Cartier for £7
Recently, while indulging my passion for stationery—particularly notebooks and pens—and exploring what luxury brands offer in this category, I came across an interesting expansion of the product range at Cartier.
In addition to notebooks and agendas (which are well-designed and thoughtfully curated), I noticed that the brand offers an impressive collection of pens. Many of the designs echo the signature details of Cartier’s main lines, especially the Santos watch. The most expensive pen costs £132,000 — a limited edition of 8 individually numbered pieces, lavishly adorned with 475 diamonds.
But what really caught my attention was something else. Cartier also offers cartridges, refills, and ink bottles to complement the purchase and make it easier for the customer to maintain their pen. I immediately thought how perfect it would be if they had a rich red ink—just like their signature box color—and, sure enough, they do. Along with classic blue and black, red is also available.
This kind of product isn't about revenue (prices range from £6.90 to £21.30); it’s about demonstrating attention to detail and care for the customer. And that, in turn, builds loyalty. I don’t know if Cartier collaborated with Montblanc—Richemont’s specialist in writing instruments—when developing this line, but the result is excellent. Confirmed by a stationery enthusiast x
What’s missing in the e-commerce context? A customer can land directly on the product page for a pen or reach it through a collection overview. In both cases, they might completely miss the fact that refills exist. I’ve written about upsell techniques—where, in this case, the focus is more on a thoughtful gesture—here.
Another shortcoming is the absence of a color variant selector on the product page for refills. This option could be added even if each color has its own separate product page (this is how we handle it in my e-shop, 2Jour Concierge).
*Example of invisible customer care—from Loro Piana, though they don’t highlight it themselves—is described here.