Hi,
I am as interested in knowing what others think (and their favorites places to shop), as well in sharing my opinion about what I think are some of the best online stores out there. Please note that I am NOT working for any one of these online stores, thus not benefiting from their profits. I just simply have done business with them in the past (which continue, with most of them, to this day).
My personal favorites are Knifecenter of the Internet (KCI) and Knife Outlet. It has been my experience [from shopping around] that using KCI as a benchmark, the prices for a given knife will fall approx. $10 above/below KCI's price (there are exceptions of course).
KCI is the quickest in processing refunds/exchanges and delivery, and if I find that the knife at KCI is slightly higher (say $10), I'd still go with them coz I know the service is good, fast and reliable.
Knife Outlet generally has lower prices than KCI, but slightly (just slightly) slower in processing refunds etc. (but still good in my book). Here's the kicker, though .. Knife Outlet doesn't have info on what is in stock for each of their knives .. KCI does. So, if I need to purchase something quick, I'd go with KCI. That's my only recommendation to Knife Outlet: that they start putting marks on which items are in stock. E-mail follow-ups are good for both .. they give overly anxious people like me (well, who doesn't when expecting new knives
the peace of mind that the knives are on their way (i.e. tracking number etc.)
Other good online stores are Cutlery Shoppe, AG Russell, and Botach Tactical. Cutlery Shoppe sends their customers paper catalogs, which say to me that they care (I mean, they don't have to since it's an online shop .. that's additional costs that they can do without). It can, however, start broadening the brands they carry. It doesn't have the selection that KCI or Knife Outlet have. AG Russell also sends paper catalogs, and it's unique because it carries a small number of customs, too .. but again, limited selection. Botach Tactical sells/carries other stuffs (a lot!) besides knives, but the knives there in particular, though somewhat limited, have the lowest prices I've seen anywhere (not to mention Botach has sales often Btw I know that Sooner State Knives offer low prices and good service, but the topic here is online shops.
Another online shop that's good is Blade Art. It specializes in custom knives (best selection I've seen thus far .. and yes I've seen Robertson Custom Cutlery, Knife Art, etc.), so if you're looking for production knives better to seek elsewhere. It does carry some non-custom brands, but it's limited and somewhat expensive imo. The customs though are cool Done business with them in the past and I can tell you that Larry Brahms is both friendly and helpful. Flexible return/refund policy, which is surprising since most of the products there are expensive customs
RCC and Knife Art are also good places to shop for customs, though Knife Art screwed my very first order with them (that's a no no in doing business .. you want to make the best first impression) and I had to argue to get a refund out of them (the person I talked to can't seem to compute logic). But some of my friends are happy with it, so maybe that's just my bad luck. Knife Art does have some interesting exclusive collaborations with custom knife makers (much like Triple Aught Design), so that's a plus.
The only online shop I would NOT recommend (at least now since it's under new management) is 1 Stop Knife Shop (1SKS). Several reasons for that. First, I did business with them in the past and let me tell you that getting a refund out of them took forever. They're helpful, don't get me wrong .. it's just that the management style seemed so laid back. Maybe because they're more interested in the knives themselves than operating a business (which is not necessarily a bad thing
Now under the new management, it has made some good (and unfortunately, bad) changes. Good: (1) It offers some really nice, high quality images of each knife they carry. I can tell you that they went through a whole lot of trouble in taking those pics .. from the front, back, top, etc. All the other shops fell short in this department. (2) It also boasts some of the newest knives in the industry that others [still] don't have on their websites. However, whether 1SKS actually have them in stock or just putting their pictures for a sneak preview or pre-order, it's a different matter since they have no indication of what's in stock. Still, it's a plus.
Bad: (1) It has the worst policy I've ever seen (and not just in knives, but even compared to online clothing stores, bookstores, etc.) in terms of refunds, exchanges, etc. Extremely limited time for refund (7 days or less); you'd only get store credit for day 8th-14th; and day 15th-onward no refund/credit. That sucks big time in my book. (2) If that's not enough, it applies a 20% re-stocking fee for all returns, EVEN cancellations (what's the deal with this?!?).
In my opinion, even with all the advantages that they offer (nice pics and newest selections), their minuses severely outweigh the pluses. I mean, you cannot actually feel the knives no matter how good the pics and descriptions are, so the limited time is a huge disadvantage. Also, even if it sticks with its refund policy, why do they limit the policy on store credit (given of course the knife is in new and re-sellable condition .. which btw is a given requirement for ANY returns in ANY industry). The re-stocking fee, though, is the most extreme downfall as it applies to all returns regardless of its reasons. We're talking knives here, folks .. not diamonds or cars. If they want to apply a re-stocking fee to the custom, more expensive knives, that still makes sense (pushing it, but still makes sense), but to the production ones?!?
My recommendation is this: if 1SKS argues that they do what they do due to the [high] cost of doing business, then I say they should re-evaluate their management system coz it seems it's nowhere near efficient. Don't shift the costs of inefficient management/operation (if that's the case) to consumers. I think most consumers would prefer a lower quality pics and have a better (much much better) return/refund/exchange policy, than having quality pics and have to deal with re-stocking fee and very limited return time frame. With businesses trying to maintain and attract customers, and taking into account globalization where eventually everyone will compete against everyone, 1SKS should re-think its strategy in terms of giving consumers the best services possible (do words like "competitors" and "competition" ring a bell?!?).
All in all, I'm just trying to shed some light and [maybe] help other knife buyers pick the best online shops out there. Bang for the buck is the message here, folks .. that means services as well as prices. Take care and stay safe.
