FAQs
- Why did you create two separate areas, shop and database?
- Well, over the years, since 1999, we accumulated 1000s of pen pictures and pen informations,
and by creating a database are, we are able offer a treasure of pen information. - Why do some sellers charge VAT (to German and EU buyers) and others not?
- Well, first some sellers on penboard.de sell just their private collections (=no VAT) and others are professionals. But second - some professionals chose a complicated way of paying VAT and thus do not have to charge VAT (e.g. Ekonsumer) and others pay VAT the regular way (e.g. penboard and penprinzess)
- Can I obtain an evaluation of my writing instrument from the penboard team?
- We are happy to help, should our time allow this.
Please note the following principles:
1. Values vary very much with the condition of the pen and current demand in the market.
2. Values vary as well with the mode of selling, timing and country of sale.
A pen may be sold at a relatively high price via penboard.de due to the following:
- pen is checked and if needed professionally restored and in working condition.
- pen is sold with a garantee and a no hassle return policy.
- the pen is sold internationally and in most cases revenues are taxed as part of a regular business. (this may vary from seller to seller)
Please carefully compare this to an anonymous ebay private sale of a non restored, non garanteed and non taxed pen.
Should you want a pen valued, please send ALL THE INFORMATION needed, pictures, descriptions, auction links ecc.
Please spare us an intense quizzing to extract all informations.
The more information you supply, the better we can value a pen.
Or the other way round: No information - no Service! Valuations are principally not binding, and not garanteed.
Should you want a detailed and precise valuation, please be prepared to pay for our services.
We reserve the right to refuse a valuation request. - What are the shipping costs?
- We normally ship by registered airmail. cost to overseas from Euro 8 upwards.
Shipment by courier, FEDEX, UPS, DHL - to overseas will cost from 20 Euro upwards, depending on size and weight of the parcel.
Courier to European destinations may cost from Euro 15 upwards. - Payment methods?
- We gladly accept payment via Paypal (in Euro please) , by wire , by cash. Please contact the seller to arrange other methods of payment.
Paypal will cost the seller up to 5% of fees, and the buyer, should he be paying from an account other than Euro will be charged a 2,5% currency conversion fee. - Export price vs. EU Price ?
- Sales to countries outside EU - European community - is not subject to VAT. This is the Export price.
Sales inside EU are subject to VAT - in case the seller himself is obliged to pay VAT. - Euro and Dollar prices?
- Penboard prices are quoted in Euro. as a service for overseas buyers, we also show the export price in Dollars. This one is calculated based on the current exchange rate. Thus, the Dollar price is subject to change.
- Penboard, is it an auction site like ebay, or a webshop with several different and independent sellers ?
- Penboard is NOT an auction site, its structured like a regular web shop (plus database)
Tom Westerich founded penboard in 1999 to run it as his personal webshop. About 4 years, he called in forces and convinced 4 friends to join the penboard. We are now selling as a team. Every enquiry or order you send to penboard will arrive directly at the owner of the pen, you refer to.