Just trying to make a buck?

Silas

Silas

Joined
Jul 22, 2004
Messages
2,628
I really hope I don't get flamed for this but it has been on my mind. Every Busse knife that I have bought has been for personal use or to throw in the safe to keep for myself or my kids, when I finally have kids that is, or for presents to friends and family. I have had to end up selling some of them to fund others that I decided I wanted more. I made a few dollars here and there, some I broke even on. Never was I out to make big profits as that is not why I collect them. I will say that I am all for Jerry's knives appreciating in value, they truly are great knives.
My wonder however is that there seems to be some "new people" attracting to the trough who have come here only to make money, and to really push the envelope on their mark-up prices. I mean they buy it and the day after they get it they throw it up for sale with a HUGE price increase. These knives sell and that makes others who were buying them for personal use/fun think well shoot maybe I'll throw mine up for sale if I can get that price, unfortunatly myself included. These giant price increases cut out a group of people who might would have considered buying a $3-350.00 knife but not pay $450-500.00 for a knife. These people never get to know and enjoy a Busse knife because when they get here they may be led to believe that we're just mark-up freaks who are only in it for the money and not in it for the enjoyment of just owning and using a Busse knife.
I honestly believe that the original crew that was spending time here before the last couple/few months showed me the real reason for owning a Busse, The true enjoyment of what I really had. I am glad I came here back when I did, before the new people, not all of them though, who seem to just want to make a dollar at at the expense of other new and sometimes older people.

I guess I just miss the day, and wish it would go back to, when Busse knives appreciated in value because of what they were and what they could do. Not appreciate in value, dramaticaly, because I beat someone else to it and I can mark it up big time because they want it. This truly takes all of the enjoyment out of it for me. I want to commend and thank Jerry for not jumping on this "new" bandwagon and greatly raising all of his prices. He shows great character.

So in my ending statement I just want to really and sicerely thank all of the original Hogs who I met here a couple of years ago. the ones who showed me what owning a Busse was really all about. :cool:

Even still, NO REGRETS.
 
It would stop if people would stop paying the prices.

As long as they do, that becomes the new market value.

I know many models I've had at shows recently showed up on BF, Ebay, and other spots less than 48 hours later, even after I asked and was told they were spoken for by buyers who couldn't make it to the show.

This subject has been brought up before. Many hogs have been called opportunists, simply for pricing things at current market values. It would be nice to buy several of a model, sell some of them, and reduce your final cost of the one(s) you keep.

Of course, it is a double edged sword. High prices are great if you are selling, they bite if you are buying.

If we don't want to pay the price for something, we can say no. OK, we can TRY and say no. Then the hog weakness kicks in...:eek:
 
Hi Silas,

I've been into Busse's for about a year and have seen lots of knives offered at the high markups you mention. I've been in buying mode (sold none) to get a bit of a collection together (users and not) and have found that there are opportunities to get knives at "reasonable" prices as long as I don't jump at the first one. No doubt there are speculators in the market now and I think they're here to stay as long as the supply of new Busse's is tight. We've probably all seen the same with popular custom makers.

As for the HOG's, they are definitely the cream of the trough! I've always found them very generous with their time and experience. When I beat someone to a knife I want, I enjoy it, not just because I got a great knife for a good price, but because of the friendly competition that the HOG's support.

Cheers,
Dave
 
Errr I know personally I go on impulse buys and then go uhhh hmmm if I have more than 3 of a knife I usually end up selling it or if I get a knife and don't like it I sell it to buy another model. No huge mark ups. If you want to see ridiculous markups look at the ZDP-189 delicas. Even dealers held back some stock and are now trying to get 170 or 180!!! Also, I have no problem paying more, depening on the model (20-30%), for a knife that was in limited supply that I really want.
 
A knife, like any other product, is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Apparently there are plenty of people willing to pay a lot for Busse knives. I will probably never own a Busse (although I would love too) because they are already too pricy for me when they go up for sale at the company store. Thank goodness for Swamp Rat. They may not be as good as Busse, but I can afford them and they are plenty good enough for me.
 
Silas said:
I really hope I don't get flamed for this but it has been on my mind. Every Busse knife that I have bought has been for personal use or to throw in the safe to keep for myself or my kids, when I finally have kids that is, or for presents to friends and family. I have had to end up selling some of them to fund others that I decided I wanted more. I made a few dollars here and there, some I broke even on. Never was I out to make big prophets as that is not why I collect them. I will say that I am all for Jerry's knives appreciating in value, they truly are great knives.
My wonder however is that there seems to be some "new people" attracting to the trough who have come here only to make money, and to really push the envelope on their mark-up prices. I mean they buy it and the day after they get it they throw it up for sale with a HUGE price increase. These knives sell and that makes others who were buying them for personal use/fun think well shoot maybe I'll throw mine up for sale if I can get that price, unfortunatly myself included. These giant price increases cut out a group of people who might would have considered buying a $3-350.00 knife but not pay $450-500.00 for a knife. These people never get to know and enjoy a Busse knife because when they get here they may be led to believe that we're just mark-up freaks who are only in it for the money and not in it for the enjoyment of just owning and using a Busse knife.
I honestly believe that the original crew that was spending time here before the last couple/few months showed me the real reason for owning a Busse, The true enjoyment of what I really had. I am glad I came here back when I did, before the new people, not all of them though, who seem to just want to make a dollar at at the expense of other new and sometimes older people.

