dealer/custom knifemaker drama

If the store owner set up the meeting, I think he was right to feel he was entitled to something in returrn.

But you as a buyer are in the clear.

Good practice would be the knifemaker paying thanks to the storeowner in some way. Not talking exact dollars and cents here, but you know tit-for-tat just to keep everything harmonious.
 
If there's no agreement then he doesn't deserve a royalty on every knife the maker sells. Very unproffesional and if he had half a brain he would see his little episode will push more $$$ away from him. Too bad he doesn't have any business sense and is operating on emotions rather than logic. The only thing he hurt is his bottom line.
 
viva la said:
well i would, but he is also the only decent dealer around here...don't wanna burn bridges. On the other hand the only knives I get from him are automatics...

Unfortunately he has lost himself some business with me...he carries quite a few William Henry's that I want. And it's funny, he is getting bitchy about what would be a few hundred dollars, yet I have spent prolly at least $7000 in the last year at his store.
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Since you've spent so much money there it makes it doubly bad. Maybe pacify him and then just use his store to check knives out you're interested in and then order from another place. I know it's not the nicest thing to do but after all the money you spent there you should get something out of it. I wouldn't advocate this approach if spent maybe a hundred or two there or nothing at all, but 7k in a year you definitely deserve better than that.
 
Since you've spent so much money there it makes it doubly bad. Maybe pacify him and then just use his store to check knives out you're interested in and then order from another place. I know it's not the nicest thing to do but after all the money you spent there you should get something out of it. I wouldn't advocate this approach if spent maybe a hundred or two there or nothing at all, but 7k in a year you definitely deserve better than that.
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He did get something better then that, he got $7K worth of knives. Good business might say that the owner treats him better, but he doesn't "deserve" anything. :D
 
Pretty damn good posts in this thread. My personal opinion based on the information given is that the store owner is overstepping some boundaries. Even if he sincerely felt that he deserves something in the deal, he didn't seem to play his cards very intelligently. There are ways to approach a disagreement without attacking everyone at the outset.
 
The store owner may have more to gain from staying on the maker's good side than vice versa. I don't think the owner should have involved or upset the customer, viva la, at all.
 
corwise said:
He did get something better then that, he got $7K worth of knives. Good business might say that the owner treats him better, but he doesn't "deserve" anything. :D
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That's right for the most part. But in this economy money's tight and he could have bought online and saved a lot of money. Part of what I expect from a b&m is good service. If I get disrespected or chastised by the owner I don't consider that good service.
 
viva la said:
Come to find out, the guy who owns the store is now mad at both of us for cutting him out of the deal, and feels I should have ordered through him. He also told the maker that he set up us meeting and feels the maker should have told me I had to go back to him and order it through him.
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Question...how did the store owner happen to find out that you placed an order with the maker?

Unless you mentioned the transaction to the retailer, neither the retailer or the maker should have involved you in or made you aware of the squabble, very bad form and tacky business to get you involved. It's the retailer that seems like he has the most to loose (you as a very good customer, and a custom makers merchandise) out of the deal.

The retailer sounds as if he showed you and promoted the makers knives, did he suggest the maker may be willing to take a custom order of your choice thus causing you to search out the maker?

It's strictly between the retailer and the maker but seems to me the the maker should recognize that the retailer was promoting his product and although the maker "closed" the sale with you he should bump a few bucks or something to thank the retailer for his efforts.

I hope you didn't make full payment in advance to the maker.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
The store owner may have more to gain from staying on the maker's good side than vice versa. I don't think the owner should have involved or upset the customer, viva la, at all.
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The only think the store owner has said to me is "Don't worry, I'll get the money I would have gotten for the sale from him some other way" meaning getting the money from the maker.

This is a guy I have been going to see for a year now. I started buying from him and his passion for "pocket" knives really helped start mine. We would talk about metals, wood and different materials, about the companies themselves. I learned a lot about knives from conversations with the guy.

When I had mentioned emailing the maker to go see his shop his response was "make sure to tell him you are a friend of mine". After going to see the maker he asked how everything was and said, "Did you buy anything?" I said no, but I did commission a piece to be made. Thats when he had his, "ohm so you're cutting out me as the the middle man, don't worry I will get money from him some other way."

I just think he acted very nonprofessional and has lost probably thousands in future business with me. I do collect William Henrys and have been getting them all from him, not any more...

I will however keep going to visit, he has some amazingly beautiful women working for him. :)
 
viva la said:
The only think the store owner has said to me is "Don't worry, I'll get the money I would have gotten for the sale from him some other way" meaning getting the money from the maker.

This is a guy I have been going to see for a year now. I started buying from him and his passion for "pocket" knives really helped start mine. We would talk about metals, wood and different materials, about the companies themselves. I learned a lot about knives from conversations with the guy.

