Another disapointment at Chesepeake Knife and Tool!!!

I'm puzzled (and it happens alot). :confused:

You said "My wife was going to buy it on the spot but changed her mind.", referring to the Chive I suspect.

If that was her intention, why didn't you just say "My wife is interested in the Chive, can you show it to us please?", instead of "Just Looking" when you were asked if you needed help.

Regardless of whether the salesclerk needed training, needed an attitude adjustment or whatever, it is reasonable to believe that he probably would have shown you the varieties of the knife. After some additional conversation, perhaps you would have benefited from this discussion.

I have found that communicating fully does help in human interaction. By explaining your potential interest, you may have actually avoided this whole negative perception.

Just my .02
 
My local Chesapeake Knife and Tool is a let down for other reasons:

Costs. I know it's been addressed here a time or two, but I'm so good at beating dead animals.

I like the chain since they are proned to getting in newly-released factory stuff weeks before it's anywhere else. They are a factory authorized dealer to many manufacturers.

My beef is this; they know their full-retail-and-above prices are costing them sales, especially from the cutlery-educated (anyone with access to the net). I mean, $550.00 for a decorated small CRK Sebenza, come on! $189.00+ for a Benchmade 42/43 Balisong, yeah right!

When the manager's around, if I've got a copy of a Cutlery Shoppe catalog with me, she'll make attempts at price-matching with me by at least meeting me somewhere in the middle between retail and discounted catalog prices. But if anyone but her is there, i.e. the meatheaded assistant manager, who would make your know-it-all knife salesperson look humble, no dice. Full price or nothing. Doesn't matter if the knife sits there for a year without a bite. If I'm lucky, on top of that, maybe I'll get a lecture on how 420J2 is harder than 154CM.

The other salespeople have no clue in England about price-matching. I'm surprised quite frankly that they are able to stay in business that way. And I guess that's what brings me to my point. If the saleperson you dealt with truly acted like a jackass, then it's truly his sales that will show it. He'll have to be content selling the other little non-knife related trinkets in the store, like die-cast Model A replicas and the like.

Yeah, I'm a little disenchanted with them too...

Professor.
 
Hrmmm...

I'll have to agree with the nay-sayers on CKT... (not to be confused with CRKT and CRK ;) )

I walked into the Columbia, MD mall one the other day, mostly just browsing, but halfheartedly looking for something for my boss.

I walked to the back (where the real knives are) and looked at the display case. The salesperson asked if I needed help, and I said that I was mostly browsing.

I saw a BM 4x balisong in the case, and surprised, I asked what the carry laws were in MD (I was moving from CA to MD.) He said he didn't know, and that they changed from county to county, and I should go look it up myself.

He then gave me some more attitude about being dangerous to other people (I forget what exactly) so I fished out the Sebbie I was carrying, to show that I sort of knew what I was talking about (This works in watch stores, so why not knife stores? ;) )

He didn't recognise it (or pretended not to? oh, well), and then turned around to work on something else.

Funnily enough, as I looked down, I saw a set of decorated Sebenzas in the case.

About 5 minutes later I saw a CRKT Tighe Tac -- looked pretty good. Semi-reasonable price, too -- about retail, IIRC.

I tried to get the salesperson's attention. I said "Excuse me." I said, "Could I take a look at this?" He didn't look at me or turn around, despite the fact that he was standing about 4 feet in front of me.

That was enough for me and my wife to leave. Maybe he was hard of hearing. Maybe my hair gel made him sick and he couldn't turn around without puking all over me. I don't know, honestly.

1- The above-MSRP prices definitely hurt. I'll have to admit, I'd never buy at those prices.

2- The attitude REALLY bites. The guy wasn't interested in what he was selling. He wasn't terribly professional, or knowledgable.

I've been in many other niche-style stores, and you either get salespeople who are friendly and interested in their product, and I get to talk with them a while and buy something (**ahem** TADgear) -- or you get the jerks that aren't interested, don't know the ephemera or the trivia, and don't want to make a sale.

If the average Joe walks into the store and is happy to buy at those prices, begging and pleading for service, then, so be it. May Chesapeake live long and prosper.

Let's just say I won't waste his time (or my money) ever again with a non-sale.

-Jon
 
Customer Service:
I agree with you that poor customer service, and uninformed, uninterested clerks are a real turn-off. You had every right to walk out if the clerk was ignoring you especially since he wasn't helping anyone else. If friendly, courtious customer service isn't what you received most managers, and owners want to know including CK&T.

I try to provide good, friendly, knowledgable staff at the store. I continually eduucate the staff on all the new products, steels, etc. I ecourage them to find out information on their own, in fact a few lurk at this and other sites. They will often show customers reviews right off the forums. I definately want to know if any customer has any complains about service they received in the store from any employee.

Pricing
I realize that CK&T has higher than Manufactures' Suggested Retail Prices. IMHO they are more probably trying to stay profitable in a very expensive area, than they are intentionally "price gouging". I understand that they are getting better in their price structure, but I haven't been to one in over a year.

The basic pricing structure at knife stores I own are MSR prices. Again, we also have to show a profit to stay in business. However, we offer discounts for various forum and club memberships (15% discount for BFC members), frequent buyer programs, discounts off special orders, etc. We also offer service oriented programs such as on-site sharpening, lifetime satisfaction guarantee, etc. Our goal is to encourage shoppers to become loyal customers who are educated to the benefits shopping for value and service and not simply price.


Pam

edited for spelling and grammer
 
...and I think it's great. However here in Richmond, we don't have the ridiculously expensive cost of living found up there in NOVA. Still, the pricing is what it is at our local CK&T. No salesperson, manager or otherwise, has ever explained the free sharpening/service offer, so I don't know that it's necessarily universal. Also, no discounts, etc. for forum members. Price-matching seemed only to be extended when the manager (and only the manager) was in the right mood. And when I'm talking price-matching, I actually mean meeting me in the middle of retail and what it can be had for online.

The salespeople, if they're gonna engage you, need to know what they're talking about. Requisite visiting of Bladeforums sounds like a good place to start ;). Or better yet, allowing the knife to sell itself and explaining something when asked might work too.

Again, I think it's great what your area's store are doing. Our local CK&T, however, seems only to feed off those not intelligent enough to look elsewhere.

Professor.
 
Professor,

I don't own a CK&T. My stores (Alchemy Knife and Gift) are somewhat similar in appearence, but much, much better. (Not just my opinion -- but also my customers that use to shop at CK&T :D .) I worked for a Christmas season at CK&T.

I am trying to improve on their basic concepts, and create a set of knife stores that are service oriented, reasonably priced, knowledgable places to shop, while still maintaining the profitability necessasary to stay a viable business. Most times it is a challenge, but one I wouldn't change for anything!

The newest store is in Harrisonburg, VA which is a reasonable drive. Stop by and see the store if you get a chance.

Pam
 
Thanks for the clarification; I'd thought you were a CK&T manager. That's what I get for not reading well enough!

My work carries me up to Harrisonburg about twice a month, so I will indeed find some time to stop by! Thanks, and good luck to you!

Professor.
 
Alchemy/Pam,

Where are your other locations? I'll be moving to Baltimore, MD in the near future, and I'd love to have a local (or semi-local) place to haunt (and satisfy the new-knife craving faster than UPS/FedEx ever could ;) )

Thanks!

-Jon
 
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