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Is your dealer your best asset?

For over 20 years we stayed just collectors. Knives in the winter, Fishing in the summer. We would go three to four months without buying a knife. But when that time of year came around I had 4 dealers I would go online and see
They knew our pattern, they knew what we liked. Heck if they found one while I was in Key west they would call and say you want me to hold this one or send you pics?
The bottom line was they knew I was loyal to them and they knew if a knife I would want came through they had a sale. They had a reason to be interested in my collection, they were feeding thier families with it.

Where is all this going? It taught me that always going to find the cheapest price didnt get me a better knife and that person would never know "Jan" bought one of his knives. He would only know some lady in FL wanted a Case whittler
I may spend $5.00 ,ore on a particular knife but it equaled out over the years. My collection filled with the knives I wanted. I once wanted a proto in mammoth, a 1 of 1 swing guard. I put the word out to my dealers. A month or so later we got a call from one of our dealers. It is at a show, how far ca we go?
Brought it to me at less than I was willing to pay. Just becase your dealer doesnt have it, doesnt mean he woulndt run accross it. The question is will he remember you when he sees the knife.

So I am asking, Do you have a dealer, that knows you, knows your collection? One willing to make that call? OR are you buying the knives at whatever site will ship them to an unknon person as long as they paid first

Among Knife Dealers.....you get wht you pay for. If paying 2.00 more means I get a loyal dealer, it is worth it to me

What are your thoughts???

Tags: dealers/prices/values

9 members like this

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Replies to This Discussion

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Terry Ray on March 24, 2014 at 22:06

Well i certianly agree Jan, thats the main goal !!

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on March 25, 2014 at 2:14

Well, my perspective is a little different. Perhaps mostly because I don't live in the US.

I often see discussions about new knives coming out where they say stuff like: "MSRP is $225 so Street price should be around $150"

A soon as I see MSRP I know I'm screwed.... You see. Dealers over here (mainly because of the local distributor) take MSRP kind of like a personal challenge.

Over here MSRP $ = Street price € let me demonstrate what that means:

MSRP $200 would then mean that that same knife would probably cost €200 (or more) over here.

Now you should know that €200 is around $275.....that's a 30% price hike on MSRP!! (and that's just if they don't hike the price even more because they had to "import" it)

Now if I bought on the internet I could get it at Street price + shipping + import duties. Which would mean:

Street price $150 + $25 + (maybe) $40 = $215. That's not a $2 difference! Now I don't mind spending a little more....but $60 more is quite a lot. And often I can find ways to negate import duties which makes it $100 cheaper to buy online. I like my local dealer....but I don't like him THAT much.

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Permalink Reply by Vincent C. Mazzei on March 25, 2014 at 8:18

I do not rely on any one specific dealer for production made knives,but mainly because I'm most into custom made knives. Now as far as custom handmade knives go,I definitely look at certain dealer's offerings ,because I know they specialize in certain makers knives. I never bought enough from any one dealer to put myself in the category of a loyal frequent buyer,at least in my mind,but have always been treated like I was. With a dealer,you get the dealer's garauntee,and,the makers garauntee backing that dealer,so IMHO,it is worth the extra.

As I became a dealer,I specialize in selling knives,from a select group of mkers that I stand by,but most important,they are actually good friends too,and business associates. They offer knives that I personally would own & use , and are in the scope of the types of knives I'm interested in.

I pride myself on 100% shipping success in the U.S. and around the World . I have many,many repeat customers , some very good friends . Some are very loyal,and do not blink an eye at my mark up,witch is modest, and at times fully disclosed so the buyer knows the cost if he wanted to order direct ,wait it out & go that route.

So if I was asked I'd say if you plan to collect,accumulate or you consider yourself a knife enthusiast,to select a reputable dealer to help ,for any,or all purchases.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Terry Ray on March 25, 2014 at 10:07

Your local dealer can be online ,can't he or she?

Alexander Noot said:

Well, my perspective is a little different. Perhaps mostly because I don't live in the US.

