Oversee prices ...

B

biggerman

Joined
Aug 11, 2012
Messages
3
Hey guys,
here is just a little information for you / question for me ;D

Well, most of us know: Knifes are expensive. Thats all over the world the same thing.
But you guys should be so happy to live where you live.
I am german, living in Germany. And here comes my problem. Knifes are way way more expensive here than in the USA.
Here are some examples: (I could find much more with the greatest of ease)
(the prices shown are the lowes that i could find on that knife)

ESEE 5 180€ ≈ $222
CS Recon Scout 194€ ≈ $238
Ontario Rat 1 65$ ≈ $80
ZT 0300 250€ ≈ $307
Cold Steel Trail Master San Mai III 460€ ≈ $565
...

My question is why? I mean this could not be just shipping ... that is impossible!
Why do they have to be so expensive? I can not imagine that american knife companys want the prices so high...
Because this keeps many many people from buying such a knife.
Me for example, I would realy realy love to have some ESEE knifes like the ESEE 5 or 4. But they are just so expensive that im not going to buy one.
That could not be what ESEE (and other knife companys) want.

So what do you guys think? Do US companys know of those prices? Do they make them? Or may our resellers are just so greedy after money?

Fun fact: You can buy EU-made knifes (Böker, Victorinox, Mora...) as cheap if not cheaper that we can :confused:

Greetings for "lovely" Gemany
John!

I'm realy sorry for my english ... I know that it is not the best xD
 
Well i dont know about the sales tax but the customs charge would be 19% ... i would be ok with that xD
 
At least here in Sweden, very few stores carry Kershaw, Spyderco and other US brands. If I could buy a Delica at the supermarket because it was so common, then it'd be cheaper. As it is today, it's cheaper for me to import the knives. That costs: (the price of the knife + shipping) * 1.05 * 1.25.
 
But have in mind you (germans) have some of the chepest prices, if not the cheapest in EU on almost everything. Its cheaper for me to biy from germany then here in sweden... And even cheaper to impprt from US if you count with the taxes and shipping etc the buy it here.
But it is the taxes that does it.l
 
I really feel for you because I live in the states and knives are expensive as it is, I couldn't imagine absorbing even more markups. Plan your next vacation for the U.S.. While youre here, buy the knives you fancy that are too expensive back home. Or maybe if you have a friend /relative you trust they can ship them to you. Any way to save!
 
Thank you for your answers ;)
Importing knifes is quite difficult for me. I would have to drive to the customs (45 miles), open the box there. And than i would have to explain what i need such a knife for... Very annoying! Taxes would be 19% ... Thats ok!
So it WOULD be possible, but that is not a solution ... Is more of a "way around"!
 
when a company in germany like wolfster or so imports from US wholesalers, they do it in bigger volumes, not just single knives.
so apart from the 19% sales tax, there are real customs duties added because of the value of the shipment as a whole. easy math.
the shipping rates via priority mail have to be very high due to weight, also.

importing directly is not hard, i do it all the time.
i do the customs paperwork by mail and get the knives then sent to my doorstep. it is my right. i paid for postage to me, not to the customs office.

it is also UNTRUE that you have to explain anything to the german customs guys, if the knife is basically legal to own here.
if they molest you with stupid questions, tell them to do their fiscal job and nothing else.
try to import butterfly knives or push daggers or brass knuckle knives, then you have some REAL explaining to do.

also, german retailers have to calculate in for two years of guarantee and free return shipping because of our laws in internet commerce.
extended customer service is not for free.

some US retailers also grant big discounts over the suggested retail price when it comes to knives and guns. that is just not a tradition here. a lack of competition due to the reduced number of potential customers here might also do it´s part, granted.
 
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I can only speak about our country. Ad 20 % to the price, ad to that 14% VAT, ad to that any other custom handling charge, ad to that the shops profit margin and you pay almost $380 for a Spyderco Military that is a $150 knife.

But...that is our law.
 
Price differences are ENTIRELY down to taxes in some form or other. Import duties, VAT, and in the EU customs are allowed to charge VAT over shipping costs - and they always do so. Then, when the knife gets sold, the person doing the selling gets less pay but costs more because the State takes half of what he earns - and these costs are also included in the selling price of the knife.
It's what socialists don't understand about the cost of the collective system. It makes people poor, it makes everything expensive because everything is taxed to death, at all stages from inception to counter. It's how a BMW 3-series produced in Germany can be cheaper in the US, even after the transport costs.
 
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