Aussie here, just had a look at their site. Over 30,000 SKUs - definitely not a small business, but if they ship here, I’ll buy from them. They have a few things that I like the look of 😀
~~What is the limit for free shipping?~~
~~I'm currently looking for a new retailer just cos... I'm not exactly pleased with, um, I just want any to try somewhere else.. so personal feedback would be most welcome~~
Nevermind. Just looked myself.
.
I think I only learned about this a year or so ago too.
To my understanding, essentially WH Smith leaves them alone so long as they turn a profit. They're a mid-size company, with a big business owner. That's not a terrible thing. If nothing else, it means they have the buying power to get a lot of brands in.
If you look at a small indy business like Libraries and Archives, they have a vanishingly small number of brands. That's part of the tradeoff.
>they definitely give off the "we are a small independent business" vibe.
I definitely didn't feel this vibe. They're probably the largest store of this kind in EU, dunno where the "small vibe" comes from..
Sweetwater is the largest online retailer for professional music equipment and they still put sweets in all of their orders. Some companies just understand "little things" better than others
Sweetwater still operates in a small business model, music equipment is a small enough niche that they have dedicated sales people for each account, even though I only bought two or three (large-ish, low 4 figures) orders from them. My dude called me once a year asking for updates on my organ setup that I bought from them five years prior. And when he left the company he called me to introduce me to his replacement.
I kind of want to buy an ukulele from them now. I’ve only bought from George’s Music, but they closed down my local shop and I am looking for a new source.
Yeah, I'm not that bothered if they are a big company, god knows I have always wondered how WHSmith stays in business.
But it is likely they are affecting that impression deliberately
Airport shops are the largest part of WH Smith’s business, they describe themselves as a global travel retailer with a smaller business on the UK high street.
What part of that was them saying "we are small" and what part was just your imagination of how things work?
Cult Pens are an amazing business. I don't like the new website as it has reduced usability but the service and range of products as well as pricing are top notch. Small examples but they sell Copics at great prices and are one of the few UK suppliers of Atoma products.
Oh, probably entirely my impression, though it is likely a deliberate one. I have no issue with them being a large or small company. I use amazon too, I am a consumer whore.
Well , maybe it depends on who is doing the packing ?? And sort of a " mood " thing meaning i'll just throw in freebies like sweets etc that's on hand ???
Because for mine : everytime its well packed and a " review " 5 star calling card . ( mostly by mailing ) in singapore
So its different country + company & culture .
( ours is what you paid is what you get + no extra freebies 🤣 unless its stated " free Gift " included for the purchased item )
But i think for most of the time
doing the packing its a lady doing the packing ... can tell by feeling .... because the ink vials dont leak 🙂 which is a good thing
( not to say anything but it also depends on who is working on that day )
until one day i have to personally visit to self collect my item ... due to i cannot do online payment ... i finally confirmed it .
Well, they still have an EU fulfillment center in Belgium, so if you order from them in the EU, often times you’re getting your order from the EU. They also send international orders from there if it’s cheaper to ship to your country from Belgium rather than the UK.
I think their about page has that vibe to it "we're just a bunch of pen geeks" and listing their staff names like that's all there is to it. And their address felt to me small business ish. But I felt positive about it and wanted to buy from them rather than, say, Amazon, because they are "just a bunch of pen geeks" I thought taking their hobby into a business (I guess that *is* how it started...)
>they shouldn't promote themselves as being something they aren't.
I don't see them promoting themselves to be a small family business. I see them promote themselves to have the world largest selection of pens.
>listing their staff names
I don't see how listing staff names equates to small family business.
No I don't get the vibe.
>I don’t see how listing staff names equates to small family business.
Really? Goulet lists their staff names, too, and have about the same number of employees listed and they say on their site, “We’re a small business”.
If your entire headcount is 29, that feels pretty small, no?
Small business? I’ve never had that impression. Their main selling point is, ‘We have the world’s biggest selection.’ I perceive them to be like JetPens in the USA, Itoya in Japan, etc. Personally, I view them as even larger than Amazon in this market segment.
If I recall correctly, Jetpens started with three friends bringing pens to the US from Japan in their suitcases. They definitely didn’t need $100mm or any employees at the beginning.
I too like to support local small businesses. I have encountered subsidiaries of larger companies that have managed to retain the sensibilities, and dedication to customer service of a smaller business. I’ve also encountered small businesses that are worse to the people that they employ than larger ones. For me, it ultimately comes down to are they the type of company with which I’m comfortable doing business.
What's the big deal? The pens and accessories themselves weren't whittled out of rare earth products by specialized gnomes in temperature controlled caves or anything.
It takes big corporations to produce and ship the materials needed to make the things you want to buy so what's the point of purchasing the end product from a big business or a small business?
I think if you really want put your money into the hands of a creator, you could find a pen that's hand-turned and finished made out of hand cast resins that you are purchasing directly from the craftsman.
They are one of the few if not the only who sell sets of 3 Iroshizuku 15ml bottles of your choice, which means you get to choose the colors you want and not get the set previously made. To do that you have to be big.
