== WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT??? ==

[narruc1]

This is about Microtech, and how they favor certain distributors. Did you ever notice that when new products come out of Microtech that just a few people get them first?
Why is this?

Isn't it fair to say that when companies come out with new products, that all their distributors get them at about the same time. If this is so, why does Microtech just give their cronies the first pieces... Why not wait until they have the whole production run is completed, and then send them out to all the distrbutors at once. After all a distributor, is a distributor, and there should not be favoritism!

What is your opinion, inquiry minds want to know?

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BC... For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know... Semper Fi

 

[not2sharp]

I don't have an issue with this. The practice is common in all forms of industry, and is used to reward your better distributors. The alternative would delay product release and increase the manufactures inventory carry costs.

Keep in mind that intellectual property rights are difficult to enforce in the knife industry. I am sure that a manufacturer that tries to develop an inventory on a new product is at risk of having someone else knockoff their design and take advantage of their marketing.

Ask your distributor to negotiate a better deal with the manufacturer.

 

[Old Knife Guy]

Besides, someone has to be first when it comes to buying the new stuff. Even at 50 years old, I'm trying to upgrade my video games to the new PS-2, and I cannot find one. I think the Madison market was allocated six--that's right--six of the new machines. I did, however, get an early Microtech LCC. But then, I know a guy in distribution--a guy I have been supporting with my disposable income for years. Is it fair?--OKG

 

[Gollnick]

Isn't it fair to say that when companies come out with new products...

Welcome to this strange place we call "Life". It is not fair. It is this essential unfairness that makes success and failure possible and thus makes life interesting.




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Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com

 

[medusaoblongata]

I don't know too much about what goes into business decisions like who gets what when, but I know the Benchmade does the same thing. They prioritize storefronts over internet dealers and gun show dealers. That's why the 940 was out for so long before most internet dealers had them, they went to storefronts first.

Remember a while back MT got into some trouble with possibly price-fixing or something like that. Then they adopted a policy of having "authorized dealers," who agree not to advertise prices below a certain limit, though they could sell at any price they want. They will ship to their "authorized dealers" before other dealers, as well as give other perks, in return for certain limitations on advertising.

Ever noticed that some websites will say that their Spyderco or CRKT prices are "too low to print," or "email for prices"? They cannot advertise the prices they will sell at because of their contract with the manufacturer, in return for this they get things like earlier distribution.

These are all ways that manufacturers try to make sure that internet companies don't run storefronts out of business by offering very low prices that the storefronts could never match. It might not always sound fair to customers like you or me, but there's a lot more going on with these practices than they will tell us about.

Disclaimer: I have no "insider" knowledge or sources. The above, with its seldomly spoken truths and/or possible errors, was compiled by myself from what I have read here on the Forums, much of it posted by highly respected and knowledgable persons in the business.

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Jason aka medusaoblongata
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"I have often laughed at the weaklings who call themselves kind because they have no claws"

- Zarathustra

 

[unocide]

The American economy is what we call CAPITALIST. What we do is use other people to make ourselves richer and thus happier. If the best way for Mr. John Microtech to do this is to work out deals with certain dealers so he can make more money, then he is using the system correctly.

When everyone gets an equal chance and things are fair, we call that communism (not like Russia, but like the ideal society thingee that Marx wrote about and Lenin read so he could persuade people to follow him. not what lenin DID).

.economic.thoughts.via..unocide