ESEE Customer Market Research

Simple enough,
18. Honkey. A liberal leaning Independent, very politically involved. That being said our sad little Republic makes me sick. It's just as much a joke as the U.K., but atleast they accept that and have fun with it. Watching how parliament works is pretty hilarious. People person, though as a whole I general dislike people and what they've done to the planet.

I love nature more than anything and want nothing more out of life than to live off the land of my great state of Washington, or as most of you easterners know it, Warshington, right above OR-E-GONE.

Non-religious, I blame the Catholic school for that; I maintain my point about religion that I DON'T KNOW AND NEITHER DO YOU!

ESEE is attractive mainly because of what they represent, rugged, tough use knives with the greatest warranty in the business. Though I would never abuse my knives, the warranty removes all fear of accidental damage.

The fact that the owners are so active with their customers is something so unheard of that it is truly irresistible.

Oh, and I feel that Capitalism has failed us misrably, though the governemnt can hardly regulate it, something must be done, case and point BP.
 
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As far as ESEE goes, I don't think it's the consumers... It's the company. An unbeatable warranty, exceedingly well made knives, and they have a very active online presence.
 
Im 26
Single
White
Male
Eagle scout
I have 1 dog.
Have been and always will be a Texan
Shoot guns
camping
hiking
mountain biking
Im a mechanic so i appreciate quality built tools, guns and knives.
I love that my ESEE knife says USA on it.
Republican

I like what i know of the ESEE guys although i dont know them personally.
 
24 Year Old Male
Marine
Over the years I've learned to appreciate US made goods. Although the quality means the price will be higher, I'm a firm believer in crying once and buying once. I absolutely cannot stand buying a tool that breaks when it is "doing its job". With that in mind, imagine my surprise in finding a knife company that provides astronomical quality with more than fair pricing.

Add to that ESEE's amazing warranty-their policies have actually driven me to find other companies with similar protocols.

Besides the value point, I am also a martial arts instructor, and was looking for a blade that could take as much of an ass kicking as me.
 
39, female, married with kids
free thinker (no political party can count on my vote per se, just because they represent a certain direction)

I've always liked tools, and I like the kiss principle and thats just what ESEEs knives are: no nonsense simple tools of a very good quality.
Plus people who stand a hundred percent behind their product.
If you browse through this forum section, you'll find the following scenario over and over again:
A knife user saying, damn did something stupid, now my knife has it's tip broken off (or whatever) - never wanting a replacement, just venting about their mishap, and then Jeff or Mike replying: We will replace it. Mail us.

Really amazing customer service that earns them life-long customers.
 
fixer said:
43yo white male, single, no kids.

i like quality products at reasonable prices.

i've used Apple's Macintosh computers for over two decades, drive a Toyota Tundra, own my own home, don't own a "smart" phone.

politically, extremely right wing/libertarian, with a safe full of ARs and Glocks.
Click to expand...

Aside from the Apple & Toyota thing, we're quite similar. :p

I'm 43, white male, single, no kids (I'd like to rectify that someday though :p ). I also like quality products at reasonable prices. As Jeff mentioned, I have little tolerance for bullshit (I put up with enough of it at work, I don't need it in my private life).

I'm prior service US Army and currently work in law enforcement as a dispatcher. I should be back out on the street as a sworn full-time LEO in the not-too-distant future (departmental budget allowing).

I'm very much a conservative with "small L" libertarian views, and am also a hunter and 3-Gun competition shooter. I started learning about survival, land nav and woodsmanship as a youngster (at 13 or so). I don't get nearly as much woods time these days as I'd like though.

ETA: I also play pennywhistle and irish flute, and when I'm actually able to squeeze in some classes - I'm an Art History major. :p
 
I recalled a few winters back I called my telco (a big telco)to report a problem. Snows was waist high at that time and my phone was dead for 3 days. Not only the customer service rep was quite rude, I was also informed that if they send a serviceman and the issue is not the telco's fault I will be charged with a $75 fee plus additional charges for repairs done. To all insult to injury - I was asked to go outside (in the middle of winter) to do a diagnostic check on the phone box before they will send a serviceman. Good thing I am not that old and can still negotiate the deep snows and is a bit technically inclined. It turned out that it was the telco's issue not mine, the problem was eventually resolved. On the very same week - I gave my telco the boot and signed up my phone service with my internet provider. I then wrote a letter to my old telco indicating my experience and disgust with the way they handled my issue and of course as expected it went unanswered. I made a vow that very day that for as long as I can see daylight - I will never do business with my former telco ever again even if its means they're the only telco around.

Until very recently I got a few calls from my former telco offering products and freebies just to sign up with them. In addition to the freebies they also offered lower rates. Despite the offers I stayed with my current provider.

Moral of the story:

If you are honest with your customer and extends them the respect and services above and beyond their expectations....the $ amount will be insignificant and you have a customer for life. Money will eventually flow in.

Sure, companies screws up every now and but its how a company respond and resolve the issues that matters most to customers.

