Now Delica at Wal-Mart also?

ThinkOfTheChildren

ThinkOfTheChildren

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Jul 7, 2000
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http://www.walmart.com/catalog/sear...e.x=0&Continue.y=0&Continue=Find&ics=20&ico=0

That link should work, but if not, just go to http://www.walmart.com and search for Spyderco.

Now, I'm one of the people who thinks that bringing the Native to Wal-Mart was a good thing, but we were told that there were no plans for other models and that part of the justification of the Native was that it didn't sell well from other merchants.

Now it looks like Wal-Mart is selling 5 variants of the Delica (although at a higher price than a lot of online vendors). If I'm not mistaken, the Delica is one of the most popular sellers.

What's the deal? It seems as if we've been told one thing over the last couple of weeks and now the opposite is happening.
 
doesn't matter that they are online only, let's hope it was a mistake.
 
If I recall correctly,

The native was the only one sold to the ENTIRE corporation.

however each separate walmart store can purchase what they want on a individual basis
I would think that would apply to the online store too

I certainly hope Spyderco isn't selling out to walmart.
 
The problem is even if it's one online walmart store, it's effectively the same as the ENTIRE chain because the internet removes the normal geographical limits to shopping.
 
I agree with Dave, plus I'd like to add the fact that a lot of people were worried about the "slippery slope" effect of the Native being introduced to Wal-Mart. It was the fear of some that once the Native took off, other models would follow, eventually allowing Wal-Mart to take a large amount of business away from the dealers who have supported Spyderco for so many years.

We were assured that this wouldn't happen, but it looks like we've just slid a little further down the slope... even if only by a little bit. If each step is only a little bit, it's not long before a major change has occurred.

Obviously Wal-Mart has interest in other models if they've picked up the Delica (even on a small scale).

I support a free market and Spyderco can do as it wishes with its product... I just feel like some of the statements we've gotten from Kristi and Sal on the matter seem a bit less genuine now that this is happening.

Hopefully Wal-Mart just picked these up through a distribution channel and not directly from Spyderco. And if that's the case then I apologize for having the opinion that Spyderco's recent public statements have been misleading.
 
I may be mistaken, but I believe the Delicas were available on their site before the Native was introduced into stores.
 
My Friend,

ThinkOfTheChildren said:
I support a free market and Spyderco can do as
it wishes with its product... I just feel like some of the statements we've gotten from Kristi and Sal on the matter seem a bit less genuine now that this is happening.

Hopefully Wal-Mart just picked these up through a distribution channel and not directly from Spyderco. And if that's the case then I apologize for having the opinion that Spyderco's recent public statements have been misleading.
Click to expand...

I have followed this entire debate from the beginning - neither Sal nor Kristi have been anything less than completely truthful and on the level. Any Wal-Mart has (and has always possessed) the option of carrying Spyderco knives, but this is done on a store-by-store basis. The Native is the only one marketed throughout the entire chain.

I will also point out that this is an experiment, first and foremost. How this goes will determine if any other Spyderco knives will ever be in Wal-Mart chainwide en masse, and whether or not the Native continues to do so. Memory serving, Sal has indicated that Spyderco cannot and will not market their entire line chainwide at Wal-Mart under any circumstances.

To insinuate that Spyderco, a company noted first and foremost for their integrity, is being intentionally untruthful with the ELU is practically beyond belief.

Please understand that I am in no way affiliated with Spyderco other than being a fan of their products, and am in no position to act as an official mouthpiece for them; these thoughts are my own.

Anyone choosing to get nasty with me is encouraged to contact me off-forum in the interest of respect for this forum.

------------------------
Dr. Hannibal Lecter, M.D.
doctor.hannibal.lecter.md@gmail.com
 
ThinkOfTheChildren said:
I agree with Dave, plus I'd like to add the fact that a lot of people were worried about the "slippery slope" effect of the Native being introduced to Wal-Mart. It was the fear of some that once the Native took off, other models would follow, eventually allowing Wal-Mart to take a large amount of business away from the dealers who have supported Spyderco for so many years.

We were assured that this wouldn't happen, but it looks like we've just slid a little further down the slope... even if only by a little bit. If each step is only a little bit, it's not long before a major change has occurred.

Obviously Wal-Mart has interest in other models if they've picked up the Delica (even on a small scale).

I support a free market and Spyderco can do as it wishes with its product... I just feel like some of the statements we've gotten from Kristi and Sal on the matter seem a bit less genuine now that this is happening.

Hopefully Wal-Mart just picked these up through a distribution channel and not directly from Spyderco. And if that's the case then I apologize for having the opinion that Spyderco's recent public statements have been misleading.
Click to expand...

The ONLY model sold by Spyderco to Wal-Mart is the C41PBK Native. Any other model found online or in any Wal-Mart store is being purchased through a different channel, not Spyderco. Each store (their online business is looked at as if it were a separate store) has a discretionary budget that allows them to purchase product specifically for that location.

