Paying for catalogs

parfive

parfive

Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
353
How do you guys feel about this, having to pay for a catalog from knife companies to be able to see the products they carry so that you can "spend" money there? I realize that the catalogs cost them to have printed but shouldn't that be the price of doing business?
 
I'll tell you a little trick. Call their Customer Service Department and ask for a manager. Calmly explain that you don't feel you should have to pay for a basic catalog which will lead to the purchase of one or more of their products. From my experience (as a previous manager of a knife manufacturer's customer service department and as one who has acquired catalogs for free that had a price on them), I'd say that you will have success with this 3 out of 4 times. But don't be angry when this doesn't work. Some policies have no flexibility.

Often, the price on these catalogs is only there to receive payment from those who will actually pay without complaining! :) Sad, but true.
 
I have to agree. Most knife companies put together in-depth, high quality, expense catalogs. After all, why would we buy knives from companies that can't even make their knives look good on paper?

I've found that now-a-days people want everything they can get for free, especially when all they have to do is type in a mailing adress. From a manufacturer's/distributer's perspective, even a $1 price tag on a catalog is going to separate the "give me free stuff" person from the "I'm sincerely interested in you product" person.

I do however find that personal communication can break this barrier.
 
I got a Spyderco catalog for free and in two-three days to boot. I live in Canada and that's why I was so impressed they sent me one outside of the States. Furthermore they sent me two!!! Now THAT's showing they care :D

Funny thing is on the BM site there's a email for you to ask for a catalog if outside of the USA. So after I sent one out the reply I got was "the 2003 catalog can be downloaded from the BM site"

They could have just told ppl that instead of telling them to email them for catalogs :D Anyhow those are my funny catalog stories...

I always thought it was dumb to have ppl pay 10-15 bucks to see cars at the annual autoshow in Toronto for car companies to advertise their new models. But hey, if ppl pay ppl will continue to charge...
 
Another issue is that if the catalogs were free, people would want them just to browse and look at knives, even if they had no intention of buying one. If you put a price on the catalog, only the people who are interested will order them, so you won't waste printing catalogs for people who will never be customers. This also means they'll probably send you one free if you call and ask, since they know you're probably interested in buying.
 
I've recieved the free ELU catalogue from Spyderco since 2000. I've also bough the 96 dealer and 03 dealer. I use the cat both to look at info, browse for purchases, and convert ppl by showing them a variety.

Though free cats have place, most ppl don't appreciate the costs involved in doing this. The costs involed in cats comes out of marketing. The larger chunk of profits given to that means less on R&D. I make more than enough purchases from spyderco though that I have nothing against getting an ELU cat in the mail. I keep track of it and give thanks when due.
 
We have several catalogs on the site, and most we charge a $1 for except for the big big, ones they have to be more beacuse they cost around $6 to print and darn near that to ship. Yes alot of the $1 are free to us in cost but not free to be shipped to us. Yes we add some that we need in the knife shipments but all of that is shipped, which is an expense. So with that and the process of orders, $1 is not a big $$ maker. not in the $1 catalogs to make money, Just want to spread the love. Paul

:)
 
I also received a Spyderco 2003 Cat. free and really fast.
I seen someone had a Spyderco 2003 Cat. on ebay and from what I remember it was up to $3 :rolleyes: :eek:

I also get Buck Cat. free :)

I don't like paying for Cat.

It's kind of like having to pay to get into a knife show so you can spend money, ;)
 
I think it's in bad taste and normally would never think of paying for a catalog.I do understand the expense strain a large number of requests could put in the companies budget however.
 
It's rare I have to get a catalog, let alone pay for one. I can usually see everything I need to buy online. If I do need one, I am sincerely wanting to purchase more products and want a better look at them. I have only had to pay once. The knife company charges exorbitant prices for their knives and the quality of their catalog was way above par. I don't think I will be buying from them because their knives are too rich for my blood and I can pay cheaper for the kind of knives I neeed. If you need a catalog, you should be able to get one for free. Best deal of all catalogs I have had? Cold Steel! Bar none, they have the nicest one. The bonus is their more proof DVDs which come along with it. It is free. Other knife catalogs I have seen are Becker Knife and Tool, Ek Knife, Spyderco, and Szabo Enterprises. The Cold Steel ranks the highest for hype and being well put together. These comments about catalogs should not be an interpretation of the quality of the knives.
 
