What is with A.G. Russel?

Thomason said:
akadave2, The Whine and Cheese forum is fertile ground for baiting people. I suggest you post something along the lines of your AG thread in that fourm and see how it goes.
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What he said. :cool:

I hope severed thumbs comes to play as well.
 
roughedges said:
A.G. Russell's prices are higher on many production knives than much of the competition. However, along with this the customer gets 12 knife catalogs a year plus a warranty that the competition, no matter how customer oriented they are, are not at all likely to match. Try returning a knife 6months or two years, or even 5, after purchase at any other internet retailer and see how that works out for you.

Also, many of Russell's products are very reasonably priced. For instance, I just got an Eagle's Beak from them and I have to say that the ad copy was spot on. In this instance, I would have considered this knife a good deal even if it had cost twice what it did.
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I'll agree,they have some items that are priced better than others.
Sometimes unique high quality items priced lower than other similar suff.
I have not bought from them in a good while,but have no problem doing so again in the future & some knives they have you can't get elswhere
-Vince
 
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!
Please take comments on US and other military affairs elsewhere.

* ****** **** ****** *

As a longtime customer and personal admirer of A.G.'s, I would like to offer my own input on the original question. For all my experience in this hobby of ours, I rarely buy outside of four internet dealers. I will check the other three, but A.G. is the only one who reaches out to me with his catalogs on Knives and Russell's for Men.

He doesn't carry much of what the others do, and they don't carry all of what he does. In other words, he is not your typical internet knife dealer, although he probably started the business. He is unique, and comparisons, always odious, are peculiarly inappropriate here.

But try one anyway: list all the knives in an A.G.Russell catalog with their prices and list what you can find of reasonably identical products from one or two other dealers. Lots of gaps there, aren't there? How can anyone say what the percent difference is between his prices and theirs when the stock doesn't match?

Buy where you find the products you like at the price you're willing to pay. Come here and slam dishonest dealers who fail to provide what they promise. But to knock a man for having as loyal a customer base as you can find in this industry? Forget about it! :)
 
I should have looked in on this sooner. It really does belong in FEEDBACK (GBU)
so I am moving it there now from this General Knife Discussion.
 
severedthumbs said:
none of the above. Just saying it makes no sense to justify marked up prices on the fact of good service. Good service should not cost you more.
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I am wondering why on earth you think this. There are plenty of people happy with the junky knives you can buy out of a bucket at gas stations, would you agree if one made the argument "you shouldn't have to pay more for a quality product"? You seem to think all a merchant does is offer stuff for sale at the lowest possible prices, that is all you are "paying for". What about having knowledgeable staff that actually cares about the products they sell and can intelligently answer questions and guide you to the right product? Do you think well trained, courteous, and knowledgeable staff are easy to find, train, and retain? I have managed retail stores and I assure you they are NOT. And what about their pay, do you want to deal with people making a minimum wage or people for whom doing this job is a profession in which they take some pride?

Service is something the merchant is providing you, it has costs like anything else, to some extent at least you get what you pay for. If it doesn't make any difference to you then by all means buy from warehouses etc and pay the lowest prices possible. But it makes no sense to say something (like service) is worthless when clearly there are people willing to pay for it.
 
I've never bought anything from A.G. Russell but, after reading this thread, I think I'll get onto their website and see what they've got. They sound like the sort of people I'd want to do business with.
 
MassMatt said:
I am wondering why on earth you think this. There are plenty of people happy with the junky knives you can buy out of a bucket at gas stations, would you agree if one made the argument "you shouldn't have to pay more for a quality product"? You seem to think all a merchant does is offer stuff for sale at the lowest possible prices, that is all you are "paying for". What about having knowledgeable staff that actually cares about the products they sell and can intelligently answer questions and guide you to the right product? Do you think well trained, courteous, and knowledgeable staff are easy to find, train, and retain? I have managed retail stores and I assure you they are NOT. And what about their pay, do you want to deal with people making a minimum wage or people for whom doing this job is a profession in which they take some pride?

Service is something the merchant is providing you, it has costs like anything else, to some extent at least you get what you pay for. If it doesn't make any difference to you then by all means buy from warehouses etc and pay the lowest prices possible. But it makes no sense to say something (like service) is worthless when clearly there are people willing to pay for it.
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just saying that when you pay more for that "good service" then it is no longer service but more a warranty much like you purchase with an automobile.
 
roughedges said:
What he said. :cool:

I hope severed thumbs comes to play as well.
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+1:thumbup:

AG has been doing this for a long time. He has a rich history in this community. I shop with him from time to time when I want a traditional folder. He has some very nice traditional knives with modern steels at reasonable prices. That is what his niche is and no one fills it better. Besides he frequently sends out customer appreciation specials that are competitive with the least expensive dealers on the net. Not to long ago one of his listed specials was a BM Deja for right at $100 ($96 if I remember correctly).
 
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My problem is not with AG, playboy is doing his thang. The problem is that people try to justy the price mark up as thats the price for good customer service. I say that is BS. Customer service should come at no charge. IMHO the mark up AG uses is actually an extended warranty on the knife.
 
severedthumbs said:
My problem is not with AG, playboy is doing his thang. The problem is that people try to justy the price mark up as thats the price for good customer service. I say that is BS. Customer service should come at no charge. IMHO the mark up AG uses is actually an extended warranty on the knife.
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I have to ask, Why does this bother you so much?
 
severedthumbs said:
just saying that when you pay more for that "good service" then it is no longer service but more a warranty much like you purchase with an automobile.
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Strawman argument. You're not paying attention. Every customer should feel entitled at the very least to honesty and reliability from every vendor.

But what A.G. factors into his cost is the advertising information that so many of us find invaluable, the website knife encyclopedia we recommend to newbies, the stocking of premium knives literally not available elsewhere, AND the warranty. Service is much more than replacing a problematical purchase.
 
AGR has been around a long time. Those "other guys" aren't a going concern or at least they won't be for any length of time depending on volume rather than profit margin. AGR has a solid customer base and I have never heard a complaint about their products or service. Nevertheless, these outlets have to be digging into AGR business. It probably wouldn't hurt our pocketbooks to purchase at least one product through AGR if you are not part of their customer base. It doesn't make sense to start a topic about prices alone. With that in mind AGR contributes to BF. That much is obvious.
 
I think there just might be a couple of posters here that are completely missing the point.
Unless I am mistaken (yes that was sarcasm), A.G. can charge whatever he wants to and he can treat customers any way he chooses to. A customer can buy what he chooses, from whom he wishes. Evidently Mr. Russel is doing something right, as he is still in business.
Personally, I only own one of his knives, a folder. I don't know where it came from, as it was a gift. This is an incredible product. As I read and learn about knives, what I like and don't like, and form my own opinions about everything involved with enjoying a knife, I do know this:
I will only buy an A.G. Russel knife from Mr. Russel, himself. Don't care about price, it does not matter. I like what I have learned about dealing directly with him.
It's MY hard earned $ and I will spend it how I want. Others are free to do as they like as well.

Matt
 
AGR stands behind the products he sells. The dealings he has had with anyone I know have been fair and honest. His catalogs expose me to many knives I might not otherwise be aware of. His familiarity with makers and manufacturers, coupled with his knowledge of both the current market and knife history all make him a great boon to the knife world. To me this is worth a couple of extra bucks. If it isn't to you, spend your money elsewhere. He doesn't strike me as the kind of gentleman to be offended by you doing so.
 
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