How do you sell yours Knives?

Kevin Jones

Kevin Jones

Joined
Oct 28, 2006
Messages
13,363
Every collector seems to like to buy new and beautiful knives, however many cringe :( when it comes time to sell.

However IMO, selling knives can be as important in maintaining a great collection as buying the right knives. Yes, unfortunately most of us have to sell knives to be able to afford the new ones. I like to refer to this as "collection adjusting". I actually enjoy selling knives in trying to treat it as a challenge.

• What's your preferred method of selling your knives?

• Is it important for you to get as much as you can, or just to get rid of them as fast as possible with the least effort?

• Can the way in which you sell your knives affect others?

• Makers, how do you prefer to sell your knives? Direct to collector? Through dealers? Shows?

• Can the way in which collectors sell their knives affect you?

Thanks in advance for your views and opinions.
 
Kevin,
Good questions.
I'd also add- Can the way dealers sell they're knives affect your collection?

Paul
 
Bladeandbarrel said:
Why should the masters of horsetradin' let the world in on all their secrets?
Click to expand...

Because, the more collectors know about selling their knives and getting full value for them the more ALL our collections will appreciate in value.

And more important, maker's knives will hold their values helping to maintain a stable custom knife market.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Because, the more collectors know about selling their knives and getting full value for them the more ALL our collections will appreciate in value.

And just as important, maker's knives will hold their values helping to maintain a stable custom knife market.
Click to expand...

I'm not sharing my methods on this one in a public forum, Kevin...thass a industrial secret.:cool:

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Bladeandbarrel said:
Why should the masters of horsetradin' let the world in on all their secrets?
Click to expand...

"Masters of Horsetradin" :confused: Dumping six or eight ABS knives on the forum exchange at a time and dropping their price until they sell isn't horsetradin, it's more of a "fire sale" IMO :eek: or as WWG so eloquently puts it "turn and burn".

Perhaps those secrets would be best left untold. ;)
 
Kevin Jones said:
Every collector seems to like to buy new and beautiful knives, however many cringe :( when it comes time to sell.

However IMO, selling knives can be as important in maintaining a great collection as buying the right knives. Yes, unfortunately most of us have to sell knives to be able to afford the new ones. I like to refer to this as "collection adjusting". I actually enjoy selling knives in trying to treat it as a challenge.

• What's your preferred method of selling your knives?

• Is it important for you to get as much as you can, or just to get rid of them as fast as possible with the least effort?

• Can the way in which you sell your knives affect others?

• Makers, how do you prefer to sell your knives? Direct to collector? Through dealers? Shows?

• Can the way in which collectors sell their knives affect you?

Thanks in advance for your views and opinions.
Click to expand...

With some important exceptions, Ebay nets the highest return on average, in my experience. This is very dependent on your feedback rating and quality of photos. Certain knives that are popular on the various forums will bring more money on the forums. With very few exceptions, I can't recommend the consignment path because the fees are too high.

If you play the long game, there is no reason to turn and burn. If buying a certain knife means you can't pay the mortgage or the rent, you have made a very precarious decision.

Pricing seems to have an effect on immediate sales by others, but, and especially on the forums, certain individuals create a pattern via their selling history and buyers expect certain sellers to keep cutting their price, to the bone. Don't be that seller.

Sellers (collectors) that have cash to burn and dump knives below market affect me in a very positive way. :D:D
 
Architect said:
With some important exceptions, Ebay nets the highest return on average, in my experience. This is very dependent on your feedback rating and quality of photos. Certain knives that are popular on the various forums will bring more money on the forums.

That's very good information, as I expect many consider Ebay to be a dumping ground rather that a place you can profit on your knives.

With very few exceptions, I can't recommend the consignment path because the fees are too high.

Have had good luck with consigning knives. As an example, I had an embellished MS hunter that I was not able to sell on this exchange forum even at $150 loss. So I consigned it with a leading INTERNET dealer who recently sold it at a price that even after deducting my consignment fee, left a profit of $55. The difference being that I was not able to get $1150; where they were able to get $1595 as a result of their large worldwide INTERNET customer base.

If you play the long game, there is no reason to turn and burn. If buying a certain knife means you can't pay the mortgage or the rent, you have made a very precarious decision.
I agree.

Pricing seems to have an effect on immediate sales by others, but, and especially on the forums, certain individuals create a pattern via their selling history and buyers expect certain sellers to keep cutting their price, to the bone. Don't be that seller.
I agree, very true.

Sellers (collectors) that have cash to burn and dump knives below market affect me in a very positive way. :D:D
Click to expand...
Short term, they affect you in a positive way. However long term, they affect you in a negative way by lowering the value of your knives thus reducing the value of your collection.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Short term, they affect you in a positive way. However long term, they affect you in a negative way by lowering the value of your knives thus reducing the value of your collection.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

The same thing applies to internet dealers when they sell a knife for 1/2 of current makers price or current market.
I enjoy the knives I own and value the friend ships that have developed as a result of our hobby.
None the less I view the knives in my "collection" as a commodity and treat them as such.
It amazes me to see a fellow collector sell a knife at a loss or below market for the express purpose of adding another "valuable" knife to they're collection.
Paul
 
The pricing policy of one very well known internet dealer in particular has introduced a whole new dynamic - cut price, cost plus pricing - what you expect to see in a commodities market, not a collectibles market.

