Anyone consign with dealers??

[DaveRuhlig]

I'm considering consigning a few knives. I'm looking at some local gun/knife stores and some more national knife dealers. Any suggestions? Experiences? Thanks!
-Dave

[Crex]

Get to know the owner very well first. Do some background research as best you can. Make sure you can trust them. Small stores go out of business, easily and quickly. Merchandise has a habit of disappearing without a trace. Don't ever put more in consignment shops than you can afford to lose or give away. Negotiate your prices and store percentages up front and don't forget the issue of collecting and reporting sales tax (if so needed). Don't know about FL but GA is very diligent in tracking down their ounce of flesh. Keep really good records - 2 sets in 2 places to CYA.

Not trying to scare you but these are hard lessons to learn on your own. I have been burned twice and one was by a person I once considered a friend. Both were expensive lessons, but the physcological blow the worst part. Just be careful.

All that being said, I have two very good consignment set ups here local that are very easy to keep up with. I really like the way they have worked out.
Good luck. Just give everything the old "stink" test, if it smells bad don't eat it!

If you go that route, Hope it works well for you. If you're coming to the Blade in June, come by my table I-27 and we can compare notes and trade war stories.

[Drac]

I worked with A.T Barr for a couple years before I dropped off the map as a seller. Was a beneficial arrangement for me. I didn't have to worry about credit cards, pay pal, bounced checks etc. My knives went to all the shows and I had a "page" to sell myself as well as my knives.

Trade off, lose of income, a chance to get lost in the crowd on his table and a lose of face time with my customers. All the customer could get through A.T. was what I had made. No chance to talk and get to know them and them to get to know me. They don't see my past works in a portfolio so all they know of my style is what I have at that moment. Hard to pick up commissions that way.

Overall I would like to go back to that once the shop starts knocking out more but eventually I think I do want my own site.

Jim

[brittgudowski]

Hi Dave,
i do with Les Robertson and he is AWESOME.....Once your on Les's site, the world will know of you=).
Also check out Mile Welze at mileswelze.com he too is great.
britt

[Chazbot]

Personally, I will never consider putting anything up on consignment ever again ever. It just disappears.

If you want to sell something to a dealer, sell it to them and let them mark it up for resale. Then if they lose it, go out of business, or give someone a discount, you aren't out anything.

[Ed Caffrey]

I will only consign with a very select few dealers, who have proven their honesty and longevity. There are dealers out there whom I consider to be "predators"..... laying in wait.... be careful. If you don't see the "big name" makers consigning/working with a given dealer, there's probably a good reason.

For the most part I tend to sell to dealers rather then consign. This is another area to be wary....most dealers try to demand 30%+, which I think is insane. My personal limit for discounting to a dealer is 20%, and that is ONLY if they purchase multiple pieces/knives at the same time.

Experience has taught me that consigning knives to small time/local stores is a major pain in the butt. Don't expect them to keep your best interests at heart..... You've got to keep an eye of the inventory you've consigned, and do so on a very frequent basis.
Early in my career, I consigned to a local store that up and closed on me, without any notice, and left with over $1K worth of my knives...... never was able to track them down.

[Larry Peterson]

Friends,

I have used consignment with mixed results. The worst I have experienced was with "Cutlers Cove" .comm. I consigned two hunting knives a year or two ago and they have posted a picture with a sold sign on their website. I have written two letters asking for payment and they have totally ignored me. I have not been successful calling them and it appears that they purposely "ripped me off." My consignments with "Advantage Pawn" have totally satisfactory. My guess is that I have sold over 20 knives over a 3 year period with these folks. I have also consigned knives with "Mountain Man traders" with total success.

There is a risk but I think that people are honest in most cases and just want to do fair and good business.

I wish you well, LP

[M&J]

I recall when we were doing the shows a variety of "dealers" would approach and ask if we had a dealer discount. Some we'd seen at shows though many were new faces. If buying outright we could work something but if wanting a consignment, no. I consign pieces to one dealer that we've known since the 90's.

[AlbertMoore]

Originally Posted by Lary Peterson

Friends,

I have used consignment with mixed results. The worst I have experienced was with "Cutlers Cove" .comm. I consigned two hunting knives a year or two ago and they have posted a picture with a sold sign on their website. I have written two reviews for crazy bulk letters asking for payment and they have totally ignored me. I have not been successful calling them and it appears that they purposely "ripped me off." My consignments with "Advantage Pawn" have totally satisfactory. My guess is that I have sold over 20 knives over a 3 year period with these folks. I have also consigned knives with "Mountain Man traders" with total success.

There is a risk but I think that people are honest in most cases and just want to do fair and good business.

I wish you well, LP

By and by, I will never consider putting anything up on committal until the end of time ever. It just vanishes.

[M&J]

Consigning is a risk. I've been through this too and it hurts. I polled those among my circle and there were plenty of stories about knives that were "sold" yet unaccounted for in payment. The average among my group for losses was from a few knives into the multi thousands of $. Sadly it is part of what goes on though it shouldn't. My advice is sell them outright and direct.