Look at this ballpoint pen product here
Then click on the reviews… some are very funny. Here’s one of my favourites…
My wife thought that this pen would make a lovely Christmas gift for me and ordered it online. When the retailer emailed her asking which region type of pen she wanted, she was confused and neglected to reply to the message. About a week ago or so, the pen arrived via international courier and my wife presented it to me with a beatific smile and sparkles in her eyes.
Charmed by her thoughtful gift, I set down to jot some notes regarding a special remodeling project for the kitchen, but the pen refused to write. The crystalline barrel showed that the ink reservoir was topped off and there were no obstructions on the ball end, so I attempted to write once more. Alas, nothing appeared on my sheet of paper but scratches.
I frantically checked the package to see if there was some sort of activation process for the pen and stumbled across a warning note. Apparently the Writing Implement Association of America (WIAA) has established the UK as being part of distribution region 2, while North America is region 1. Because of the region differences, my imported pen will not work with region 1 8 1/2 x 11 inch letter-size paper – it only works on European (A4 and such) paper. Unfortunately the import duties on the pen itself cost quite a pretty penny, and I cannot afford to purchase appropriate-region paper to write on. I have looked up some so called “gray paper” import companies but I don’t know if I altogether trust them.
If you’re from the States like me, and you’re interested in purchasing this fine writing implement, remember to specify the correct region!
