Shipping & Handling:

Most of our orders to addresses in the United States are shipped by USPS Priority Mail and a few by USPS First Class Mail. The USPS website states that delivery time for this service is generally 2-3 business days once a package ships, from our experience it occasionally takes a day or two longer. We've chosen to use USPS Priority Mail to ship most orders because it is usually less expensive than UPS/Fed Ex and often just as fast as express mail. Presently we do not offer express or overnight delivery, however, if it's possible we go out of our way to expedite the order processing when a "rush" is requested. Orders to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, UK and Germany are shipped by air mail or by priority mail international. Please allow 6-10 days or more for delivery time to Canada. Additional delivery time may be required for other international destinations.

Shipping & handling rates in the USA are based on the weight of the items purchased, the shipping zone and the USPS priority mail shipping rates chart. Shipping zones are determined based on the distance from the Writer's Bloc zip code (97222) to the ship-to address zip code. International shipping rates are calculated similarly based on the USPS international priority mail shipping rates chart.

Shipping within the USA is free for fountain pens valued at $200.00 or more and discounted for fountain pens valued between $100.00-$199.99 (does not apply to other items ordered at the same time).

Please take care and make sure that the ship-to address provided with your order is correct in order to prevent any shipping delays or additional shipping charges. If you will not be home when the post office delivers your package, or if there is not a secure place to leave it, we might suggest shipping your order to a business address or to another secure address. Occasionally packages are sent with "signature required" upon delivery. If this could cause a problem please let us know during order check-out, however, if you decide to opt-out of the delivery confirmation service we will not assume responsibility for replacing the order if it is lost during shipping.

If a package fails to arrive in a timely fashion here is what you can do: (1) You can check with family members, neighbors, coworkers or others who may have accepted your package if you were unable to receive it, (2) If you were not at home during a delivery attempt, the delivery carrier may have placed your order near your door, but out of plain view. Check for the package in areas that might be hidden or out-of-the-way, (3) You can look for your tracking confirmation in your shipping confirmation email, (4) If possible please speak to your postal carrier or local post office about it using the information provided online with your tracking number. If the package is misdelivered we would like to give USPS the chance to retrieve it. For lost packages, we will include the information you receive from your local post office in the official claim that we file with USPS for lost/misplaced packages. If you still have not received your past due order after following the steps above you can email us for assistance.

FREEZING WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY

Please be aware that shipments of ink may freeze and leak during periods of cold winter weather. Fountain pen ink cartridges are particularly vulnerable to this problem due to the fact that they are small and freeze quickly. We try our best to prevent this from happening by carefully wrapping ink and cartridges when packaging them, but it is impossible for us to avoid it completely. If you decide to order ink and it is damaged during shipping due to freezing weather, please be advised that we will not be replacing it during the winter weather season. You can help us out by making sure that your package does not sit outside in freezing conditions for any period of time or have your package delivered to a warm, indoor location such as a workplace. Thanks for your understanding.

Refund, Return, Exchange and Cancellation Policies:

We will gladly issue a credit or refund for brand new, uninked, unmarked merchandise returned within 21 days of the order date. IMPORTANT: Please contact us by email (info@shopwritersbloc.com) for a Return Merchandise Authorization number (RMA) before returning any merchandise. RMA numbers are valid for 15 days from the date issued and cannot be extended or re-issued. We will not accept returns without an RMA number and they may be returned to sender with a charge for return shipping costs. Please write the RMA # on the outside of your return package.

Merchandise returns must be in resaleable condition. Carefully re-pack the item: (1) Using the original packing materials if possible or a new or rigid box with the flaps intact, (2) Provide internal protection by wrapping each item separately, surrounding each item with 1/2" to 1" of cushioning and using packing material to ensure the contents do not move when the container shakes, (3) Pay special attention to notebook corners. Customer must pay for the return shipping costs. We recommend that you insure the package, as you are responsible for risk of loss on all returned packages. We also recommend that you make sure to pack the item carefully for return, as we will not issue credit for any product damaged in transit back to us due to poor packaging. Please write the RMA # on the outside of the package and return it to: Writer's Bloc, 4230 SE King Rd #120, Portland, OR 97222

Note to PAYPAL users: When returning merchandise you must specify whether you would rather have a refund or an in-store credit. Paypal may charge a small non-refundable fee during your refund transaction that will be deducted from the total amount of your refund. If you wish to avoid these charges you may request a Writer's Bloc in-store credit instead.

