Should prices be marked on knives?

DaveH

DaveH

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I went to a show today. I stopped by and looked at one table and asked to see a couple of knives. No prices anywhere on the table or knives. I asked how much for the models I looked at and he told me.

The prices where reasonable, but I couldn't help but think they would change the price depending on who was asking.

So what do you think, should the prices be cleraly marked on the knives and/or in view?
 
Knives being priced is convenient, especially at tables where the maker is very busy and you will have to stand there for a long time so that you can get the price.

I think that some makers do not price the knives so that people will have to ask. Once they strike up a conversation with the person that is asking the price they probably feel they have a better chance of selling the knife. If the price is on the knife, it is too easy to just take a look and then walk away.

Myself, I prefer to talk to the maker and don't mind that prices are not put on the knives. I would rather spend a little time getting to know something about the person that makes the knives. If the knives are priced it is just to easy to walk away and not take the time to introduce yourself to the maker.

Being basically a trusting person I would never even consider that the maker had different prices for different people. I suppose it possible, but I do not think that this will be the case in any but a miniscule amount of cases.
 
Is it the price at the beginning of the show, the negotiated price when the knife sells, or the discounted price near the end of the show? The marked price is irrelevant. I would rather talk to the guy than worry about a number on a knife.

n2s
 
As bad as this sounds, one of the main reasons I mark the price is so that I know. Its one less thing for me to have to think about, and like mentioned above people can see the price if Im busy talking to other people; I dont like having to ask the price of something Im looking at. -- Charles
 
I think the price on a knife is a good "starting point" for the convertsation.

At a busy show where a Maker/Dealer has lots of interested folks as well as those "just looking" it might save them the hassle of constantly hearing: "HOW MUCH?".

That has got to be a PITA after a while so why not put a price on it so the person looking knows what ballpark they are in?

May I suggest a thick black Sharpie for kydex and leather:eek: :eek:
 
If there was no price on a product I was interested in,I would probably just walk away.I don't like to have to jump through hoops for a simple piece of information.To each his own I guess,but thats just me.
 
As a maker I always put a sign by each knife saying what the specs are and the price.I find that customers that see something they like will stop and talk anyway.I also see that most scour the room then come back for their knives.I had one guy who looked and came back at least 6 times before he bought the knife.Who knows,Dave. :D
 
I have heard a dealer at a gun show give a higher price to a rich looking guy when I was at the table looking and later when I was at the table behind him he gave a lower price to another guy that was just average looking.I don't remember what gun it was but the first price was 325 and the other was 275,and I am sure it was the same gun.It may be that he just wanted to hurry up and move it but somehow thats not the impression that I got.
 
Pricing can be a very difficult thing. New makers can struggle through their first few shows.

Just about every knife show I go to I get makers who ask me about the prices of their knives. They are not trying to sell me one, just wanting the opinion who has bought and sold a few.

My advice to established makers is never discount your knives....never. As soon as you do you have now lowered your retail price. As such, if you will do it once, you will probably do it again. Also, to the makers out there. Understand as soon as you give someone a "I had a bad show and need some money discount". You will hear about it again at a show or on the web. As anyone who gets a deal can't wait to tell the world.

Additionally, they will expect a reduced price on every pruchase from then on.

For you Sunday bargain hunters, make sure you know what your looking at. Just about every maker I know, knows every mistake on the knife. What you think is a bargain may in fact be a knife with several mistakes on it. Generally, makers are more then happy to get some money for their mistakes. Here is a hint for the bargain hunters...ask which knife the maker finished right before the show.
Many will stay up to the wee hours before jumping in their car and driving to the show.

Remember when you stayed up till the wee hours of the morning cramming for an exam? I suspect your grade was not what you hoped it would be. Many times so it goes with the fit and finish of that last knife!

As for dealers. If the knives are not priced, yes they are sizing you up. Now don't think to badly of these guys. After all many of you cant resist "barganing" with a dealer.

I know in my case, my knives are all priced, they never sell for below the makers retail and I don't offer bargains (even on Sunday). Why? My web site is a big part of that reason. If I don't sell it at the show, no matter it's on the 24/7/365 knife show called the Internet.

As more makers and dealers get web sites you can expect a lot of those bargains to start to disappear.

As for the dealers at the Gun Shows. For the most part they don't know what they have. I have seen more piece of crap custom knives on these guys tables that were priced. Priced about 4 times what they should be.

I then start asking them questions, that most will have no idea of the answer. However, many of them come up with an answer. Almost always wrong.

Guys, if your going to give your money to some one for a custom knife. You should at least do a little homework. Like call the maker and ask them the price of the knife. The price of that phone call could save you hundreds of dollars.
 
I agree with having the price there too. I don’t like to hang around waiting for a conversation to end before I can ask the price. If it’s marked, and I’m interested, and the price is reasonable, then we can talk about the item and go from there. If it’s more than I’ll spend, I don’t bother picking it up or taking up the guy’s time. Another thing, I always ask if I can handle the knives before I just pick something up from a table…Some guys don’t mind and others do, so I fall on the courteous side and get permission to handle the stuff. I see guys all the time walking from table to table picking up every other knife, waving it around, touching the blade, seeing if it’s sharp :rolleyes: and moving on…I don’t find it necessary to handle a knife unless I’m really interested in it…but that’s just me…sorry, I digress.
 
I'm getting to the point now where I know the price range of most of the makers and their knives, so having no price on them is no big deal. When I look at the table of a maker I'm unfamiliar with I prefer not to see prices showing, it might deter me from taking a good look at their work. What I like to see is a price on the side of the knife that is not showing, this way I get the reaction either, "Wow! or "Owwww!" when I turn it over.

I always ask before picking up a knife, and I often refrain from picking up a knife I have no interest in. I don't feel the need to handle every knife at a show.
 
Les made a good point ( well several actually ), about the last knife before a show. I noticed this problem in my knives and corrected some time ago. I stop working on show knives at least a day before traveling. Generally I spend the day prior to travel, going over the knives making sure im happy and tweaking the knives ( although this happens in teh hotel room too ), making sure things are the way I want them. This way,if there are any problems, I have time to correct it on the knife if it is minor, and if it is major it gets left in the shop. -- Charles
 
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