However, the V5 has a very simple problem: being such a nice pen for quick note taking, it's possible to run out of ink at an unbelievably fast rate.

Out of personal experience, when I started university I used all of the ink of my V5 in exactly two weeks. It's the perfect pen for the student, but many people might consider buying multiple bad for the environment, and it is!

So what does Pilot do?

Enter the cartridge system.

The V5 got a redesign as a new contender for the best cheap student pen arrived: The V5, HI-TECPOINT, Cartridge System pen.

It's roughly the exact same pen. However, this one can be opened, which leads to the wonderful possibility of refills!

With a notoriously annoying Pilot-exclusive cartridge system, you can now buy more ink without ruining your environmentalist image. It's a win-win situation, really.

Except...

The V5's rechargeable version is considerably more expensive than the original pen. Where I live, it's usually sold for twice the price.

This makes sense, as what Pilot is offering here is not just a pen: It's the possibility of buying a pen that could potentially last forever.

Unlike the original V5, which required you to keep changing it at a regular rate, making Pilot great profit, the cartridge version lets you take control.

Now, making rechargeable versions of a product will always be risky for a company. We could apply this to any product and it'd probably still stand true. Battery companies hesitate selling rechargeable batteries because well,

once you have one that lasts forever, why bother buying a new one?

One of the ways Pilot is fighting this is by having a proprietary cartridge design (Yes, I called it annoying for a reason).

Think about it. By making your product rechargeable based on a source of power (in this case ink) that can be exchanged for a new one,
you're allowing the competition to create more affordable refills to suit costumers' needs. Knowing this, Pilot designed a cartridge system incompatible with every other big pen brand and useful only with other Pilot pens.

The strange shape of the Pilot ink cartridges isn't new in the industry, exactly, but it is one of the methods they used to keep customers buying the official cartridges. While people have faked this pen before, it's fairly cheap and that keeps most people loyal to the brand. Making your product reusable makes it better for the environment, which is why many people prefer this version (I personally think it's more comfortable to hold, but that's just me.)

However,

Making your product reusable and refillable is better for the consumer's pocket. They see buying the more expensive version as an investment, and overall it's worth it! Take it from a happy customer, really.

But is it good for the company?

No.

Some people have modded their V5s to work with common fountain pen ink. You can buy fake cartridges for extremely cheap prices if you know where to look. Just because you bought a cartridge V5 does NOT guarantee Pilot you'll buy their refills. Plus, they're more affordable!