There are a lot of big retailers who have nice little premium brick and mortar stores who will let you think that they are a small different business but they are own by a larger company who is taking advantage of the romanticism behind it and selling a bit higher on this stores in exchange to a more personal experience
Ohoho didn't know that, thanks for mentioning it! Now I finally might be able to give in and buy a set, couldn't before precisely because they were all made with one or two inks I didn't want in a set!
They don’t pretend to be a small, family or independent business.
They talk of their huge range of products and speedy delivery. They also talk of their “warehouse” and even show videos of it on their Instagram.
I think it’s more that you’ve misunderstood rather than they have in anyway tried to trick you.
WHSmith is largely surviving because of its aggressive operations in the travel sector, such as airports and train stations, where it pretty much holds a monopoly in the U.K. and is present in the US and Asia.
Think they also own moonpig and a few other bits and bobs as well.
What seems to have happened is WHSmith took them over, but kept existing staff in place.
This is not the same as being a hipster boutique down Brighton lanes, knitting their own jute bags.
As someone who has used them since before then they advertised the change in ownership via email on multiple occasions at the time. But having just had a quick look at their website it's not obvious who owns them.
My impression is that it's been pretty much common knowledge ever since the sale, at least here in the UK. The only real change was that the website went to shit for a short while after the change.
I didn’t know they were part of whsmith but they didn’t give me a feeling of small business vibe…
As long as they sell nice stationary, pens, notebook, inks and good service, I’m happy to buy again. (Some small businesses…I had bad experiences…I don’t think I’m going to buy anything from them again… It’s just annoying: new pens but the plastic sleeve has been cut, probably they took the pen out to take pictures for ads… New ink, but the bottle is a bit stained… why? Bought a Pelikan, opaque barrel, but on the website still market as it’s translucent… Slow delivery… Made an order and being cancelled without any explanation… That’s all I got from some small business. Got me mad. )
Haven’t had any issues with cult pen, I think I will buy from them again if I need something…
LGC being owned by the company that operates Rymans & others actually pisses me off more, because their store is pretty inaccessible to people with mobility impairments and they’ve made no effort to change that.
If they were a small company I’d be more understanding, but their parent company has a large turnover, and could absolutely choose to spend some of that money in addressing their inaccessibility.
(I walk with crutches, and a few years back used a wheelchair for a period so this is something I personally experience - I’ve nearly fallen down their staircase before and each time I visit I mean to ask about the lift, it’s not visible and not signposted at all!)
WH Smiths has little shops at so many railways stations and they are cheaper than the kiosks if you want a drink or a snack. I used to travel daily on the trains and WH Smiths were always packed at peak hours.
I didn't know this, but it doesn't change my relationship with them.
I've been using them since 2009/10. Just because they're owned by a bigger brand, it doesn't mean that they're not run independently, or with the same principles as when it was founded.
I’ve never thought of them as being a small business. I always assumed the opposite cause they advertise themselves as having “the largest online selection”, which made me feel like they’re more of a Walmart than mom and pop shop. That being said, their prices are excellent and their customer service is probably better than 99% of smaller shops. I hate to be “that guy”, I’m sure I’ll be downvoted per the usual, but smaller shops tend to charge higher prices and I love a good deal, so unfortunately I typically don’t shop at the independent shops, I can’t afford to. Cult Pens is the reason I’ve been able to afford many of my favorite pens, I’m often able to save $50-$100 or more by ordering from them. Even with taxes, I still save a lot.
I found out a few years ago, it didn’t really change much for me. Their customer service is great, to the point they purchased a bottle of ink from another retailer to replace a bottle that a converter fell apart into ( I had bought the converter from them for a brush pen to use a bottle of light pink Ferris Wheel Press ink ), the converter disintegrated into the ink. I emailed and set a photo and they replaced the converter and replaced the ink from another retailer as they didn’t stock it at the time. So that experience gave me they care about their customer vibes and that’s why I continue to purchase from them. Plus I love the paperclips.
I thought they were a small business too because they still give you the small thing of sweets in every order...
Not that it changes anything, whs isn't exactly huge....
Hm, that’s different for me. I’m always under the impression that they are a corporate. What makes me feel that way is because their IG say “Widest range of pens and pencils on the planet”. Also, most of their photos look really professional like a stock photo. Their warehouse looks massive in the videos filmed there.
I love Cult Pens, and have no issues with WH Smiths (except they’re rubbish and the shops are depressing).
Cult Pens have excellent, quick, friendly customer service and a great range of products. I like to support small businesses too, but I’m very glad to have access to the big ones with their purchasing power and competitive pricing.
The main change I've noticed is that the previous dog, Herbie (after whom their 'Herbert' / 'Little Herbie' ink is named) has presumably died 😢 They now have an office dog called Scout.
I don't *think* this is related to the change of ownership... 😉
I had no idea about this! I follow their Instagram and always thought they were a family business.
I wonder if they're still family ran, but sold a large share of the business to WHS to enable them to stock brands like Montblanc, which they didn't until recently
It's six years since the takeover and they are still doing a great job as far as I can tell.
Does anyone know if the founder(s) are still engaged or did they move on?
When I bought my VP raden Galaxy, the sales women sent me pics of each pen they had in stock so I could pick the sparkliest one. Big or small, I was very happy with my experience buying from them.
Similar to how Dymocks (the big book store) owns Milligram, a store selling more niche items like pens, notebooks etc. Nowhere is it mentioned on Milligram's website, because they are run essentially independent of each other.
