i know you've all seen the"shop at home knives.....

this is the story. i always carry a knife at work with me or wherever i go.someone noticed my pocket clip at work and inquired about my knife.i showed it to them and they liked it,it was a bm, i said would you be interested in buying one "similar"...lol if i brought some in, they said yes and alot of other people did also. so i went home and ordered the $200.00 special....lmao where i got 100 knives....lol....all pos as you all know.these people ate them up like hotcakes at 10 bucks a piece and 15 for the ones in the pouch,sold the bowies for 30 bucks a piece(only 4 of them came in the set) nobody at my work is a knife fanatic but me so they don't really know the quality of a good knife. everyone was happy with what they got and no complaints.this is my question:was it wrong of me to do this? knowing i would make a killing and go out and buy myself a great folder, or 2 or 3...lmao.if everyone was happy i think i didn't take advantage, what does everyone else think?so far i grossed about 400 dollars on this so i have profited about 200 minus shipping
 
Hi Shawn...

Well if they thought you were selling them knives like the one you were wearing,,and pawned the garbage off as BM,s,, then you ripped them off...

On the other hand,,if they knew they were getting garbage,, thats another story. The thing is,, these people maybe thought they were getting the same quality as the BM,, and if they ever show it to someone,,Who Knows,,and is honest enough to tell them it's a POS,, you might be getting some complaints.. At $10.00 a piece,,anyone should know,,even if they don't know knives it's a POS...

Nothing wrong with making a buck,,as long as you can look yourself in the mirror, and look at your customers the next day. I don't think you ripped them off as long as long you didn't mislead them, not everyone can afford an expensive blade,even a Cheap-O-Delux fills a void.

ttyle Eric...


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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
eric, good point,these guys don't even know what a bencmade knife is, they knew they were getting a knife that looked good to them and don't know a pos and probably could care less. they knew they weren't getting a knife like mine,heck i told them i paid 100 bucks for the one i carry to work and they thought i was crazy. when i said earlier "a knife similar" i didn't mean it like you might have taken it. simply i meant would you like to buy a folding knife. they looked at what i had when i brought them in and chose what they wanted,and liked them as well.most use them at work on a daily bases for light utility thank god....lol.in no way did i compare my bm to what they would be getting
 
PhilL

PhilL

Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
6,490
Shawn.
I'm a Salesman. I believe in my product, I know when I do a deal, it's a win-win situation for me and my client. I'm nobody to judge you, but just your questions suggests a little guilt or a little pride, I can't tell which. I know there are some people that believe give the people what they want, and that nobody has ever gone broke underestimating an Ameriacans intelligence. I don't know if you pulled a "Bait and Switch" but it sounds like you're walking a fine line. Will some of the people you sold to be happy with the sale? Sure. Will some eventually realize they didn't really get their moneys worth? It could happen, especially if they ever catch the same show you did. I guess it really comes down to are you happy with what you did? Do you want to do it again? If one of your friends had pulled the same deal on you, how would you feel, about them?
 
I don't know Shawn. You have demonstrated tremendous entrepreneurial spirit. I am sure you are going to do very well in our capitalistic society. And you're right, as long as everyone on both sides of the deal goes away happy, it's a good trade for all. But what if one of your buyers stays up real late and watches the show, does some math, finds this site on the internet, or picks up a knife magazine, and compares what he finds to the knife he bought from you, or to your BM or someone elses. True, they probably wouldn't have spent the money for a real quality knife in the first place. And you didn't charge them so much that I think there is a serious ethical dilemma here. So hopefully nobody will come back mad at you armed with the knife you sold them.

But I think you posted here because YOU are not too sure you've done the right thing. Am I right? I am not going to help you with your moral problem. I always wondered about those really knowledgable serious knife guys that you see on the Home Shopping channels. How can they do that to people. Then I realize they are idiots too. And I never cease to be amazed at the advertisments I see for those shows in serious knife magazines. What a waste of money!

In the future, please try to Educate ignorant people. Don't take advantage of them because of their lack of knowledge or experience. Congrats on your profit. I'm really weird, and think some things mean more than dollars. Just my thoughts. Remember, you asked
smile.gif


Paracelsus

[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 19 December 1999).]
 
great reaction guys! the funny thing is that alot of the people i sold to have seen this deal on the shop at home knives thingamabob....lol. they just don't want to spend 200 dollars on their credit card to obtain these knives but are more than willing to buy a few when someone else has purchased them.the funny thing is that one guy in particular has watched this show repeadedly and has probably spent about $150 in knives from me,i even told him...let me show you some "quality" knives over the internet,and have shwn him my own personal knives and the quality of them compared to what he has bought from me,he still continues to buy the ones from me even though i have tried to get him to get a nice knife.and no i don't feel guilty because it's what these people want and they won't spend money on a higher quality knife because thats not what they are "into".it's funny i don't or haven't met anyone who appreciates good quality knives such as myself,this is very sad but now i have a place to go and discuss things such as knives....bladeforums.com.......
 
phil, it wasn't pride though it may have sounded that way at first, it was a little guilt though but now i think it has been diminished.everyone knew where i bought these knives, thats why i shouldn't fell guilty...right? and everyone was happy and came back for more so i have no reason to feel that way right? well i don't now thanx that you great people here have voiced some opinions, thanx guys and gals
 
Shawn,

I operate on the philosophy that a knife is one of the things that you should be able to depend on when your life's at stake. Regardless of whether these folks you work with will carry these knives day in and day out if even one of them needs that knife you sold them to save their bacon and they find out it was a POS the hard way you've done wrong.

