A question for other knifemakers...

mykulmorris

mykulmorris

Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
1,690
Good morning Gents...
Just a question out of curiosity... ((It may have been asked before but...)) I attend and sell at many local knife/gun shows... Someone is always going come by and see a knife I have for sale at $120, and they'll ask if I'll take $110, or $100... What do you say to people who ask if you'll take a lesser amount for your work? I know we live in a world where this is common, but I'm looking for the best response when the question comes up. I've been known to say something like "Well, if your boss were to ask you to take a paycut where you work, would you want to?"

Your thoughts?
-Michael


.
 
Price your knives slightly higher than you actually want as haggling is expected.Many collectors love the whole process.
 
"They are priced as marked."
or
"These ARE my sale prices." :D
or
"Wait, did I accidentally set up in the flea market again??" (maybe that's the wrong direction)


I suspect most folks don't realize that they are bargaining for your time and expertise rather than a product for which you are simply the middleman. Yes, it's obvious, but we live in such a mass-market outsourced world that many people have a hard time seeing outside of that box. Unless somebody's a jerk about it, it's probably best to practice not taking it personally.


-Daizee
 
Hey Michael;
When I lived in the Chicago area I had to overprice my knives because everybody there wanted to chisel me down. Now that I live in the soft spoken South I seldom get asked to come off my prices. However, when I do I politely respond with "no, I will get that price for the knife" or "If it is still here Sunday afternoon and I have had a poor show, we can talk."
 
People who attend gun shows regularly are used to dealers having a built in "cushion" and you can buy just about everything for less than the price on the tag. I don't see that often here on the forum and have had some buyers actually send a "tip" with the payment. So for gun shows I would suggest adding $20-$25 to your original price.
 
Remember that most people go to shows looking for good deals, or at least feel like they got a good deal. If you add $20 per knife, it won't hurt to take $20 off if they ask for a better price. You could even advertize as "Special show price" ;)

My wife won't buy something at a swap meet if she can't haggle over the price. Even if it is an already insane good deal, she just won't buy it. If it cost $5 she wants to pay $4.50 and won't buy it unless the seller comes down. There's no logic in it at all. It's just part of the buying experience.
 
If you think your work is only worth $100.00, why put $120.00 on the knife??
If I were a collector and paid you $120.00 for the knife and saw my buddy walk up to your table and you sell him the same knife for $100.00, I would be pissed. You just told me that the knife you sold me the day before was only worth $100.00. If you start doing that, then word will get out fast to either haggle with you or wait til Sunday and save yourself some money. There is nothing wrong with giving a discount for a repeat customer or discounting for a volume purchase, but if you are going to whore yourself out, just sell them for $75.00 and don't haggle at all.
 
I'm not a seller, but I can tell you I hate haggling. We're not in some bazaar, trying to cheat some tourist, out of some money for a rug.

I give the maker of an object the benefit of the doubt he or she actually knows how much that thing really costs: materials, labor, advertizing, etc. I feel if the seller is willing to bargain that means either he doesn't know his costs or he's trying to take me for more money than something is worth.

I want the seller to give me the benefit of the doubt that my time is better spent at my job earning money (to buy more of his stuff later?) than dickering over a price. And I hate the feeling that if I was just a little more of a horse's ass I'd have saved money.

Long story short: be sure $120 is really your price and say: "Sorry, I know my costs, and $120 is a great price for this knife." Then don't go back on it. Someone, like me, will thank you for it.
 
somber said:
Study sales techniques, questions like that are a great opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
Click to expand...

If I feel I am being manipulated I become very stubborn.
If I feel after the fact that I have been manipulated, I won't be a repeat customer.
The hard sell in any guise usually causes me to walk away. If that's what they wanted, then it works.

-Daizee
 
These techniques are just the way that humans view things, but if you feel that way; don't watch the news, don't read magazines, don't look at billboards, and don't read forums, because it's all manipulation to some extent.
 
"no, I will get that price for the knife" or "If it is still here Sunday afternoon and I have had a poor show, we can talk."
Click to expand...

That's what I say often when demonstrating and selling as a blacksmith.

I feel that one's knives ought to be priced in an honest fashion, in a way that can be easily and lucidly explained to a customer with questions. If your prices are fair, and your communication skills adequate, the only people that will walk away empty handed and pissed off are the ones who can't be pleased anyway.
 
I used to sell a lot of jewelry in my former profession and dealt with bargainers daily. It is just part of sales, I take no offense.

My usual response (when I sold jewelry) was "I already have these priced as low as I can really go but I do offer a small discount if you can buy two," that seems to bring a middle ground and more understanding from the customer. I am always sincere and have my items competitively priced in the first place.

I generally do not bargain on knife sales, as the maker my profit margin is already small... but as long as everyone is polite it never hurts them to ask in my opinion.
 
Bartering is expected in almost any private party transaction. Explain to them though that you actually made this yourself. It wasn't put together in some factory in China and this is how you make a portion of your living. Just kindly say, "I spent the time and money to create this knife myself, it wasn't thrown together in some factory. I don't think the $10 difference you'd lose in buying it at my price would affect you much."

I barter pretty hard if it's something I really want and I feel the price is unfair or don't have extra spending money at the time but typically if it's hand made I respect that they put time into it.
 
I sell at the gun and knife shows too. I always jack up my prices and when they want a deal I lower my prices a little. I need to make my table rent and my gas (have you seen the price of gas lately) time cost money. What do they work for free??
 
Bobby Branton said:
If you think your work is only worth $100.00, why put $120.00 on the knife??
If I were a collector and paid you $120.00 for the knife and saw my buddy walk up to your table and you sell him the same knife for $100.00, I would be pissed. You just told me that the knife you sold me the day before was only worth $100.00. If you start doing that, then word will get out fast to either haggle with you or wait til Sunday and save yourself some money. There is nothing wrong with giving a discount for a repeat customer or discounting for a volume purchase, but if you are going to whore yourself out, just sell them for $75.00 and don't haggle at all.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%. The only people that get discounts are dealers and repeat customers. Keep your price the same and don't be scared to hold your ground on your price. If the knife is worth the price you put on it, it will sale at that price eventually.
 
I've never sold at shows, but I have had people stop by the house or ask a friend if I'd take less for a knife. There's usually a little cushion built in for this purpose, but not much!
 
I'll go 5% on multiple sales, but the continual cheapness of most folks wears on me. I price stuff competitively to start, and I'll invite folks who really have issues to go find a better deal elsewhere (on line included). A guy who'll drive 50 miles out of his way to save $0.05 a pound on lead shot is beyond help. Shows are supposed to be fun for me too; they're not my primary source of income.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top