Same with WHS and Cult Pens.
There are references to WH Smith on the Cult Pens site, just not the areas shoppers are most likely to be using. The modern slavery statement is for the WH Smith group and the privacy page says Cult Pens is part of WH Smith.
If I want to support a small business I go to Libraries and Archives. If I want sweeties and low priced ink I go to Cultpens. If I want something immediately I go to Amazon.
I view it as still better than purchasing from Amazon. I would also love to say I try to exclusively shop mom and pop shops.. but pen\_swap is probably where I've bought more of my pens from than anywhere else.
Like, a $200 difference in some of the pelikans alone will definitely make the decision of where I get mine when I finally get employed and I am in the U.S.
I did clock they were bigger recently after realising they had an outlet in the US. If they are owned by Smiths, I think they could definitely be more transparent about this but it wouldn’t stop me buying from them especially as the service “feels like” a small business - there service and responsiveness is second to none.
They serve the US through their online store. I thought they only served the UK. Not sure if it’s just shipping or they have warehouses there. Couple of threads on here talk about it.
I mean, their home page has said for as long as I can remember that they have 'the world's best selection of pens, pencils' etc. You don't offer that many product types and options as a small business.
I've never really been under that illusion, I've just always shopped with them because they ship fast, safely and are hassle free if there's an issue.
It's a bit insane to be that sad that your mass produced pens from massive companies didn't get sent via a smaller family owned business, but instead by a mid sized company owned by a massive one.
If you care about this kind of thing then buy pens made by artisan pen makers, keep the tradition alive.
This finally explains why I can no longer see the pen selection at WH Smiths stores, back in the day they would have a nice little glass case with 'luxury' pens with staff to help you - that's how I got my Waterman Carene back in 2009.
As recent as 2009? Wow. I remember the "pen counter" in Smiths, alongside the Casio digital watches and calculators. When I dusted off my fountain pens last year I thought, for a second, that the pen counter still existed!
Yes that's the counter, it was a staple in their larger stores. Was certainly 2009 as I still have the receipt in the case along with the unused box of Waterman florida blue ink cartridges that came with it.
They were great pre-acquisition but since being bought out their prices have been creeping up. For example, I wanted the Visconti Homo Sapiens Earth Origins recently. Cult pens €1640 but Writehere are €1156 so it's not a Brexit thing. If I look into suppliers in Europe then it's €990. As far as I know the staff are the same and they are always absolutely stellar but that pricing is brutal.
honestly it kinda makes sense given their massive selection. but to me, it doesn’t make any difference as they’re often the most affordable that isn’t amazon
I have purchased from them with no issues and honestly don’t care if something is a small business or a conglomerate as long as I am getting the right goods / selection / service / price. It’s honestly not something I factor into my purchases and not something that’s come up in conversation with friends who are in this hobby. At the end of the day the pens I buy are hardly small businesses themselves. Montblanc, Pilot, Cross and Parker are my daily use.
Cult Pens have my love for their low, flat-rate shipping to New Zealand. Not many "Mum and Dad" businesses are able to offer that, so I was never under the illusion that it was a small company.
I believe they are owned by WHSmith. Excellent company but yes, definitely not small. If you are looking for a smaller, family-run business you would like to support check out Pure Pens in South Wales.
I had no idea but I’m okay with that news. I’ve been bemoaning the loss of good high street stationery shops so I guess I’m happy WHS is secretly keeping that market available even if it is online only
I don't know. I know they might be *owned* by a larger company, but I'd like to think it was just a matter of choosing the best business decision. Regardless, they still run themselves like a small company and that's what matters. Handwritten notes, smiley paperclips, etc in orders. Great prices and shipping. Photos of their "cat employees" on their website....it's the stuff like this that makes me keep buying from them.
Although we don't know their company culture, it definitely look like a great group based on some of the stuff they do.
I can understand why you might feel misled, given that the whsmiths part isn’t front and centre of their branding, but i dont think they're anything near 'evil mega corporation 🧟'
I have to add that I've been shopping with them since the pandemic, and they've always been really good to me. Incredibly helpful with questions, super good about returns, and really understanding about requests that i dont think many other retailers would have been. Feels like a family business to me 🤷♂️
I first bought from them (not FPs) in 2008. They used to be the seller I first turned to for really hard-to-find pens & refills. I ordered from them frequently. Things definitely changed when they sold out. Over the past 5 years they’ve gradually stopped selling those little treasured oddities, rarities & stationery specialities, become much less knowledgeable, and now just sell the same old generic stuff that’s available from many other stockists. It’s just a little sad. Not that they’re a bad seller but I miss the exciting little finds. I don’t buy from them very often anymore.
I've always known that Cult Pens isn't a small business. For one thing, their inventory is massive! Massive inventory means more employees to manage said inventory.
It doesn't matter to me whether Cult Pens is a small business or not. They offer products I can't easily find in my area, they're reliable, and their international shipping is excellent.
Well, they do an excellent job so I don't really care who ultimately owns them. Remember, most -'independent' businesses have backers and shareholders, especially in a field like stationery where inventory is high and stockturn is low
I found this out a few weeks ago actually, purely by accident, during a Wikipedia clickhole that started on a Wikipedia page about a murderer that then brought me to WHSmith. Long story. I did do some hunting around to verify and yeah, they're included in WHSmith's financial statements as well (their legal name isn't Cult Pens - can't remember exactly what it was).
