Buy Sprints, then Flip Them at a Profit?

[kennethsime]

Last month I was looking at the (then out of stock) M390 Millies on KW and comparing the prices with eBay, and found quite a few for about $100 more than KW had originally asked, anywhere from $310-325.

This got me thinking: does this happen often? Do forum-ites flip spydie sprints? Or is the M390 Millie just that special? I know I can't be the only one who's noticed this if it happens often.

It'd be a **** of a way to finance a spydie-bite.

[Agent_Ohm]

Every sprint in the last 2 to 3 years I have seen go for absurd prices on both ebay and bst sections of other forums.

[gbelleh]

That's discussed here quite often. Buying up knives with the sole purpose of selling them for profit is generally not looked upon favorably by most forum members.

[kennethsime]

That's discussed here quite often. Buying up knives with the sole purpose of selling them for profit is generally not looked upon favorably by most forum members.

That's the kind of answer I was hoping for.

[RIOT]

if you can carefully search out Spydercos that are being discontinued or sprint runs you can double your money.

sometimes youll be keeping them for awhile, depends on how fast you plan on flipping them.

[Cheddarnut]

if you can carefully search out Spydercos that are being discontinued or sprint runs you can double your money.

sometimes youll be keeping them for awhile, depends on how fast you plan on flipping them.

Lets not encourage this behavior, for as everyone knows flippers lose their soul and burn for eternity.

[Evil D]

I voted that I wouldn't because usually if I buy it I use it. Plus I think this sort of thing can be bad for hobbies because it tends to elevate the cost of things for us all. I also hate the preorder game that comes along with it.

[darkstar29]

I wouldn't flip a Spydie, and here's why:

I don't have the cash to buy up multiple knives.
Even when I do let a knife go, it's usually a gift. Or, if a friend/family member insists on paying me, I take a small pittance of the price paid.

I'm not judging those who do flip.. It seems to be a fairly lucrative endeavor. But there are ways to go about it without gouging folks.

[MachSchnell]

I've sold a couple sprints due to them not seeing much pocket time/use. Sold 'em used and for a reasonable price. Buying in bulk solely to make a profit is just a dirty business scheme. Although there is demand for the pieces and some people will pay over msrp to get them, it just ridiculous. The practice of buying only to sell just cheats the people out who will actually use these tools, instead the knives will most likely be destined to be dusty collectibles at the inflated rates they go for.

It's sad but I believe there are far more collectors with too much money than people who actually use these knives. The latter usually miss out on pre-orders, but would actually benefit from the exotic steel choices. To the people that will use the knives, we just can't justify super high secondary market values if we miss the pre-orders (been there, it stinks).

[Blerv]

A valid question but prob not the best one here. It's kinda like Fight Club, not that I participate (or would talk about it either way).

[The Mastiff]

I haven't ever bought a knife with the intention of flipping it. I have had to sell some of my best ( example: S90V millie) due to things like emergency bills ( usually dog health, I spent well over $3000 on Finn's vet bills last year alone, and about $1800 so far this year). In cases like that I will ask the going price for them, but always try to 1) sell to a forumite and 2) if it's a forumite I lower the price when I can, as much as I can afford to. That's an iffy thing though as it's usually inspired by an emergency type situation.

If I didn't want the knife to begin with I wouldn't buy it. I used to sell knives at gunshows but gave that up. I leave it to real dealers now.

Joe

[The Mentaculous]

When I buy a knife, especially a sprint run, it's because it A)Appeals to me and B)Is probably my only opportunity to get one for a decent price. If I didn't think I would want to keep the knife and use it and/or add it to my collection, I wouldn't even consider buying it. I guess if I were made of money, I could buy multiples and sell the extras, but I think that would be pretty lame. And to be honest, even if I could afford to buy multiples for any of my knives, I would just keep one in mint condition for future use rather than sell it.

I honestly consider people who buy sprint runs with the sole intent of selling them for a huge mark-up to be complete bottom feeders. Especially for sprint runs that are in high demand. When a sprint run comes out, I think people who ACTUALLY WANT THEM should have an opportunity to buy them at a reasonable price. If it sells out quick, and you just bought yours so that you can sell it for twice as much on ebay, meanwhile someone who's on a budget and would have loved to have bought it doesn't get one, I think that's pretty scummy.

[jackknifeh]

In my original goal to own one knife that I would love to use and would stay sharp a long time I bought around 40 knives I think. But, when the number hit 20 or so I noticed I was only carrying a few that I really liked. But with that many knives that I had tried I began to know what I liked and disliked. So I started selling the knives I didn't use much or at all. With that money I bought more knives to try. The result is I have a set of around 10 knives that I love to carry and use. I can put all my knives in a hat and reach in and pick one. Anything I pick up is a GREAT knife IMO. There are no so/so knives in the pile I have to chose from. The knives are great IMO. There are others who would choose different knives as their set of great knives ITO (In Their Opinion). I just made up a new acronym. As if there weren't enough already. :)

So to answer the question, I have never bought a knife with the intention of selling it for a profit. I sold some great (IMO) knives just because I didn't use them because there was one sitting next to it I preferred to put in my pocket. Sometimes I couldn't even come up with a good reason. So I selected "I have flipped" and "I would flip". I will sell one that I have now but it would have to be to get a knife that I REALLY WANT. I just ordered a FRN Manbug on a whim but I am going to get the Chaparral Stealth when they are available. After I get it and find I am no longer carrying the CF Chaparral I might sell the CF model. That's how I think but in the Chaparral's case I won't because I hope to get each one as they come out. I like the Chaparral model that much. But if they come out with one I don't like I won't get it. If I don't want to carry/use it I won't buy it just to have the whole set. Maybe I would but the only reason would be to leave the entire set to my son when I leave. Hopefully there will be lots and lots of Chaparral knives by then. :)

Jack

[BAL]

I don't mean to offend anyone, but this is one of my pet peeves. I know that many
buy them with the intent of flipping them, but I don't like it no matter how you
spin it. Especially because of this forum.