Drastic price cutting, reverse auctions, "sales", "bargains", all contribute to reduce the confidence in recovery of initial outlay, which has become such an important factor. This reduction in confidence leads to a reduction in demand and overall prices drop.

Stephen
 
Stephen F said:
The pricing policy of one very well known internet dealer in particular has introduced a whole new dynamic - cut price, cost plus pricing - what you expect to see in a commodities market, not a collectibles market.

Drastic price cutting, reverse auctions, "sales", "bargains", all contribute to reduce the confidence in recovery of initial outlay, which has become such an important factor. This reduction in confidence leads to a reduction in demand and overall prices drop.

Stephen
Click to expand...
Commodity"-something useful or valuable: an economic good." Websters dictionary

I see the "scores" from this site being touted on the Forum with some regularity.

This type of sales venue is no more of a friend to you as a collector than Walgreen's is to every independent pharmacist-pharmacy.

Other thoughts?

Paul
 
bgspecialk said:
Commodity"-something useful or valuable: an economic good." Websters dictionary

I see the "scores" from this site being touted on the Forum with some regularity.

This type of sales venue is no more of a friend to you as a collector than Walgreen's is to every independent pharmacist-pharmacy.

Other thoughts?

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul - I think we are saying exactly the same thing - please read my post again - my writing style often leaves it for the reader to fill in the gaps:D .But do so with the following in mind - my use of the word "commodity" in an economics context is not the same as an English dictionaries meaning.

In economics the word "commodity" has a few specific meanings. In the context of the World Markets, the Commodities Market is for the handling of transactions related to raw or primary products (Coal, steel, sugar etc). In the context of "types" of consumer goods Commodities (and this is how I mean it) refers to goods over which little or no "thought" or "consulation" is entered into, rather the consumer will buy based on price - Commodity goods are those that are easy for consumers to purchase, such as books, DVDs and airline tickets! This is opposed to Luxury or Consultative purchases such as collectibles, art, and cars!

For you to refer to your knives as commodities in an "Economics" sense is not correct ..... unless your disposable income is so high your buying behaviour does not follow the economists notion of a "rational economic man"! ;):D

Regards,

Stephen
 
You "Collectors" keep defending your purchases by saying "I buy what I like."

This is done with great passion letting the world know you care not if the knife gains value or even breaks even when you sell it.

Consequently, it should make no difference to "collectors" how anyone disposes of their knives. As Architect writes he is more than happy to buy the bargains that he finds on BF.

As well Joss is more than happy to buy what many here feel are the below market priced Fogg knives offered by Nordic Knives. Has Joss single handedly brought down Don's prices by buying so many of these under priced knives?

The ease of research available which the Internet provides will allow them to find out the purchase price of many "high end" knives. Ultimately the collector who thought they got a bargain may have to face the reality of the potential buyer knowing what they paid, when they go to sell the knife.

This may affect the ability to sell a knife by those who are "market savvy".

The good news is ultimately you will find a "collector" who doesn't care and buys what they like.

WWG
 
Stephen F said:
Paul - I think we are saying exactly the same thing - please read my post again - my writing style often leaves it for the reader to fill in the gaps:D .But do so with the following in mind - my use of the word "commodity" in an economics context is not the same as an English dictionaries meaning.


Stephen
Click to expand...
Stephan,
Agreed. I think you're post was illuminating and timely.

I too was looking for the reader to fill in the gaps. If our fellow collectors
continue to tout they're bargain purchases and deny any responsibility
for maintaining the value of they're collections, I then can envision the
day my collection becomes a "commodity."
Paul
 
Interesting subject. My channels are mostly limited to eBay and BF. I've had some success there for either mid-price items or for super-popular items, not so much with higher priced or more unusual items.
 
The following paragraphs are from my Seminar entitled "The Business Of Custom Knives"

"It should be the goal of every business to become the market leader (even if it is a niche market). This is usually accomplished by doing something or creating something that becomes the standard that others will emulate. That is to say the will "Steal" your ideas.

The innovator who creates a style or mechanism will become a favorite of the "early adopters". These adopters spread the word (create the buzz) and the maker soon finds that there is a demand for their work. Most custom knife makers being limited in their ability to produce enough to meet the demand. Will find the "Commoditization" will start to occur.

This happens, particularly in custom knives for two reasons:

1) Makers love to share how they do things.

2) Makers do not have the funds (usually) to patent innovative designs and mechanisms."



Collectors not being able to get the "original" seek out makers who can "re-create" the desired style or mechanism. As it is not the original, the price for the "variant" is usually less. Once two or three makers are now building this product. A market is born!

Once this is accomplished the product life cycle begins. In the world of business this begins the product life cycle...which ultimately ends in the "death" of a market. Note this does not mean the complete elimination of the product market. Market innovators survive and the "theory of three" kicks in.

Note, a change in the original idea (liner lock becomes a frame lock, which becomes a over built frame lock) will start the product life cycle all over again.

With this in mind, most of the custom knives we buy are commodities. It's neither bad nor good. Just a by product of a capitalist free market.

WWG
 
Hi Stephen,

The pricing policy of one very well known internet dealer in particular has introduced a whole new dynamic - cut price, cost plus pricing -
Click to expand...

Who is the dealer and can you explain this new "dynamic" of "cut price, Cost plus pricing? Sounds like a contradictory pricing structure.

WWG
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top