How to handle waiting/email list?

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
5,703
How do you guys go about this? If I build a knife with the collector it's easy, just contact the next one on the list and take it from there.

But let's say that I have a knife ready for sale, do I email everybody on the list at the same time and pick from the responses the highest one on the list? Or email them one at a time, going down the list, until somebody buys the knife?

Looking from feedback from both sides, makers and buyers.
Thanks
 
I send out a mass email whenever I have a knife available, would you like to join my list?

The first response gets it no matter if it is a dealer or retail customer, this keeps it fair for everyone. Who has the time to email individual clients one at a time and sometimes you might wait days to get a response.

However if I have a knife available that I know a particular client would like I email them first and give them first refusal.
 
I'm in line with Chuck.
When a knife gets completed, it goes out in an email to my entire customer list.
They're the ones who put the food on my table - so they get first option.
First one to reply gets it.
As new customers come in - they get added to the list.
 
I do the same, with a modification. I embed a PayPal "Buy Now" button in the email. The first person to click and pay gets it, and it has on occasion been a matter of seconds between one person and another. Some folks get mad because the knives are usually gone before they get there, but that's not something I can really help one way or another.

I suggest using MailChimp for email lists. If you have website you can configure your contact form so that new folks are automatically added to the list. They can also unsubscribe at their leisure. I find this simplifies matters greatly, and nobody gets left out.

I also do like Chuck occasionally, and give requestors of a particular knife first right of refusal IF I end up making what they requested. This allows me to take orders without really taking orders, and keeps things interesting for me.
 
Travis Fry said:
I also do like Chuck occasionally, and give requestors of a particular knife first right of refusal IF I end up making what they requested.
Click to expand...

That is what I was the most concerned about. I will use the first come first serve as you guys suggested but offer it first to someone who requested a similar knife. I think it's a fair way to operate.
Thanks for your help. What would I do without you guys. :thumbup:
 
Great thread, Patrice. I was wondering the same. It's good to hear insider info from other makers.
 
I receive Burt Foster's newsletter.
In his newsletter he tells about what he is doing these days and there will be a photo showing available knives.
That has a link to his website where the knives can be purchased.
If you have a website with store software you should be able to show what is available for purchase.
The software should automatically remove items from the store as they are sold. That prevents more than one person from attempting to purchase the same item.
This can help to eliminate hard feelings and frustration on the buyer's part.
For you it automates the purchase and payment saving you a lot of time and frustration.

In addition to the forums I send out a newsletter occasionally telling about new inventory.
The newsletter includes a link to the webstore where the new stuff can be purchased.
Without the webstore automation I would spend all my time on emails and phone calls.
The software handles the time consuming tasks so I can spend my time doing more productive work.

For a newsletter I use Constant Contact.
For web store software I use Pro-Stores and paypal for payment processing.
Both have templates you can use so you don't have to learn to write code unless you want to.

I hope this helps.
 
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