If it was a product that you had no emotional ties to the company, other buyers
and what-not it would be one thing, but so many of us post on here and it would
be like stabbing a friend in the back.

We wait and wait for months and months for that special knife to arrive and then
can't get one. Knowing that people have lapped up multiple knives, just to hop up
the price and re-sale is........ Not sure what word to use here, so I'll just end, you
get the point.

[jackknifeh]

I don't mean to offend anyone, but this is one of my pet peeves. I know that many
buy them with the intent of flipping them, but I don't like it no matter how you
spin it. Especially because of this forum.

If it was a product that you had no emotional ties to the company, other buyers
and what-not it would be one thing, but so many of us post on here and it would
be like stabbing a friend in the back.

We wait and wait for months and months for that special knife to arrive and then
can't get one. Knowing that people have lapped up multiple knives, just to hop up
the price and re-sale is........ Not sure what word to use here, so I'll just end, you
get the point.

I agree with this. Buying several of something at what was intended to be the "customer" price just to charge more for it when there are no more available I think is just shi**y and greedy. That means you don't care about anyone except yourself. I don't think it qualifies you as an ******* but it's not a characteristic to be proud of. That's just my opinion. If OTOH you get a knife at a very low price and resell it for a price that is close to the "customer" price that is good for you, a lucky break, etc. I mean getting a knife in good condition at a flea market or yard sale where the people don't know the value of it and sell it for less than it's original "customer" price.

Again, that's just how I feel personally. I have friends that may do that and I don't consider them bad people. I may be willing to do things they consider shi**y and not feel bad about it.

Jack

Jack

[The Deacon]

Never have, never will. Figured out many years ago that, at least for me, business and pleasure don't mix. Looking at something that had started out as an enjoyable pastime as a potential source of income quickly took all the fun out of it and never generated enough income to make up for that.

[paisa777]

You see this very thing happening now with the Pumpkin Para2. I've seen so many Pumpkins for sale on Bladeforums with everybody claiming "I just don't like the feel of it" or "I had an emergency expense come up". Yet, they are selling for $100 extra. We know **** well they didn't intend to keep that knife.

Meanwhile, the little people like myself lose out on being able to buy a knife I really want. No matter how badly I want it, I'm not paying $100 extra just because the knife touched your hands before you flipped it.

[Fat Goat Forge]

Never have, never will. Figured out many years ago that, at least for me, business and pleasure don't mix. Looking at something that had started out as an enjoyable pastime as a potential source of income quickly took all the fun out of it and never generated enough income to make up for that.

If it was a product that you had no emotional ties to the company, other buyers
and what-not it would be one thing, but so many of us post on here and it would
be like stabbing a friend in the back.

+1 I also would rather leave the extra one for another collector to score at the good price and enjoy the good karma that comes from not profiteering. I ordered one orange sprint PM2 (loving it by the way) and have 1 on pre-order for the green PM2 sprint.

Like the 2nd poster I quoted above I feel flipping a sprint is not like buying a comodity like a 1 ounce gold bar. I like the company and enjoy the friends I make here on the forum and over at BF. I would not want to deny someone the enjoyment of getting in on the sprint. Now if someone wants to get 2 one for a user and one for the safe I have no problem its flipping it the week they get it that I find annoying.

[jackknifeh]

I remember when the Manix2 FFG with M4 blade was coming out. Only 600 of them. Lots of us pre ordered them and got them when they first came out. Can't speak for others but I've enjoyed that knife and intend to do so for a long time. The knife was on sale on eBay for up to $250 and $300 the very same week. I hope no one bought them because they are still availabe at bento. But the people who thought they were going to double their money in just a few days were disappointed. So sorry.

Jack

[akaAK]

I voted that I would never "flip" a spydie. I have no issue with people buying and selling knives even if it means I miss out on specific sprints. As Deacon said earlier, this is not about making money for me, I buy spydies because I like and use them, that simple. I would be more likely to gift one to someone who could use it and get the same enjoyment I get from quality tools.

Everyone has a choice to make, if enough people are willing to pay hugely inflated prices then enough people will be willing to try to corner the market. Lets face it, that is capitalism. Market forces are sometimes irrational, but buyers and sellers of these types of goods almost always are.. I have missed out on a number of sprints, but I also don't add personal value to objects so no knife is a "must have" for me. I would like to try out an Orange Para but am not willling to pay secondary market prices.

Lets not forget that flippers also get stuck with certain knives they can't sell for profits. That is still money that goes to Spyderco, you take yor chances and not everyone is a winner.

Trying to stop this is like trying to stop the wind, good luck.