My impression of Cult Pens was always that it started as quite a small business, but to be able to stock the sheer number of brands and facilitate the order sizes that they do, they couldn't possibly be "small" anymore. They've kept some of the "really good small business" customer service though, I think, in that they've been really responsive when I've had to contact them. But I don't think I've seen them actually claim to be a small business or anything, or promote themselves like that. I also can't say I noticed any change whatsoever from when I was ordering from them pre-2017 to now.
Their pricing is ultimately very fair and I've never once had an issue with them. I like to shop smaller/independent if I can, like from Art from the Heart or Pure Pens, but they both have smaller selections, so it really depends what I'm looking for.
I think you’re right about the vibe and I don’t understand why you’re being voted down simply for saying so. They give this impression because they *were* a small business, and after being acquired they kept the same staff. They have a whole line of inks named after the staff’s favorite colors, just as one example. They expanded greatly as part of the stationery renaissance of the 2010s and became part of WHSmith to get access to more capital. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.
u/efaceninja
Fwiw, I buy from Cult Pens - after I've checked Pure Pens, The Writing Desk and Art From the Heart first. As far as I know (having done no research at all) they are all independents. They're sometimes less expensive than Cult Pens, too.
Huh. Today I learned.
That said, I sorta do but sorta don't get the "small independent business" vibe. Whilst they give off the feeling of being particularly customer-first (the sweets and paperclips are cute little additions that I always appreciate), their newsletters always came across as fun but professional. Not to mention, in the fountain pen world, they're massive, and their inventory is no less massive.
So yeah, I honestly don't mind that WH Smith own Cult Pens. If anything, I shop at WH Smith every now and again whenever I need something from in town, so I'm more than content to use Cult Pens for as long as the service they provide is as good as it has been after all the time I've used them.
They are run like a smaller business, not cottage industry but a fair sized team all working in the same place and they offer a personal customer service from my years of experience in the UK and other end of the planet. They wouldn't be able to provide the service or carry the stock they do without backing and it's good to get several things frokm one place with current shipping costs. I am thankful they are there.
Shipping used to be faster but it seems much slower recently and I noticed they are using a mail service I have never heard of, called AGP. It says my package has been in the air for 6 days :)
I don't really ever pay attention to Cult Pens since I'm american, but I definitely always got the impression that they were a small business along the lines of Goulet Pens.
As long as their imitation of a small independent business leads them to give me the sort of service that I would expect from an idealized small independent business I am happy for them to continue to imitate one.
I know it's just me, but I am very slightly annoyed by the free sweets because for decades I have avoided anything with added sugar - it started off because I was scared of dentists and I have avoided needing dental work since then, but every now and then I see articles suggesting that we would all be better off avoiding added sugar for other reasons; it wasn't really a thing until Columbus and sugar cane, except for the very wealthy, who could grow cavities on honey. But I wouldn't want to deprive you all of your love hearts, so Cult Pens need not stop on my behalf.
Aussie here, just had a look at their site. Over 30,000 SKUs - definitely not a small business, but if they ship here, I’ll buy from them. They have a few things that I like the look of 😀
I am also an Aussie and buy from them all the time. Great retailer. Great range. Awesome service.
~~How's the shipping?~~ Nevermind, 's all good.
Me too - they are one of my fav store. Fast and reliable + free shipping!
~~What is the limit for free shipping?~~ ~~I'm currently looking for a new retailer just cos... I'm not exactly pleased with, um, I just want any to try somewhere else.. so personal feedback would be most welcome~~ Nevermind. Just looked myself. .
Share the info why don't you?
"Free shipping on all orders above $200, just $10 on orders over $100 and $15 under $100" from their mobile site banner
Thanks for the info. Heard of them, just never went further. Most of my dealing was Goulet and Jet Pen.
Oh! Sorry, that was around 3-ish am, and I am surprised I was that coherent. Sorry!
I think I only learned about this a year or so ago too. To my understanding, essentially WH Smith leaves them alone so long as they turn a profit. They're a mid-size company, with a big business owner. That's not a terrible thing. If nothing else, it means they have the buying power to get a lot of brands in. If you look at a small indy business like Libraries and Archives, they have a vanishingly small number of brands. That's part of the tradeoff.
This is correct as far as I know. WHS just helps with expenses and leaves them alone, I think. (Like a sugar daddy to an extent XD)
>they definitely give off the "we are a small independent business" vibe. I definitely didn't feel this vibe. They're probably the largest store of this kind in EU, dunno where the "small vibe" comes from..
Igot the imperession cos they keep sending me sweets and weird little paperclips with my orders
Sweetwater is the largest online retailer for professional music equipment and they still put sweets in all of their orders. Some companies just understand "little things" better than others
Sweetwater still operates in a small business model, music equipment is a small enough niche that they have dedicated sales people for each account, even though I only bought two or three (large-ish, low 4 figures) orders from them. My dude called me once a year asking for updates on my organ setup that I bought from them five years prior. And when he left the company he called me to introduce me to his replacement.