I am as interested in knowing what others think (and their favorites places to shop), as well in sharing my opinion about what I think are some of the best online stores out there. Please note that I am NOT working for any one of these online stores, thus not benefiting from their profits. I just simply have done business with them in the past (which continue, with most of them, to this day).
My personal favorites are Knifecenter of the Internet (KCI) and Knife Outlet. It has been my experience [from shopping around] that using KCI as a benchmark, the prices for a given knife will fall approx. $10 above/below KCI's price (there are exceptions of course).
KCI is the quickest in processing refunds/exchanges and delivery, and if I find that the knife at KCI is slightly higher (say $10), I'd still go with them coz I know the service is good, fast and reliable.
Knife Outlet generally has lower prices than KCI, but slightly (just slightly) slower in processing refunds etc. (but still good in my book). Here's the kicker, though .. Knife Outlet doesn't have info on what is in stock for each of their knives .. KCI does. So, if I need to purchase something quick, I'd go with KCI. That's my only recommendation to Knife Outlet: that they start putting marks on which items are in stock. E-mail follow-ups are good for both .. they give overly anxious people like me (well, who doesn't when expecting new knives
the peace of mind that the knives are on their way (i.e. tracking number etc.)Other good online stores are Cutlery Shoppe, AG Russell, and Botach Tactical. Cutlery Shoppe sends their customers paper catalogs, which say to me that they care (I mean, they don't have to since it's an online shop .. that's additional costs that they can do without). It can, however, start broadening the brands they carry. It doesn't have the selection that KCI or Knife Outlet have. AG Russell also sends paper catalogs, and it's unique because it carries a small number of customs, too .. but again, limited selection. Botach Tactical sells/carries other stuffs (a lot!) besides knives, but the knives there in particular, though somewhat limited, have the lowest prices I've seen anywhere (not to mention Botach has sales often
Btw I know that Sooner State Knives offer low prices and good service, but the topic here is online shops.Another online shop that's good is Blade Art. It specializes in custom knives (best selection I've seen thus far .. and yes I've seen Robertson Custom Cutlery, Knife Art, etc.), so if you're looking for production knives better to seek elsewhere. It does carry some non-custom brands, but it's limited and somewhat expensive imo. The customs though are cool
Done business with them in the past and I can tell you that Larry Brahms is both friendly and helpful. Flexible return/refund policy, which is surprising since most of the products there are expensive customs RCC and Knife Art are also good places to shop for customs, though Knife Art screwed my very first order with them (that's a no no in doing business .. you want to make the best first impression) and I had to argue to get a refund out of them (the person I talked to can't seem to compute logic). But some of my friends are happy with it, so maybe that's just my bad luck. Knife Art does have some interesting exclusive collaborations with custom knife makers (much like Triple Aught Design), so that's a plus.
The only online shop I would NOT recommend (at least now since it's under new management) is 1 Stop Knife Shop (1SKS). Several reasons for that. First, I did business with them in the past and let me tell you that getting a refund out of them took forever. They're helpful, don't get me wrong .. it's just that the management style seemed so laid back. Maybe because they're more interested in the knives themselves than operating a business (which is not necessarily a bad thing
Now under the new management, it has made some good (and unfortunately, bad) changes. Good: (1) It offers some really nice, high quality images of each knife they carry. I can tell you that they went through a whole lot of trouble in taking those pics .. from the front, back, top, etc. All the other shops fell short in this department. (2) It also boasts some of the newest knives in the industry that others [still] don't have on their websites. However, whether 1SKS actually have them in stock or just putting their pictures for a sneak preview or pre-order, it's a different matter since they have no indication of what's in stock. Still, it's a plus.
Bad: (1) It has the worst policy I've ever seen (and not just in knives, but even compared to online clothing stores, bookstores, etc.) in terms of refunds, exchanges, etc. Extremely limited time for refund (7 days or less); you'd only get store credit for day 8th-14th; and day 15th-onward no refund/credit. That sucks big time in my book. (2) If that's not enough, it applies a 20% re-stocking fee for all returns, EVEN cancellations (what's the deal with this?!?).
In my opinion, even with all the advantages that they offer (nice pics and newest selections), their minuses severely outweigh the pluses. I mean, you cannot actually feel the knives no matter how good the pics and descriptions are, so the limited time is a huge disadvantage. Also, even if it sticks with its refund policy, why do they limit the policy on store credit (given of course the knife is in new and re-sellable condition .. which btw is a given requirement for ANY returns in ANY industry). The re-stocking fee, though, is the most extreme downfall as it applies to all returns regardless of its reasons. We're talking knives here, folks .. not diamonds or cars. If they want to apply a re-stocking fee to the custom, more expensive knives, that still makes sense (pushing it, but still makes sense), but to the production ones?!?
My recommendation is this: if 1SKS argues that they do what they do due to the [high] cost of doing business, then I say they should re-evaluate their management system coz it seems it's nowhere near efficient. Don't shift the costs of inefficient management/operation (if that's the case) to consumers. I think most consumers would prefer a lower quality pics and have a better (much much better) return/refund/exchange policy, than having quality pics and have to deal with re-stocking fee and very limited return time frame. With businesses trying to maintain and attract customers, and taking into account globalization where eventually everyone will compete against everyone, 1SKS should re-think its strategy in terms of giving consumers the best services possible (do words like "competitors" and "competition" ring a bell?!?).
All in all, I'm just trying to shed some light and [maybe] help other knife buyers pick the best online shops out there. Bang for the buck is the message here, folks .. that means services as well as prices. Take care and stay safe.