Note to Credit Card users: For security reasons and for your protection, the credit card information for all customers expires and is no longer accessible to us 30 days after your order purchase date. Due to this expiration date, after 30 days we will no longer issue a refund to a credit card but may issue an in-store credit as an alternative.

Any damaged items or discrepancies with your order must be reported to Writer's Bloc within 3 days of delivery or USPS delivery confirmation date.

Exchanges are handled in the same way as refunds. Return the item(s) you want to exchange as described above and we will give you a refund or in-store credit when the items(s) arrive at Writer's Bloc. To get the merchandise you want, please place a brand new order on the Writer's Bloc website.

For fountain pen problems see our FAQ section below.

Once an order has already been shipped it will not be possible for us to cancel it. However, any new, unmarked merchandise may be returned within 21 days of the purchase date for a refund or credit of the merchandise cost.

(Note: Products on our website may appear larger or smaller than actual size. Product design and color may be changed by the manufacturer without notice. Actual product colors may be different than the color displayed on your computer monitor.)

Back Ordered Merchandise:

Occasionally there may be an insufficient quantity of merchandise to completely fill your order. When this happens generally we will (1) ship the items we have in stock to you, (2) cancel the out of stock items from your order, and (3) adjust the order/shipping amount accordingly.

Infrequently there are exceptions. Under some circumstances Writer's Bloc may either (1) contact you by email before shipping the order or (2) ship the in stock items right away and ship the back ordered items as soon as possible with no extra shipping cost to you (usually within 2-3 weeks). If there is an unusually long delay of 50 days or more, Writer's Bloc may cancel the back ordered merchandise from your order. Writer's Bloc may also cancel back ordered item(s) from your order due to other circumstances (for example: the item has been discontinued or is considered a special order item).

Please let us know in the comments section during order checkout if you have any special requests if a back order occurs. You may also contact us at any time to cancel any back ordered merchandise from your order. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you.

If you are interested in a product that is out of stock please feel free to let us know by email which products you are interested in and we can notify you by email when they are back in stock.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why can't I choose a cover color or design for Clairefontaine products?

When we import Clairefontaine products from France we are not able to choose specific colors or designs. The shipments we receive have a mixed batch of colors and designs, so we are not always able to predict which colors we will have in stock. Since people love Clairefontaine products for their outstanding paper quality, many feel that the cover design is not important. However, if you have a preference please let us know during the ordering process and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Can I track the shipping of my order?

In most instances, yes, you can. Once your order ships you will receive an email confirming that it has been sent. Your email will include a link to check on the current status of your order. (If this link does not work copy both lines of the entire link and paste it into your browser.) This will take you to your order status page at Writer's Bloc. Most orders that we ship by USPS have Delivery Confirmation Service added to the package. If this is the case, from the Writer's Bloc order status page you can click on the long number to the right of the words "Tracking: USPS Shipment" and it will take you directly to the "Track and Confirm" page on USPS.com. Under the heading "Detailed Results" on the USPS.com web page you will see how often, when and where USPS has scanned the package. The amount of information that USPS provides for each package varies. Sometimes USPS provides a Delivery Confirmation number which is only updated after the order has already been delivered or delivery has been attempted. If your package fails to arrive in a timely fashion, please check the "Shipping & Handling" section above as to what steps you can take.

Do you provide gift cards or gift wrap?

Presently we do not offer gift cards or gift wrapping for an order. If you order is a gift and you would like to include a message please use the "comments" box during order check out to enter your message and your name. This message will appear on the packing slip that is included with the order - these packing slips do not include any prices or any billing information. Alternatively, we suggest sending your own greeting card directly to the gift recipient mentioning that a gift package from Writer's Bloc is on the way.

