CRK disrespectful to customers?

[ignatiousR]

I ordered a Chris Reeve Knife. It said it was about a 12-18 month wait. I decided to do it, I figured a year or so later I'd get a nice suprise. Here is the the thing that bothers me, and please feel free to tell me if I'm off base. But I recieved a blanket email today that says: "As of September 13, 2022, we've applied updated pricing to all new and existing orders."

Granted, they did not take money yet. They said it is their policy to reach out when my number comes up and then I pay then. But I put the knife in my cart, the price was totalled, I checked out, I ordered it, and I was willing to wait over a year for my order. It did not occur to me that they could also decide to CHANGE THE PRICE on me at any time.

Does this feel wrong to anyone else? Shouldn't people who placed their orders at least be honored the deal they made when they got it?

 

[MolokaiRider]

Have you confirmed they raised the price on your existing order?

If so, how much of a price increase are we talking about?

 

[5DoorEstate]

No, it’s an unexecuted agreement. You have not given them anything, and vice versa. It’s their prerogative to adjust pricing as needed until the agreement is consummated.

 

[ignatiousR]

They did raise the price. I ordered it 10 months ago and now they want $50 more.

 

[MolokaiRider]

Is it written somewhere that despite ordering and a wait time, prices may be subject to change?

 

[5DoorEstate]

I should add…I fairly recently visited their site to order an Umnumzaan. The lead time is now SIX YEARS. My first thought was wondering how they could project their pricing that far out.

Now, if they required payment upfront, I would consider that an agreed deal and would be irate if they tried to raise the price.

 

[ignatiousR]

It leaves a very bad taste. I placed an order and a commitment to wait. I don't feel appreciated.

 

[5DoorEstate]

I now see there’s already a thread dedicated to this topic.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/official-price-raise-sept-13.1890690/page-2#post-21458915

 

[ignatiousR]

I did also receive a receipt for my order, with price, cart info, order number, and my shipping info, here it is (personal details removed):

https://imgur.com/a/TUfUScq

 

[MolokaiRider]

Yeah. I'd be a bit unhappy about that.

 

[Herr geiser]

Be careful what you stress out over...

 

[WedgeAntilles]

Tim Reeve did a live video on Facebook in the Chris Reeve Knives Fanpage group. It's worth a watch for understanding before complaining too much.

 

[Officer's Match]

Anyone in any manufacturing business today is experiencing substantial price increases in materials, and attracting/retaining workers is a challenge as well. I'll leave the (political) reasons out of the discussion, but consequences are real.

 

[kreole]

Honestly it doesn't seem at all disrespectful, and I say that as someone who put a preorder in a few months ago.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

While I am never happy about paying more for anything, it is just a reality of doing business in a high inflation environment. Could they have passed on the old price to you, possibly. But they now have orders out 5+ years and there is no way to guarantee what costs will be then. They had to draw the line in the sand somewhere, and unfortunately you landed on the wrong side. I am sure this was in the fine print somewhere. You still have the option of cancelling your order if you care to, or grabbing something from dealers before they raise(days away at best).
I still feel for you, and I doubt they made this decission easily. The small increase will mean little over the years of use.

 

[ricklikesknives]

Disrespectful to customers for keeping pace with inflation? Codswallop.

No money changed hands and there is no obligation to purchase.. CRK has been quite transparent about their ordering process and the reasons for price increases. If CRK referred to so-called "existing orders" in a way that more accurately reflected how their process actually works (for example, "waitlist" or "reservation"), I think that there would be fewer people brandishing their pitchforks on the internet.. Sure, it's unfortunate that prices rise, but given the current economic climate and CRK's projected lead times, it is absolutely unreasonable to think that a knife "ordered" today will cost the same to manufacture as it will in the next 4-6 years.. Being a little butt-hurt over an extra $50 does not mean that a company has disrespected you.

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

It's a fact of life these days. I'd just let your anger go and move on. There are more important things to stress over.

 

[3fifty7]

Slightly different hypothetical scenario(who doesn’t love those).

Now if a buyer and seller here would make an agreement to buy&sell for an agreed price then before payment is made the seller asks for an additional $50, they would be drug through the mud. Now I know that feedback would be a different issue but the overall feeling of the majority of members here would be quite negative.

Yea, apples and oranges I know.

 

[ignatiousR]

I've just never ordered anything before where the business comes back to me before delivering and says it will now cost more. It's not anger, but I certainly don't feel appreciated for making the commitment of ordering one of their knives from them.

CRK enjoys an incredibly loyal following and will not be at a loss for losing me as a customer. But yeah, those guys out there that placed orders five years ago and waited that long for their knives, should get the knives they ordered at the price they ordered them.

There are a lot of spectacular knife makers out there, I will try someone else.

 

[rexromic]

Price increase is long overdue for CRK.They did keep prices long enough but due to current situation with materials,parts, it is understandable.Also when ordering,CRK did mention that prices may go up in the proces of order and wait time till delivery.I did order as well few months back and understand well that increase was coming.You can always cancel the order if you feel that way.Cheers!