Is CS going to start some form of "MAP" price control ?!? ?

katanas said:
MY money, it should be MY decision.
Click to expand...
It still is your money and it still is your decision. Just the same as the products are cold steel's and it is their decision to sell to dealers that they choose. Every one in these transactions has the right to do what they want.

I never get why people think this goes anywhere beyond simple business choices.

That said, I think it is a poor choice for cold steel. If the hallmark of your brand is value, it seems detrimental to eliminate that hallmark. Are they getting rid of the triad lock next?

I was in the market for and ad10 or 15 but I thought the price was a little high. I was going to wait and buy one when they trickled into the secondary market. I haven't checked the pricing yet but I'm assuming it is going up. Same thing will filter to the secondary market. It always does. I don't think I'll be buying a CS new or used anytime soon because of this.

The map pricing of all the big companies has slowed my knife purchases but if there is a knife I really want or that will fulfill a roll I really need, I'll still buy it. An extra whatever percent isn't a huge issue for me. If one can't afford a bit more for a knife, one might consider increasing earning power or collecting something different. If a knife is a dire need, you should be getting just the one or two for your use. We aren't talking about dire needs here.

Lastly, cold steel's argument of doing this for the customers is off. If you don't want us buying from poorly run dealers, then don't sell your knives to poorly run dealers. It's a logical fail. I don't mind you doing business as you see fit. But don't blow smoke to justify it. If it hurts your brand so bad that you need to implement price guidelines because of poor dealers, why keep selling to these dealers? It's a rhetorical question. We all know you can't stop selling through Amazon or Ebay.

Good luck with this new policy. It's going to piss a lot of your fans here off. Hopefully the rest of the buying public doesn't notice.
 
Last edited:
I haven't read the policy but it is a common practice to show only the MAP pricing and give an indication that alternate pricing is available if you contact or when item is added to cart and such.
 
PirateSeulb said:
I haven't read the policy but it is a common practice to show only the MAP pricing and give an indication that alternate pricing is available if you contact or when item is added to cart and such.
Click to expand...
According to this policy, that would be in violation.
 
I can't seem to view the policy but regardless there are usually still some ways around it to sell items at lower prices than you are required to advertise them at.
 
PirateSeulb said:
I can't seem to view the policy but regardless there are usually still some ways around it to sell items at lower prices than you are required to advertise them at.
Click to expand...
For those that can't view the pdf, here is the text. The formatting is off as I am working off my phone:

"6060 Nicolle Street Ventura CA 93003
Minimum Advertised Price Policy
Effective April 1
st, 2019

At Cold Steel we have a passion for our products and a genuine belief in their benefits. To that
end, our business is a reflection of what we choose to represent – dedicated to creating the world's
strongest, sharpest knives, swords, tomahawks, machetes, cutlery, and tools for every day carry (EDC).
As we look to the future, Cold Steel continues to bring new levels of strength, safety and performance to
the market, providing tried and tested products that you can rely on – Anytime, Anywhere!
In order to protect the integrity of its products, Cold Steel has unilaterally adopted this
Minimum Advertised Price Policy (“MAP Policy” or “Policy”). This Policy will help ensure that our
products are appropriately promoted in the marketplace and underscore the significant brand equity
associated with our products. Retailers are expected to abide by the following conditions of the MAP
Policy in order to avoid potential consequences of non-compliance.
1. Cold Steel’s products (the “Products”) may not be advertised at a price less than 25% below
Cold Steel’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price (the “Minimum Advertised Price” or “MAP”). Retailers
are responsible for staying current with this MAP Policy and the Minimum Advertised Price for each
Product advertised for sale by Retailer.
2. For purposes of this Policy, an “advertisement” includes any print or electronic media of any
kind, including, but not limited to, all website pages and banners, social media (e.g. Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter), emails, blogs, newspapers, magazines, flyers, brochures, posters, postcards,
coupons, catalogs, signage visible from inside or outside a Retailer’s premises, billboards, television,
radio ads, and other marketing or promotional materials.
3. This Policy only concerns advertised prices, and does not relate to actual sales prices of any
item. Further, this policy applies equally to all Cold Steel distributors and dealers.
4. Advertising that in any way suggests or implies a price lower than the MAP, will be considered
a violation of this Policy. The following advertisements are examples of violations of this MAP Policy:
a. Instant rewards or other rebates that, if applied to the price of a Product, would result
in a price lower than the MAP.
b. “Buy one, get one free” offers where the total price paid is less than the sum of each
Product’s MAP."
 
Spyderco used to be the prime source of my knives . High prices combined with MAP changed all that .

I've only bought one in many years , and only because the store had a 20% storewide discount .

I still love their products , but value is VERY important to me .

If Cold Steel applies the MAP with vigor and few deep sales , like Spyderco , then most of my business will end up elsewhere .
 
Looking at the CS policy it does seem on paper worse than any MAP I have experienced but the policy vs the practice is what we don't yet know.
 
PirateSeulb said:
Looking at the CS policy it does seem on paper worse than any MAP I have experienced but the policy vs the practice is what we don't yet know.
Click to expand...
Just the acronym "map" is a difficult thing. It appears that cold steel has kept their policy to what "map" means. Other companies have pricing policies that we like to label as map in discussion, but they aren't. A bit more complex.
 
I can’t say that I’ll buy more Cold Steel knives under this policy, but I won’t be specifically buy less because of it.

