Sales Channels

I heard a saying once that might apply here. If you double your price and loose half of your business you are money a head. Take it for what it's worth.
 
+1 on a "buyer's list." Be careful about raising prices.

There is lot's of great advice above, but I'd caution you to think deeply about whatever you decide to do, as collectors/customers might get turned off and move-on if they think you are being elitist about it. Very delicate. I'm primarily in the kitchen knife world and Murray Carter announced to everyone on his list that he was no longer accepting custom orders. I e-mailed him to see how everyone responded, but he didn't reply. I'm sure he is doing fine, but the backlash might have been bad too... Not sure.

Clearly you are doing a lot of things right and have people excited about your work. As you know knifemaking is very competitive and there are lots of guys here that make very similar knives. Raising your prices to weed out your list might hurt more than you can predict. I say, tread softly. Be reasonably firm. Also, IMHO I wouldn't bog down your site with too many rules, etc... despite how tempting it would be.

I can't emphasize this enough - ease off the phone/computer slowly and quietly and don't burden your customers with your frustration. They are excited - don't lose the momentum. Make your knives faster, better. Offer spec-knives on your "buyer's list" and when a particular customer "passes" then consider making it a custom order.

Thought that might help a touch. -m
 
Michael Rader said:
+1 on a "buyer's list." Be careful about raising prices.

There is lot's of great advice above, but I'd caution you to think deeply about whatever you decide to do, as collectors/customers might get turned off and move-on if they think you are being elitist about it. Very delicate. I'm primarily in the kitchen knife world and Murray Carter announced to everyone on his list that he was no longer accepting custom orders. I e-mailed him to see how everyone responded, but he didn't reply. I'm sure he is doing fine, but the backlash might have been bad too... Not sure.

Clearly you are doing a lot of things right and have people excited about your work. As you know knifemaking is very competitive and there are lots of guys here that make very similar knives. Raising your prices to weed out your list might hurt more than you can predict. I say, tread softly. Be reasonably firm. Also, IMHO I wouldn't bog down your site with too many rules, etc... despite how tempting it would be.

I can't emphasize this enough - ease off the phone/computer slowly and quietly and don't burden your customers with your frustration. They are excited - don't lose the momentum. Make your knives faster, better. Offer spec-knives on your "buyer's list" and when a particular customer "passes" then consider making it a custom order.

Thought that might help a touch. -m
Click to expand...

Everything in this post is dead on. I only raise prices when I have to, and then I stress about it a lot for weeks before and after. That stuff is touchy as hell.

This is just a maker running into the bad side of the orders taking business model. It didn't work for me. Too much time, and too many unorganized failures on my part. You gave the only reason I can see order taking being positive though. The 'special' order that drives your work into new discovery. But I think you will find yourself pushing into new discovery without it. Thats what Salem is talking about. Your passion will push you for that. AND, the pace that Mr. Rader talks about with the knives getting better and faster will drive you into new discovery as well. I love when that happens. I slap my forhead, change the order I do things and save a chunk of time. Its almost as good as standing at the grinder and having a discovery minute regarding the skill of grinding. You don't loose those moments when you stop taking orders. Also keep in mind that if there is a special customer whose orders are consistantly that 'special' kind, you can bend the order rule quietly for that person and live the best of both worlds. Be sure to keep that quiet though. Once you stop taking orders there will be a pressure to find a crack to slip one through.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top