Please Help me Sell Knives

Fiddleback

Fiddleback

Knifemaker
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
19,745
Well, I've been trying not to do this thread. But now its getting to desperation time. The last three weeks have been horrible for sales. I have stock laying around, which is a totaly new sensation for me. Plus, and I know times are tough, and this is to be expected from time to time, I've got run knives that are sitting around too.

So. What I need here is new exciting ideas about how to sell more knives. I'm making plenty now to get by, and my wife and I have really enjoyed having me around the house. But BF obviously cannot be my only strategy to sell my work. I am active on other forums, JD, Ramanon, USN, Hoods Woods, etc, but I think forums in general should be one of a few ways to sell some knives.

Are there any distributors that you guys know that are looking to add a maker to their inventory?

Any ideas would be very helpful.
 
I wasn't familiar with your work and just went to your site to see what you make and sell.

Not trying to be a smart a$$ at all so please don't take it this way. However, maybe list items for sale on your site. If a guy hears about you and goes there but can't find stuff for sale he may be a lost sale. Not sure sending them here is always the best option since I still had to do a search to find your sale items and non-menbers, I think, don't have a search ability. Also, once they get here you have a lot of competition which you don't have on your own site.

So bottom line, I had a hard time finding your product if I wanted it.

Have you sent a nice email/query to AG Russell? Not sure what/if he is looking for now but worth a try. Worse he could say is no.

Hope that helps a little.
 
Working knives? They have a few knife makers on there and your style of knife would fit well with the others IMO.
 
Wish I could help, but I'm affraid all I can do is show my soon to be nessie to friends.

Have you tried onlene dealers who sell custom knives too? I think about NewGraham or GoingGear.
 
I think Ohen Cepel is right. Atleast, in my case. I go to your site, see some really nice knives, wonder; Hey, what would that set me back? How can I buy it? Picture all the knives in stock, with prices, and an Order now button. So people can email you.

I think it's best to make the steps of buying as easy as possible. You see it, like it, order it.

Also, have you tried local knife or gun stores? Maybe local people there would like a knife, and I think some like to have one made by a local. I always try to support local people, maybe you can find like minded ones somewhere?

Whatever you are gonna do, good luck to you, I wish you all the best and good sales.

Tom
 
Andy, some ideas for you could be:

1) Auction sites: Easy, may not get you the cash you want but provides some exposure and gets some cash for your product.
2) advertise your own site and product at local cutlery stores (small and large stores and be prepared to hand over some knives cheap or - maybe in some cases without pay - depends on the arrangements you make)
3) Approach online vendors. There are plenty of them around and although you may not get what you want for your work immediately it would at least help get more exposure for you and they would have your contact info on their site in most cases.
4) Do as many shows as you can which includes traveling and may include extra expenses. This gets you out there to those willing to travel to shoes (die hard collectors) but be prepared to not make much money and in fact spend more than you make in many cases since you are new. However, this will get your name out AND give you direct feedback with potential buyers. Ask what people think and what they would change directly. Ask for honest feedback.

I hope to be in your shoes soon. PM me and we can talk in a couple hours when I get off work.
 
Throw on top of what everyone else is saying a referral program - refer someone to FF, get a few bucks off your next knife.

And definitely try the Ebay - you know us idiots'll pass the word around!
 
I would start by making knives availible on your web site. I have been interested in your knives in the past and when I go to your site and click on the For Sale link It says you have nothing for sale. After doing this a couple times I quit looking.

My $.02
 
How about selling sheaths for exorbitant prices but givin' away a free knife with each sheath?

How about offerin', instant dealerships and a free knife for every 20 presold actually that's probably a bad idea, nevermind.

You could always donate a few knives for charity giveaways, gun clubs or local sports shows, this'll give you more free exposure plus the knives become a tax write off for full MSRP value of the knives, any CPAs please correct me or rephrase my statement to make it true, (just tryin' to think outside of da box).

How about a knife raffle, usually you get more back than put out.

For every 20 knives bought 21st knife free, ya know like a coffee punch card.:)
 
How about WIP videos on youtube people will start to see your work more and more and want more and more especially if they see a video of the knife they want bein' made.
 
You could certainly talk with A. G. Russell ... he's a completely 'class act.'

You could chat with the various famous (well, famous in our odd little community) mail order sites like New Graham and KnivesShipFree.

You should DEFINITELY make them available on your own web-site!!!:eek:

Hmmm.

And then, rather than chatting with us free-loading knife buyers, I think it's time to talk with other makers like Dan Koster, etc. They won't hide their strategies from you ... and they've got some years on you.:) I think I'd definitely talk with the guys at R.A.T. and other gentlemen who specialize in woodcrafty knives.
 
Check out Landi's website, he had a custom knife creation area that was pretty cool, last time I checked.
 
The charity mention is a good one. If you start doing some donated blades to our armed service men and women and offer discounts you will see a nice little spike in sales.
Edit: Good ideas guys!

OP: PM sent.
 
Great ideas here guys.

I have a buddy that does my web design, and its really hard to keep up with. I need to figure that bird out.

Just e-mailed Jim at Working Knives.

Ebay is an idea I hadn't even given serious thought to. Hmm. Couldn't hurt.

Thanks Guys!
 
How about approaching knife and/or outdoor magazines and offer a free knife for them to review. Might be particularly effective especially if you get some of the ramanon and W&SS makers together and approach the magazines as a group - the gritty side of custom knives - knives that are actually meant to be used.
 
Fix the site ASAP

and

The Utube idea was a good one, I would say send me one but I have no viewers :(. If I was you I would send a knife to this guy and ask if he could do a review of one of your knives, he has over 32,000 subscribers.
http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy
 
Fiddleback said:
Ebay is an idea I hadn't even given serious thought to. Hmm. Couldn't hurt.
Click to expand...

I have purchased knives from sellers with Ebay stores. One maker here in Canada does much of his sales this way. Perhaps set up a store through Ebay with links to your site?
 
As others have suggested, have a look at your website, seriously.

For instance, have a look at this page.

http://www.fiddlebackforge.com/Avail_Knives/Avail_Knives.htm

Telling people that you have no knives for sale and, "if they're lucky" they might get them elsewhere, is a pretty good way to make sure people go looking for another knifemaker unless they know you and specifically want one of yours.

No, I'm not trying to be a smartarse, that's the reality of marketing, especially when times are tough. You don't want to do ANYTHING that might turn people off or direct them away from buying from YOU.

Get something up there and tell them what you can do for them.
 
Not much to really say that hasn't already been said Andy !

Definitely try e-bay and have a link to your website as well !

See if Tactical knives and Backwoodsman mags will run an article on your knives, it may mean you sending them a few to sample !

Send a knife or two to Woodsmonkey for them to review and maybe even try Bushcraft UK as well !

Maybe even contact a company such as CRKT and see if they want to produce one of your more unusual knives such as the BLJ using their steel and crew but with a percentage of the profits going back to you !

Offer some real budget lines models from time to time, leave the finish as it comes outta the heat treat and just stick a micarta handle on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top