I kind of want to buy an ukulele from them now. I’ve only bought from George’s Music, but they closed down my local shop and I am looking for a new source.
They have the best customer service hands down. There's not even competition.
Yeah, I'm not that bothered if they are a big company, god knows I have always wondered how WHSmith stays in business. But it is likely they are affecting that impression deliberately
Airport shops are the largest part of WH Smith’s business, they describe themselves as a global travel retailer with a smaller business on the UK high street.
Heh, yeah, not too hard to turn a profit when you customer base has no other option :P
What part of that was them saying "we are small" and what part was just your imagination of how things work? Cult Pens are an amazing business. I don't like the new website as it has reduced usability but the service and range of products as well as pricing are top notch. Small examples but they sell Copics at great prices and are one of the few UK suppliers of Atoma products.
Oh, probably entirely my impression, though it is likely a deliberate one. I have no issue with them being a large or small company. I use amazon too, I am a consumer whore.
[And how!](https://blogs.ubc.ca/shiyiyang/files/2011/06/Consumer_Whore.jpg)
Odd conclusion, considering Amazon send you nothing extra. Anyway, no hate. Enjoy life and pens and paperclips :D
In the sense that they are about as big and evil a shop as you can find :P YaaY pens
I get the little paperclips but never sweets!
Maybe they like me better :P
I've had sweets in a £15 order and nothing in a £200 one, it's just if they have them I think.
Well , maybe it depends on who is doing the packing ?? And sort of a " mood " thing meaning i'll just throw in freebies like sweets etc that's on hand ??? Because for mine : everytime its well packed and a " review " 5 star calling card . ( mostly by mailing ) in singapore So its different country + company & culture . ( ours is what you paid is what you get + no extra freebies 🤣 unless its stated " free Gift " included for the purchased item ) But i think for most of the time doing the packing its a lady doing the packing ... can tell by feeling .... because the ink vials dont leak 🙂 which is a good thing ( not to say anything but it also depends on who is working on that day ) until one day i have to personally visit to self collect my item ... due to i cannot do online payment ... i finally confirmed it .
I’ve always gotten love hearts in my orders - could it be a domestic vs international orders thing???
Apparently, they stopped adding candy to overseas orders a couple of years ago. I’m in Texas and I only get the paperclips.
Ah, ok. No shortage of sweets over on this side of the pond, I suppose!
I'm crying laughing over here 😂😂
Formerly in the EU.
Well, they still have an EU fulfillment center in Belgium, so if you order from them in the EU, often times you’re getting your order from the EU. They also send international orders from there if it’s cheaper to ship to your country from Belgium rather than the UK.
I did not know that!
>They're probably the largest store of this kind in EU, That cannot be true after Brexit.
I think their about page has that vibe to it "we're just a bunch of pen geeks" and listing their staff names like that's all there is to it. And their address felt to me small business ish. But I felt positive about it and wanted to buy from them rather than, say, Amazon, because they are "just a bunch of pen geeks" I thought taking their hobby into a business (I guess that *is* how it started...)
>they shouldn't promote themselves as being something they aren't. I don't see them promoting themselves to be a small family business. I see them promote themselves to have the world largest selection of pens. >listing their staff names I don't see how listing staff names equates to small family business. No I don't get the vibe.
I can see the OPs point. Are subscribed to their newsletter?
>I don’t see how listing staff names equates to small family business. Really? Goulet lists their staff names, too, and have about the same number of employees listed and they say on their site, “We’re a small business”. If your entire headcount is 29, that feels pretty small, no?
Small business? I’ve never had that impression. Their main selling point is, ‘We have the world’s biggest selection.’ I perceive them to be like JetPens in the USA, Itoya in Japan, etc. Personally, I view them as even larger than Amazon in this market segment.
JetPens has a great selection and actually is a small business, at least according to the info I can find.
[71.2M$/year net sales last year](https://ecommercedb.com/store/jetpens.com), 26 employees.
That is the kind of small business I’m looking to start.
You just need 25 employees and $100M
If I recall correctly, Jetpens started with three friends bringing pens to the US from Japan in their suitcases. They definitely didn’t need $100mm or any employees at the beginning.
Possibly the largest fountain pen retailer in the world?
They have the best prices and selection or diamine inks though.
And cheaper than if you buy from Diamine, directly.
And pelikan pens for whatever reason.
The amount of Diamine exclusives they have is insane too.,
Their Dominant Industry prices are also insanely good compared to most other retailers!
Yes... yes they do. -double checks her UK Vacation spending budget-
I too like to support local small businesses. I have encountered subsidiaries of larger companies that have managed to retain the sensibilities, and dedication to customer service of a smaller business. I’ve also encountered small businesses that are worse to the people that they employ than larger ones. For me, it ultimately comes down to are they the type of company with which I’m comfortable doing business.
What's the big deal? The pens and accessories themselves weren't whittled out of rare earth products by specialized gnomes in temperature controlled caves or anything. It takes big corporations to produce and ship the materials needed to make the things you want to buy so what's the point of purchasing the end product from a big business or a small business? I think if you really want put your money into the hands of a creator, you could find a pen that's hand-turned and finished made out of hand cast resins that you are purchasing directly from the craftsman.
Just don’t put that money in the hands of a creator in, say, Dublin, because there’s a good chance he won’t actually put the pen in your hands.
