I've got mixed feelings about this. Yes, the flippers are often not true brothers and sisters of the blade, but they do serve the purpose of getting desirable knives into the hands of those of us who are not sufficiently motivated for any number of reasons to get those knives when first issued. If you don't like their terms, move on.
While not 'rich' I like many others here do spend a bit (quite a bit actually) on the hobby. I have on several occasions paid the equivalent of MSRP (but never more) just to get that special one. More often I have got great knives at reasonable prices here. In the end the flippers and their customers are practicing capitalism at a granular level. From Merriam-Webster online, "Capitalism: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market."
I don't like the idea of any move towards a more socialist system where we would likely have less choice. ("You will take this cr*pola knife at the price I say and you will like it!
)
While not 'rich' I like many others here do spend a bit (quite a bit actually) on the hobby. I have on several occasions paid the equivalent of MSRP (but never more) just to get that special one. More often I have got great knives at reasonable prices here. In the end the flippers and their customers are practicing capitalism at a granular level. From Merriam-Webster online, "Capitalism: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market."
I don't like the idea of any move towards a more socialist system where we would likely have less choice. ("You will take this cr*pola knife at the price I say and you will like it!
)