I like free catalogues (Canadian spelling), but completely understand why companies charge for them. They are not cheap to have made and the really nice ones can cost a lot. Along with this there is the cost of mailing them out and the cost of having someone that gets the catalogues out. If you don't pay for them up front, you likely pay for them in the price of their knives.
 
This has been one of my pet peeves for the last 25 years. It's common now to have to pay for a catalog, but it wasn't in the mid 70's, when I was a deputy sheriff in Sacramento, CA.

This Colorado company was the first (the first that I know of) to take a full size 9mm auto and cut it down almost to the size of a typical .380 (It was a cut down S&W Model 39 and I think it was called the ASP). It had a (at that time) revolutionary, quick acquisition rear sight, which was adapted by several custom handgun sight makers, at a later time. This gun was the impetus, I believe, of the dozens and dozens of compact, large caliber handguns that are available today.

As you can imagine, this gun, at that time, was of great interest to plainclothes cops. I read about them in a magazine and wrote for a catalog. I received a letter saying that a catalog was available for $3.00

I had never heard of such a thing, was incensed and told them to stuff it. I have never paid for a catalog and never will. Catalogs are a part of doing business. Yeah, yeah, I know that the cost will end up somewhere. It just rubs me the wrong way to pay to look at a company's products that *they* want *me* to *buy*. My 2 cents, more than you ever wanted to know about why I will never pay for a catalog. (plus, as has been mentioned, you can usually get them for free, which makes it even worse that they try to get you to pay for it) :D :p
 
I think catalogs are, for the most part, passé due to the information being readily available on the Internet. I know some folks who say they like to feel a catalog in their hand. They seem to get a greater sense of "connection" to the products from the experience of looking through the literature. Me, I'm just not that tactile. Seeing them on the Internet is fine by me and I don't have to pay anything.
 
Some years ago I got an issue of Tactical Knives magazine. In it, Cold Steel had an ad and a phone number to call for a free catalog. I called the number and was told the catalog would cost $3. I told the person I was requesting the "free" catalog offered in their ad that they purchased in the latest issue of TK, THAT JUST CAME IN THE MAIL THAT DAY! She said that the policy had changed. I told her to forget my request, that I would never buy a CS knife, and that I hoped she would tell someone in marketing! I was nice, but emphatic. In three weeks, I got a CS catalog in the mail. I threw it away (after reading it once!). How do you write ad copy and then refuse to honor your own offer?
 
Bruce...thats odd. I sent off for my free Cat and free More Proof DVD from Cold Steel without a single qualm...maybe you should be a bit more forgiving?
 
If I really want a catalog, I'll pay for it (within reason). I love free catalogs, but I think that if the catalog is available for free online, then I see no harm in charging for a hard copy. If paying for a catalog is the only way to see a line of products then I probably don't want to deal with that company. It's also nice when they send a free catalog along with an order (without having to ask for one).
 
Why should it be free if the company does not want to make it so?

If you don't like the companies policy, don't buy - that is the free enterprise system at its best (or, worst?)

Apparently enough people pay for the catalogs to make it worth some companies effort to charge - either to defray cost or to make a profit is not the issue. They can do what they choose - let your dollars do the talking, rather than complain. HOWEVER (YELLING) let them know in no uncertain terms how you feel!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I think the makers should put out free ones . I dont mind paying dealers for the catolgs . It does cost a bit to make a big catolog ,
And i injoy flipping threw all the pages.
 
Fireshaker, as I said, this was a few (probably 5) years ago and I'm sure I just got caught up in their policy change. Cold Steel has had free catalogs since then. I just haven't found a cold steel knife I wanted. I hope my plight got back to their marketing folks.
 
I know that some companies will charge for a catalog, but the catalog price can be put towards your first order- that I like! When I became a "member" or whatever you call it at Lee Valley Tools, I paid $5 for a pack of their different catalogues and got a $5 gift certificate too. I think that is fair. I believe Bugei Trading does the same thing with their catalogues. At least that used to be the case.

I liek getting free literature when I can, but I don't mind paying a few bucks for a catalogue at all. It costs a fair bit to print them and ship them. The small price that folks charge for knife catalogues is a goo dinverstment in knife nut literature I think.
 
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