I don’t want to get into a lot of deep discussion about the pros/cons of MAP, but I like dealing with specialized retailers who know the product and how to provide quality service around that product. In the knife world, MAP policies help those specialized retailers compete against the large retailers of the world.

Now, Cold Steel, if you really want to earn some extra loyalty from me, bring back the original Voyager line, even if it’s as a more budget oriented series like the current Pro Lites.
 
I can understand, from a business perspective, why they are doing this. You know fair enough, they run the company how they see fit.

But that little self centered part of my brain is absolutely hating this, and the development the industry is taking. There's always second hand, of course, but none of you bastids want to sell anything overseas :D

Ah well, maybe I didn't need a AD-10.
 
Cold Steel Knives said:
Anyone who has had issues with their products through companies who don't care about them will understand why we did it. If you've ever received a fake knife, dealt with a company who won't repair/replace your knife, received a second hand knife through a busy returns system, or felt let down, you'll understand.

Our mission is not to be a cheap knife company. We make quality knives at affordable prices and this is how we do so. I'm not sure how doing what's best for our customer is a controversial topic. We have your best interest in mind. We have been in business for 40 years, we know how to take care of our community. Do you think we wouldn't consider all options before implementing a policy like this? Without our customers, we don't have a company. Many will understand, some will not.

MSRP prices have not changed. We have not hiked prices up for profit. There is simply a minimum price that dealers are permitted to sell them at. Amazon cannot sell lower than "insert knife retailer", thus giving "insert knife retailer" the opportunity to gain your business and treat you as a valuable customer rather than a number and a shipping queue on a time limit rather than a quality limit. There are people in the world who still value relationships rather than the bottom dollar. If they didn't, companies like BladeHQ, etc would be out of business due to companies like Amazon, eBay, etc and their pricing. There is a reason why people buy knives at full retail from us every day, and at discounted retail pricing from our authorized dealers. It's because they care about the service. Now, the service can be had at the same price as the competition that lacks service. This is the best possible solution to combatting the problem of poor service and our products being inferred as lesser quality.

Thank you for your understanding.
Click to expand...

The thing is I don’t think Amazon gives a crap about your MAP.
I see more than a couple CS knives that are at lower prices than knife retailers.
Same with Spyderco.

Making knife retailers competitive is what will keep them in business not some line drawn in the sand that only the big boys are willing to cross.
 
The problem with Amazon is the 3rd party vendors on their site who themselves may not or may not be required to adhere to MAP it is also them that are the problem with counterfeit and/or other not as advertised items.
 
AF said:
Yep Amazon is terrible and I've seen many examples of them not following Spyderco's MAP. Also heard numerous reports of them selling counterfeits.
Click to expand...

This seems to be a problem with 3rd party sellers who happen to have a storefront hosted by Amazon.

Most people don't bother to check if it's a 3rd party or actually Amazon who is selling the item.

I have yet to see evidence of Amazon themselves actually selling counterfeits.
 
The only time that Amazon proper ships counterfeit goods is unknowingly shipping an item that has been returned by a scammer who switched out a genuine item with a fake. Amazon ships it since the guy at the returns center is no knife aficionado.

I don’t buy 3rd party goods from Amazon marketplace unless I know the seller.
 
Daniel said:
The only time that Amazon proper ships counterfeit goods is unknowingly shipping an item that has been returned by a scammer who switched out a genuine item with a fake. Amazon ships it since the guy at the returns center is no knife aficionado.

I don’t buy 3rd party goods from Amazon marketplace unless I know the seller.
Click to expand...


This mirrors my experience as well.
 
jbmonkey said:
Daniel Daniel you called that one right. lesson learned. Daniel says it...listen. no need to get clarification...:)

I'm no fan of map but is what it is.....only good side is dealer has to provide better service, lower minimum or free shipping or some other way to earn business. since price point and volume isnt there anymore. so be it......
Click to expand...

Not really. Service can suck universally. Price control means very limited incentive to have, "excellent," service; after all, if you carry quality products, how much service does one dispense? Shipping, meh. Realistically, it is a luxury tax. I personally don't have many friends or acquaintances spending $150 or more on an EDC, unless it was MRSP of $225 or better and/or they purchased on the secondary market.
 
Rob72 said:
Not really. Service can suck universally. Price control means very limited incentive to have, "excellent," service; after all, if you carry quality products, how much service does one dispense? Shipping, meh. Realistically, it is a luxury tax. I personally don't have many friends or acquaintances spending $150 or more on an EDC, unless it was MRSP of $225 or better and/or they purchased on the secondary market.
Click to expand...
it can suck and sometimes does but if that's all they can do to be different they might.......as said the only good thing of map.....youre preaching to the choir.....
 
Mitchell Knives said:
This seems to be a problem with 3rd party sellers who happen to have a storefront hosted by Amazon.

Most people don't bother to check if it's a 3rd party or actually Amazon who is selling the item.

I have yet to see evidence of Amazon themselves actually selling counterfeits.
Click to expand...

Daniel said:
The only time that Amazon proper ships counterfeit goods is unknowingly shipping an item that has been returned by a scammer who switched out a genuine item with a fake. Amazon ships it since the guy at the returns center is no knife aficionado.

I don’t buy 3rd party goods from Amazon marketplace unless I know the seller.
Click to expand...
^ With respect to knives, this is exactly how the scam works. I've also seen it in person at cabela's.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/update-fake-pm2-at-cabelas.1220121/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top