When I had mentioned emailing the maker to go see his shop his response was "make sure to tell him you are a friend of mine". After going to see the maker he asked how everything was and said, "Did you buy anything?" I said no, but I did commission a piece to be made. Thats when he had his, "ohm so you're cutting out me as the the middle man, don't worry I will get money from him some other way."

I just think he acted very nonprofessional and has lost probably thousands in future business with me. I do collect William Henrys and have been getting them all from him, not any more...

I will however keep going to visit, he has some amazingly beautiful women working for him. :)
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Name and address of the dealer, please.;)
 
This pendulum swings both ways. You can justify (and rightfully) how uninvolved the dealer SHOULD be... Righteousness has limits, though.

I read: You have a great brick and mortar shop with a savvy owner, who has sold you $7000 worth of knives and given you great satisfaction. And, it takes real money to pay the rent.

His willingness to stock a reknowned maker's work piqued your interest to the point of contact. Had he not had them in stock, your awareness may never have happened.

Maker has also had positive outcomes from providing his work to this dealer.

No, your contact and order does not have any strings attached to the dealer. Your conscience, however...

MY gut feeling says the dealer would NOT be innapropriate in feeling left out. Him saying so, and his manner/method may be inapropriate.

It's a grey area, indeed. I wish you good fortune on your pending commission.

Coop
 
I say screw the middle man. Especially if he's gonna whine about it.
If you can go right to the source and save your self some money while doing it, then so be it. It's business, nothing personal.

Plus it's only the one maker right.

I'd Keep buying your William Henry's and auto's from the dealer. Just to maintain your access to his knives.
Being able to inspect a knife before you buy it is a perk in my book.
 
I just gotta get in here. I think you are looking at this the wrong way. If you liked the dealer for the things he had to offer befvore, he still has those same things to offer now. And you may still work with the maker directly from now on. But the maker should appreciate that he ows the dealer a thank you at the very least. I have been a full time maker for 26 years. I work with several dealers. We all know that sooner or later a customer of a dealer will finally contact the maker direct. But when a customer does so I thank the dealer for the introduction and reward him with a commission or discount on his next order. But after that when the customer contacts me directly it is not because of the dealer, and he is now my customer. but that doesn't mean he quits selling him other works. Orf if a customer tells me at a knife show he has dealt with one of my dealers, anything bought at the show is not as a result of the dealer, but as a result of meeting at the show. In that case I owe no reward. But i will tell the dealer I have met his customer and thank him for any good words that came my way. So in this case don't leave your dealer, you might want to buy something else from him down the road. But now you are a customer of the makers and should be able to deal direct with him if you wish, or even buy his work from the dealer if something grabs you. It is the responsibility of the maker to make things right with the dealer in this case, if the dealer is responsive to a good relationship. If not it is not your worry either way. Just my 2 cents.
Whiskers Custom Knives
 
My take is this. If the dealer had no exclusive contract with the maker for distribution of his knives, as you said, then the dealer is just being an a--hole, and sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Period. You spent 7 grand in his store, yet he's gettin' pissy over something that is none of his business? I would say don't even bother going back there until he apologizes to you. And even if he does, refrain from doing business with him for some time. If he realizes that a happy customer willing to continue spending large amounts of money in his shop is worth more than a few bucks on the back end that may never happen again, maybe he'll learn to appreciate good customers who help keep him in business. And if he doesn't, then that's his loss. And if he goes out of business, oh well. He may be in a convenient spot for you, but even you admit you only buy certain knives from him. And I'm betting you could buy them online cheaper. Granted, you would lose the chance to check them out in person, but if he continues to be an a--hole, you may lose that anyway.

Now, as far as the maker is concerned, he could thank the dealer for continuing to carry his knives, and for ultimately giving him more business, I think that's fine, and fair. But if the dealer is still pissed off at you, that's his problem. Not yours. I would suggest spend your money elsewhere. Support people who actually care about keeping their customers happy. Hope everything works out.
 
Lot of very valid points on all sides.

But to me, from a totally practical business point, is that while the dealer may have had a some reason to feel miffed, he is shooting himself in the foot by annoying a VERY good customer and annoying a good maker conveniently located near him who he is making money on.
Unless the dealer just enjoys drama, he is unlikely to benefit from his actions as described.
 
viva la said:
The only think the store owner has said to me is "Don't worry, I'll get the money I would have gotten for the sale from him some other way" meaning getting the money from the maker.
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I think demeanor matters when somebody says something like this. Was he nasty and loud or did he seem low-key when he said it? Reading this as text on a page it kinda sounds like the something two friends would say to each other when they were just giving each other crap. Maybe he was just pulling your (or the maker's) chain?

Sometimes attempts at humor get misinterpreted and bad feelings happen when none were intended. I don't know if that's the case here, but it's something to consider.
 
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