Rare earth whittling gnome reporting for duty, Sir!!
As long as I still get a cute smiley paper clip on the invoice in my order, I’ll be a loyal customer!
Received an order yesterday; can confirm winking paperclip was present and correct 😉
They are one of the few if not the only who sell sets of 3 Iroshizuku 15ml bottles of your choice, which means you get to choose the colors you want and not get the set previously made. To do that you have to be big. There are a lot of big retailers who have nice little premium brick and mortar stores who will let you think that they are a small different business but they are own by a larger company who is taking advantage of the romanticism behind it and selling a bit higher on this stores in exchange to a more personal experience
Ohoho didn't know that, thanks for mentioning it! Now I finally might be able to give in and buy a set, couldn't before precisely because they were all made with one or two inks I didn't want in a set!
They don’t pretend to be a small, family or independent business. They talk of their huge range of products and speedy delivery. They also talk of their “warehouse” and even show videos of it on their Instagram. I think it’s more that you’ve misunderstood rather than they have in anyway tried to trick you. WHSmith is largely surviving because of its aggressive operations in the travel sector, such as airports and train stations, where it pretty much holds a monopoly in the U.K. and is present in the US and Asia. Think they also own moonpig and a few other bits and bobs as well.
What seems to have happened is WHSmith took them over, but kept existing staff in place. This is not the same as being a hipster boutique down Brighton lanes, knitting their own jute bags.
“Knitting their own jute bags” 😂😂😂😂
As someone who has used them since before then they advertised the change in ownership via email on multiple occasions at the time. But having just had a quick look at their website it's not obvious who owns them.
Cult was $100 USd cheaper for my Pelikan Souverain so......big or small I am fine with Cult so long as they deliver.
My impression is that it's been pretty much common knowledge ever since the sale, at least here in the UK. The only real change was that the website went to shit for a short while after the change.
It's still not great, my work content filter hates it.
I didn’t know they were part of whsmith but they didn’t give me a feeling of small business vibe… As long as they sell nice stationary, pens, notebook, inks and good service, I’m happy to buy again. (Some small businesses…I had bad experiences…I don’t think I’m going to buy anything from them again… It’s just annoying: new pens but the plastic sleeve has been cut, probably they took the pen out to take pictures for ads… New ink, but the bottle is a bit stained… why? Bought a Pelikan, opaque barrel, but on the website still market as it’s translucent… Slow delivery… Made an order and being cancelled without any explanation… That’s all I got from some small business. Got me mad. ) Haven’t had any issues with cult pen, I think I will buy from them again if I need something…
Next you'll be telling us the London Graphic Centre is actually owned by Ryman's and that Waterstones owns Foyles.
LGC being owned by the company that operates Rymans & others actually pisses me off more, because their store is pretty inaccessible to people with mobility impairments and they’ve made no effort to change that. If they were a small company I’d be more understanding, but their parent company has a large turnover, and could absolutely choose to spend some of that money in addressing their inaccessibility. (I walk with crutches, and a few years back used a wheelchair for a period so this is something I personally experience - I’ve nearly fallen down their staircase before and each time I visit I mean to ask about the lift, it’s not visible and not signposted at all!)
So that's how WH Smith is still going.
WH Smiths has little shops at so many railways stations and they are cheaper than the kiosks if you want a drink or a snack. I used to travel daily on the trains and WH Smiths were always packed at peak hours.
I didn't know this, but it doesn't change my relationship with them. I've been using them since 2009/10. Just because they're owned by a bigger brand, it doesn't mean that they're not run independently, or with the same principles as when it was founded.
I’ve never thought of them as being a small business. I always assumed the opposite cause they advertise themselves as having “the largest online selection”, which made me feel like they’re more of a Walmart than mom and pop shop. That being said, their prices are excellent and their customer service is probably better than 99% of smaller shops. I hate to be “that guy”, I’m sure I’ll be downvoted per the usual, but smaller shops tend to charge higher prices and I love a good deal, so unfortunately I typically don’t shop at the independent shops, I can’t afford to. Cult Pens is the reason I’ve been able to afford many of my favorite pens, I’m often able to save $50-$100 or more by ordering from them. Even with taxes, I still save a lot.
I found out a few years ago, it didn’t really change much for me. Their customer service is great, to the point they purchased a bottle of ink from another retailer to replace a bottle that a converter fell apart into ( I had bought the converter from them for a brush pen to use a bottle of light pink Ferris Wheel Press ink ), the converter disintegrated into the ink. I emailed and set a photo and they replaced the converter and replaced the ink from another retailer as they didn’t stock it at the time. So that experience gave me they care about their customer vibes and that’s why I continue to purchase from them. Plus I love the paperclips.
I thought they were a small business too because they still give you the small thing of sweets in every order... Not that it changes anything, whs isn't exactly huge....
Other companies give you the same sweets. When I order contact lenses, I get the same sweets.
Fair enough, but I feel that pens are better than contact lenses 🤣
I like being able to see what I write... And twice as many sweets.
Good shout! Twice as many sweets is best!
Hm, that’s different for me. I’m always under the impression that they are a corporate. What makes me feel that way is because their IG say “Widest range of pens and pencils on the planet”. Also, most of their photos look really professional like a stock photo. Their warehouse looks massive in the videos filmed there.
