Does SMKW set knife price ceilings?

[DaveH]

Let me see if I can explain this.

SMKW (Smokey Mountain Knife Works) had a closeout price on a spyderco Jot Kahlsa for $40. Later I see someome has one for $80. To me, since it's been on sale for $40, I'll not pay more than $40 or so for one.

SMKW had a closeout of the small CRKT S-2 for $25, now I'll probably not think of paying more than $25 or $30 for one.

Once I see a price for a knife that's really low, that seems to set a ceiling price as it where and I tend to ignore when I see a price for higher. Is that rational?

On the flip side, I suppose I speculate by buying SMKW closeouts, then waiting 6 months or so then reselling them for the "normal" price.

 

[phantom4]

Dave I understand what you are saying but I can't totally agree with. If I jumped on every good deal from SMKW or some other web site I couldn't afford to eat or pay my mortgage. If it is something I've had me eye on but couldn't afford at a higher price I'll jump on it. Occassionally I'll pick something up just because its a great deal evn if its not at the top of my list. That being said, that doesn't mean I won't spend more than the "deal" price sometime in the future. I've been burned in the past by not jumping on a couple of deals in time. The two that come to mind are when Jerry Busse first starting making knives I saw an add where he introduced himself and explaine he was just getting into knife making and that for a limited time he was offering a knife at half price until he got a little more well known. IIRC, that was the original Steel Heart. I'm still kicking myself for passing on that. The second was a little different. Years ago Spyderco used to make most if not all of their knives in right and left hand versions. Of course they didn't have as many models then and they were all lockbacks so the only difference was whcich side the clip was on. Anyway, when they discontinued the lefty serrated Co-pilot Cutlery Shoppe was closing them out at $20 a pop! This was in the pre internet era so you were at the mercy of the USPS as far as when you got your sale flyer. When I saw the Co-pilot deal there was no question of me buying but I couldn't decide how many. Iwas thinking Christmas and gifts for hunting and fishing buddies. I think I waited two days after my flyer arrived and when I called they were long gone.

phantom4

 

[Manji]

yah the sad thing is you can always find the knife cheaper then what you paid for it about two days after you just got the knife.

 

[Cyblade]

Smoky Mountain sets thier prices at slightly above wholesale already and in some cases when thier trying to clear out old inventory such as discontinued knives they tend to put the price at or slightly below wholesale. It's unfair to suggest that dealers should set thier prices according to what Smoky Mountain has as a sale price, alot of the times internet dealers purchase thier stuff from distributors that price knives slighty less than Smoky Mountains normal prices. I've seen wholesale catalogs that had a was a whole 2dollars less than the price at Smoky Mountain. Now if you've purchased a knife for resale at 23.99+shipping with a suggested retail price of 49.99 you decide to sale the knife for 35.99 plus shipping in your store or on your web site. Then all of a sudden Smoky Mountain decides to sale thiers for 19.99+shipping to clear out thier remaining stock should you be forced to sale your copy at a 4 dollar loss because Smoky Mountain wanted to clear out thier inventory. If you'll notice also when Smoky Mountain has a sale that you'll see these knives at other dealers for slightly more than SM's price thats because they order from them. I bought a Cold Steel tanto for 5 bucks from a pawn shop does that mean that I should be able to get them all the time from everybody for 5bux.

 

[Crayola]

If you will only pay the cheapes price you can find, then your options as a consumer are limited. I think it is fine if your buying criteria are limited to one: price. If you were complaining that 1sks was not selling their knives for as cheap as SMKW, then you'd be a (insert negative adjective here). But I gather from your post that you shop based on price only, and there isn't anything wrong with that. If you get good service from SMKW and all that, then great!

Trouble only arises when you get people crossing boundaries that aren't that fair to cross. I already said that someoen shopping at wholesalers and complaining that a brick and Mortar store, os ome other online store offers the same knife for more money, is just being an idiot. Other things include going to a Brick and Mortar store knowing you won't buy anything, but treating them, as a "try here before you buy somewhere else" place.

If you want to shop for the lowest price only, then go for it! If you can re-sell the knives for a higher price later, good for you!

 

[DaveH]

Hmm, I can't seem to get my point across.

I never meant to imply that I expect that I SHOULD get a knife at SMKW price from other dealers, or that a dealer is bad if I don't.

I mean that once I see a SMKW low price, my expectation changes on what a "good deal" is.

 

[Crayola]

I'll add a bit more Dave, since you posted a bit more.

I would think that you are not looking at the whole picture then. SMKW can offer a knife for a price that many other retailers cannot, e.g. a brick and mortar store. If your expectations of what a good deal si are based on what a wholesaler can give you the knife for, then you will likely either be restricted to buying from a wholesaler or be unhappy forking out $60 for a knife a wholesaler sells for $35, even though the MSRP is $99. I am happy for you if you get a knife for a good price from a wholesaler, but I think it unrealistic for you to think that anything but wholesaler prices are a good deal.

 

[THEAVENGER]

SMKW buys most of it's specials from Blue Ridge. Blue Ridge is the undisputed king of the wholesale houses. CRKT and Kershaw are two companies I know for a fact sell all their closeouts to Blue Ridge. From there they go to SMKW for the "Good Guy" price. That is why SMKW has such incredibly low prices on thier specials. If you are on the inside you know what it going on. It seems unfair to the small guy but like any business money talks.
The knives you refer to in your post were all knives that SMKW was closing out. I hope that helps.