With eBay or online purchase of new Montblanc writing instruments, the full manufacturer's warranty generally falls away; one receives only the legal warranty of the seller, often called 'in-house warranty'. Even the free nib-width exchange within the first weeks, which the authorised specialist trade enables, is mostly not available online. The eBay price should therefore lie significantly below the regular shop price in order to compensate for this loss in service; with new goods at only small savings, the online purchase is hardly worthwhile. In specialist shops, additionally, without negotiation often noticeable discounts are possible, partly into the two-digit percentage range. For used pieces, eBay can be sensible; for new goods with warranty entitlement, the authorised specialist retailer is the safer choice.