CRK Trade In Program

[Ianmorrow21]

I had an interesting thought the other day, that might be worth discussing here.

What if CRK offered a trade in program almost in the same way that car dealerships do? (except without blatantly ripping people off). Here is what I had in mind:

You bought a small 21 and have had it for two or three years and are ready to try a small Inkosi. Your knife has been well cared for, but is used. You don't want to sell it to a knife shop because they will low ball you, and you don't want to sell on the forums because you aren't a gold member and are worried about scams.

So you ship the knife to CRK, where they inspect and appraise the knife. They offer you some percentage of the knife's original value (more if original packaging and birth card are included) as credit towards a new CRK product. They offer more than a knife shop, but slightly less than you could get on the forums. However, its very secure and hassle free. Once you agree, they give the knife a spa treatment and list it on their "used knives" section on their website. Meanwhile they ship you a brand new Inkosi that only cost you about half as much as it would if you hadn't sold your 21.

This is all hypothetical of course, and I doubt it would ever become a reality. I think it is a service that would be valuable to me, and likely many other people as well. What do you guys think?

 

[Regaj]

My guess is that there isn't enough profit margin built into CRK knives (notwithstanding how many of us might cringe at their retail price) to support such an effort. And the existence of a bunch of "officially certified" CRK used knives would to some degree undercut their primary operation.

If there was a snowball's chance that CRK wanted to enter the used knife market, for sure they'd have to lowball you.

Interesting concept, though...

 

[ti lock]

there is a excellent market for good used CRKs on that well known auction site

 

[RobertK]

You could just pony up $30 and make payments via G&S. Problem solved, and I guarantee you if CRK wanted to put this infrastructure in place, the cost to you would be more than $30 per knife.

The fact that they have such a god refurb policy and the fact that the secondary market holds value so well is effectively a trade in program.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

Not the business they are in-with cars it is the dealers that take trade ins not the manufacturer
If they did you would get a fraction of what you can net on the exchange. Consignment usually change 25% without any cash outlay.
They usually are very back ordered, so there would be significant wait to receive a knife
Sure they have plenty of headaches in the business they are in
Just a few thoughts

 

[_user_removed]

Not the business they are in-with cars it is the dealers that take trade ins not the manufacturer
If they did you would get a fraction of what you can net on the exchange. Consignment usually change 25% without any cash outlay.
They usually are very back ordered, so there would be significant wait to receive a knife
Sure they have plenty of headaches in the business they are in
Just a few thoughts

So what you're saying is we need Lone Wolf and a few others to kick off this effort?

 

[JNewell]

I think it would generate a lot of hard feelings, and a lot of work. CRK would probably need to inspect each knife, and a lot of customers would feel like they were getting lowballed, I'd guess. I think the resale market is the solution.

 

[kilogolf65]

That's kinda what this forum ends up being. I buy something used to try it out and give it a go, if I like it I keep it. Maybe sell something else to recover costs. If I decide I don't like it or just not for me, then off it goes to a new owner. I generally don't lose a lot, or maybe my "trial" period costs me shipping and PP fees. Not too bad.

This wouldn't work for CRK, they have to make money, they are a business and for me break-even is OK. For them, not so much...

 

[Lone_Wolfe]

So what you're saying is we need Lone Wolf and a few others to kick off this effort?

Go ahead and send all your knives to me.

 

[pwrdbycotn]

So let's think about what you said for a second. They are supposed to offer you more than a knife shop, and then they are supposed to pay an employee to put it through the spa service, pay the electricity bill to run the machines that are used during the spa service, and then they are supposed to pay to put it on their website, and then they are expected to get a used price for it? Whatever you're smoking, please spread it around to more people, because then the people that aren't high can make more money off the people that are.

 

[Korean Hog]

So let's think about what you said for a second. They are supposed to offer you more than a knife shop, and then they are supposed to pay an employee to put it through the spa service, pay the electricity bill to run the machines that are used during the spa service, and then they are supposed to pay to put it on their website, and then they are expected to get a used price for it? Whatever you're smoking, please spread it around to more people, because then the people that aren't high can make more money off the people that are.

Take it easy. Ole dude was just trying to have a discussion. I agree with your logic about the cost of offering a trade in service and how it just plain wouldn't work, but the comment about being high and all that was just plain mean and rude. And anyway if he's got some good smoke I'd rather chill with him than a snarky person with a bad sobriety habit.

 

[Lone_Wolfe]

Take it easy. Ole dude was just trying to have a discussion. I agree with your logic about the cost of offering a trade in service and how it just plain wouldn't work, but the comment about being high and all that was just plain mean and rude. And anyway if he's got some good smoke I'd rather chill with him than a snarky person with a bad sobriety habit.

Hahahahahahaha! ZINNNNNNNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pwrdbycotn]

Take it easy. Ole dude was just trying to have a discussion. I agree with your logic about the cost of offering a trade in service and how it just plain wouldn't work, but the comment about being high and all that was just plain mean and rude. And anyway if he's got some good smoke I'd rather chill with him than a snarky person with a bad sobriety habit.

You're right, that was really insensitive of me. In an effort to keep the discussion going, I should have asked if CRK was going to offer free shipping on the used knives they sell.

 

[ti lock]

knives, guns, cars etc... a private sale will always get you more than selling it back to the dealer

 

[Peter Hartwig]

knives, guns, cars etc... a private sale will always get you more than selling it back to the dealer

Agree:
The good and bad of the exchanges has been-For decades I never sold a knife due to the fact that there was no good way to get a reasonable price(other then friends and my friends aren't knife collectors). If you sold it to a store they, rightfully so, were going to take a huge chunk of the money. With the exchanges I have been able to get a good portion of my money back from knives which has allowed me to buy and sell many knives and just try things-they are great. The bad is it is just too easy and I buy and sell more then I should.
The internet did the same with stocks-when you had to go through a broker their commission was so high you almost had to be a buy and hold investor. Internet brokers with low commissions changed all that.

In conclusion I think the exchanges on the knife forums is as good as one can ask for.

 

[Korean Hog]

You're right, that was really insensitive of me. In an effort to keep the discussion going, I should have asked if CRK was going to offer free shipping on the used knives they sell.

Now you're thinkin'! Wanna burn one while we mull it over?

 

[pwrdbycotn]

Now you're thinkin'! Wanna burn one while we mull it over?

Nope, I havent touched the stuff since my sophomore year of college. I will have a drink or ten, though.

Seriously though, this thread is a crazy idea that would never work. For a mere $30, you can have a gold membership here, and buy and sell all you want. There is also the social media outlet where there are thousands of people that can see your wares that are for sale instantly.

 

[Korean Hog]

Nope, I havent touched the stuff since my sophomore year of college. I will have a drink or ten, though.

Seriously though, this thread is a crazy idea that would never work. For a mere $30, you can have a gold membership here, and buy and sell all you want. There is also the social media outlet where there are thousands of people that can see your wares that are for sale instantly.

Haha yeah me too I was mostly joking. If I "burned one" with ya it'd be a cigar and and a few shots of bourbon. I agree with you entirely and I think some people just have no business sense or working knowledge of an economy like ours, manufacturing processes, etc. I just thought the way you put it was a bit mean spirited. Teaching people things is one thing, but I never liked my teachers that had a bad attitude about it no matter how smart or right they were.