I'm Opening a Knife Store Online, Need Suggestions & Help! - iKnife Collector2024-03-29T13:47:02Zhttps://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/i-m-opening-a-knife-store-online-need-suggestions-help?commentId=3181080%3AComment%3A1566536&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThank's Steve! I've been look…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-19:3181080:Comment:15690862018-11-19T21:43:37.276ZTerry Solomanhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TerrySoloman
<p>Thank's Steve! I've been looking for a Benchmade distributor, as the wholesaler I am currently working with (Blue Ridge Knives) doesn't stock them. I have a lot to learn, but even though I lost some money on this one, I'm loving talking to other people and making new friends over our appreciation of knives!<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Steve Scheuerman (Manx) said:…</cite></p>
<p>Thank's Steve! I've been looking for a Benchmade distributor, as the wholesaler I am currently working with (Blue Ridge Knives) doesn't stock them. I have a lot to learn, but even though I lost some money on this one, I'm loving talking to other people and making new friends over our appreciation of knives!<br/> <br/> <cite>Steve Scheuerman (Manx) said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/i-m-opening-a-knife-store-online-need-suggestions-help?id=3181080%3ATopic%3A1565266&page=2#3181080Comment1569273"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Very sorry to hear that, Terry. That is one reason it is hard to make good money reselling production knives. To be sure of the authenticity of the knives you sell means dealing either with the factory, or through a reputable dealer. This means a higher price-point for you. Getting caught selling clones, purposefully or not, is a sure-fire way to tank a knife business. Word spreads like wildfire in the knife community, and once started, that fire is *very* hard to put out. Good thing you found out before you sold them! Bullet dodged, and a lesson learned. :-) To show you it could happen to anyone, here is my "real" Benchmade I got from a knife show. This sits on my shelf in my collection as a constant reminder to do my research and due diligence. Clones are getting more and more prevalent and as such, they are getting harder and harder to spot. <a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135812543?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135812543?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p>
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</blockquote> Very sorry to hear that, Terr…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-19:3181080:Comment:15692732018-11-19T18:13:07.684ZSteve Scheuerman (Manx)https://iknifecollector.com/profile/SteveScheuerman
<p>Very sorry to hear that, Terry. That is one reason it is hard to make good money reselling production knives. To be sure of the authenticity of the knives you sell means dealing either with the factory, or through a reputable dealer. This means a higher price-point for you. Getting caught selling clones, purposefully or not, is a sure-fire way to tank a knife business. Word spreads like wildfire in the knife community, and once started, that fire is *very* hard to put out. Good thing you…</p>
<p>Very sorry to hear that, Terry. That is one reason it is hard to make good money reselling production knives. To be sure of the authenticity of the knives you sell means dealing either with the factory, or through a reputable dealer. This means a higher price-point for you. Getting caught selling clones, purposefully or not, is a sure-fire way to tank a knife business. Word spreads like wildfire in the knife community, and once started, that fire is *very* hard to put out. Good thing you found out before you sold them! Bullet dodged, and a lesson learned. :-) To show you it could happen to anyone, here is my "real" Benchmade I got from a knife show. This sits on my shelf in my collection as a constant reminder to do my research and due diligence. Clones are getting more and more prevalent and as such, they are getting harder and harder to spot. <a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135812543?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/135812543?profile=original" class="align-full"/></a></p> Again, THANK YOU to all of yo…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-19:3181080:Comment:15691722018-11-19T16:30:40.262ZTerry Solomanhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TerrySoloman
<p>Again, THANK YOU to all of you for your suggestions and advice!!! I made a HUGE mistake last week, and bought FAKE Spyderco knives - OUCH! I was hipped to the fact they were counterfeit by a sharp-eyed Spyderco collector. Man, that was a costly mistake!</p>
<p>Again, THANK YOU to all of you for your suggestions and advice!!! I made a HUGE mistake last week, and bought FAKE Spyderco knives - OUCH! I was hipped to the fact they were counterfeit by a sharp-eyed Spyderco collector. Man, that was a costly mistake!</p> Been there Done that. These a…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-12:3181080:Comment:15674652018-11-12T10:38:36.267ZMatt Millerhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/MattMiller
<p>Been there Done that. These are some really solid pointers. I remember ordering a stiletto knife online from a 'well known' website. Boy i was disappointed. Not only did the delivery took around two months but the quality was below par. A few scratches during delivery is not a problem. However, so many scratches completely ruined the beauty i ordered. <br></br> <cite>Steve Scheuerman (Manx) said:…</cite></p>
