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  #1  
Old 04-10-2003, 07:56 PM
Shotgunone Shotgunone is offline
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Location: Texas
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Question about Purveyors and Dealers

I have questions about how knifemakers view and work with purveyors / dealers. I don't make many knives, but a few dealers have asking about buying knives. I have always graciously declined due to being able to sell what I make. However, a good friend and fellow maker sells quite a few of his knives to dealers. His thought is that many of the dealers go to shows he can not attend and therefore he is still represented at the show. He views the discount to dealers as any cost related to knifemaking, kind of like advertising.

So here are some of my questions.
As a knifemaker what is your opinion on dealers / purveyors in your business? What do you look for in a dealer or purveyor for example a web sites, shows attended, name, reputation, etc.? Do you recommend selling to dealers? Is there such a thing as a standard arrangement or discount? Do you use one dealer or more? What about making ordered knives for dealers? What about exclusive like a certain style or pattern that you only sell to one dealer?

I am not looking for negative comments on anyone or about using dealers. I am always flattered when someone contacts me and these guys have been very kind and understanding. I am just checking out how other makers work with people in the custom knife business and I don't want to miss an opportunity to work with other fine custom knife folks. Just trying to figure out how dealers and purveyors might fit into my little part time knifemaking now or in the future. Any additional related comments would be welcomed as I have lots more questions I didn't ask.

Regards


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  #2  
Old 04-11-2003, 04:57 AM
george tichbour george tichbour is offline
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It will depend on the individual, I don't use any dealers right now because I can sell everything that I make and the business is growing very nicely. Besides that I like dealing with the public.

If you don't have the time or inclination to sell your own work and don't mind paying someone else to sell for you by all means use a dealer. Don't hesitate to ask the dealer point blank exactly what he or she is going to do for you to earn that discount and hold them to it. There are plenty of dealers out there.


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  #3  
Old 04-11-2003, 08:03 AM
cactusforge cactusforge is offline
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Well let me put it this way, There are good dealers and bad dealers. I prefer to sell through dealers for a couple of reasons, one is where I live and the cost of going to shows. You have to be very careful who you do business with. A good dealer is worth his wight in Gold and he will do you a lot of good.
A bad dealer will steel from you, consignment is a bad idea most of the time but it can work, I have been paid on time and I have had to beg for my money, I have asked for the return of my Knives and received them back by return mail, very quick and then I have had to ask a friend to pick them up and send them to me because the dealer (he has a knife store) would not send them back.
The bottom line is that if you find a dealer that will purchase your product at a decent price it can be a good set up.
One thing to remember is that it cost to sell and last but not least be sure to build the dealer mark up into your price structure so you will not be selling at a loss.


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Old 04-13-2003, 01:34 PM
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Keith Montgomery Keith Montgomery is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by cactusforge
...and last but not least be sure to build the dealer mark up into your price structure so you will not be selling at a loss.

This statement is of interest to me because I have seen some knives selling on dealer sites for the exact price that the maker sells them for and others that the price is higher than it would be if purchased direct. What this obviously means is that some makers offer a deaper discount to dealers than others do. How is this figured out? Does the really popular, well known maker not have to affer as much of a discount as the less popular, less well known maker, or is there more to it than that?

Some people say that it is worth paying more to get a knife from a dealer because you can get the knife right away. This is correct, but you also have to take the knife as is. You pay a premium to get the knife and you don't get to order it the way you want it. I prefer to order from a maker and wait. That way I get the knife the way I want it, I don't pay more for it than I would through the maker and I get a little longer (maybe a lot longer) to save up the money if the knife is expensive. I also get to build a relationship with the maker, which I consider to be one of the most important reasons I collect knives.

Dealers offer makers a way to get there name out to the buyers without having to put out as much effort themselves. The maker does not have to attend shows, or at least not as many shows. These are both good things as it gives the maker more time to make knives, which hopefully he will now be more busy doing. He/she also does not need to maintain a web site which can be a pretty big job. Though I still think that makers should have their own web sites; because this makers it easier for potential customers to check out the makers work.

Dealers can help get maker's names better known and increase interest in their knives. This can increase business. The dealer can also take some of the load of the maker as far as marketing is concerned thus giving the maker more time to make knives. These are good things as long as enough money is being made on the knives being sold to the dealer to make it worth while.


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Old 04-14-2003, 06:48 PM
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Jerry Oksman Jerry Oksman is offline
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Tony, I would re-ask this question over at Les Robertsons forum. He will without doubt give you the straight poop on this.


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