Emersons Sales vs ZT Emersons

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EDCanAdamas

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With the planned release of the new ZT Emersons designs I have been thinking that ZT will probably cut into a large amount of Emerson's sales. Personally, I would not have bought an actual Emerson, but I am willing to buy a ZT-Produced Emerson. I personally don't buy into the hype that seems to sell regular Emersons (all that Macho sounding military stuff they market their knives with) but I like some of their designs, so I would buy one made by ZT.

Does anyone here wonder if Emerson perhaps made the wrong choice in letting his designs be marketed at a similar pricepoint by a major competitor? As far as Hinderer and ZT, Hinderer's knives sell for far more than their ZT counterparts, not so for Emerson.

Either way I'm glad ZT is making these designs. :)
 
EDCanAdamas said:
Does anyone here wonder if Emerson perhaps made the wrong choice in letting his designs be marketed at a similar pricepoint by a major competitor?
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Nah, Emerson has never been at a loss for customers. If anything the new Kershaws might introduce the end users to Emerson Knives when they may not have previously know about them, which could easily equate to new sales for Emerson.

If you never would have bought an Emerson before, then they're not losing anything through you buying a ZT, in fact they're still gaining, cause it's a ZT/Emerson colab after all.
 
Emerson gets the money for the licensing don't forget. I think the Kershaw and Zt ones will hit above and below regular Emersons. I think regular Emerson buyers will buy from both companies and it opens up Emerson designs to people who don't want chisel grinds/edges.
 
Emerson just doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to produce their knives in quantity and variety of steels. It would take significant capital investments and obviously Ernie decided to go with a known high-capacity and quality knife manufacturer instead. The low end knives by Kershaw actually open up the market to many who have wanted Emersons but couldn't afford one. With ZT they have limited the high-end ones thus far. Personally, the 0620CF will turn out to be the best Emerson ever in terms of quality, steel (M390) and handle (CF). I take it as win for Emerson.
 
I think Emerson is going to be alright. I can't count the number of times I've read spy/spec ops military books where there was some passage like (I'm paraphrasing) "Specialist Jones snuck up on the sentry, quietly deploying his Emerson CQB8..."

I've read it in Tom Clancy books, and pretty much any book where a SEAL is mentioned as doing any stealth or knife-killing work. As long as there are middle-aged middle-class white collar dudes who want to have the toys they think elite DELTA/SEAL/Spec-Ops/Ranger commando black berets have, Emerson will be selling knives.
 
I buy Emersons because I like Emersons. I buy ZTs for the same reason. A collab between the two companies on certain models isn't going to make me quit buying either one. The collaborations don't "improve" on any area that the originals lack for either brand, AFAIC. They just combine certain features of both brands into one knife that neither company would have produced on its own. Emerson still has his specific features, techniques, and materials and so does ZT. People that like Emersons or ZTs are going to keep buying them for the characteristics that each brand is known for. I'll continue to buy Emersons and ZTs when I see models that I like. I'm probably not alone in this respect.

I think Shooter and Scurvy are closer to the mark on the collabs. Most likely, it'll just introduce those brands and their unique features to people who haven't tried them before.
 
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I suspect most that buy the ZT or Kershaw collabs would have either never bought an actual EKI knife or are loyalists who will continue to buy whatever EKI strikes their fancy. I doubt these will hurt EKIs sales and will probably help thier bottom line, reputation and image.
 
EDCanAdamas said:
With the planned release of the new ZT Emersons designs I have been thinking that ZT will probably cut into a large amount of Emerson's sales. Personally, I would not have bought an actual Emerson, but I am willing to buy a ZT-Produced Emerson. I personally don't buy into the hype that seems to sell regular Emersons (all that Macho sounding military stuff they market their knives with) but I like some of their designs, so I would buy one made by ZT.

Does anyone here wonder if Emerson perhaps made the wrong choice in letting his designs be marketed at a similar pricepoint by a major competitor? As far as Hinderer and ZT, Hinderer's knives sell for far more than their ZT counterparts, not so for Emerson.

Either way I'm glad ZT is making these designs. :)
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you seem to have read my mind!
i was thinking the exact same stuff when i saw the colab models.
personally i believe Emerson/ZT is a better product.
it's a Ti framelock, wich many Emerson lovers ask "knife pimpers" to do afterwards, has better steel and has the option of CF handle.
like the OP i never understood the appeal of Emerson knives. specially at that price point.
154cm and black G-10 can be seen in many knives today for way less.
i too will probably buy a ZT/emerson
 
EDCanAdamas said:
It would be kinda funny if Emerson made more money off of the colabs and ZT's than his own knives. :D
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Considering the Kershaw Emerson knives will probably be in sporting good and big box stores all across the USA a few of them could go on to sell more of just one model than EKI as a whole sells in a year.
 
dalefuller said:
I buy Emersons because I like Emersons. I buy ZTs for the same reason. A collab between the two companies on certain models isn't going to make me quit buying either one. The collaborations don't "improve" on any area that the originals lack for either brand, AFAIC. They just combine certain features of both brands into one knife that neither company would have produced on its own. Emerson still has his specific features, techniques, and materials and so does ZT. People that like Emersons or ZTs are going to keep buying them for the characteristics that each brand is known for. I'll continue to buy Emersons and ZTs when I see models that I like. I'm probably not alone in this respect.

I think Shooter and Scurvy are closer to the mark on the collabs. Most likely, it'll just introduce those brands and their unique features to people who haven't tried them before.
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You wrote what I was thinking, almost to the letter. :eek:
I also buy, own, and use Emerson and ZT knives. This is something that just makes sense because the same people that are true Emerson collectors and users are very likely to own and use ZT knives. I'm not talking the casual guy that "dabbles" or contemplates endlessly with a tortured soul whether to even look at one or the other, but the person with multiples from each company.

As far as collaborations in general go, there have been very few if any reported cases of 2 manufacturers of this size where one comes out with the short end of the stick. Frankly, I cannot imagine how either company would eat into the others customer base, if they both share the same customer base.

Now to the OP, you can be put off, skurd away from, or not into the "hype", that is all well and good, but unless you've owned and used one of EKIs products you really have little room to stand when making statements. Well, no the Buck Strider collab was different, very different. There were factors involved I'd imagine that were related to one company starting out while the other is the most well known manufacturer of folding knives on the planet for decades and counting.
 
I don't see a ZT karambit, Commander, Persian, or CQC-8 ("Banana Knife") out there...
As long as he retains the production of the majority of his designs to himself, he'll do just fine.:)
 
Win for emerson! I for one have tried Emerson's and have never really fell in love with them. The ZT0620 with premium steel, Edge ground on both sides, phosphor bronze washers, and a frame lock make this a must buy for me
 
My first $175+ knife was an Emerson CQC 11 - maybe 9 years ago. I then started buying Benchmade and ZT knives, and when comparing all aspects (material, fit, finish and value) I became underwhelmed with the Emerson. I really like the wave feature, but not enough to bring me back to the brand. The Spyderco wave knives didn't really do anything for me either, just didn't like the look of them. The Emerson ZT collaboration is exactly what I've been waiting for. ZT build and materials with the Wave. Doesn't take a customer away from Emerson, because I doubt I would have ever bought another Emerson. As mentioned above, Emerson gets a bite of the apple with the ZT sales so this can only be a win for both companies.
 
EKI will be fine. The collabs are like a gateway drug, they will boost sales all around after the Kershaw and ZT models introduce more people to Emerson knives. There will eventually be addicts on the street corners begging for change and making/selling meth to fund their knife purchases.
 
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