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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Haggling at B&M stores
- Thread starter bigbass
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 3, 1999
- Messages
- 2,052
I do not haggle in stores. I haggle at shows, but never stores. Some store owners may be OK with it, though, I guess. Some stores may be OK with knocking a little off the price if you pay cash, since the credit card transactions cost them money.
Paul
Paul
Heck...it is worth a try.....of course, I do not have to haggle on knives since I'm a dealer, but I did buy 2 Mountain Bikes last week.......I tried haggling on those..laid out $600 cash on the counter.....the best they would do is discount the acessories and throw in a few service adjustments for free.....but..I tried
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Knives & Things
Mike Payne
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Knives & Things
Mike Payne
Double Edge Dave
Moderator and Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 27, 1999
- Messages
- 1,379
Mr. Bass,
Couple of suggestions from one who has worked both sides of the counter. Cash will eliminate about 1.9% of the overhead and can be factored into a deal. Do not lowball with the hopes of meeting in the middle. You will not be taken seriously. Offer what you think is a fair price and stick with it. Do Not tell them what you can buy it on the internet for. They are sick of hearing it and the response will be "if you can get it for that price, go ahead and buy it".
As a curtesy to B+M stores everywhere, don't go in, fondle a bunch of different knives, ask a lot of questions and leave to order off the internet. This is a prime example of the Golden Rule. You'd be pi$$ed if someone did it to you! There are major benefits to cultivating relationships with your local B+M. First off, if you are a repeat buyer, the chances are that you will continue to get better and better numbers. Secondly, You have the privelege of handling the exact knife you will purchase. It is nice to know that the knife locks up solidly ansd has no flaws. Of course the stuff you get in the mail can be sent back, at the price of time and expense. Also, most savvy B+M operators will figure out your interests and will hold stuff you really might want til the next time you come in and check with them. There is no obligation to buy, but you can get first crack. This is especially true for folks like me who see new stuff in magazines and here and want to be the first on the block to get something.
In short, treat your local B+M store business as an investment in the future. That is exactly what it is.
David
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AKTI# A000150
NC Custom Knifemakers Guild member
NC Knife Knuts member
Couple of suggestions from one who has worked both sides of the counter. Cash will eliminate about 1.9% of the overhead and can be factored into a deal. Do not lowball with the hopes of meeting in the middle. You will not be taken seriously. Offer what you think is a fair price and stick with it. Do Not tell them what you can buy it on the internet for. They are sick of hearing it and the response will be "if you can get it for that price, go ahead and buy it".
As a curtesy to B+M stores everywhere, don't go in, fondle a bunch of different knives, ask a lot of questions and leave to order off the internet. This is a prime example of the Golden Rule. You'd be pi$$ed if someone did it to you! There are major benefits to cultivating relationships with your local B+M. First off, if you are a repeat buyer, the chances are that you will continue to get better and better numbers. Secondly, You have the privelege of handling the exact knife you will purchase. It is nice to know that the knife locks up solidly ansd has no flaws. Of course the stuff you get in the mail can be sent back, at the price of time and expense. Also, most savvy B+M operators will figure out your interests and will hold stuff you really might want til the next time you come in and check with them. There is no obligation to buy, but you can get first crack. This is especially true for folks like me who see new stuff in magazines and here and want to be the first on the block to get something.
In short, treat your local B+M store business as an investment in the future. That is exactly what it is.
David
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AKTI# A000150
NC Custom Knifemakers Guild member
NC Knife Knuts member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2001
- Messages
- 4,501
my local knife store has a special deal where you get 25% off on one purchase during the month of your birthday. I was able to get a Benchmade 942 for about the same price I would have paid online, plus I got to inspect the knife before I purchased it. You might want to see if your local stores offer something similar.
--Josh
--Josh
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2000
- Messages
- 736
If everyone purchased their knives at B&M stores the result would be a lower price at the B&M. This won't happen because B&M stores have to pay rent. You can haggle, but they really do have higher costs.
