Benchmade Opened Box

[elde66]

I personally know some of the folks at KnifeWorks. (You mentioned the seller’s name.) And, IMO, they’re an honest and upstanding team with a good reputation. Whatever your decision I think you will be able to count on them “making it right” to your satisfaction. Please let us know the result of your conversation.

 

[Marine53]

I personally know some of the folks at KnifeWorks. (You mentioned the seller’s name.) And, IMO, they’re an honest and upstanding team with a good reputation. Whatever your decision I think you will be able to count on them “making it right” to your satisfaction. Please let us know the result of your conversation.

I lived in West Monroe for a time and been through Columbia many times but never stopped at the store, but I will make it a point to do so the next time I pass through. I am sure it was an over site that just struck me wrong at the time. I do fined it interesting that most here could care less if it was an open item or not... but it does bother the hell out of me especially if it was not noted before the purchase. I will give them a call in the morning and report back.

Man I sure miss Johnny's Pizza!

 

[elde66]

Ok, one more comment before they kick me off the Forum: there’s no better Cajun food in LA than Trapp’s On The River in W. Monroe!

 

[Marine53]

Ok, one more comment before they kick me off the Forum: there’s no better Cajun food in LA than Trapp’s On The River in W. Monroe!

I was not familiar with Trapp's so I looked it up... this used to be Bayles Landing many years ago and another seafood place prior to that but the name escapes me. I always had great meals there and Bayles was the location of my first date with my wife.

Update: I contacted Knife Works customer service this morning and explained this could have been a "Quality Check" but normally they would include a sticker saying so and this was not the case. The other is the item could have been on display which would have explained the extra fingerprints ... She offered me to return the item (at my expense) which kind of irks me being it was them who sent the open box without explanation. The other option was a 10% discount with the assurance that any Benchmade knife that is returned is sent back to Benchmade. I went with the last option but cancelled my pending order as the whole experience has left me unsure about Knife Works or buying online in general.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

I would have preferred they offer you free return shipping or the discount. As stated earlier if it was for a gift it would be a problem of some sort. For me not as much, but it did bring into ? the history of the knife.
Clean it up repackage it and give it as planed. I am sure the receiver will still be extremely happy.

 

[elde66]

Not the experience I would have expected nor hoped for. I too will consider other options in the future.

Couldn’t remember the old name of the place: it was Bayles! For years we’ve stopped there for lunch on the way to the Panhandle. Wish you the best for 2021.....

 

[Marine53]

Not the experience I would have expected nor hoped for. I too will consider other options in the future.

Couldn’t remember the old name of the place: it was Bayles! For years we’ve stopped there for lunch on the way to the Panhandle. Wish you the best for 2021.....

At one time it was a Fresh Fish Market.

I understand these guys were busy due to the holidays but I will tell you they absolutely know that they pulled that knife from display(if that was the case) so why not offer to pay for return shipping? This is what customer service is all about and in my book they failed miserably... I hope you pass that on. While I don't have a long history with them and they have certainly lost future business from me and maybe that is ok with them... a sign they may have too much business.

Lets hope 2021 is indeed better and lets pray we can somehow get term limits passed for congress otherwise our Country is in for some hard times.

 

[brownshoe]

I lived in West Monroe for a time and been through Columbia many times but never stopped at the store, but I will make it a point to do so the next time I pass through. I am sure it was an over site that just struck me wrong at the time. I do fined it interesting that most here could care less if it was an open item or not... but it does bother the hell out of me especially if it was not noted before the purchase. I will give them a call in the morning and report back.

Man I sure miss Johnny's Pizza!

If it "bothers the hell out of you" maybe the problem is not with the knife or seller.

Some customers go to a store to hand select a knife. They usually ask to see and handle at least 2. I did that very thing when I bought a BM Impel on XMas Eve. Both knives were in the display case. Both were essentially perfect. I chose the one I saw first because I am superstitious. By the way, the clerk handled both too OMG At least I know it was test fired a number of times...isn't that QC

 

[Marine53]

If it "bothers the hell out of you" maybe the problem is not with the knife or seller.

Some customers go to a store to hand select a knife. They usually ask to see and handle at least 2. I did that very thing when I bought a BM Impel on XMas Eve. Both knives were in the display case. Both were essentially perfect. I chose the one I saw first because I am superstitious. By the way, the clerk handled both too OMG At least I know it was test fired a number of times...isn't that QC

What bothers the hell out of me is that they absolutely know it was an open item... I noticed the packing slip has a few initials. Being that, they still refused to pay for the return postage knowing they shipped an open item as new without a heads up. This is my problem... not accepting mediocre customer service?

 

[brownshoe]

What bothers the hell out of me is that they absolutely know it was an open item... I noticed the packing slip has a few initials. Being that, they still refused to pay for the return postage knowing they shipped an open item as new without a heads up. This is my problem... not accepting mediocre customer service?

It was new, i.e. never used to cut. It's not defective either. Ergo you pay shipping.

 

[D-weaver]

I would email them and let them know that I wasn't that pleased to get an open box item, but also inform them that I'm not going to be part of the problem by demanding anything in return (incessant returns drives up the cost of business for all of us, or cuts out profit from makers and let's be realistic - anyone making knives for a niche market is never a bad year away from shutting down).

There's information they should be aware of.

