Thoughts on authorized dealers raising GEC prices above the minimum sale price.

knifeswapper said:
GEC's plan is to decrease the number of variants and increase production of the existing variants. Hopefully enough to stock dealer shelves for a couple months. This will lower factory overhead, thus increasing their profit. It will also eliminate the ability to sell a knife on eBay for $200 that is currently on dealer shelves for $75.
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A most excellent plan.

Are they ever going to implement it though?
 
Jarhead Greasemonkey said:
A most excellent plan.

Are they ever going to implement it though?
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As with most other things - those looking in from the outside aren't privy to the entirety of the inner futility. For example, the sources for steel, bone, and many other components have been severely degraded over the last year. Thus, many runs have been utilizing what is on-hand. For example, the source of all their bone is a two man operation. The one man that does all the laborious aspects lives right over the state line. There was a long period wherein he could not cross the state line without being quarantined. The #23's that were started mid last year are still tricking thru as all the components once again become available. Similar stories with steel supplies, factory employees, etc. etc. So, I can't answer your question about possible future outcomes - I can only respond to the plan that was conveyed to me.
 
knifeswapper said:
As with most other things - those looking in from the outside aren't privy to the entirety of the inner futility. For example, the sources for steel, bone, and many other components have been severely degraded over the last year. Thus, many runs have been utilizing what is on-hand. For example, the source of all their bone is a two man operation. The one man that does all the laborious aspects lives right over the state line. There was a long period wherein he could not cross the state line without being quarantined. The #23's that were started mid last year are still tricking thru as all the components once again become available. Similar stories with steel supplies, factory employees, etc. etc. So, I can't answer your question about possible future outcomes - I can only respond to the plan that was conveyed to me.
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Hey, as long as it's implemented before the #29 Pipe Tool Knife comes out then I'm satisfied.

:D
 
knifeswapper said:
I think GEC has an interest in supplying the market to the point that it doesn't introduce new unforeseen issues. In doing this it will not only stop flippers, dealers or otherwise, from gouging the market - but hopefully all the customers will remember the dealers that gouged the market during the frenzied times.

But, to answer your specific question. I think GEC should have one minimum price and then find the production number that generally works for the market. Having GEC dictate top end prices is just trying to solve a symptom instead of the problem.
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Thank you for the thoughtful response, Mike. Though I do believe that there are a great many of us who will be walking right on by the "table", so to speak - with regards to dealers gouging their customers, one cannot underestimate the FOMO effect. We live in a culture where we have to have it and have to have it now - which means some folks will pay any price.

I think the gist of my prior question is, is it thought to be unreasonable for GEC to impart consequences to dealers who gouge their customers or is it expected that the market will correct accordingly? I think you answered that well enough. I am just not convinced that those of us who cease business with unscrupulous dealers will be enough to send the needed message. There is always going to be that someone who has to have it.

knifeswapper said:
As with most other things - those looking in from the outside aren't privy to the entirety of the inner futility. For example, the sources for steel, bone, and many other components have been severely degraded over the last year. Thus, many runs have been utilizing what is on-hand. For example, the source of all their bone is a two man operation. The one man that does all the laborious aspects lives right over the state line. There was a long period wherein he could not cross the state line without being quarantined. The #23's that were started mid last year are still tricking thru as all the components once again become available. Similar stories with steel supplies, factory employees, etc. etc. So, I can't answer your question about possible future outcomes - I can only respond to the plan that was conveyed to me.
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These are things that get overlooked way too often when we armchair quarterback the inner workings of GEC's business. There is a whole supply chain that has to be maintained - steel and bone don't just get fabricated from factory dust...
 
Kiteman72 said:
I just saw a Beer Scout sell on the bay for a thousand bucks. So that's pretty crazy.
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Where is the "head explodes" emoticon?

I had to check that . . . and it's true. One thousand dollars for a GEC beer scout. Now it was a prototype, FWIW. But I am completely out of touch with this market. :confused:

Maybe I will start selling tulips.
 
The Amazing Virginian said:
Where is the "head explodes" emoticon?

I had to check that . . . and it's true. One thousand dollars for a GEC beer scout. Now it was a prototype, FWIW. But I am completely out of touch with this market. :confused:

Maybe I will start selling tulips.
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I'm sure the Prototype etch had something to do with the price, but given that the GEC "Prototype" designation is practically meaningless, it's still pretty amazing.

I remember that the BS knives were pretty easy to get at the time. This will have more of these knives hitting the market, is my prediction.

Some of the recent auctions actually closed a little lower than I expected, but still higher than I would want to pay for a single GEC.

I can see retailers wanting a bigger piece of the pie. What will the long term market look like? Lots of old knives not bringing what they once did.
 
Kiteman72 said:
I'm sure the Prototype etch had something to do with the price, but given that the GEC "Prototype" designation is practically meaningless, it's still pretty amazing.

