Over Pricing Mall Sharks!

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enduraguy

Joined
Jul 1, 2006
Messages
76
It's early in the a.m. for me, and I wasnt finding a better term. I was Christmas shopping yesterday, at a local big name (tourist attraction....Opry Mills) mall, and was reminded of why I never buy from stores, and favor online knife shopping. I went into a store in this mall that carried Spyderco knives. Asked the guy behind the counter if he happened to have a Para Military, and he replied "A what?". :jerkit: Not to mention ALL the knives to include the Spydercos were WAY over priced. We're talking MSRP and then some. A new Delica 4 for $75 for example.
 
We only have two knife store locally. One of them is WAY OVERPRICED...
I know that mall space rental is extremely high, which explains the higher than online prices. But when you are looking at 20-50 dollars higher price per knife than online, makes it kinda hard to support your local store. If its only a few dollars more, I will buy from them. Support the local people and you don't have to wait. It is frustrating when you go to a store to look at a product, and the person behind the counter doesn't have a clue what you are talking about....
 
I sometimes visit a local shop just to look, just to look because they sell the native for 90$.:eek: Honestly I can get it for 40$ at Waly World.:rolleyes:
 
enduraguy said:
It's early in the a.m. for me, and I wasnt finding a better term. I was Christmas shopping yesterday, at a local big name (tourist attraction....Opry Mills) mall, and was reminded of why I never buy from stores, and favor online knife shopping. I went into a store in this mall that carried Spyderco knives. Asked the guy behind the counter if he happened to have a Para Military, and he replied "A what?". Not to mention ALL the knives to include the Spydercos were WAY over priced. We're talking MSRP and then some. A new Delica 4 for $75 for example.
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my sentiments exactly. most brick and mortar stores have no idea what they're doing price-wise when it comes to knives. i prefer to LOOK in the shops, and BUY online :)

PS. might want to edit your post and remove the jerkit-smiley, since the mods don't take kindly to it. just a hint.
 
You've got to look around a long time before you find decent shops. I have one shop in my hometown that sells benchmade's for NGK prices, and the knife store in the mall I have sells Kershaws for NGK prices. For Spydercos, I'm on my own and order from NGK (or any knife they happen not to have). Should be getting my christmas order in now anyway.
 
Before you all get too critical of brick and mortar store pricing, please remember that it is awfully nice to have such a store available to look at the knives and to handle them. And operating such a store costs money, money that must be obtained by selling products. If you wish to keep having a place where you can try out your toys before buying them, you should consider supporting your local merchants. The problem locally is that the only knife shop in the area is, or was, Chesapeake Knife & Tool, a company with sime of the stupidest policies for selecting what knives to offer that I have ever seen.
 
FullerH said:
Before you all get too critical of brick and mortar store pricing, please remember that it is awfully nice to have such a store available to look at the knives and to handle them. And operating such a store costs money, money that must be obtained by selling products. If you wish to keep having a place where you can try out your toys before buying them, you should consider supporting your local merchants. The problem locally is that the only knife shop in the area is, or was, Chesapeake Knife & Tool, a company with sime of the stupidest policies for selecting what knives to offer that I have ever seen.
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... I can appreciate this...I REALLY can ! However, the other side of the coin, so to speak , is the consumer. I know the financial challenges that go into keeping a local merchant afloat. I did the "local merchant" thing for some years...I can speak from experience. However, it is the enterprising and innovative that can successfully make their business profitable. NOTHING infuriates me more than the local merchant who inflates prices and then defends the practice with a mealy mouth justification like....."well I'm a small local businessman with a family....and a have to charge more....and I'm a nice guy !" :rolleyes:

We are ALL nice guys...both the businessman AND the consumer. And if a retailer can't find a way to compete, WITHIN REASON......then I'll take my business elsewhere. After all.......I'm a nice guy and have expenses too ! ;)

-regards
 
Totally agree with you Gramps..

You should try living in the UK... if there was no Ebay we would not buy Spydercos, BMs, Bucks, Kershaws and SOGs..

An example... over there a buck 110 standard can be bought for £17.00 UKP from walmart. Over here they are £75.00 each... how is that fair?
 
Maverick4546 said:
Totally agree with you Gramps..

You should try living in the UK... if there was no Ebay we would not buy Spydercos, BMs, Bucks, Kershaws and SOGs..

An example... over there a buck 110 standard can be bought for £17.00 UKP from walmart. Over here they are £75.00 each... how is that fair?
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I can only imagine the frustration you must feel ! Of course I can't help but wonder how much, if any, is related to your domestic tarrifs..perhaps to protect what is left of the "Sheffeld Trade" ?....I am honestly not "up" on that subject. Too, the Common Market has it tariff policies if I am not mistaken.