Margins/profits seem to be the culture and driver of most companies these days, this is evident in the majority of big companies that have outsourced manufacturing/services to other countries. You also need a university degree to figure out how to get in touch with these big companies or just simply to report a problem. Sure all companies needs profit to survive but it does not have to be driven by greed.

Being a knife nut (heck - I don't even use my knives that often), ESEE will be first on my list as a source to satisfy my addiction. Sure - there will be occasions where I will chose other brand but not without considering ESEE first because I know that ESEE will be there when I need them, and name any other company where you get to poke fun at the owners.

Jeff, Mike and the ESEE crews, I am your customer for life.

And to answer Kurtz265 other questions:

What is it about ESEE that commands such Brand Loyalty?
See long write up above.

What general buckets do we fall into in terms of age, geographically, politically, demographically?
Age = enough to legally own a knife and able enough to use a knife.
Geographically = There at least an ESEE knife in every continent but predominantly US, Canada for now I supposed
Political = Any
Demographics = LEO, Armed Forces, EDC, collectors or knife nuts and we later found out - dumb asses.


What is important to ESEE customers?
Product innovations, quality and support.

What needs does the brand fill where other products simply fall short?
See long write up above

In closing....if Jeff or Mike branded a sack of shit with ESEE logo I will still buy it (proof = ESEE Orange Panties and ESEE got cricketdave to wear and posed for them)
 
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33
Married for 10 years
2 daughters, 4 and 7
CA Central Coast
Conservative
Cars: 84 Bronco with desert suspension and a stock 65 6 cyl Falcon wagon. The wagon is my daily driver.
My wife's car is a Honda Odyssey... because none of the domestic mini vans can compete with it or the Sienna.

I Work at an auto repair shop, am crazy about [fast] off-roading (specifically desert-racing). There's just something incredibly satisfying about driving 65 over 3-foot holes and bumps....
I love tech and gadgets but don't spend money (that I don't have) frivolously. I splurge now and then, but only buy something when it will be truly useful. I am drawn to GOOD, USEFUL tools and especially drawn to them when the people and company that make/sell them are good down to earth and most importantly REAL. I like "what you see is what you get" kinda folks. The ESEE crew strikes me as those kind of people.
I do everything I can to buy American first but I'm a realist. Sometimes the good stuff is made elsewhere.

What drew me to ESEE? The Izula and its simplicity. I've carried the same folder for 8-9 years and have never wanted another knife until I saw the Izula. I did some research, found the ESEE sub-forum and really started to like the feel of it and liked the straight-forward posts from the people at ESEE. I dig the low-bling, high function mentality. I may not buy a lot of knives, but I am proud to say I am an ESEE customer and will continue to look to them for fine products.

OK, this is starting to feel cheesy... next!
 
40 year old caucasian male
Married, 2 kids
College grad (BA)
Former military, former boy scout
Outdoor enthusiast (camping, hiking, bushcraft, survival/primitive skills)
Politically conservative (Libertarian/Independent/Tea Party supporter)

With my first purchase, I chose ESEE because they had an awesome warranty and I've bought too many junk knives in the past. I continue to buy ESEE because they don't just stand behind their product, but they stand behind the community. They are not "knife makers" they are outdoor adventurists like us - they just happen to design, produce (have produced) and sell gear that works... really well.
 
24 y/o white male
Married
No kids, save 1 Black Lab named Moose
College grad, B.S. (Bachelor of Science, not the other BS I'm known for :D)
Eagle Scout
Libertarian/conservative with a lean toward "Don't Tread On Me"
Rural upbringing
Unwaivering supporter of the 2nd Amendment, CCW holder
Firearm enthusiast
Firm believer in personal responsibility to take care of myself and my loved ones, and for the most part we don't need the .gov to "help."
Believe in capitalism and free market and that those who work hard for what they have should reap the rewards and get to keep it.
Enjoy the outdoors. Short hikes, "woods walks", some hunting, survival skills, bushcraft
Jr. Gear Whore (but not near as bad as TTD or Dizwolf!)

Saw an ESEE blade on someone's gun gear on another forum, googled them, the rest was history. Not really a knife guy but I like affordable tools that are up to most any task, best warranty in the business and backed by men who I trust at their word and feel like I align with in many regards.
 
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28, farmers tan white, winter neck beard, owner operator of a few construction companies (every day is a survival nightmare), knives pry bars backhoes demo air hammers are occupational tools for me, three kids, married 8 years to high school sweet heart, dads been married for 34, grandpas on 56, I love guns, hunting, camping, anything in multi cam, bit of a traveler, been to more countries than states building stuff.
 
obsessis said:
Oh yeah, just thinking about it is getting me HOT.

What general buckets do we fall into in terms of age, geographically, politically, demographically?

31 yrs old, white, single but long-term GF
IT/Computer guy, MS in MIS - Information Assurance concentration
Midwest/Nebraska - Grew up hunting and fishing. I love working with my hands, tinkering with things, trying to build things.

