Benchmade Policy Question.

[ChungSan]

I have recently read the other topic on internet dealerships and have something to add.

My idea was to start an online balisong store as a branch of my martial arts school. I opened accounts with Master Cutlery, Bear MGC, and TRIED to get an account with Benchmade.

They told me that I would have to carry the whole Benchmade line and that I would have to display them in my storefront. I agreed.

For some unknown reason they declined my dealership. They told me I could try again in six months.

I tried again. It took them a month to tell me that another store that is an authorized dealer is too close to my martial arts school and that I could not have the dealership.

The first store is a camping store that has been around for aboout three years, it is one mile away. Then a second store, Gander Mountain, opens also carrying the Benchmade line. This store is one half mile from me and only one half mile from Gander Mountain. I don't understand why I can't be the third store.

PS I even agreed to keep the online prices.

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Chung San

Butterfly Knife Exchange
www.butterflyknifeexchange.com
"A new kind of balisong store"

 

[Mike Turber]

The reason, IMHO, is because you have an on-line presence. Do the other two stores have on-line stores?

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[ChungSan]

www.outbackgear.com is just starting to sell a few knives and www.gandermountain.com just points you to their retail locations.

If I am too close to either of those stores I would like to know what the required distance is. Especially since the other two stores are allready that close to each other.

PS If anyone can help me find a distributor for the Benchmade Balisongs I would greatly appreciate it.

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Chung San

Butterfly Knife Exchange
www.butterflyknifeexchange.com
"A new kind of balisong store"

[This message has been edited by ChungSan (edited 01-24-2001).]

 

[mpayne]

Balisongs have not reached distributors yet............for that matter....they may never reach distributors!...what'dya think Turber

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Knives & Things
Mike Payne

 

[Mike Turber]

I have gone through over 350 so far

Still have several hundred on back order. Gotta jump through rings of fire to get the damn things and I hope the cusotmers appreciate that even though we don't tell them what we have to go through

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Mike Turber
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[Nakano 2]

(sign....) It is no different than any other industry. When I was running an old bicycle retail store, certain big name companies wouldn' t allow us for a dealership. I was informed by their reps that we were too close in proximity to other bike shops who already carried their lines. And that their (shops)territory had to be protected. We simply sued them to get the line and we became great business partners afterwards. Bottom line, it was an act of violation of FTC laws to deny dealership.

But those with a physical store location in the bicycle retail industry do need all the help they can get from the slew of on line retailers that is painfully chewing away at the good old mama and papa stores. In this regard, I can understand where Benchmade is coming from.

Nakano