- Joined
- Feb 11, 2003
- Messages
- 247
Here is a situation I'd like some help with.
I set up two tables at a knife show this past weekend. This was an all knife show that included custom, production and antique knives. The show had some well-known makers in attendance including 2-3 master smiths. My tables had quite a lot of mostly name brand production knives and some handmade knives. I was set up behind a vendor that had an absolutely huge amount of junk knives and knock-offs. (You know the kind, $10 per knife, 2 knives for $18, 3 knives for $25). I have to give the vendor credit; he also had two large cases of very nice Case knives.
I asked the vendor how he could sell such junk. He was actually very nice and told me he had tried to sell good brand name knives for years. He just couldnt make a living at it. He had people complaining about the prices, and not caring about the quality. He finally started selling the low-end knives just to try to make a living. He told me he does knife shows, gun shows and flea markets across the east coast. Now he says he makes a very decent living. He said that a BAD show is one where he makes less than $3000 dollars!!
By all indications he had a very good show (although he only sold 2 Case knives). I however, made less than $200 all weekend.
I had everything marked down to 20% off of retail. I still had customers complaining about the prices (they could get it from Gander Mountain or off the internet so much cheaper).
At the end of the weekend the vendor pointed out that I was making only a 30% markup and customers were complaining my prices were too high. He however could mark his knives up 2-4 times the cost and customers were not only very happy with the prices, but thanked him for giving them such a good deal.
I asked him how he could sell knives that the lock-up didnt work. He said he does tell his customers the liner locks may not always hold, but they just dont seem to mind.
I told him that selling knockoffs was unethical. I even showed him the article in the June issue of Knives Illustrated about knock-offs. He pointed out that brand name knife manufactures do it to each other all the time and have since knives have been manufactured. Now United Cutlery is starting to knock-off the Chinese knives that were original designs. He also pointed out that if the knife manufacturers were so concerned they wouldnt do it to each other, and would do something about the problem. He said that kind of elitist mentality didnt feed his kids.
He said my sales at the show was the exact reason he started selling low-end knives, and that even at knife shows most of the customers dont want to pay more than $10 for a production knife. The vendor pointed out that of course there are people that will pay for custom knives and antiques, but by far the vast majority just want a cool knife that doesnt hurt their pocketbooks.
My question is this: What would you have told him in a similar situation?
Is there anything else I could or should have told him? In all honesty, he was a very nice, personable gentleman, who seemed a bit sad about state of the knife buying public.
Pam
I set up two tables at a knife show this past weekend. This was an all knife show that included custom, production and antique knives. The show had some well-known makers in attendance including 2-3 master smiths. My tables had quite a lot of mostly name brand production knives and some handmade knives. I was set up behind a vendor that had an absolutely huge amount of junk knives and knock-offs. (You know the kind, $10 per knife, 2 knives for $18, 3 knives for $25). I have to give the vendor credit; he also had two large cases of very nice Case knives.
I asked the vendor how he could sell such junk. He was actually very nice and told me he had tried to sell good brand name knives for years. He just couldnt make a living at it. He had people complaining about the prices, and not caring about the quality. He finally started selling the low-end knives just to try to make a living. He told me he does knife shows, gun shows and flea markets across the east coast. Now he says he makes a very decent living. He said that a BAD show is one where he makes less than $3000 dollars!!
By all indications he had a very good show (although he only sold 2 Case knives). I however, made less than $200 all weekend.
I had everything marked down to 20% off of retail. I still had customers complaining about the prices (they could get it from Gander Mountain or off the internet so much cheaper). At the end of the weekend the vendor pointed out that I was making only a 30% markup and customers were complaining my prices were too high. He however could mark his knives up 2-4 times the cost and customers were not only very happy with the prices, but thanked him for giving them such a good deal. I asked him how he could sell knives that the lock-up didnt work. He said he does tell his customers the liner locks may not always hold, but they just dont seem to mind.
I told him that selling knockoffs was unethical. I even showed him the article in the June issue of Knives Illustrated about knock-offs. He pointed out that brand name knife manufactures do it to each other all the time and have since knives have been manufactured. Now United Cutlery is starting to knock-off the Chinese knives that were original designs. He also pointed out that if the knife manufacturers were so concerned they wouldnt do it to each other, and would do something about the problem. He said that kind of elitist mentality didnt feed his kids.
He said my sales at the show was the exact reason he started selling low-end knives, and that even at knife shows most of the customers dont want to pay more than $10 for a production knife. The vendor pointed out that of course there are people that will pay for custom knives and antiques, but by far the vast majority just want a cool knife that doesnt hurt their pocketbooks.
My question is this: What would you have told him in a similar situation?
Is there anything else I could or should have told him? In all honesty, he was a very nice, personable gentleman, who seemed a bit sad about state of the knife buying public.Pam
), then a COLT fixed blade(sorry), a CRKT M16 (much better), and somewhere around here, the Dark Ages, involving alcohol, a bet, and the HSN...(I'm still in penance) Fast forward through some time, and I've got my Benchmades, BK&Ts, an SOG, and a Swamp Rat, with Busse's and customs in my sights.