<p>Been there Done that. These are some really solid pointers. I remember ordering a stiletto knife online from a 'well known' website. Boy i was disappointed. Not only did the delivery took around two months but the quality was below par. A few scratches during delivery is not a problem. However, so many scratches completely ruined the beauty i ordered. <br/> <cite>Steve Scheuerman (Manx) said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/i-m-opening-a-knife-store-online-need-suggestions-help#3181080Comment1565270"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>First and foremost...BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT!! I have seen many many companies and individuals ruin their reputation and business by not being truthful about their products. Condition, origin, availability...these can destroy a business if misrepresented. The knife world is very unforgiving when it comes to this. Make sure your custom designs are not copying someone else's work. If your knives are Pakistan in origin, be sure to divulge this and price them accordingly. Claiming something is in stock and then making the customer wait weeks or months will not help your business. Production knives are not easy to make much of a profit on, as there are sooo many knife sites and sellers, both on their own webpages and on Facebook. Ship quickly and provide tracking. Be sure you put the responsibility for knowing local knife laws on the customer, so you are not shipping and taking back knives due to illegality. Find tradeshows and craft shows in your area and get a table. They are usually pretty cheap (much cheaper than knife shows) and can really pay off.</p>
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<p>Above all...don't expect to make millions. It is tough to get ahead in selling knives. I have done it for a while now, about 4 years or so, and it is mainly a hobby for me so I can go with the wife to craft and trade shows. Knife shows can be very expensive to get a table, and if you have lower end products, it can be tough to move your knives when people are buying the top-end stuff. It also really depends on where you are. If you are trying to sell at shows in places with an abundance of knife stores, you might find business a tad slow. Engage everyone that walks by, even if just to say Hi. No one wants to see someone plunked down on their butt and ignoring everyone that goes by. Smile, talk and engage. Signage is also important, as well as having lots of business cards on hand. A nice display idea helps to bring folks in too. Maybe some extra stuff as well as knives? Flashlights, fire starters etc.</p>
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</blockquote> Education and interaction. E…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-11:3181080:Comment:15672742018-11-11T12:58:11.430ZBryan Whttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/BryanW
<p>Education and interaction. Excellent points posted here and advice. Check the show calendars. The NY Custom Knife Show is later this week, I strongly suggest attending and seeing what its all about.</p>
<p>I'll be there representing KNIFE Magazine, stop me anytime to talk!</p>
<p>Education and interaction. Excellent points posted here and advice. Check the show calendars. The NY Custom Knife Show is later this week, I strongly suggest attending and seeing what its all about.</p>
<p>I'll be there representing KNIFE Magazine, stop me anytime to talk!</p> Terry, I'm just a small time…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-11:3181080:Comment:15670562018-11-11T05:47:03.992ZStephen Metcalfhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/StephenMetcalf
<p>Terry, I'm just a small time knife collector and believe the prior posts are valuable. As a professional salesman for 40 years selling various products and services I learned and believe 2 lessons. 1 - Attitude outweighs product, product knowledge and pricing. 2 - If you ain't out sellin' you're being outsold. Join every group, knife or not, put your name wherever you can stick it and ask for referrals. Good luck and good selling!</p>
<p>Terry, I'm just a small time knife collector and believe the prior posts are valuable. As a professional salesman for 40 years selling various products and services I learned and believe 2 lessons. 1 - Attitude outweighs product, product knowledge and pricing. 2 - If you ain't out sellin' you're being outsold. Join every group, knife or not, put your name wherever you can stick it and ask for referrals. Good luck and good selling!</p> Thank you Terry! The knowled…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-08:3181080:Comment:15663922018-11-08T02:45:01.652ZJan Carterhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JanCarter
<p>Thank you Terry! The knowledge base here is due to the wonderful members contributions and a determination to house as much as we can in one place. <br></br> <br></br> <cite>Terry Soloman said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/i-m-opening-a-knife-store-online-need-suggestions-help?commentId=3181080%3AComment%3A1566390&xg_source=msg_com_forum#3181080Comment1566536"><div><p>Thank you Jan and Steve! I am surfing the forum and learning quite a bit. There is such…</p>
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<p>Thank you Terry! The knowledge base here is due to the wonderful members contributions and a determination to house as much as we can in one place. <br/> <br/> <cite>Terry Soloman said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/i-m-opening-a-knife-store-online-need-suggestions-help?commentId=3181080%3AComment%3A1566390&xg_source=msg_com_forum#3181080Comment1566536"><div><p>Thank you Jan and Steve! I am surfing the forum and learning quite a bit. There is such a deep knowledge base here!!!</p>
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</blockquote> Oh, sadly China gets our busi…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-08:3181080:Comment:15663902018-11-08T02:12:55.504Zdead_left_knife_guyhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/deadleftknifeguy