I remember that the BS knives were pretty easy to get at the time. This will have more of these knives hitting the market, is my prediction.

Some of the recent auctions actually closed a little lower than I expected, but still higher than I would want to pay for a single GEC.

I can see retailers wanting a bigger piece of the pie. What will the long term market look like? Lots of old knives not bringing what they once did.
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It's pretty much what has happened with the African Blackwood Bladeforums #86 knives. That one knife sold for over $700, so suddenly there have been five or six of them bought and sold recently. It's basically like what happened with the Beer Scouts about three months ago. One sold for several hundred and suddenly for the next few weeks, BSs were coming out of the woodwork over there.
 
Quiet said:
It's pretty much what has happened with the African Blackwood Bladeforums #86 knives. That one knife sold for over $700, so suddenly there have been five or six of them bought and sold recently. It's basically like what happened with the Beer Scouts about three months ago. One sold for several hundred and suddenly for the next few weeks, BSs were coming out of the woodwork over there.
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I collect GECs because of the quality and because I like them, and have yet to sell a single one.

But, if somebody peeled off 700 bills, right in front of me, for my forum knife, I think I just might let it go.
 
Kiteman72 said:
I collect GECs because of the quality and because I like them, and have yet to sell a single one.

But, if somebody peeled off 700 bills, right in front of me, for my forum knife, I think I just might let it go.
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I hear ya, it would be difficult to shrug off that kind of offer. Of course, I think that was the peak, as the other 86s are selling for less, and in some cases, considerably so. But then, that's Ebay for you. One dude with money loses his mind and decides "I am winning this specific auction NO MATTER WHAT", and on the other end of the connection is another dude of same circumstances, so the final bid is through the roof as these two guys with deep pockets fight it out. Suddenly, everyone thinks their knife is worth that, when no, it really isn't.
 
Is this thread still going? What in the world?

If you believe this to be a real problem then have some self control and don't buy overpriced knives from "scalpers" (or whatever term you want to use.) This will eliminate the secondary market. Problem solved.
 
The Amazing Virginian said:
Yes, it's still going. Many/most of us are not saying it's a "problem." We are amused by it and trying to make some sense out of it. If you are not amused by our convo and the fact that this thread is "still going," feel free to stop posting on it and helping to keep it going. Problem solved.
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Its just strange to me that this thread is going 10 pages deep into something that really isn't a problem.
There's no issue here. Literally none. The market is responding to demand (with constrained supply) and the manufacturer is responding by increasing supply. All seems to be right.
 
I think that we can look at the Northwoods that GEC has manufactured for that dealer, to know that raising prices won't alleviate the flipping as long as the knives are in short supply. Even though those knives are anywhere from $130-$240, they still go for multiples of that on the auction site.
 
ooitzoo said:
Its just strange to me that this thread is going 10 pages deep into something that really isn't a problem.
There's no issue here. Literally none. The market is responding to demand (with constrained supply) and the manufacturer is responding by increasing supply. All seems to be right.
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*Checks trading stats and post history.

Yea, I bet you don't see the problem here.
 
ooitzoo said:
I've been a member here for over a decade. That's significantly longer then you.

If you've got something to say then by all means spit it out.
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Yep, you've been here a decade. Cool?

Not much to say. With your ~40 post per month average in the Sale/Trade/Feedback forums, and ~2 post per month average in the other areas of the forums, it doesn't surprise me that you don't see any issue with knives being flipped for 2x - 10x GEC's SMR . That's all.
 
Fixall said:
Yep, you've been here a decade. Cool?

Not much to say. With your ~40 post per month average in the Sale/Trade/Feedback forums, and ~2 post per month average in the other areas of the forums, it doesn't surprise me that you don't see any issue with knives being flipped for 2x - 10x GEC's SMR . That's all.
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Is that a problem for you little girl?

We can't all spend our time complaining "knife I want is tooooooo expensive". Go cry me a river pinko.
 
ooitzoo said:
Is that a problem for you little girl?

We can't all spend our time complaining "knife I want is tooooooo expensive". Go cry me a river pinko.
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Neither misogyny, nor politics are appropriate here.

This discussion thread is about flippers, and also about the difficulty, in general, of buying highly sought after knives. Most areas of BladeForums (particularly the Traditionals subforum) are solely for the discussion of knives. We are not supposed to discuss the buying and selling aspect of the hobby there, so this thread is a place to discuss, and yes, vent frustrations with the process.
 
r8shell said:
Neither misogyny, nor politics are warranted.

This discussion thread is about flippers, and also about the difficulty, in general, of buying highly sought after knives. Most areas of BladeForums (particularly the Traditionals subforum) are solely for the discussion of knives. We are not supposed to discuss the buying and selling aspect of the hobby there, so this thread is a place to discuss, and yes, vent frustrations with the process.
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I was responding to a direct insult. You're welcome to discuss whatever you please.
 
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