Hello Hevy ev's,
This will be a round about story, that I hope will make my point of view.
I spent 30 years in the Retail Bakery business, mostly as a bakery supervisor for in-store, supermarket bakeries. Many of the bakery managers I supervised, wanted to sell their day old breads and pastries, out of a shopping cart, or on a rack, somewere in the store. I would not let them. Their product quality, and the bakery's reputation for freshness, was on the line. I told the managers that the lady customer, who buys a day old coffee cake, or a dozen donuts, at a reduced price, feels good about the purchase, and they will feel good that they didn't lose all the profit in the day old products, by throwing them out. However, when the lady customer servers the "Day Old " coffee cake to her "Bridge Club", do you belive she will tell them that the cake is day old, that she got it for a cheap price, and that, that is all the ladys are worth.??!! Not on your life!! They will ask her were she purchased the bakery products, and she will gladly tell them your bakery, but that's all. Now you have 10-15 ladys, ( everyone a gossip ) that think your fresh bakery goods, taste like dried up, day old product. There goes your hard earned reputation.
The same can be said for your knife customer, and the great deal he got on purchaseing so many knives. When he gives them away, do you think he will tell his friends that the reason the fit and finish is so poor, is that he was to cheap to pay full price. And that that is all their friendship is worth. Of course not. He, like the lady and her bridge club, will be hopping that no one notices the poor quality. He will not mention the price, and his friends will think that these knives are examples of your finest work. As the years go by, and others see these knives, with your name on them, they too will only know that this is an example of your finest work, because you "Sold" the knives.
I just had 2 knife orders go out this past summer. Both were going to be wedding gifts, from the groom, to his best man and all the groomsmen. One order was for 13 fillet knives, and I had 2 weeks to build and ship. The other was for 6 hunting knives, and I had 4 weeks to build and ship. Needless to say, my wife didn't see very much of me. Rushed as I was, each knife was the very best I could build, because I know they would be passed around, and looked over, by everyone at the wedding, and my name was on the blades.
Just my 2 cents worth, on marketing, and one's reputation.
Best Regards,
Jay Maines
