Help me to understand the Marketplace?

[mattpeyton]

Newbie here. A month ago I was coveting Benchmades and ZTs, and now I'm coveting Sebenzas and XM-18s... So there is progress . Daily carry is a 940 in green and prob will be for a long time.

Having said that I am reading all the folder adds and then looking up the models on various "new" knife sites. It leaves me curious. Respectfully, Many of the folders in the Marketplace all seem "close' to new... But not new, and asking price is withing 10% of new up/down (sometimes MORE than new). Why is that? Everything SEEMS to sell eventually. Is the whole thing a circle of friends who are basically "passing around" fancy folders at cost? I know I would rather have a brand new CRK that I pick for $450 than a used one for $375.... But thats me...

Thoughts? What am I missing? No disrespect to the forum intended or implied really just curious?

 

[d0nut]

If the price is within 10% of new price, it probably just means the person bought the knife and realized it didn't work for them and technically can't be sold as new. Maybe the ergonomics weren't what they expected, maybe it sits too large in the pocket, maybe it's too heavy in real life, maybe they are selling it to fund another [more expensive] purchase - who knows.

Personally, I don't worry about why they are selling it. If the price is too high, I just move on and let someone else find value in the - 10% price tag.

I've picked up some screaming deals in the used marketplace here, I've also missed some really good ones too. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[mattpeyton]

Thanks! Its just weird to me. As a buyer and seller of vintage and current guitars, amps, etc the discount for used is pretty high with a few exceptions like Historic Gibson Les Paul's and etc..... These used or "virtually new" knives are as high or higher than the new production folders I can find with a simple search. I figured maybe Canada buyers? Dunno?

 

[Mannlicher]

I think dOnut explained the situation pretty accurately.

 

[mmarkh]

What d0nut said is true. Some limited edition or sought after discontinued models can sell for more than original asking price. Only you can decide if it's worth it.

 

[Bushido185]

You might be surprised how many people stretch the truth on "close to new" knives. That being said, collectors rarely abuse their knives and tend to get tired of a certain knife so they put it up for sale to fund something new. The higher than retail pricing could be sprint runs, discontinued, or hard to find knives that will fetch higher prices. Some people prefer buying on the secondary market rather than from a retailer.

 

[Comeuppance]

I've noticed that people have VERY different opinions on what constitutes "like new." For me, it means so barely used or carried that is is almost indistinguishable from factory fresh. No blade dulling, no scratches.

Some people think it means "if I can take a picture with misleading lighting and angles in such a way that you can't see the wear, it's brand new!"

 

[mmarkh]

I've noticed that people have VERY different opinions on what constitutes "like new." For me, it means so barely used or carried that is is almost indistinguishable from factory fresh. No blade dulling, no scratches.

Some people think it means "if I can take a picture with misleading lighting and angles in such a way that you can't see the wear, it's brand new!"

That is what the feedback section is for.

 

[RevDevil]

I have my own ideal like many of what constitutes NIB, LNIB, Used, and Beater. Here is an excerpt from an older blog entry I wrote

NIB: Means that the knife is exactly as it was from the store, no use, no carry, little to no handling.
LNIB: Means the knife has possibly been carried, *lightly* used, stored outside the box.
Used: Means, just that. The knife was carried and used repeated. This is a gray area so honestly is the best policy.
-Stay away from words like "Mint" to describe a slightly used knife, it sure isn't mint if you've carried it. Common sense is your friend, do not resist it.

I've seen a lot of knives listed as "lightly used" and they have scratched up clips and blades. This may or may not accurate for some people, but personally, I will not buy anything without seeing pictures of the actual items first. Some knives listed as NIB also have details of scratched up clips and wear on the corner. Sorry, but that is not a NIB knife, that is a used knife that has damage obtained through use, and not issued that way from the manufacturer. If you really want to get technical a NIB knife is when you buy the item directly from the store, with no intermediary owners before you. When someone uses the word "mint" to describe a knife, I run far away.

 

[A Justice]

I have found the best way to describe a product is with detailed and accurate pictures from every appropriate angle, and pictures that specifically focus on features, wear marks, and questions that you're likely to get such as "Is the blade centered? What is the lockup like?". After I have carried a knife for a while, it usually stays with me and would only be sold or traded in a FTF transaction.

 

[not2sharp]

Price and condition are two entirely separate and unrelated subjects. The price is what buyer and seller agree it is. The condition is a fact, which is not subject to opinion, and which may or may not, be a consideration in determining the price. Items that are associated with historical events, personalities and obscure technologies, can develop a demand that is divorced and perhaps almost the inverse of condition. We sometimes encounter items that were so poorly designed, that they bear a premium just by virtue of having survived; and sometimes the shiny good looking knife is the one that is suspect, because someone has polished always the original finish and all signs of normal aging, that would have helped to distinguished the original from a good replica.

n2s

 

[Cereal_killer]

Knives are a little different than guitars and amps, there's no electronics to deteriorate and/or become outdated (or be replaced with non original parts). Knives, in their most basic form are 3 slabs of metal, wear is extremely easy to see. They depreciate very little, you buy a brand new fender strat in a store for $899 and walking out of the store makes it drop a few hundred bucks in value, you buy a $500 CRK and as long as you don't use it it holds the same value for years and then you have Hinderers and TAD's that are produced in such limited numbers and so sought after their actually worth more on the secondary market (it doesn't help that people get put on the list, or in the "lottery" with the intent to flip them).

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

So true. I've seen knives listed BNIB and the description says, lightly carried and cut a few envelopes. Sorry, but BNIB means never used or carried. LNIB means flipped a few times or carried once, but looks brand new to the naked eye. Just my opinion.

I have my own ideal like many of what constitutes NIB, LNIB, Used, and Beater. Here is an excerpt from an older blog entry I wrote



I've seen a lot of knives listed as "lightly used" and they have scratched up clips and blades. This may or may not accurate for some people, but personally, I will not buy anything without seeing pictures of the actual items first. Some knives listed as NIB also have details of scratched up clips and wear on the corner. Sorry, but that is not a NIB knife, that is a used knife that has damage obtained through use, and not issued that way from the manufacturer. If you really want to get technical a NIB knife is when you buy the item directly from the store, with no intermediary owners before you. When someone uses the word "mint" to describe a knife, I run far away.

 

[Jesse B.]

I have found the best way to describe a product is with detailed and accurate pictures from every appropriate angle, and pictures that specifically focus on features, wear marks, and questions that you're likely to get such as "Is the blade centered? What is the lockup like?".

Good policy. Whenever I've sold anything where the condition is a factor, I try to be as explicit as humanly possible through photographs and detailed descriptions. If there are any flaws or imperfections in the item, you can be sure those will not only be mentioned but depicted as clearly as possible in the photos. I do take pride in (and appreciate) this level of candor and honesty -- even if it sometimes exaggerates very minor flaws and results in a lower selling price.

 

[bdmicarta]

... But not new, and asking price is withing 10% of new up/down (sometimes MORE than new).

If you can buy the item new for a similar price, or not much more, then I'm likely to buy new also. But sometimes the knife you see for "like new in box" might not be so available from a dealer. Maybe you have to wait awhile to find one, maybe you have to pay high shipping prices and state taxes. Maybe you have paypal money that you want to use for a new knife and the store wants credit card payment. I can see lots of reasons to buy used, and generally I do buy used for one reason or another. In my case I'm pretty cheap so I look for the best price I can find.

As for people that ask for prices near retail or more, there is no single price for a new knife. Some dealers sell for higher than others, and local stores will usually be much higher. So if a person buys a knife from a local store for a higher price, they might have to ask a high price to recover most of their investment.