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As I write it is Black Friday and fountain pens are once more being discounted, but is today the best day to buy, after all Fountain Pen Day was just three weeks back and we’re not yet (in theory) in the Christmas period.
This thread has come about because of a change I’ve noticed this year, in the UK and Europe anyhow. Previously, in recent times, the pen shops this side of ‘The Pond’ have either only discounted in November on Fountain Pen Day, else the same deals have been found on Black Friday. This year it is noticeable that with some stores the deals are different. Now I have not looked hard enough but it might be the brick and mortar places that are different, and with one or two today we have actually been given better offers.
So where does that leave the traditional Boxing Day sale. Well even before Black Friday came over to the UK and Europe some 10-15 years ago (primarily due to the market place power of Amazon) this day was becoming less relevant and stores were starting their reductions before X-Mas. After all it had been noticed this millennia that people were starting to wait till the 26th before buying their presents, so bringing the sales forwards helped improve the stores Christmas period financials even if actual profits were down.
Now of course there is a question left over from the 3rd of the month, and another for today. What did I buy…. From a fountain pen perspective there were two purchases on Fountain Pen Day. A Benu Euphoria Big Wave from Stonecottt Fine Writing and a Ulitmate Vac from Gravitas. As to today (and the start of the Black Friday sale, nothing writing related \00/ ).
dapprman 
Two fine purchases. Enjoy!
This is an interesting topic. I must admit – speaking generally and not about fountain pens – I have long since become jaded by “the sales” no matter when they happen because they appear to be less about clearing redundant stock to make way for the new season’s wonders, and more about selling second-rate goods which they wouldn’t normally sell anyway. The one “Black Friday” purchase I made this year has been so annoying – I ordered a special pack of my favourite skin-care three weeks ago and it still hasn’t made it to me. I won’t be tempted by special offers from that firm again.
I did look at the pen offerings for both Fountain Pen Day and Black Friday, but I didn’t feel there was anything stand-out in the way of discounts. Perhaps that is because I made a pen sale purchase back in the summer (was it Cult Pens’ birthday offers?) when I picked up a special edition of a design I’m very fond of at a discount that just brought it into my comfort zone. In a rare fit of self-restraint, I’ve kept it unopened for a few months now because it’s going under the Christmas tree as a gift to myself. Knowing I’ve got that to look forward to has kept me from needing to indulge in anything else.
Must admit I have been a user of camelcamelcamel and keepa.com (including the web app for the latter) for some time to make sure Amazon are not taking the mick.