Like david415, I have been on both sides of the counter, I can see both sides. Unfortunatly, in my area there , there is only one knife outlet with four or five stores. Because the compitition is only a few sporting goods stores, they are free to charge what they like.
While I would like to patronize the B&M stores, I can not see paying 50-100% more for a knife than I need to (a BM940 goes for almost $200). So I go into the store, don't ask any questions and fondle the knives.
Buying knives on the www is not without its own dangers, you can not hold the knife and unless you know exactly what you are looking for, the pics can be deceptive.
I have been lucky. I have never sent a knife back, my limited research at the local stores helped...along with the few good pics on the www. I have been a little surprised, yes...some things came a little bigger...or smaller...but nothing too far out of line.
All the local knife stores are in malls and I have to force myself to go there (used to be only at xmas), so between this and the prices, I have little choice.
Hoping for a better future...
Steve-O
Like david415, I have been on both sides of the counter, I can see both sides. Unfortunatly, in my area there , there is only one knife outlet with four or five stores. Because the compitition is only a few sporting goods stores, they are free to charge what they like.
While I would like to patronize the B&M stores, I can not see paying 50-100% more for a knife than I need to (a BM940 goes for almost $200). So I go into the store, don't ask any questions and fondle the knives.
Buying knives on the www is not without its own dangers, you can not hold the knife and unless you know exactly what you are looking for, the pics can be deceptive.
I have been lucky. I have never sent a knife back, my limited research at the local stores helped...along with the few good pics on the www. I have been a little surprised, yes...some things came a little bigger...or smaller...but nothing too far out of line.
All the local knife stores are in malls and I have to force myself to go there (used to be only at xmas), so between this and the prices, I have little choice.
Hoping for a better future...
Steve-O
Double Edge Dave
Moderator and Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 27, 1999
- Messages
- 1,379
Steve-o,
I will soon be moving to the Minneapolis/ St Paul area to support my wife's studies. Is there a group that gets together there? Do you get together for gun/knife shows? I will travel 200 miles in any direction to become involved in any knife group or attend knife related shows. I have been lucky down here in NC to have good comraderie. I hope to join in any existing groups there.
David
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AKTI# A000150
NC Custom Knifemakers Guild member
NC Knife Knuts member
I will soon be moving to the Minneapolis/ St Paul area to support my wife's studies. Is there a group that gets together there? Do you get together for gun/knife shows? I will travel 200 miles in any direction to become involved in any knife group or attend knife related shows. I have been lucky down here in NC to have good comraderie. I hope to join in any existing groups there.
David
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AKTI# A000150
NC Custom Knifemakers Guild member
NC Knife Knuts member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 1999
- Messages
- 3,776
I am B&M, and I am WWW. Wear both hats daily. Prices on knives in my showcases are about 15% higher than listed on the website. I have no problem in someone asking for better price. HELLo, another hat I wear is as a retail pharmacist and I make more on a Case pocket knife than a prescription and the knife customer is happier than the patient whose life I just saved. Go figure. Anyway, the advantages to visiting our store is a much larger selection than what is listed on our site. Immediate satisfaction in handling, personal inspection (I will inspect any knife prior to shipment if customer asks) and being able to walk home with your new "best friend" also come to mind. I dont mind haggling, if buyer is sincere, but online pricing does not leave much room to negotiate. Yesterday I had a guy email me at home wanting a LUM Chinese I had listed @ 99.99+shipping...he offered $95.00 shipped. We ship ups insured which costs usually around 6 bucks. Gives me 89.00 for the knife..If memory serves me, that gives me a whoppin' 10bits profit. If you haggle with a dealer, be aware he is not likely to have paid $5 for a $100 knife.
Regards, Mike www.newgraham.com
New Graham, Since 1935(but not me all those years..just the last 25 or so)
Regards, Mike www.newgraham.com
New Graham, Since 1935(but not me all those years..just the last 25 or so)