, sometimes replace it entirely. We pay the shipping back.
We sell 2,500-3,000 pens per year. We repair one or two a month, that's less than 1%.
There are some kits that I don't use because they are prone to breaking. Rubber stylus ends are prone to damage from pressing too hard.

Also, when someone comes into our booth with a damaged pen that we did not make, I repair it for free, even if it means replacing the kit. I've purchased kits that we do not normally make to replace a damaged pen that was purchased from someone else. I give away quite a few refills for pens I didn't make too. Its good for the entire handmade pen selling community if it is easy for buyers to get repairs. If someone brings you a pen I made and it needs repairs, please help them out, they will probably also buy a pen from you because you earned their trust.
 

skiprat

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Whatever decision you make it should be done BEFORE a repair is needed and not after.
If you told him last time that it would cost again for the same repair, then cool, but if you didn't, then I think you should fix it for free and then tell him your rule.

Me? My pride and reputation is worth more than any pen part. I don't sell pens but will always fix or replace any pen I make.:wink:
 

Jontello

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Here is what is on my warranty card I send with all of my Pens.

This is your warranty card. Please keep it in a safe place. We make every effort to produce only top quality products, but in the unlikely event that you find a defect in your pen, please contact us at jon@hellotello.net and we will gladly correct the problem. If your pen gets damaged somehow, outside of normal wear and tear, please contact Jon@hellotello.net and we will provide instructions about where to send your pen to be serviced. Once the pen is received, we will send you an estimate for the cost of repairing it. We will provide personal care and attention to your pen to keep costs as low as possible and return it to you as soon as possible. We thank you for your business!

Have sold a couple hundred pens and yet to get an email. But when I do I will take care of it.
 

magpens

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Any pen that I make is fixed for free for the original buyer. . I don't sell slimlines or any other pen that takes a Cross refill. . My cheapest pen is $60.


I also fix pens free forever ... plus I pick up and deliver, locally.

I fix them free forever

I'd fix it for free once and accept the consequences, including his remarks..and move on.

Tony, do you mean ONCE ONLY or ONCE MORE ?



Any pen or just high end pens?


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TonyL

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Not sure if u am using tap a talk right. But any pen.

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mmayo

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I fix once for free.

#1. I had a call from the store where I sell my pens. They said a customer of mine had returned one of my high end pens for repair. When I arrived to retrieve it it was not one of my pens; it had been made by the pen turner before me. I called the lady, told her I would fix it for free, but it was not my pen. She bought two of my pens the next day when she picked up the repaired pen. Last week she returned to buy two more. It cost me time and a spring from another kit. Money and time well spent. I wish I knew where to buy just spare springs for my various kits: jr gent II, Sierra and Saturn/Trimline/whatever kits. I would appreciate help on this issue.

#2. A lawyer has purchased over 40 pens from me since July. He brought in a Sierra pen dropped and broken asking to pay to fix it. I fixed it for free, dah. He has talked to others who man the store when I don't work about a fifty pen order, again time and money well spent.
 
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jttheclockman

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I fix once for free.

#1. I had a call from the store where I sell my pens. They said a customer of mine had returned one of my high end pens for repair. When I arrived to retrieve it it was not one of my pens; it had been made by the pen turner before me. I called the lady, told her I would fix it for free, but it was not my pen. She bought two of my pens the next day when she picked up the repaired pen. Last week she returned to buy two more. It cost me time and a spring from another kit. Money and time well spent. I wish I knew where to buy just spare springs for my various kits: jr gent II, Sierra and Saturn/Trimline/whatever kits. I would appreciate help on this issue.

#2. A lawyer has purchased over 40 pens from me since July. He brought in a Sierra pen dropped and broken asking to pay to fix it. I fixed it for free, dah. He has talked to others who man the store when I don't work about a fifty pen order, again time and money well spent.


Mark, there are always stories like this and as I said if someone brings more work or customers or buys more pens than sure you do right for them. But this is not always the case and when you sell on the road you may never see those people ever again but they call and tell you of their problems. So every one is different. Tell us the stories that you did not get any pay back from. Everyone will like to tell the glory stories. The OP told the other end of those stories.
 

Erik831

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Nov 4, 2012
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318
Location
Salinas CA
I fix once for free.



#1. I had a call from the store where I sell my pens. They said a customer of mine had returned one of my high end pens for repair. When I arrived to retrieve it it was not one of my pens; it had been made by the pen turner before me. I called the lady, told her I would fix it for free, but it was not my pen. She bought two of my pens the next day when she picked up the repaired pen. Last week she returned to buy two more. It cost me time and a spring from another kit. Money and time well spent. I wish I knew where to buy just spare springs for my various kits: jr gent II, Sierra and Saturn/Trimline/whatever kits. I would appreciate help on this issue.



#2. A lawyer has purchased over 40 pens from me since July. He brought in a Sierra pen dropped and broken asking to pay to fix it. I fixed it for free, dah. He has talked to others who man the store when I don't work about a fifty pen order, again time and money well spent.





Mark, there are always stories like this and as I said if someone brings more work or customers or buys more pens than sure you do right for them. But this is not always the case and when you sell on the road you may never see those people ever again but they call and tell you of their problems. So every one is different. Tell us the stories that you did not get any pay back from. Everyone will like to tell the glory stories. The OP told the other end of those stories.



This is what happened to me, in over a year this gentleman I'm talking about has never bought anything else nor referred any customers to buy from me even though he was really happy first time I fixed it for free. I'm afraid to do it over and over because he's going to think I'm responsible for fixing it at no cost even though this may be his fault abusing the pen. He threatened me to leave negative reviews everywhere I sell online if I didn't fix it. Btw he's a broker and bought the pen on Etsy .


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Erik831

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Salinas CA
Was it a Jr gent 1 or 2? Opinions vary but I don't make Jr 1s at all anymore. The threads being the weak point.

Jr 2 threads can break as well if abused / forced but durability seems better.




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It was a Jr gent 1. Only complaint I've had in all these years making these pens. Will try the Gents 2 . Thanks for the advice


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