I often see discussions about new knives coming out where they say stuff like: "MSRP is $225 so Street price should be around $150"

A soon as I see MSRP I know I'm screwed.... You see. Dealers over here (mainly because of the local distributor) take MSRP kind of like a personal challenge.

Over here MSRP $ = Street price € let me demonstrate what that means:

MSRP $200 would then mean that that same knife would probably cost €200 (or more) over here.

Now you should know that €200 is around $275.....that's a 30% price hike on MSRP!! (and that's just if they don't hike the price even more because they had to "import" it)

Now if I bought on the internet I could get it at Street price + shipping + import duties. Which would mean:

Street price $150 + $25 + (maybe) $40 = $215. That's not a $2 difference! Now I don't mind spending a little more....but $60 more is quite a lot. And often I can find ways to negate import duties which makes it $100 cheaper to buy online. I like my local dealer....but I don't like him THAT much.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Terry Ray on March 25, 2014 at 10:10

I mean your local dealer is who you choose and treats you right

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 25, 2014 at 17:04

Well Alexander I can certainly understand why then a "local" dealer for you would be frustrating on cost. It is more than frustrating for me because in my area there are no local dealers.

I have dealers I have trusted to do me and our collections right for up to 4 years that I have never met face to face. So maybe a specific dealer willing to work with you on cost of product and shipping. M . Carpenter is my dealer of choice for items in the UK.

I realize not a lot of "ebay" folks send to anywhere but the US. I also know many of our sponsors not only ship outside the US but do everything they can to mitigate the cost of that for their customers. Reed cutlery even has a specific code for non US residents to enter for a shipping discount.

So I still believe that building a relationship with your dealers can be cost effective and more satisfying, even if they are not Local, or even in your country.

Alexander Noot said:

Well, my perspective is a little different. Perhaps mostly because I don't live in the US.

I often see discussions about new knives coming out where they say stuff like: "MSRP is $225 so Street price should be around $150"

A soon as I see MSRP I know I'm screwed.... You see. Dealers over here (mainly because of the local distributor) take MSRP kind of like a personal challenge.

Over here MSRP $ = Street price € let me demonstrate what that means:

MSRP $200 would then mean that that same knife would probably cost €200 (or more) over here.

Now you should know that €200 is around $275.....that's a 30% price hike on MSRP!! (and that's just if they don't hike the price even more because they had to "import" it)

Now if I bought on the internet I could get it at Street price + shipping + import duties. Which would mean:

Street price $150 + $25 + (maybe) $40 = $215. That's not a $2 difference! Now I don't mind spending a little more....but $60 more is quite a lot. And often I can find ways to negate import duties which makes it $100 cheaper to buy online. I like my local dealer....but I don't like him THAT much.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 25, 2014 at 17:06

Right, whether they are local to you physically or not

Terry Ray said:

I mean your local dealer is who you choose and treats you right

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Terry Ray on March 25, 2014 at 17:07

Very well said Jan ,

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on March 26, 2014 at 4:50

Well, the one dealer I've gone back to for seconds so far is A.G. Russell. But that makes sense since he's the only one that carries those particulair designs.

They're great even though I get hit by import duties pretty much every time I order from them.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on March 26, 2014 at 22:48

Don't have any "local" dealers around here. I've been burnt by a couple of on-line dealers in the past. I really would prefer to be able to hold a knife defore purchase.
That being said, up until recently, my only dealer was SMKW. In the last couple of years I've bought from several of our advertisers. I've been extremely pleased with these. I'd like to think that if I had a special request I could ask any of them. I may not be as exacting as others in terms of what's acceptable, but what I like is what I like.
After the Dalton show I gained a whole new perspective on dealers. Being able to talk with the person that's behind the company, either personally, by e-mail or by phone is especially satisfying. Try that with Kevin Pipes.(Well, Jan excluded, lol.)

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Permalink Reply by David Selph on March 27, 2014 at 18:18

After meeting some of the dealers that I have been dealing with in person at the Knife show in Dalton and a couple of new ones that I met from IKC I think all my future needs are met. None of them know me well yet in terms of what I collect but I am sure that I will be treated right by all of them.