I guess I just miss the day, and wish it would go back to, when Busse knives appreciated in value because of what they were and what they could do. Not appreciate in value, dramaticaly, because I beat someone else to it and I can mark it up big time because they want it. This truly takes all of the enjoyment out of it for me. I want to commend and thank Jerry for not jumping on this "new" bandwagon and greatly raising all of his prices. He shows great character.

So in my ending statement I just want to really and sicerely thank all of the original Hogs who I met here a couple of years ago. the ones who showed me what owning a Busse was really all about. :cool:

Even still, NO REGRETS.
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It is my estimate that this too shall pass. It is the unfortunate consquence of a free market that when something is a money maker, the sharks will smell it. There are guys who do the next day turn around and try to make a mint. I don't like it myself and won't do it most of the time. I really have to not like a design to part with it in such a quick manner. When I do I check the ones that are selling and price it accordingly. Now you might say that if these profit seekers are setting the market then what is a new guy to do? Easy, don't pay the mark up. Have patience and wait for the right price to come along. The profiteer/collector is preying on the fact that people will buy on impulse. Watch who is doing the buying on these inflated prices. It is the new guys not the old guard Hogs. We know that if we wait long enough, the prices will come down. I won't personally pay $50-$100 over the retail on a knife that might still be coming to the company store for retail. You never know what Skunk will throw up there and when.

So if you really want to bring the prices back to a reasonable level, don't buy anything from the ones who aren't asking a fair price, a fair price in your own personal estimation. The item itself doesn't command a specific price, whatever someone is willing to pay for it is what it is worth. I personally have put a couple on ebay just because I didn't feel right slapping a price on it based on the sales here. I figure it will go for what it is worht, given the demand i wasn't going to lose money. In the years I have been buying Busse knives, I have never, ever lost a dime on one.

My advice for the new guys who are buying, be patient and keep and eye open and an ear to the ground. The hunt for that one you have been looking for is nearly as fun as using it when it comes home to roost. If you don't want to get taken, get to know the seller. Buy from someone you trust. Know what the retail was for a piece and judge from there how bad you really want it. That one ususally works for me.

My advice for the new guys selling, I begrudge no one a fair profit, especially if the market supports it, but not everyone is going to pay over $600 for a SFNO, especially when they will be made again (well at least we hope so). Don't shoot yourself in the foot in the long run by gouging anyone.
 
i have my own take on all this and had it all typed out.

then, when i went for my afternoon beer, my cat stomped on my keyboard....

oh well... NO REGRETS
 
beefangusbeef said:
Also, I have no problem paying more, depening on the model (20-30%), for a knife that was in limited supply that I really want.
Click to expand...

I don't either unless it's from someone who snags one or more from the Busse Company Store during the short time their listed, or anywhere really that has it listed at msrp, with the ONLY intent of immediately putting it back up for sale with a giant mark-up. That's just not right and takes all the enjoyment out of the whole Busse experience, the true Busse experience atleast. The ones doing this are the ones who have no idea what a Busse knife really is, they don't care either. They just see money.

I mean before when we were all hovering around the computer waiting for some to be listed it was to get it into our collection instead of someone elses. Now we have to hover around the computer waiting for some to be listed so we don't have to buy it the next day at a huge mark-up.
 
Silas said:
I don't either unless it's from someone who snags one or more from the Busse Company Store during the short time their listed, or anywhere really that has it listed at msrp, with the ONLY intent of immediately putting it back up for sale with a giant mark-up. That's just not right and takes all the enjoyment out of the whole Busse experience, the true Busse experience atleast. The ones doing this are the ones who have no idea what a Busse knife really is, they don't care either. They just see money.

I mean before when we were all hovering around the computer waiting for some to be listed it was to get it into our collection instead of someone elses. Now we have to hover around the computer waiting for some to be listed so we don't have to buy it the next day at a huge mark-up.
Click to expand...

