Brown Bagging..... SUCKS!

Tom Krein

Tom Krein

Joined
Feb 11, 2003
Messages
1,628
I seem to be noticing a trend of people posting pictures of knives for Blade that do not have tables. If you are a knifemaker and bring knives to sell at a show venue and don't have a table this is BROWN BAGGING and is not generally looked upon kindly!!

IF you want to sell knives at the show venue man up and GET A TABLE!

:mad:

Tom
 
How does one sell knives without a table? Do they go, "Pssstt.....Hey......yeah you..........wanna buy a blade?" and open up their trench coat?
 
Tom some of these folks may be doing as I do and that is to have knives on the tables of purveyors that we work with. With my schedule working on the river, it makes it almost impossible to get a table because I never know if the show will take place when I'm off. I have to pay the standard commision, which is 25 percent, so in a way I still pay for table space no matter how you look at it.Would this still be considered brown bagging? I would think not, but I don't know.
 
John M Cohea said:
Tom some of these folks may be doing as I do and that is to have knives on the tables of purveyors that we work with. With my schedule working on the river, it makes it almost impossible to get a table because I never know if the show will take place when I'm off. I have to pay the standard commision, which is 25 percent, so in a way I still pay for table space no matter how you look at it.Would this still be considered brown bagging? I would think not, but I don't know.
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John, I have NO problem with this. The dealer is paying for the table, and can sell what ever he/she likes!

You are missing out by not being at blade though... :)

Tom
 
For the first year I will be attending Blade this year:Dand I'm very excited about it! I will make it a point to drop by for a visit.
 
How do makers (tableholders) feel about collectors bringing knives to sell?
Quite a bit of that going on too. IMO, that's a little different though, as in most but not all cases the collector is bringing knives to sell to buy new knives from makers at the show.

The Reno and now the San Antonio show actually has an area and time set aside for collectors to get together to sell/buy/trade knives.

This is good in my opinion as one of the biggest problems facing collectors is limited outlets for their knives when/if they decide to sell. And a good secondary market is good for the primary market.
 
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Kevin Jones said:
How do makers (tableholders) feel about collectors bringing knives to sell?
Quite a bit of that going on too. IMO, that's a little different though, as in most but not all cases the collector is bringing knives to sell to buy new knives from makers at the show.

The Reno and now the San Antonio show actually has an area and time set aside for collectors to get together to sell/buy/trade knives.

This is good in my opinion as one of the biggest problems faxing collectors is limited outlets for their knives when/if they decide to sell. And a good secondary market is good for the primary market.
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The more collectors the BETTER!

Here is my take on it...

If you are a dealer and don't pay for a table, I don't think you should sell anywhere at the venue. If you are a knifemaker and don't pay for a table, I don't think you should sell anywhere at the venue.

If you are a dealer or knifemaker AND have paid for a table... I think you should sell anywhere you can including the pit!

If you are not a knifemaker or dealer you can buy and sell to your hearts content.

Tom
 
Tom Krein said:
The more collectors the BETTER!

Here is my take on it...

If you are a dealer and don't pay for a table, I don't think you should sell anywhere at the venue. If you are a knifemaker and don't pay for a table, I don't think you should sell anywhere at the venue.

If you are a dealer or knifemaker AND have paid for a table... I think you should sell anywhere you can including the pit!

If you are not a knifemaker or dealer you can buy and sell to your hearts content.

Tom
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I agree, as to many collectors the "horse trading" is a big part of the fun of going to shows. I have never really sold much at shows. I use to spend all my time buying knives, now I seem to be doing other things. But I enjoy shows more and more each year.
 
O don't have a big problem with collectors or the average knife knut doing some horse trading in the Pit. Likewise, I don't have a problem with table holders doing the same. As for dealers of makers who don't have tables doing that, I do have a bit of a problem particularly this year because with the economy forcing some people to cancel and the show adding a bunch of new tables, folks didn't have the excuse of not being abel to get space this year. I went from being number 68 on the wait list to getting a table in the ABS section and I had only been on the list since Blade last year. So you brown baggers are at the show and chose not to pay like the rest of us. You are just cheap bastids!:grumpy::D
 
merchant.jpg







What are ya buyin', stranger?
 
Hi Tom,

Brown bagging has probably been around since the second knife show.:D

Don't let it bother you too much.

You are in the Blade Show program, BB's are not.

You are in one location where any potential client can find you, BB's are not.

Their are makers, dealers and collectors selling at every show (with the possible exception of the AKI).

Im more than happy to pay for a table so people can bring me their custom knives (except Factory knives, Randall's, knives with mokume, NS, brass, giraffe bone and jigged bone) :D :D :D

Generally I find at a show the size of the Blade Show I am way to busy taking care of "My Business" to worry about what others are doing with their knives.

I have even been known to walk around and enjoy the show a little as well.
 
Hi Joe,

You would be stunned by the amount of sales that occur in the hotel rooms on Thursday night...then into the pit on Thursday night.

I've known makers who sold all they had on Thursday night. Bought materials on Friday and were headed home before the afternoon rush hour hits Atlanta (Which BTW, rush hour is actually about 3-4 hours). :D

The economy will be excuse dejour for slow sales at the show. Those who have tables this year will be first in line for next years tables...when the economy picks up...they won't be able to get a table. This will be my 17th year with a table...I've seen a lot come and go in that time.
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi Joe,

You would be stunned by the amount of sales that occur in the hotel rooms on Thursday night...then into the pit on Thursday night.

I've known makers who sold all they had on Thursday night. Bought materials on Friday and were headed home before the afternoon rush hour hits Atlanta (Which BTW, rush hour is actually about 3-4 hours). :D

The economy will be excuse dejour for slow sales at the show. Those who have tables this year will be first in line for next years tables...when the economy picks up...they won't be able to get a table. This will be my 17th year with a table...I've seen a lot come and go in that time.
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True. I have this sinking feeling that I am at Blade one year too early:D BUT, with that said, by getting a table this year because of some extraordinary circumstances, I will not be showing up hat in hand begging for one when I really need to be there. I was going to attend anyway, so IMO, this is an extra $450 well spent for the future and who knows? I might actually sell a couple this year.:thumbup::D
 
Rush hour in Batidville 3 to 4 hours :D. I figure the non rush hour here is between w and 3 in the morning. ;).

And other than jigged bone on a traditional knife I agree with Les. (Last I heard though he lets it slide on a trad knife.) :D.

Have safe trips and a good show everyone. Look me up if I can lend a hand with anything.

As far as the brown baggers :thumbdn:
 
severedthumbs said:
shouldnt this be in the GB&U?
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No it shouldn't. This is a topic about something that goes on at knife shows that myself, and I'm sure others, find to be very interesting. This forum and the knifemaker discussion forum would be the ones that would reach the most people that would be interested in this topic.

Brown bagging was going on many years ago when I used to attend shows. The only people I would consider purchasing knives from at that time were the ones that had invested in renting a table. It didn't really bother me that there were brown baggers there, but I had no interest in purchasing their wares.
 
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A few years ago, I wanted to shoot at the Blade Show. At that time there was only one photographer allowed. I was told: "Just do what others do and set up in your hotel room."

I once got into a very uncomfortable situation by being at a NYC show and soliciting for work to take home. I didn't shoot a thing, but I was dead wrong. Never again.

Anyway, I kept prodding the principals of the Blade Show until they allowed me to PAY for a room (Costly, too.) I would not fall into the trap of doing less than legit work.

A nice reminder, Tom.

Coop
 
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