Apart from other media, how much has the Internet influence a knife maker's success?

golok

golok

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Oct 20, 2000
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Has anybody worked out the percentage to which the Internet is responsible for a knife maker's profitability (on an annual basis)?

We all know the global reach of the Internet, so it would be safe to say overseas customers probably get to know about knives from forums like this.

Some knife makers advertise but where does this put the Internet?
Perhaps some day, if it has not been done already, some Mass Communications students may carry out a survey to determine the extent of the Internet impact on an industry like knife-making.

This is a classroom question but knife makers themselves would probably have a rough idea as to the effectiveness of this particular medium.
 
Still yet to be seen but the weight of the print media is dropping fast.
The problem with the net is the question "How do we get noticed in this sea of jibberish?". Search engine placement helps but there are only so many top 20 spots to go around. Advertising on the web is too easy to blip out. Even "TARGET" advertising like this site's banners go unheaded most of the time.

The only thing that the net is doing is showing off my site around the world 24/7. I tell folks that it is like a knife show that never ends.
 
There are very few knife shows in my area, or stores that handle other than a few factory brands. So the internet is the "only place" for me to become aware of custom knife makers and their work. Its also a place I can hear about the knives from both them, and their clients. When I hear about a maker, I bookmark his page if I like his work. When I have the money I make a choice based on these pages.
Without the internet I would own a knife as in single knife. With it I discovered a whole new appreciation for one of mans oldest tools.
 
To a large extent, I think the answer to that question depends upon how "big" a maker's name is. One big maker who has no web site, is booked well over 5 years in advance. Only thing a web site could do would be to greatly increase the length of time folks have to wait.

For a relatively unknown maker, who participates here, or gets mentioned here and a URL provided, I think the web can offer a great deal to a maker's success.

Ultimately -- or at least to a very large extent -- I believe it has to do with the maker's work. If she/he is making good looking knives, that don't look just like everyone else's, then I think that the web could greatly increase their business.

IMO, most knifemaker sites don't have enough pictures of knives on them. I've seen many where only 4 or 5 models, or even 1 of a kinds, are pictured. If none of those ring your bell, then the words there have to be very good, or the site isn't even bookmarked. If a maker displays a wide range of knives she/he has made, demonstrating their ability to make different types of knives, I think it is likely I'd bookmark it, and think about buying from that maker.

I think it was just a week or 10 days ago, somebody posted pictures of 2 Larry Lunn knives. I'd never heard of him before. But, he has a site, and it exhibits strongly the man's ability to make beautiful knives that also look unique. I don't know if any other forumites bothered to look for a web site or not. I'm betting that some did, and that some sales may occur as the result.

Links obviously can help put a maker's work before a larger audience. And as was stated, favorable placement on the search engine lists is probably helpful. But, I had to admit I was staggered by the placement of a whole bunch of makers on one of the engines I checked in the last week. For instance, I think Steve Schwartzer was over 100th on the list. I think Jerry Fisk was in the 40s or 50s on the list. There were a couple who were in the top 20 on most, if not all the lists, that amazed me just as much, but in the opposite direction.

Frankly, I don't think it is possible to measure the impact of the web on a maker's fortunes.
 
I think it can have an impact for those that put some energy into it. Quite honestly I would not have ever found out about Tom Mayo, Neil Blackwood, Matt Lamey etc if it had not been for the forums and a few sites that list a lot of custom makers.

There are so many great knives available today that part of my selection criteria includes an evaluation of the maker's or dealer's character. My impressions of them based on their postings here and at KF/CKD can either enhance or lessen my interest in their product.
 
If you measure it against all maker's sites, you'll be unimpressed. If you measure it against the really good sites, you're jaw will hit the floor!

Search engines, links, affiliate setups and "print to web" ... no one aspect will make it work. It's all about the total package! Without the "full monty", it's just another form of marketing. With it, you're looking at your primary distribution system.

Here's something that you can bank on:
"In 10 years, the biggest custom knife maker names in the industry will have been created through the organized, high-performance use of this medium."

I'm not talking USA "bigtime good old boy's". I'm referring to worldwide celebrity in the art. What effect do you think this will have on a maker's business? ... you decide!

Alex

Alex Whetsell
Atlantavirtual.com
 
Dan hit the nail on the head! I agree 100% with Alex. Without ever doing a show or magazine advertising, I have a rather extensive backlog and I'm VERY busy every day making knives. I look forward to doing my first show, Florida Knifemakers Assc. in October.
I credit the forums first for my success. In the early days of my forum participation, I recieved several orders before I HAD a website!! Thanks to Bob Doggett and Alex Whetsell, my website has been a HUGE success. Keeping it updated with new pictures and info is an ongoing project but a fun one :) Joe Chen's order going to Taiwan was the 13th country, I've shipped to!!! For me this is REALLY exiting AND shows the power of this medium. A transplanted New Yawker, turned Florida redneck is now an international knifemaker !!! YEEEEE HA:D


Neil
 
It's pretty much the same as having 50,000 people walk by my table every month. Since a lot of those are the same folks coming back to see what's new, that makes it family which is even nicer.

Besides, this is where I met Mayo and that has certainly changed my life... :D
 
I have to say that 89.999999999% of my buisness is Internet related.
I am truley Blessed..
Thanks to all that helped me along the way.
Brad
 
as a fulltime maker in new zealand i have had a site for 8 months am getting 150+ hits a week but as yet no orders. for makers outside the u.s.a. there is a lot more to getting a site to work as far as i am aware i dont show on search engines in the states yet(at least i cant find myself)so for some of us they havent influenced it at all.





have a knife day
john
 
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