The only reason I would personally deviate from the above would be either:
1) I'd literally bought the knife as new, never to be touched or used intending that it would be in that shape in the future (for possible sale, or just collection)
2) there was a functional problem

More than once, I've gotten something that was supposedly open box and inspected/checked/confirmed only to find out that the item was defective. I've also been accused by a seller who obviously didn't check things they were reselling of switching items in the box, and only getting a partial refund on ebay (ebay then stepped up and topped off the refund, but in doing so, they covered for a sham seller).

Things have changed a lot over time - it used to be that a guitar on the floor of a dealer was new, no delineation from anything else, and I actually preferred to get a guitar that was handled if I could also handle it because I could confirm it didn't have any funny feels, workmanship issues, etc, or in the types that vary, that it was a "good un".

Now, I see a lot of listings online for two year old guitars that have been a "demo model", literally just sitting on a store floor, and nobody will buy them because they've been touched. When they are 20% cheaper or more vs. new, I buy them.

I can remember in the 1990s if you found a les paul at a dealer with good prices and it had some minor marks on it from people playing it, you were happy to get it as it could be months before another one would show up if you passed it by, and before internet price sharing kind of flattened out all of the prices, the price from one dealer to the next could be drastic. My dealer at home discounted 40% from retail, and the dealer here (several hours away) discounted 10% off of retail and was happy to turn stock over slowly for a high margin. On a les paul, that could be a grand of difference.

Now, people just put the guitar back in the box, send it back to the dealer and the dealer has to lump it - even if the only person who actually touched it was a tech looking it over. The only way to guarantee something is untouched is to get it drop shipped from the manufacturer (and from experience, a lot of those guitars have problems due to skimpy QC and nobody at a store culling them and sending them back).

 

[D-weaver]

I was not familiar with Trapp's so I looked it up... this used to be Bayles Landing many years ago and another seafood place prior to that but the name escapes me. I always had great meals there and Bayles was the location of my first date with my wife.

Update: I contacted Knife Works customer service this morning and explained this could have been a "Quality Check" but normally they would include a sticker saying so and this was not the case. The other is the item could have been on display which would have explained the extra fingerprints ... She offered me to return the item (at my expense) which kind of irks me being it was them who sent the open box without explanation. The other option was a 10% discount with the assurance that any Benchmade knife that is returned is sent back to Benchmade. I went with the last option but cancelled my pending order as the whole experience has left me unsure about Knife Works or buying online in general.

I'd ask them if they have any others that they forgot the sticker off so that i could get those at 10% off, too.

They could be telling the truth, and they may not be - nobody knows. If they have policies and procedures and there is employee turnover or absenteeism (my neighbor this year has been getting more on average for unemployment than he did after tax working, so guess what he's not doing), they can have all kinds of policies without anyone actually following them.

When I get a knife and finally put a ding or scratch in it, then I feel like I can also relax and use it. I like that. Same with a guitar - an expensive perfect guitar is almost like something you hold out in front of you while walking around, and then when it finally bumps into something "phew, I can play this now and not care as much because dent 2 is meaningless after dent 1".

 

[Marine53]

I'd ask them if they have any others that they forgot the sticker off so that i could get those at 10% off, too.

They could be telling the truth, and they may not be - nobody knows. If they have policies and procedures and there is employee turnover or absenteeism (my neighbor this year has been getting more on average for unemployment than he did after tax working, so guess what he's not doing), they can have all kinds of policies without anyone actually following them.

When I get a knife and finally put a ding or scratch in it, then I feel like I can also relax and use it. I like that. Same with a guitar - an expensive perfect guitar is almost like something you hold out in front of you while walking around, and then when it finally bumps into something "phew, I can play this now and not care as much because dent 2 is meaningless after dent 1".

I spoke with Knife Works and explained a few more things... Apparently they are requested to open and inspect knives A LOT to meet a certain criteria. I cant wrap my head around that if they are a HIGH VOLUME seller ... sure if it was a sprint run/ custom or "hand made" I would expect that. A high production knife there are going to be quality issues ... it just happens and yes when it does its a pain to send back but... this process seems backwards to me. Lesson Learned, I was more concerned the knife was returned or a problem ... but apparently it was NOT good enough for someone LOL. Its all good now the knife has some history so I will keep and pass on another to make some room.

I had no idea people have some crazy expectations for a high production knives...On a side note, I suppose I have been very lucky as I have not found issues with any of my Benchmade knives.

 

[soc_monki]

I spoke with Knife Works and explained a few more things... Apparently they are requested to open and inspect knives A LOT to meet a certain criteria. I cant wrap my head around that if they are a HIGH VOLUME seller ... sure if it was a sprint run/ custom or "hand made" I would expect that. A high production knife there are going to be quality issues ... it just happens and yes when it does its a pain to send back but... this process seems backwards to me. Lesson Learned, I was more concerned the knife was returned or a problem ... but apparently it was NOT good enough for someone LOL. Its all good now the knife has some history so I will keep and pass on another to make some room.

I had no idea people have some crazy expectations for a high production knives...On a side note, I suppose I have been very lucky as I have not found issues with any of my Benchmade knives.

People ask all the time for the sellers to find them one with a centered blade, perfect grind, etc etc. Knifeworks had exclusive contegos and they even sorted them for handles that had more blue than black, or grey than black, so they could easily pick one for customers. I ordered blind (I always do) and am always happy with knifeworks. Although my 2nd 4 max scout has a better edge grind than my first, doesn't matter as I reprofiled the first one anyway! I guess I could have asked for them to check but as long as it's something like the edge bevel that I can fix I don't have a problem with it.

If I got one that was opened but nothing was wrong, no big deal. I'm going to use it anyway. But ican understand when someone expects an untouched unit.