<p>Oh, sadly China gets our business because their government ensures low production costs, which are obtained by having low materials costs, low labor costs, & of course government-subsidized production aimed at taking manufacturing from the U.S. AND THEN, as I understand it, the Chinese laws allow Chinese companies to take patent rights in the items they manufacture. So nearly all, if not all, outsourced Chinese production result in, effectively, a loss of the patent of the…</p>
<p>Oh, sadly China gets our business because their government ensures low production costs, which are obtained by having low materials costs, low labor costs, & of course government-subsidized production aimed at taking manufacturing from the U.S. AND THEN, as I understand it, the Chinese laws allow Chinese companies to take patent rights in the items they manufacture. So nearly all, if not all, outsourced Chinese production result in, effectively, a loss of the patent of the design.</p>
<p>Pakistan, on the other hand, is not producing per American manufacturers, & most of the designs out there make this pretty obvious. Those knives are making their way into the American market largely via the UK, from what I understand. But then there are companies like CFK that produce knives they insist are somehow "made n the USA" that are clearly Pakistani in origin.</p>
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<p>Like so many things, these questionable choices come down to one person's or small group's determination of what would be most monetarily profitable in the short term.</p> Thank you Jan and Steve! I am…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-07:3181080:Comment:15665362018-11-07T20:05:34.468ZTerry Solomanhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/TerrySoloman
<p>Thank you Jan and Steve! I am surfing the forum and learning quite a bit. There is such a deep knowledge base here!!!</p>
<p>Thank you Jan and Steve! I am surfing the forum and learning quite a bit. There is such a deep knowledge base here!!!</p> I spent 45 years as a marketi…tag:iknifecollector.com,2018-11-07:3181080:Comment:15662602018-11-07T01:52:21.660ZSteve LaMarinehttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/SteveLaMarine
<p>I spent 45 years as a marketing director, business manager, and a marketing consultant before retiring, and this message from Manx is perhaps the best business advice I've seen anyone give … ever! Even if you are an introvert by nature, as I am, you have to engage people at shows and conferences. Keep in mind that these are not just your customers but they are the same people you'd enjoy talking to about your hobby. His suggestion to offer more than knives is first rate as well. When…</p>
<p>I spent 45 years as a marketing director, business manager, and a marketing consultant before retiring, and this message from Manx is perhaps the best business advice I've seen anyone give … ever! Even if you are an introvert by nature, as I am, you have to engage people at shows and conferences. Keep in mind that these are not just your customers but they are the same people you'd enjoy talking to about your hobby. His suggestion to offer more than knives is first rate as well. When teaching people about direct mail, I always suggest that they don't give the potential customer the chance to say yes or no but yes or yes. "If you take this Camillus, I could throw in the Colonial for half price, and these Maglites are a great bonus deal today only." I might add that you get more interest by sharing some shop-talk gossip: "I just heard that XYZ company is coming out with their own line of (whatever). That should be cool." </p>
<p><br/> <br/> <cite>Steve Scheuerman (Manx) said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topics/i-m-opening-a-knife-store-online-need-suggestions-help?xg_source=activity#3181080Comment1565270"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>First and foremost...BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT!! I have seen many many companies and individuals ruin their reputation and business by not being truthful about their products. Condition, origin, availability...these can destroy a business if misrepresented. The knife world is very unforgiving when it comes to this. Make sure your custom designs are not copying someone else's work. If your knives are Pakistan in origin, be sure to divulge this and price them accordingly. Claiming something is in stock and then making the customer wait weeks or months will not help your business. Production knives are not easy to make much of a profit on, as there are sooo many knife sites and sellers, both on their own webpages and on Facebook. Ship quickly and provide tracking. Be sure you put the responsibility for knowing local knife laws on the customer, so you are not shipping and taking back knives due to illegality. Find tradeshows and craft shows in your area and get a table. They are usually pretty cheap (much cheaper than knife shows) and can really pay off.</p>
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<p>Above all...don't expect to make millions. It is tough to get ahead in selling knives. I have done it for a while now, about 4 years or so, and it is mainly a hobby for me so I can go with the wife to craft and trade shows. Knife shows can be very expensive to get a table, and if you have lower end products, it can be tough to move your knives when people are buying the top-end stuff. It also really depends on where you are. If you are trying to sell at shows in places with an abundance of knife stores, you might find business a tad slow. Engage everyone that walks by, even if just to say Hi. No one wants to see someone plunked down on their butt and ignoring everyone that goes by. Smile, talk and engage. Signage is also important, as well as having lots of business cards on hand. A nice display idea helps to bring folks in too. Maybe some extra stuff as well as knives? Flashlights, fire starters etc.</p>
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