For the enterprising however, it would seem that there would be some profit in bringing in a container load of Buck 110's and the mid-priced Spydercos.They could be sold at a marginal profit and still provide the consumer and retailer with a boon ! I wonder if UK "knife laws" make something like this prohibative...or at least too difficult to consider ?

-Best regards
 
It can be considered....
But in the UK carrying any Lock Knife is illegal.
Plus HM Customs and Excise would have a field day I would imagine...
 
Similar situation here in Canada... there's a local store that carries a GREAT selection of Spydies, Benchmade, some Fallkniven, lots of neat stuff...

Benchmade 210 Activator online? $85
This local place? $210 (CDN)

Sorry, but I just can't see spending well over twice as much. Not gonna happen.
 
You really should be thankful that you live within 150 miles of a knife store. It's a long way to "try before you buy" from here. I'd be better off paying MSRP for a knife I have handled and like than paying 40% less for a dozen that just aren't what I want, but looked good in their pictures.
 
Even though that seems high. You get the knife when you buy it. You also get to handle it out or a display model of it before plunking down cash. If you order one over the net, it takes a few days, and you don't get to 'try it out.' And if you overnight it, the prices are pretty comparable.
 
Suerte said:
Even though that seems high. You get the knife when you buy it. You also get to handle it out or a display model of it before plunking down cash. If you order one over the net, it takes a few days, and you don't get to 'try it out.' And if you overnight it, the prices are pretty comparable.
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I've read posts about guys having trouble sometimes returning product to online shops after they receive a knife and there's something they don't like about it that isn't exactly a defect.

Also, some of these production knives can vary pretty widely unit-to unit (some will be tight and scratchy opening, others a little loose and a tad wobbly, etc). If you're picky, it's nice to handle the thing first and avoid getting a little attitude from some online guy when you tell him there's some relatively minor issue that will bug the heck out of you if you keep it.
 
You gotta haggle. If the owner is around, I always ask if that's the best price he can do. I've gotten a few knives that were only about 5 dollars more than a good internet price if you factor in shipping costs. Most "owner operated" shops will come down in price rather than let merchandise sit and collect dust.
 
Our local mall knife store pretty much sells everything at twice what you can find it for online. I will gladly pay 10-20% extra but not 100%. For example, they had an Al Mar Shrike for $225 + tax. I found one online a year ago for about $115 shipped. Just can't do it when I know I am being ripped off. Every once in a while, they will have a sale on a Spyderco that has gone out of production and is now worth more than it was a few years ago. With the sale price and the collectable price increase, it just makes it a fair deal. Not a good deal, just fair.

They have been in business for years so they must be selling enough to make it worth while. I have never bought much from them, and I don't like to use them to check out knives and then buy online. I pretty much stay away from the mall. Gun and knife shows are nice because I like to check out the stuff first hand and if I see a deal, I am on it.
 
There is a climbing and outdoor store (benchmark outfitters) near my house in cincinnati and is the only store that carries anything more than benchmade I have found in the area, they tried to sell me the mini-skirmish for 240$, I really don't see that happening, however I buy everything else for knives (such as miltec and other little things) when I go in there that keep them afloat (almost a fee for handling the knives) and I don't feel like a dirtbag windowshopper...
 
One interesting aspect of the internet-marketplace phenomena (meaning: more and more knife users buying online) is that the stakes on quality control and fit&finish, etc. are much higher now.

I mean, dedicated online buyers know the pitfalls of buying a knife site-unseen and, as such, they're most likely to steer their business away from manufacturers with spotty reputations for QC. That, I believe, can only help great companies like Spyderco. Of the 15-20 Spydies I've purchased over the past 8 years, only one was selected and purchased in person (at a gun show). Everything else has been online and I've never ever been unsatisfied with a purchase.

On the opposite side, I'll admit to a soft spot in my heart for carbon steel slipjoints and I do like some Case designs -- but I would NEVER buy a Case without first handling and inspecting the hell out of it, just seen too many lemons. And since there are no Case retailers anywhere near me, that company gets none of my knife-buying dough.
 
Found this one at the local mall a few weeks ago for $99.00 ;)

Hey Phil000, Savson knives is ten minutes from your house. He will be opening a retail store front very soon:D

I've had good luck with the Malls and local stores in Golden, Colorado. Oh yea, the SFO is just up the street :thumbup:


2006-10-22temperance004.jpg
 
steelco said:
Found this one at the local mall a few weeks ago for $99.00 ;)

Hey Phil000, Savson knives is ten minutes from your house. He will be opening a retail store front very soon:D

I've had good luck with the Malls and local stores in Golden, Colorado. Oh yea, the SFO is just up the street :thumbup:


2006-10-22temperance004.jpg
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Lucky you. I have a store about 45 miles away and last summer I saw the same Lil Temperance, but price tag was $200.
 
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