A dealer may sell crap to folks and only suffer the more abstract consequences while dealing to folks you know and knowing you're selling them an inferior product so you can profit materially is bad Karma.

Just make sure your coworkers know they got flashy wall hangers and show them some of the less expensive but servicable pieces they could count on.

Regardless of the responses you get it shows good character to even ask the question of yourself and your fellows here instead of just pocketing the money and laughing all the way to the knife store.

Take care,

Mike

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TANSTAAFL


 
Hello. If you'd have seen the retail prices for those cheapies you would find that you charged less then they are listed..remember the pitch man on that late night show quotes those retail prices. Seeing that they make their money from volume sales, I just figure you played middle man. Now you can afford to buy from one of us and feel proud that you added to your collection with profits from knives.

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Jake Evans
 
Shawn - Howdy!
Personally, I don't think you did anything wrong. After all, the knives offered are meant to be resold. Why else would they sell 100 knives for $200?
I always figured that these were marketed towards Flea Marketeers (I just made up that word, do ya like it?)

What you did is really no different than what any other retailer does. Buy something and then mark it up to whatever the market will bear.
Since the folks bought 'em at $15, and they were happy, there's nothing wrong with it.

Just remember not to get drunk with the boys at work some night and say, "Remember when I sold all you suckers those knives......?"

Anyways, that's my fix on the subject Capitalist Swine,
wink.gif


Sucking Dimes,
IB VG

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Vampire Gerbil: Nosferatus Rodentus Moderatus; similar to a domestic gerbil, except for the odd accent and little black cape.

 
Well, if they've seen the show, they "know" that the knives you sold them are great tools! After all, the guys on TV wouldn't lie... would they? They sell those packages with the intent of the knives being resold by dealers, so that's really all you did. If they THOUGHT they were getting good knives, what you did is somewhat questionable. Now, if you specifically TOLD them they were good knives, it was outright dishonest and immoral. Whatever the case may be, it is too late to do anything about it now. I just hope A) no one bets their life on one of those knives, and B) you don't start feeling super-guilty about it.

Good luck
Howie
 
Shawn,
If everyone is happy, I'm happy for you. There is nothing wrong with making a profit, I don't work for free either. You did lay out your money, there was a risk involved, but you knew your customer and gave them what they wanted. That's great, do it again. I gave a bunch of those knives away to my Boss and some people I worked with last year. When I stopped by there last week, my Ex-boss told me he still has the knife I gave him, it made him happy, and he could afford a Moran if he wanted one. Different strokes for different folks.
 
Good entreprenurial spirit. As long as the customers know what they're buying, you're cool
 
Shawn, let me try to be more clear about my intent this time:

You are going to burn in H*** buddy!
smile.gif


But then again, if you don't believe in h***, I don't think it will happen to you. Personally, I think some of us are already there.

I agree with the other poster however, who said that it shows good character And, I think, bravery to post your question here. Best of luck to you with your business ventures.

BTW: I have several $200 to $300 dollar handmade custom knives I could Maybe sell you for, let's say $1200 each. Interested?

Paracelsus
(a complete idiot)

[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 19 December 1999).]
 
paracelsus...my mark-up wasn't as hi as yours
smile.gif
it was just a one time deal btw too,and i do believe in h*** but don't think i will burn there....lol
 
The few times I've resold those bargain basement plastic "tactical folders" it has been accompanied with a warning that the user should be aware that these locking folders cannot be trusted not to unlock.

A Knife Person would know this without being told -- but the Uninitiated might not, and if you don't warn them you are, I think, a tad responsible for the results.

Any lock can fail -- but the cheaper ones almost always go first.

Razor

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AKTI #A000845
And tomorrow when you wake up it will be worse.

 
Shawn,

Your prices sound reasonable to me. You invested $200, paid for shipment, and handled the resale of the knives. The inventory carry risk and risk of loss were entirely on your half of the court.

Customer satisfaction is a factor of the expectations you provided at the time of sale; if they knew exactly what they were buying and what to expect from what they were buying then you are going to have alot of happy people on your hands.

Good start. Maybe you should plan a follow up for the 25% that are going to come back for more.
 
it's funny: i remember a "dealer" posting POS Spyderco ripoffs on the for sale forums. he got his head ripped off and handed to him on a tin plate. it even went to Sal's Place (Spyderco Forum) and he didn't exactly mince words about what he thought about anyone who would deal with these products. Shawn, do you not like your co-workers? that's what it comes down to for me..i won't even loan a knife to anyone if it hasn't passed a spine whack test. of course it's easy to say buyer beware- if vague mottos like that can cover your conscience up then you haven't committed any blade-sins. i'm only 35, but i wouldn't want to tangle myself up in that mess. i think you deliberately ripped your co-workers off. to me "similar" isn't the same as shoddy knock-off late night look-alike! of course some dictionaries won't agree. but the fact that your co-workers obviously trusted you on this- man, that's sad. i'm glad i get along with most of my co-workers better than that. and from what i saw with the Spyderco look-alike dealer, well, can anyone explain to me why he got reamed for coming on the forums selling POS and this is all okey-dokey? shouldn't capitalism be the same across the board for everyone? just curious...
 
The old "bait and switch", ever sold cars for a living?
I don't condone what you did, I think it is wrong, and I believe in hell.

From reading your posts, I guess you are lol all the way to hell. (Of course, you can easily change your direction.)

Sorry I can't be nice about it, really don't see how any of my fellow forum members could.



[This message has been edited by ThomM (edited 20 December 1999).]
 
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