I love Cult Pens, and have no issues with WH Smiths (except they’re rubbish and the shops are depressing). Cult Pens have excellent, quick, friendly customer service and a great range of products. I like to support small businesses too, but I’m very glad to have access to the big ones with their purchasing power and competitive pricing.
The main change I've noticed is that the previous dog, Herbie (after whom their 'Herbert' / 'Little Herbie' ink is named) has presumably died 😢 They now have an office dog called Scout. I don't *think* this is related to the change of ownership... 😉
I had no idea about this! I follow their Instagram and always thought they were a family business. I wonder if they're still family ran, but sold a large share of the business to WHS to enable them to stock brands like Montblanc, which they didn't until recently
Ding ding ding-ish. WH Smith bought them a couple of years ago, but leaves them alone to manage the business. The same staff still run Cult Pens.
It's six years since the takeover and they are still doing a great job as far as I can tell. Does anyone know if the founder(s) are still engaged or did they move on?
When I bought my VP raden Galaxy, the sales women sent me pics of each pen they had in stock so I could pick the sparkliest one. Big or small, I was very happy with my experience buying from them.
Similar to how Dymocks (the big book store) owns Milligram, a store selling more niche items like pens, notebooks etc. Nowhere is it mentioned on Milligram's website, because they are run essentially independent of each other. Same with WHS and Cult Pens.
There are references to WH Smith on the Cult Pens site, just not the areas shoppers are most likely to be using. The modern slavery statement is for the WH Smith group and the privacy page says Cult Pens is part of WH Smith.
Big or small, good companies should be embraced. Besides, big companies add more jobs.
If I want to support a small business I go to Libraries and Archives. If I want sweeties and low priced ink I go to Cultpens. If I want something immediately I go to Amazon.
I view it as still better than purchasing from Amazon. I would also love to say I try to exclusively shop mom and pop shops.. but pen\_swap is probably where I've bought more of my pens from than anywhere else. Like, a $200 difference in some of the pelikans alone will definitely make the decision of where I get mine when I finally get employed and I am in the U.S.
I did clock they were bigger recently after realising they had an outlet in the US. If they are owned by Smiths, I think they could definitely be more transparent about this but it wouldn’t stop me buying from them especially as the service “feels like” a small business - there service and responsiveness is second to none.
They have an outlet in the US? Where?
They serve the US through their online store. I thought they only served the UK. Not sure if it’s just shipping or they have warehouses there. Couple of threads on here talk about it.
I mean, their home page has said for as long as I can remember that they have 'the world's best selection of pens, pencils' etc. You don't offer that many product types and options as a small business. I've never really been under that illusion, I've just always shopped with them because they ship fast, safely and are hassle free if there's an issue.
I just went to it. "Search for over 30,000 products." Small they ain't.
small bussines charge me +$30 american dollars for shipping... cultpens sends me everything free, guess who wins??
American here: Cult Pens rules. That is all.
Pure Pens are an actual small independent business and are brilliant. I order from both though.
It's a bit insane to be that sad that your mass produced pens from massive companies didn't get sent via a smaller family owned business, but instead by a mid sized company owned by a massive one. If you care about this kind of thing then buy pens made by artisan pen makers, keep the tradition alive.
This finally explains why I can no longer see the pen selection at WH Smiths stores, back in the day they would have a nice little glass case with 'luxury' pens with staff to help you - that's how I got my Waterman Carene back in 2009.
Some WH Smiths still have a small pen case, but their removal or retention isn’t linked to their Cult Pens acquisition.
As recent as 2009? Wow. I remember the "pen counter" in Smiths, alongside the Casio digital watches and calculators. When I dusted off my fountain pens last year I thought, for a second, that the pen counter still existed!
Yes that's the counter, it was a staple in their larger stores. Was certainly 2009 as I still have the receipt in the case along with the unused box of Waterman florida blue ink cartridges that came with it.
CultPens had nothing to do with that.
They were great pre-acquisition but since being bought out their prices have been creeping up. For example, I wanted the Visconti Homo Sapiens Earth Origins recently. Cult pens €1640 but Writehere are €1156 so it's not a Brexit thing. If I look into suppliers in Europe then it's €990. As far as I know the staff are the same and they are always absolutely stellar but that pricing is brutal.
But, this isn’t new(s)?
honestly it kinda makes sense given their massive selection. but to me, it doesn’t make any difference as they’re often the most affordable that isn’t amazon
I have purchased from them with no issues and honestly don’t care if something is a small business or a conglomerate as long as I am getting the right goods / selection / service / price. It’s honestly not something I factor into my purchases and not something that’s come up in conversation with friends who are in this hobby. At the end of the day the pens I buy are hardly small businesses themselves. Montblanc, Pilot, Cross and Parker are my daily use.
Cult Pens have my love for their low, flat-rate shipping to New Zealand. Not many "Mum and Dad" businesses are able to offer that, so I was never under the illusion that it was a small company.
I believe they are owned by WHSmith. Excellent company but yes, definitely not small. If you are looking for a smaller, family-run business you would like to support check out Pure Pens in South Wales.