So yes, it's entirely possible to find other models within Wal-Mart's offerings, but no, they did not come directly from us.

Hope this clears things up.

Kristi
 
Thank you, Kristi, that does clear things up.

I therefore apologize for insinuating that Spyderco made misleading statements in the forums.

I was also not aware that the Delica had been previously available online as above posters have said.
 
I have a lot of faith in Spyderco. They give us their word regarding what they do "when no one is looking," after all.

The BIGGEST danger, and I think you will all agree, when a company does business as a supplier for Walmart, is that Walmart has such huge corporate buying power that THEY BEGIN TO DICTATE THINGS LIKE MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION COSTS and that can have a drastic effect on production QUALITY.

The problem is that when Walmart says jump, if it is a major buyer from a company, the company is forced to say, "How high?" I was just hearing a report on the radio about this two nights ago. Walmart exerts pressure for companies to lower costs, and fearing loss of revenue from Walmart's business, the company makes changes.

Now, I'm not fearing that Spyderco would cheapen its steel, or cut back on materials and design just to please Walmart... but some companies DO exactly that -- and not because they wish to, but because Walmart says, "We want you to be offering us your products, yeah, but we want to buy them for 40% LESS than we're paying now. Make it happen. :grumpy:

It's something to be on guard for.


-Jeffrey
 
Thanx for the faith Jeffrey,

That IS the big issue in a nutshell.

Wal-Mart, in an effort to always bring the customer the lowest possible cost is always pressuring the makers.

On the other hand, they have given us the impression that they do realize quality and USA made are something their customer is demanding.

We will always try to save a penny here or there on the Native, but it is in "steps or motions" saved by efficiency rather than material or quality reductions. Spyderco's reputation is very important to us.

The ELU that buys one of our Natives in Wal-Mart will get the same model, same material, same quality because we work for them, not Wal-Mart.

In fact, it is my personal goal to up-grade the Wal-Mart Native in the future, as we would any of our models.

sal
 
walmart is a love hate place,love the prices hate that its all made in china-
i remember a guy from black & decker telling me how wallyworld told them what price they had to deliver a drill for ,so they had to set up a factory in china in order to sell to them,most other places still recieved the made in america ones-he also said the quality was way under what they wanted but all wallyworld cared about was the price-

so i went to home depot and bought a 12v ryobi-made in the good ole us of a and it lasted for well beyond what it should have-actually still works but the batteries are shot-its about 9-10 years old

i try to only buy dog food and music at walmart if a can-its my choice
i used to drive 20 minutes to go there in the days of the -made in usa signs,havent seen one of those in 5-6 years-
 
I think it's interesting that Wal*Mart's prices for the Delicas are actually higher than what can be found elsewhere. Probably because they're getting them from other distributers instead of directly from Spyderco.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Thanx for the faith Jeffrey,

That IS the big issue in a nutshell.

Wal-Mart, in an effort to always bring the customer the lowest possible cost is always pressuring the makers.

On the other hand, they have given us the impression that they do realize quality and USA made are something their customer is demanding.

We will always try to save a penny here or there on the Native, but it is in "steps or motions" saved by efficiency rather than material or quality reductions. Spyderco's reputation is very important to us.

The ELU that buys one of our Natives in Wal-Mart will get the same model, same material, same quality because we work for them, not Wal-Mart.

In fact, it is my personal goal to up-grade the Wal-Mart Native in the future, as we would any of our models.

sal
Click to expand...


Another BIG reason that I am a BIG Spyderco fan and love their products. They work for us, the ELU. They make awesome products for us.

Ron
 
I don't buy anything from Wal-Mart (or other huge, drive-everyone-out-of-business-and-affect-local-politics-from-outside-the-district stores), since I try to be a socially responsible consumer.

However, the Delica is a much better design than the Native IMO. Also, I'm glad (in a way) that this style of knife is gaining popularity among the non-thinking, Wal-Mart-shopping masses again -- especially since they are so numerous. That type of humanoid is, unfortunately, the kind who needs to approve of the knives such as these, in order for Knuts to stay out of trouble with Johnny Law.

Double-edged sword.

Peace.
 
I think it is also important to note, for the benefit of any who read this, get incensed at the mere mention of Wal-Mart's name, but do not bother following links, that the prices on the Delica at Wal-Mart are no better, and in fact somewhat higher, than those available from any number of on-line dealers and eBay sellers.
 
catamount123 said:
I may be mistaken, but I believe the Delicas were available on their site before the Native was introduced into stores.
Click to expand...
Yep, I can say the same. I found them there before the Native's hit.
 
Am I the only person who likes to shop at Walmart? They be a heartless corporation , but so were the chains that they "ran out of business"(not including mom and pop stores here).

mindless consumer who doesn't like to pay ten prices on groceries= "me"
 
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