I hate people but think everyone deserves a second chance. Pessimistic but hope people can handle themselves. I think we should execute more violent criminals, sex offenders (child and adult) and rehabilitate non-violent drug-based offenders. I think we should have Unemployment and Welfare to a point - You can't get it together within 3 years or so and you should be executed. I think everyone should pitch in to help everyone else, and those who are drains or problems should be eliminated. Think all government and corporations are corrupt. Think greed rules this country and all the religious people should start acting like Jesus would want them to even though lots of them don't.

What is it about ESEE that commands such Brand Loyalty?

Great quality, simple design, no BS designs, great warranty, owners show they care about their customers. - that is very important, it shows they really believe in what they do and are trying to help others.

What is important to ESEE customers and what needs does the brand fill where other products simply fall short?

Great quality, simple designs, great value, affordable, 'less is more' philosophy (not a lot of useless designs to clutter/confuse things), the warranty is ridiculous - they go out of their way to make sure customers are happy, even if they are idiots. The interaction here on the forum also helps show they truly care about the customers who enjoy/use their products.

The brand doesn't produce 8 different varieties of each knife, each with 5 different handle designs/colors to get 'safe queens' to shell out all their cash. They want people to actually use their knives, not reel them in so they buy 10 variations of the same blade just to release a different blade where the pattern repeats. They are trying to make money by making products people will stand behind and tell their friends about, not maximize profits by catering to the collectors.

The knives they make stay in production, this helps people make sure they can get the knives they want and not drive up the value due to limited numbers of knives. This ties in with the above paragraph. Knowing that I can get an Izula II now or next year doesn't force a 'feeding frenzy' whenever something is released.
Click to expand...

This is me almost exactly....!!!

WOW!

Except i'm 36
I live in IL
and grew up playing music....

I don't feel so alone anymore
 
Love ESEE and was a fan of Randall before he started marketing and designing knives - got lots of cred and great philosophy. Hope it never changes. Love your work and own many other ESEE products. Keep it up mate
 
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22, white male, college student. Working on my undergrad in Criminal Justice. I was drawn to ESEE through the forums. My only other real hobby is music. It is my current job while I am in school.

I have been lurking on this forum for quite a while now. However, I think that ESEE has the following they do because they have created trust - They stand behind their knives 100%. They communicate with their customers quite regularly. I have never been in a life/death situation to where I needed to depend on a knife for survival, but I have used ESEE products enough to know that they work and will keep working for the duration of my life (and a lot longer).

Oh, and I drive a Chevrolet Lumina. Works too, but not quite as dependable as ESEE...
 
35 white Aussie bloke.
Cause i like carbon steel & Esee knife design.
As for the warranty, well i love it but if i break some thing of top qaulity its my falt.
Esee wont break if you know that they are not "block busters or axes".
 
21 year old white male, loved the outdoors and grew up camping. I am a college student studying business. I am an avid backpacker who lives in utah. I buy esee because I like tough shit, but beyond that I really believe in jeff and mikes business model and I do what I can to support companies that care about their consumers.
 
28 year old white male
Married
Father of one (atm)
Farmer

ESEE caught my attention because their warranty shows they stand behind their product, no matter how ignorant the user, and they are USA made.
 
24 year old white male
Engaged, and have a 9 month old son
Business Major
Politically independent--I refuse to align myself with any party because of the way that they almost always vote for what is best for the interests of the party--not what's best for EVERYBODY. As a whole I lean towards the libertarian side I guess...I like things fiscally conservative and socially liberal. That being said I'll be the first to tell you that we're all biased by our own unique experiences and that folks are entitled to their opinions no matter how much I disagree with them.

I like getting outdoors in my free time, have a level 2 NAA archery instructor certification that I haven't made good use of in about 5 years, play the French horn, Italian ocarinas, Irish penny whistle, and mess around a bit with concertina. I enjoy playing computer/video games from time to time and have a soft spot for old DOS and SNES games. I spend much more time reading than in front of the computer or TV, however, and when all the TV's went digital I never bothered to get a converter box and I like it that way. I also collect and enjoy high-end loose leaf tea and own a couple of horses--an ex-harness racer Standardbred mare and a Percheron gelding. Our other animals include 2 cats and a fish tank, and we used to have a ball python and a rabbit, though we got rid of them shortly after our last move.

I first heard about ESEE knives through the forum back when I was working at a local knife shop (which I've since left due to a personal dislike for the management) and had some ordered in. I had been in the market for a good fixed blade that met my pretty fussy tastes and after we got a 3 in and I played around with it for a while I knew I had to have it. Full flat grind, comfortable micarta handle, and a low-profile sheath the snapped securely. No fancy curves or weird unnecessary features. The whole USA-made thing and the warranty were just extra features. After that first purchase I became more familiar with the whole company philosophy and I couldn't agree more. I appreciate the way that work hard doing what they love, have opinions of their own that they can back up, shoot straight, and say things like they actually are. The honesty and "no bulls***" attitude is refreshing to see in a company when so many rely on gimmicks or superficial features to sell their products. ESEE isn't even about knives or gear. If they stopped selling stuff right now and closed up shop, ESEE would still exist. It's an ideology more than it is a company. :cool:

So that's my life story I guess. Hope you're still awake! :D :D :D
 
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