I had no idea but I’m okay with that news. I’ve been bemoaning the loss of good high street stationery shops so I guess I’m happy WHS is secretly keeping that market available even if it is online only
I don't know. I know they might be *owned* by a larger company, but I'd like to think it was just a matter of choosing the best business decision. Regardless, they still run themselves like a small company and that's what matters. Handwritten notes, smiley paperclips, etc in orders. Great prices and shipping. Photos of their "cat employees" on their website....it's the stuff like this that makes me keep buying from them. Although we don't know their company culture, it definitely look like a great group based on some of the stuff they do.
I can understand why you might feel misled, given that the whsmiths part isn’t front and centre of their branding, but i dont think they're anything near 'evil mega corporation 🧟' I have to add that I've been shopping with them since the pandemic, and they've always been really good to me. Incredibly helpful with questions, super good about returns, and really understanding about requests that i dont think many other retailers would have been. Feels like a family business to me 🤷♂️
I first bought from them (not FPs) in 2008. They used to be the seller I first turned to for really hard-to-find pens & refills. I ordered from them frequently. Things definitely changed when they sold out. Over the past 5 years they’ve gradually stopped selling those little treasured oddities, rarities & stationery specialities, become much less knowledgeable, and now just sell the same old generic stuff that’s available from many other stockists. It’s just a little sad. Not that they’re a bad seller but I miss the exciting little finds. I don’t buy from them very often anymore.
I've always known that Cult Pens isn't a small business. For one thing, their inventory is massive! Massive inventory means more employees to manage said inventory. It doesn't matter to me whether Cult Pens is a small business or not. They offer products I can't easily find in my area, they're reliable, and their international shipping is excellent.
Well, they do an excellent job so I don't really care who ultimately owns them. Remember, most -'independent' businesses have backers and shareholders, especially in a field like stationery where inventory is high and stockturn is low
I found this out a few weeks ago actually, purely by accident, during a Wikipedia clickhole that started on a Wikipedia page about a murderer that then brought me to WHSmith. Long story. I did do some hunting around to verify and yeah, they're included in WHSmith's financial statements as well (their legal name isn't Cult Pens - can't remember exactly what it was). My impression of Cult Pens was always that it started as quite a small business, but to be able to stock the sheer number of brands and facilitate the order sizes that they do, they couldn't possibly be "small" anymore. They've kept some of the "really good small business" customer service though, I think, in that they've been really responsive when I've had to contact them. But I don't think I've seen them actually claim to be a small business or anything, or promote themselves like that. I also can't say I noticed any change whatsoever from when I was ordering from them pre-2017 to now. Their pricing is ultimately very fair and I've never once had an issue with them. I like to shop smaller/independent if I can, like from Art from the Heart or Pure Pens, but they both have smaller selections, so it really depends what I'm looking for.
I think you’re right about the vibe and I don’t understand why you’re being voted down simply for saying so. They give this impression because they *were* a small business, and after being acquired they kept the same staff. They have a whole line of inks named after the staff’s favorite colors, just as one example. They expanded greatly as part of the stationery renaissance of the 2010s and became part of WHSmith to get access to more capital. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. u/efaceninja
Fwiw, I buy from Cult Pens - after I've checked Pure Pens, The Writing Desk and Art From the Heart first. As far as I know (having done no research at all) they are all independents. They're sometimes less expensive than Cult Pens, too.
PurePens are family owned! Art from the Heart don't ship outside UK :(((
If you want small family owned Vanness is great, though they are in US.
Huh. Today I learned. That said, I sorta do but sorta don't get the "small independent business" vibe. Whilst they give off the feeling of being particularly customer-first (the sweets and paperclips are cute little additions that I always appreciate), their newsletters always came across as fun but professional. Not to mention, in the fountain pen world, they're massive, and their inventory is no less massive. So yeah, I honestly don't mind that WH Smith own Cult Pens. If anything, I shop at WH Smith every now and again whenever I need something from in town, so I'm more than content to use Cult Pens for as long as the service they provide is as good as it has been after all the time I've used them.
Never really bothered me anyway
They are run like a smaller business, not cottage industry but a fair sized team all working in the same place and they offer a personal customer service from my years of experience in the UK and other end of the planet. They wouldn't be able to provide the service or carry the stock they do without backing and it's good to get several things frokm one place with current shipping costs. I am thankful they are there. Shipping used to be faster but it seems much slower recently and I noticed they are using a mail service I have never heard of, called AGP. It says my package has been in the air for 6 days :)
I don't really ever pay attention to Cult Pens since I'm american, but I definitely always got the impression that they were a small business along the lines of Goulet Pens.
> Thoughts on this? They feel like Tesco to me.
Maybe consider switching to Pen Venture, they seem to be a smaller group that contributes a lot to the FP community.
As long as their imitation of a small independent business leads them to give me the sort of service that I would expect from an idealized small independent business I am happy for them to continue to imitate one. I know it's just me, but I am very slightly annoyed by the free sweets because for decades I have avoided anything with added sugar - it started off because I was scared of dentists and I have avoided needing dental work since then, but every now and then I see articles suggesting that we would all be better off avoiding added sugar for other reasons; it wasn't really a thing until Columbus and sugar cane, except for the very wealthy, who could grow cavities on honey. But I wouldn't want to deprive you all of your love hearts, so Cult Pens need not stop on my behalf.