It might deprive them of the Busse experience, but it shouldn't affect your experience. It only will if you let it get to you. Either way, we still are all hovering around the computer trying to snag the knives we want. :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
Rat Finkenstein said:
It might deprive them of the Busse experience, but it shouldn't affect your experience. It only will if you let it get to you. Either way, we still are all hovering around the computer trying to snag the knives we want. :thumbup: :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Correct you are. I guess it did get to me a little. All of you gave great answers/suggestions. No supprise that all of the answers came from Hogs and not the ones just looking to rip someone a new one wallet wise.

:thumbup:
 
No offense, Silas, but this sentiment always smells like sour grapes to me. Especially the negative sentiment against folks new to Busse or this board. I agree that it is a bit unsavory to put them up on ebay at double MSRP right after buying them.

And I can't understand your impression that some new posters to this forum are the profiteers you are complaining about. I think posters here, old or new, are here because they like Busses, & if the profiteer's only goal is to make money why would they take the time to post here? I really can't see how you got the impression that the only folks who have made a large profit selling are folks new to Busse or this forum. The biggest resellers here are the Hogs & old-timers (and I say more power to them, they made a wise investment).

In essence I don't think there is anything wrong with buying a knife and selling it at a profit later - isn't that one of your criteria when you are considering buying a knife? It is for me. I also am perfectly OK with anyone buying 2 or 3 or more with the intent of selling some later for a profit.

All that said I do believe there are folks that closely fit your description, except it doesn't offend me, it just makes me chuckle - especially the guy trying to sell an aK-47 on ebay for $899!!

(Progunner - thanks for pointing out in your post below the AK referred to above is an original model, so I guess I shouldn't chuckle, it may be a pretty good deal for an collector - my apologies to the seller...)
Take care,
broos
 
Broos said:
No offense, Silas, but this sentiment always smells like sour grapes to me. Especially the negative sentiment against folks new to Busse or this board. I agree that it is a bit unsavory to put them up on ebay at double MSRP right after buying them.

And I can't understand your impression that some new posters to this forum are the profiteers you are complaining about. I think posters here, old or new, are here because they like Busses, & if the profiteer's only goal is to make money why would they take the time to post here? I really can't see how you got the impression that the only folks who have made a large profit selling are folks new to Busse or this forum. The biggest resellers here are the Hogs & old-timers (and I say more power to them, they made a wise investment).

In essence I don't think there is anything wrong with buying a knife and selling it at a profit later - isn't that one of your criteria when you are considering buying a knife? It is for me. I also am perfectly OK with anyone buying 2 or 3 or more with the intent of selling some later for a profit.

All that said I do believe there are folks that closely fit your description, except it doesn't offend me, it just makes me chuckle - especially the guy trying to sell an aK-47 on ebay for $899!!

Take care,
broos
Click to expand...

Ok broos, First off I said "some of" the new posters.

Second, I never said there was something wrong with making a profit, even I have made a profit on a few knives, nothing giant but still a profit is a profit. I said I didn't like the ones who had no intention of giving back anything to the boards, information or what not. I'm talking about the ones who are only in it for the money, the ones who know nothing and don't care to know anything about Busse knives. They only know, hey I can buy one of these knives and sell it tomorrow with a giant mark-up.

Third, as I stated in my first post: "These knives sell and that makes others who were buying them for personal use/fun think well shoot maybe I'll throw mine up for sale if I can get that price, unfortunatly myself included".

How you like those sour grapes? ;)
 
profit = $$$$$ made after expenses
prophet = foreteller of the future.
Thank you and have a nice day! :)
 
Broos said:
No offense, Silas, but this sentiment always smells like sour grapes to me. Especially the negative sentiment against folks new to Busse or this board. I agree that it is a bit unsavory to put them up on ebay at double MSRP right after buying them.

And I can't understand your impression that some new posters to this forum are the profiteers you are complaining about. I think posters here, old or new, are here because they like Busses, & if the profiteer's only goal is to make money why would they take the time to post here? I really can't see how you got the impression that the only folks who have made a large profit selling are folks new to Busse or this forum. The biggest resellers here are the Hogs & old-timers (and I say more power to them, they made a wise investment).

In essence I don't think there is anything wrong with buying a knife and selling it at a profit later - isn't that one of your criteria when you are considering buying a knife? It is for me. I also am perfectly OK with anyone buying 2 or 3 or more with the intent of selling some later for a profit.

All that said I do believe there are folks that closely fit your description, except it doesn't offend me, it just makes me chuckle - especially the guy trying to sell an aK-47 on ebay for $899!!

Take care,
broos
Click to expand...


If you are talking about the AK on ebay right now, it appears to me to be an original, not the new AK-47.
 
See, I'm talking about true Hogs, ones that give back to the board. Like these two.

Rat Finkenstein said:
Prophet?

like Moses? :D

edit: man I type slow!
Click to expand...


Walking Man said:
profit = $$$$$ made after expenses
prophet = foreteller of the future.
Thank you and have a nice day! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks guys! :D :D
 
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