Do you have a retail store location?

We did have a retail shop located on NW 23 Avenue in Portland, Oregon but it is no longer there. We are hoping to find a a new retail space someday in the future. If you wish to be informed of our new address when we reopen, please send us an email requesting that you be added to our email list. In the meantime, you can continue to shop Writer's Bloc online or send us an email if you have any questions about our products.

If I live in the Portland, Oregon area can I pick up my order?

Since we do not have a retail store location we do not offer order pick-up for local customers. If this ever changes we will be sure to let you know by email and on the website. In the meantime, we do offer the lowest shipping rates for local customers.

Why doesn't Writer's Bloc provide overnight shipping?

Since we have chosen not to offer this as one of the shipping choices during order checkout, there is no way to automatically have an order shipped overnight. Because overnight shipping has to be processed manually and involves extra communication with a customer it delays shipping by one or two days. By that time the order really isn't being shipped "overnight". We find that our usual method of shipping by priority mail is often just as fast since it usually takes only two or three post office business days to deliver. If a "rush" is requested during order checkout we will go out of our way to expedite the order "processing" if it is possible. We are unable to guarantee delivery dates.

My order needs to be shipped to Canada. Why can't I find my province listed among the list of states?

First, select the ship-to country as "Canada", then the list of states will change to a list of provinces that you can select from.

Do you ship orders internationally?

Presently we do not ship to any countries other than the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands, UK and Germany. We choose to limit the countries we ship to due to very high shipping costs (example: $35.00 or more to ship a couple of notebooks) and the high risks associated with shipping to many foreign countries. If we offer shipping to any other foreign countries in the future we will be sure to announce this on our website.

Please be very careful to provide us with a correct shipping address. If an international order is returned to Writer's Bloc due to an incorrect shipping address that is a customer error, you will be charged an additional shipping and handling cost to resend the package.

What methods of payment does Writer's Bloc take?

We accept online orders only using Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card and PayPal. We do not accept checks or money orders sent to us through the mail and we do not accept telephone orders.

When will Writer's Bloc charge my credit card?

Writer's Bloc does not charge your credit card immediately when you place your order, rather, we charge your credit card as the order is packaged and shipped out (with the exception of some orders that contain back ordered items). Any changes made to your order prior to shipping such as order cancellation or product subtractions will be reflected in the actual charges when we process your credit card.

What can I do if I've already used my fountain pen and have discovered I would rather have a different nib size?

Often it is possible to swap the nib on a fine writing instrument for a nib of a different size. Please contact the pen company's manufacturer/distributor for details and costs (see contact information below).

What should I do if one of the fountain pens I ordered is defective?

Even though we carefully inspect each fountain pen before it is shipped, retailers (including Writer's Bloc) are not responsible for factory defects in fountain pens. Many fountain pens have a warranty and should therefore be returned to the manufacturer/distributor if they perform poorly during use or if there is a defect. The distributor will either repair or replace the defective fountain pen for you. We recommend contacting the distributor before returning your pen.

Platinum President and 3776 Fountain Pens have a one year warranty and should be returned to:
Luxury Brands, LLC
205 Longshore Way
Fayetteville, GA 30215
Phone: 770-881-7131
info@lux-brands.com

Pelikan Tradition and Souveran Pens come with a 3 year warranty and should be returned to:
Chartpak Inc.
One River Road
Leeds, MA 01053
Phone: 1-800-628-1910 x240
penrepair@chartpak.com

LAMY Pens have a lifetime warranty:
FiloFax
372 Danbury Road Ste. 171
Wilton Ct. 06897
Phone: 1-800-345-6798
filofaxusa@filofaxinc.com

Aurora Pens
Please contact Kenro Industries Online Service Center:
https://secure.kenroindustries.com/Step2.aspx?bid=3

Pilot Pens - Custom, Vanishing Point, Falcon have a 3 year warranty, Prera has a 1 year warranty:
Namiki Service Department
3855 Regent Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Phone: 904-645-9999
www.namiki.com

TWSBI Pens
Contact TWSBI by email at TWSBIinc@gmail.com