I'm sure this thread isn't going to sit right with many, but it needs to be said. What value do most dealers offer selling "custom" knives. Lets be honest, for the most part, nothing. Prior to the advent of the internet, they were needed, but not now. Getting custom knives in the hands of customers does more product promotion than any other method. A larger following (customer base ) is created when the actual users post their pictures and do their videos. All...and i mean ALL of my custom knife purchases were through the recommendation of a fellow forum member, or user's videos i've seen.
Custom makers should focus more on filling back orders with direct purchase customers, instead of scrambling to get knives made for dealers at shows. Hey makers!!....all the dealer is going to do is get you to discount your knives to them, then they'll sell at an over inflated price knowing there's a backlog of orders. With the exception of a few, the dealer is doing NOTHING to promote your hard work. I'd rather pay more directly to a maker, than deal with a grumpy dealer, and pay him/her a premium for doing less than any forum member on any forum would do to promote the product.
Providing direct customers knives sooner, and before a dealer, accomplishes several things. It keeps the customers interest and focus on the maker (leading to additional sales), limits the frustration with inconsistent inflated dealer pricing (creating a stable value), and builds a longer lasting relationship between the maker and user. There are custom makers knives I will no longer buy as a result of poor representation, and inconsistent market value by dealers. As with many knife enthusiast, value in a custom knife is also found in the confidence one has their knife will be serviced as needed, will hold value in the secondary market, and owning one (or more) makes you a part of a "family".
This post comes out of increased frustration watching privately owned knives being purchased from the sales corners, then being immediately listed on a dealers site. In addition, being told by custom makers there's a wait, while they're filling a dealer's order at a discount, as the dealer will artificially inflate the price, knowing there's a wait.
The makers may want to consider the following. Increase your price to the direct buyer, but shorten their wait. Only offer a discount to the dealer if they buy quantity, and put a cap on what it can be sold for. Let the secondary market dictate resale price .....not the "dealers". You'll see more done to promote your product when your knife is in the hand of an end user, than being peddled for profit by a so called "dealer". In addition, you'll profit more for your hard work, not the "dealer".
With the quality of photos and videos the end users are able to provide, the "dealer" for limited quantity knives is becoming obsolete.
Now, all this being said, there are a few dealers that do an outstanding job of promoting the custom knife makers product. They take beautiful photos, offer outstanding descriptions, keep pricing "in line ", and take the time to discuss the product. I do, and will continue to deal with those dealers.
To the maker who's knives are being offered by a dealer that takes a photo of no greater quality than an $80 production knife, and jacks the price to almost criminal amounts. You may want to consider no longer providing that dealer knives, they're doing you more harm than good. It's no coincidence it's the same dealers that only provide stock photos of wood grain knives, because they're "too busy " to take individual photos. These dealers are only interested in picking the meat from the bone, and moving onto the next carcass.
Custom makers should focus more on filling back orders with direct purchase customers, instead of scrambling to get knives made for dealers at shows. Hey makers!!....all the dealer is going to do is get you to discount your knives to them, then they'll sell at an over inflated price knowing there's a backlog of orders. With the exception of a few, the dealer is doing NOTHING to promote your hard work. I'd rather pay more directly to a maker, than deal with a grumpy dealer, and pay him/her a premium for doing less than any forum member on any forum would do to promote the product.
Providing direct customers knives sooner, and before a dealer, accomplishes several things. It keeps the customers interest and focus on the maker (leading to additional sales), limits the frustration with inconsistent inflated dealer pricing (creating a stable value), and builds a longer lasting relationship between the maker and user. There are custom makers knives I will no longer buy as a result of poor representation, and inconsistent market value by dealers. As with many knife enthusiast, value in a custom knife is also found in the confidence one has their knife will be serviced as needed, will hold value in the secondary market, and owning one (or more) makes you a part of a "family".
This post comes out of increased frustration watching privately owned knives being purchased from the sales corners, then being immediately listed on a dealers site. In addition, being told by custom makers there's a wait, while they're filling a dealer's order at a discount, as the dealer will artificially inflate the price, knowing there's a wait.
The makers may want to consider the following. Increase your price to the direct buyer, but shorten their wait. Only offer a discount to the dealer if they buy quantity, and put a cap on what it can be sold for. Let the secondary market dictate resale price .....not the "dealers". You'll see more done to promote your product when your knife is in the hand of an end user, than being peddled for profit by a so called "dealer". In addition, you'll profit more for your hard work, not the "dealer".
With the quality of photos and videos the end users are able to provide, the "dealer" for limited quantity knives is becoming obsolete.
Now, all this being said, there are a few dealers that do an outstanding job of promoting the custom knife makers product. They take beautiful photos, offer outstanding descriptions, keep pricing "in line ", and take the time to discuss the product. I do, and will continue to deal with those dealers.
To the maker who's knives are being offered by a dealer that takes a photo of no greater quality than an $80 production knife, and jacks the price to almost criminal amounts. You may want to consider no longer providing that dealer knives, they're doing you more harm than good. It's no coincidence it's the same dealers that only provide stock photos of wood grain knives, because they're "too busy " to take individual photos. These dealers are only interested in picking the meat from the bone, and moving onto the next carcass.
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