Bandaidman,
Because I am involved in this on a daily basis. I know all the "players". I know what their positions are in the market. I know which makers are on the way up, which ones are on their way down and which ones have hit a plateau. I have access to information that you and most other collectors do not. This is the case of most dealers. This is part of my job.
Consequently, who I buy from is not based on a single criteria. It is based on 9 different criteria.
My main criteria is quality for the money. It has been for 18 years. This started with me back when I was only going to buy 1 using custom knife.
Truth be told most of my purchase decisions are based that way.
This "philosophy" has carried over into my business. If it were meerly about the money or if I was meerly a salesman. Don't you think I would work with more makers?
In your most recent post you side stepped my question regarding the popularity contest. If I was buying knives (and still continue to do so) from makers who no one ever heard of when I bought their knives. It wasn't a popularity contest, it was value for the money.
Yes, it is true that you can make some quick money if you can get knives from a maker who is popular at the moment.
If you would check with makers I work with (not those I don't, after all, much like you they do not know the inner workings of my business), you would find that I am always thinking long term, not short term.
If it was truly all about money, I would have SALES on my site or have a BARGAIN BASEMENT on my site.
If it was truly all about money, I would list makers wholesale prices as their retail price...so I could get my money back out of a knife.
Yes, these have and do exist with other dealers out there.
Bandaid, I do have a problem with one of your statements:
Quote:
" Les, you have a reputation for offering less for knives then many other dealers ... this is directly from makers I have communicated with."
This is a lie. The person or persons who told you this are liars.
You give me their names and I will confront them with this information. I will use your name as a reference. I guarantee there will be some type of "qualifier" given. Qualifier is a nice way of saying, they will try and tap dance out of the lie.
You will probably be amazed at just how quickly you will find these makers tell me that you miss-interpreted what they said.
Without naming names what is this "deep discount" I demand. What do you think is a deep discount.
Now remember, just about everything you buy has at least a 50% discount given to dealers. Refgirators, furniture, clothing, etc. Even factory knives (some dealers get almost 60%).
That being said, what do you think a deep discount on custom knives would be?
Next Quote:
Here is your next quote:
"There is nothing wrong or sinful with that. You simply won't do business with people who think you pay too little (i.e. deeper than normal discounts)."
So your saying that I won't do business with any maker who doesn't give me a deeper than normal discount? Just want to clairfy this. A yes or no answer will be fine.
Another of your qoutes:
"Let us begin with discounts ... you do take them ... there is nothing wrong with that.... it is how you make a living unless you charge higher then maker rates or buy secondary pieces at a discount."
Bandaid, yes I do take discounts from makers. This is how on over 95% of the knives I offer, are sold at the makers price. While this is becoming more common today, 8 years ago when I implimented this policy, few if any dealers did this.
You will also notice at shows, I don't "haggle" with customers over the price of the knife.
Today, dealers charging the makers price and not haggling over price are becoming more common place.
As for purchase's in the aftermarket, my rule of thumb is that I pay what I would pay the maker...if the knife is in mint condition.
Bandaid,
Here is your chance to expose the seedy underbelly of dealer maker relationships.
All you have to do is answer a few questions and name some names. What could be simpler!
Bandiad, I too hear makers bitch about dealers and their wanting discounts.
A couple of pieces of food for thought.
First, many of those makers who bitch the loudest about dealers, are the very ones who's knives a particular dealer doesn't carry.
Second, discounts are not meerly "free money" given to the dealer. It is for their ability to increase the makers position in a particular market. Quite frankly, the insight and information I provide on the custom knife marekt. To the makers I work with, is worth every penny of the discount they give me.
The relationship I have with the makers I work with is designed to benefit both of us. Ultimately, this will benefit the collector as well. Example, my Vanguard series.
Third, lets not forget that the makers have to have cash flow as well. After all there is a reason they offer a discount to dealers!
Lastly, I have never, ever seen a dealer hold a gun to a makers head to get a discount...NEVER.
I have become opinionated about J.W. Smith, Kit Carson, and Mike Obenauf, and I'm right about them and I know it!
