Where to get cheap Moleskine notebooks

May 15, 2005 7:57 AM

I purchased a Moleskine notebook yesterday (previously discussed at length in this MeFi thread), and I have a feeling that it will be the first of many--overblown marketing aside, the design of these things really is excellent. But $11 for a pocket-size notebook is pretty expensive. Where's the cheapest place online to find them? Bulk purchasing is a possibility.
posted by Prospero to Shopping (22 answers total)

Best answer: This is the cheapest place I found, and I was very happy with my order. They have a great selection and I found some designs I didn't know existed.
posted by CunningLinguist at 8:08 AM on May 15, 2005 [3 favorites]

It seems like it would make sense to buy them locally, since $5 shipping seems to be typical online.

(Also, watch out, CunningLinguist's link apparently includes some kind of session id that makes the shopping cart shared.)
posted by smackfu at 8:24 AM on May 15, 2005

Oh yikes. Sorry, I just cut and pasted....
posted by CunningLinguist at 8:56 AM on May 15, 2005

does it mean that we can buy truckloads of notebooks and they'll charge CunningL?
"we have Moleskines"?
posted by matteo at 8:59 AM on May 15, 2005

we do indeed have moleskines.
posted by boo_radley at 9:06 AM on May 15, 2005

Get a job at a bookstore, and then get them at a huge discount. It worked for me.
posted by drezdn at 9:09 AM on May 15, 2005

Mod note: fixed CL's link
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:18 AM on May 15, 2005

we do indeed have moleskines.

!!!
posted by matteo at 9:26 AM on May 15, 2005

This place seems to have prices just a bit higher than CL's link, but they do offer a bulk discount if you buy more than four, so if you need a lot, they might have slightly better prices.
posted by hootch at 9:26 AM on May 15, 2005

Thanks jess, and boo_radley!
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:34 AM on May 15, 2005

There's an art supply store in Portland called Art Media. Every three or six months they send out a catalog and a 25%-off coupon to all of the people on their mailing list. The coupon's good for anything in the store, no limit. Art Media sell Moleskines (although I'm not sure of the price). Maybe a Moleskine-carrying art supply place in your neck of the woods does something similar? Also, if you're a student, you may be eligible for a student discount.

Other than that, I'd say talk to your friends and buy a bunch in bulk online to save on shipping.
posted by blueberry at 9:35 AM on May 15, 2005

Going back to Hootch's link, it appears you can buy them by the case (18 notebooks) and the cost comes down to about $9 a book.

BTW, I just picked up a Moleskine Weekly Agenda and I was told that the format they used this year (6 narrow columns with time stamps on the hour) will be replaced next year with the classic "large paragraph" style for each day. I've also been told that the little 3 pack pocket notebooks will no longer be bound with glue but will use the more traditional binding technology and also include the pocket sleeve at the back.
posted by furtive at 9:43 AM on May 15, 2005

I have seen them on sale at Dick Blick for less than $9 a book.
posted by annathea at 10:32 AM on May 15, 2005

I just ordered 20 for the cost of shipping alone! Granted, they're diaries, but hey.
posted by boo_radley at 10:43 AM on May 15, 2005

I just bought 10 from a seller in... New Hampshire I think. I paid us$9 per book and I think she charged me us$7 total to ship (and I'm in Canada). If anyone's interested, let me know and I'll dig up her email. My address is in my profile.

Also, what do people find are the best pens to use in Moleskines? I use a Bic Roller Fine, and quite like it but it would be great if there were a more permanent (as opposed to disposable) pen that looks great but doesn't soak thru to the other side of the page.
posted by dobbs at 12:24 PM on May 15, 2005

Oh, and my seller takes Paypal.
posted by dobbs at 12:25 PM on May 15, 2005

Slightly less disposable is my pen of choice: Pilot Razor Point fine hard felt-tip pens.
posted by tss at 12:27 PM on May 15, 2005

Amazon UK have the plain and lined moleskines for £3 to £4 ( $5.50 - $7.80)
posted by Lanark at 3:00 PM on May 15, 2005

dobbs: I've found that Pilot Impact gel pens (1.0 is my preference) are nice. They've got a great writing feel to them, they don't run through or smudge, and I found out a few days ago that they're actually waterproof once they've dried. (Well, mountain-dew proof at least. I'm assuming that if they can resist that poison, they're waterproof as well.)
posted by SpecialK at 11:30 PM on May 15, 2005 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: dobbs: I'm using a Parker Jotter with a fine point (0.7 mm) and it's bliss. I tend to press down pretty hard when I write, and I'm not seeing any bleedthrough at all.
posted by Prospero at 4:39 AM on May 16, 2005

Thanks, pen-people!
posted by dobbs at 6:30 AM on May 16, 2005

BTW, they have a limited selection of these at my local Waldenbooks for $9.95. Considering there's no shipping, it's a very competitive price w/ instant gratification. (They had the normal one, the grid version of that one, and the sketchbook.)
posted by smackfu at 3:49 PM on May 18, 2005