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Thoughts on authorized dealers raising GEC prices above the minimum sale price.
- Thread starter Fixall
- Start date
For those who might be interested, I've got an idea that might be useful for folks who enjoy buying GEC knives, or are new to doing so, and would like to remove some of the confusion and frustration associated with the current pricing. Check it out and give me some feedback. If it looks like a worthy idea, we can get it going for the current run of 85s.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...troduction-solicitation-for-feedback.1778332/
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...troduction-solicitation-for-feedback.1778332/
Price transparency is quite important. You've got a good idea but picked the wrong platform.
You can accomplish the same thing by creating a discord server or twitter account for the same purpose. Reddit would also work.
I’d appreciate a mod weighing in as well. After Wharn mentioned it I went to the Rules and it indicated there “site wide” application of the rules. But perhaps there is some leeway in the GB&U for such feedback?Does that rule apply in FEEDBACK: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly? I've seen threads here asking about non supporting vendors.
Perhaps a mod could weigh in.Boru13
I don’t have a problem with it considering the reason... no links, name only please.Does that rule apply in FEEDBACK: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly? I've seen threads here asking about non supporting vendors.
Perhaps a mod could weigh in.
...and yet another ramble. Here goes:
This past weekend I read all the pages on this thread. Many forum members I am familiar with commented on flipper proliferation, the futility of trying to buy a GEC at retail (what ever that is these days), some “opportunistic” dealer pricing and so on has basically caused me to come to the same conclusion – it ain’t fun anymore. It’s more like a contest than collecting. I mean really, what’s the point anymore? On the plus side, I have a nice GEC collection with many in use & that makes it easier to move on. I’m lucky I got in when I did and now it’s time to be more of an observer.
I found the banter & comments on business models interesting, particularly from Mike of CK and those who responded. I count Mike as a force in the selection of dealers I would do business with. I paused in writing this post to go and take another look at the GEC factory visit videos from 2013 and 2015... Suffice to say that effected my coming to the following conclusion… that is, I think Mike is spot on in his suggestion that GEC should close down it’s dealer network and sell full retail from the plant. Like GEC, I once had (now retired) a limited run, craftsman business that I ran for 25 years. By the end of my first year, I pitched my dealer network and went solo. I had a litany of concerns, but regardless of my efforts to keep things under control, out of control pricing games were causing hard feelings all around.
With no dealers, the complaints dropped significantly and I was solidly in K.I.S.S. territory. It was a relief to concentrate more on new designs and tooling. I can say with some positivity that when you rein things in and keep it all closer to home, it’s a lot easier to keep tabs on the whole picture and make adjustments…and hey, I am not saying I pleased all the people all the time, but I think I did a better job than a lot of my contemporaries.
…anyway, just one of many ideas out there.
This past weekend I read all the pages on this thread. Many forum members I am familiar with commented on flipper proliferation, the futility of trying to buy a GEC at retail (what ever that is these days), some “opportunistic” dealer pricing and so on has basically caused me to come to the same conclusion – it ain’t fun anymore. It’s more like a contest than collecting. I mean really, what’s the point anymore? On the plus side, I have a nice GEC collection with many in use & that makes it easier to move on. I’m lucky I got in when I did and now it’s time to be more of an observer.
I found the banter & comments on business models interesting, particularly from Mike of CK and those who responded. I count Mike as a force in the selection of dealers I would do business with. I paused in writing this post to go and take another look at the GEC factory visit videos from 2013 and 2015... Suffice to say that effected my coming to the following conclusion… that is, I think Mike is spot on in his suggestion that GEC should close down it’s dealer network and sell full retail from the plant. Like GEC, I once had (now retired) a limited run, craftsman business that I ran for 25 years. By the end of my first year, I pitched my dealer network and went solo. I had a litany of concerns, but regardless of my efforts to keep things under control, out of control pricing games were causing hard feelings all around.
With no dealers, the complaints dropped significantly and I was solidly in K.I.S.S. territory. It was a relief to concentrate more on new designs and tooling. I can say with some positivity that when you rein things in and keep it all closer to home, it’s a lot easier to keep tabs on the whole picture and make adjustments…and hey, I am not saying I pleased all the people all the time, but I think I did a better job than a lot of my contemporaries.
…anyway, just one of many ideas out there.
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Your argument falls flat, because the "user cohort" you talk about already has alternatives. Rough Rider is made in China and can be had for less than half the price of a GEC. Case is made in the USA, and is (on average) cheaper than GEC. Buck also makes some traditionals in the USA for a reasonable price. All cut things just as well as a GEC, yet GEC is more sought after.
I'm relatively new to buying GEC (off and on since early 2019), but mine are all users, so I guess I would fall into the "user cohort" you talk about. I have a few Case and Buck Knives, but I hardly ever use them because I prefer the quality of my GEC knives, and I have never considered buying a Rough Rider. That's because GEC is in a different category from those other brands. They are made from better materials, with much higher fit and finish, and in my opinion, more functionality.
You mention Spyderco using overseas production, and you even mention that they had some quality control issues. Others have explained why that's not an apt comparison, so I'll leave that alone. But I think you should look at Benchmade for a better example. They started out as a completely USA made brand, and later started an overseas production line, with the express intent of getting more knives into more people's hands at a lower price. In the end, they got rid of their overseas made lines because they felt it diluted their brand. That's a more apt comparison to this situation.
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That’s exactly what I feel like this maneuver accomplishes. I prefer a brand that has continuity across product lines- I like being able to predict what I’m getting without having to read the fine print in a dealer web page. It turns me off on Boker, and it’d ruin my impression of GEC.
I think the answer is just boycotting the marked up knives. Miss out on bunches of runs, live with lots of remorse, but help solve the problem.
What? I guarantee more people will see these threads than they will ANY Discord server. LOL Are you serious? Twitter account? That would be unregulated disaster in itself as well. Come on, now.
I highly doubt the collectors who are paying the prices for these GECs and the collector/users who are lusting/complaining about not being able to get them, will buy GECs that are only GECs in name. It doesn't make any sense for GEC to do what a few folks here are suggesting, to address the topic of this thread.
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I own 1 GEC. It’s a nice knife, made by craftsmen, and I appreciate that. However, I have zero interest in playing this game to purchase their products. They are now collectibles and no longer “user” knives. It’s not fun and it’s really soured me to the company. That’s just me, YMMV, some people love the game. I fail to see how this distribution method is good for anyone outside the hardcore collectors, flippers, and those with insider contacts.
I think we are using the wrong terminology here. I think GEC knives are still great user knives, I use all of mine. I think they are no longer the "every man" user knife. If you are the average person and you are knife shopping because you actually need a knife and you go shopping online. There is no GEC stock for you to buy, no patterns to choose from, nothing, you are going to go elsewhere and buy a knife to use. I think Bill Howard wants to be the every man knife maker (I could be wrong) but that's not what is happening right now.
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Good point - “every man knife” is a better description of what I was trying to convey.
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Yeah- I’m with Jiki; I enjoy using mine, but I also see why an over-inflated price would make people less likely to use them. GECs are eye candy, but at the price point we’ve seen until recently they also make great users. Now that “desirability” has inflated the cost to the average user, we’re now buying the added feature of “desirability” which disappears as soon as it’s used. Now a knife Knut could scratch that itch and use their new 380321, or they could use one of their other beater GECs and keep that ... ugh I even hate to say it... investment. I expect more folks will do the latter.