Sprints and Exclusives Killing Regular Production Models?

[Johnnie1801]

After seeing the discontinued list for this year I was just wondering if all the sprints and exclusives could be to blame for the poor sales of regular production knives? Personally, I had a bunch of those discontinued knives on my to buy list but my limited funds always got diverted to pick up a sprint or exclusive.

I know this is heresy to some but maybe Spyderco should limit the amount of exclusives and sprints they do in a year or maybe increase production runs on sprints in order to improve sales of regular production knives?

[adancingmonkey]

I would agree, they could be victims of their own success. I rarely buy regular production knives. I like the sprints that make a great knife just that little bit extra special.

[RadioactiveSpyder]

It certainly seems like there were a heck of a lot of sprints and exclusives this year, along with throwing different blade shapes into the more popular models!

[PaleMoon]

Unless the color of the handle is really appealing to me, I actually try to avoid sprints. I prefer to know that I can buy a replacement if I ever break or lose a knife I love.

I guess this is market driven, but I hope Spyderco won't let it get too out of hand, as recently seen with a certain traditional knife company...

[The Mastiff]

If sprints and exclusives are what is selling why would it be in their interests to try to stop making them so we would buy more non sprint knives? Wouldn't that tend to alienate buyers? It seems you try to make more of what has the highest demand and not force purchases of lesser demand knives. I don't get the concept of this admittedly.

Joe

[bearfacedkiller]

Yes and no for me. On one hand I do think that sprints eat up a lot of my knife buying funds and i admit that I have a hard time resisting sprints and it does often push other knives down on my list. On the other hand I like the core Spydie in house designs best and welcome as many variations of the Military, Stretch and Delica as I can get my hands on. I am one of those steel junkies and we need our variety.

Steel variety for me is an effective way to get my wallet to come out. If more of the collaborations and unique models came with unique steels I may not buy as many sprints. The K2 and both Bradley folders for example were easy buys for me because I am a steel geek.

While they do pump out a lot of different models they also crank out a lot of different steels. Both of those push the industry forward so both are good.

Also, some on this years list were very unique and somewhat pricey designs. The Vrango, Myrtle, Mamba and Tighe Stick were all likely to be smaller runs.

[bh49]

just wondering if all the sprints and exclusives could be to blame for the poor sales of regular production knives?

I do not think that we can blame sprints/exclusives for poor sale of production models.
If I wouldn't buy my production N5 or caly3/3.5, I would never buy sprints/ exclusives. So production knives have to come first. Every year Spyderco discontinue some models. This year is not an exclusion. When I look at 2017 discontinued list, I found that everything, what I ever wanted from this list, I already have. I would buy a spare Ti Fluted N5, if I would have funds. But I have already one. In 2017 I bought only one sprint and one exclusive. probably will buy one more. If I wouldn't buy them and saved money, I wouldn't buy anything form disco list. So harm by sprints is done. And if somebody only interested in sprints and spent all their money there, they wouldn't buy production. I think that sprints only increasing sales.

[El Gato]

As long as it is a Spyderco :spyder: , and a model I personally like, I will buy it.
It matters not in the least to me if it be an Exclusive, a Sprint, or a Regular Production piece.
Either way Spyderco :spyder: still gets my money, and I'm good with that.

Dave

[SG89]

OP: all of the knives on the discontinued list will be easily accessible for you to buy for years to come. there are lots of them still out there. they had to be discontinued bc of low sales or too expensive to produce. the production of more sprints and exclusives is based on they sell out generally speaking. lots of new in house designs and improvements on past designs and collaborations were announced in this year's catalog. spyderco is still very much dedicated to putting a ton of knives out there for us, the expanded Golden factory makes more sprints possible to keep up with the demand.

[jdw]

As long as it is a Spyderco :spyder: , and a model I personally like, I will buy it.
It matters not in the least to me if it be an Exclusive, a Sprint, or a Regular Production piece.
Either way Spyderco :spyder: still gets my money, and I'm good with that..

I agree. I have an unusual brand loyalty (for me) to Spyderco in this regard. I appreciate the way that they do business, their customer loyalty, and the variety that they offer. To me, I will buy it if I like it and I appreciate both the unique designs and unique steels.

[murphjd25]

I totally agree that if it wasn’t for the regular production runs first, I would have no interest in just the sprint runs. The regular production models are what made me fall in love with those particular designs, thus making me want to pursue the sprint runs.

[wrdwrght]

I take sprint/exclusive success as a sign that some Glesser designs truly rule, while others don't and get disco'd, along with a good many collabs. That said, where has regular production been killed? This year's catalog is spectacularly voluminous. I'd say Spyderco is nothing if it ain't about choice of new offerings.

[ZrowsN1s]

....
Steel variety for me is an effective way to get my wallet to come out. If more of the collaborations and unique models came with unique steels I may not buy as many sprints. The K2 and both Bradley folders for example were easy buys for me because I am a steel geek.

.....

Same here. Steel choice keeps me from buying some new models. For example $160 for a vg-10 Q-Ball... I want this knife, I like the design and lock type.... but everytime I get close to pulling the trigger, something like the Cruwear Para, or s30v wharn delica knocks it down the list. If the Q-Ball cost $190 and had k390 instead I'd own it already. (it's still on my list though)

[Ryno]

After seeing the discontinued list for this year I was just wondering if all the sprints and exclusives could be to blame for the poor sales of regular production knives? Personally, I had a bunch of those discontinued knives on my to buy list but my limited funds always got diverted to pick up a sprint or exclusive.

I know this is heresy to some but maybe Spyderco should limit the amount of exclusives and sprints they do in a year or maybe increase production runs on sprints in order to improve sales of regular production knives?

If sprints are selling so well, wouldn't it make sense to make more sprints? Give the people what they want!

[krikun98]

If more regular production knives had interesting steels... The Pattada would've been a beast with K390. Regular ol' S30V for the new D'Allara just doesn't cut it for me, too. Upping the standard steel to 20CV or 204P would make regular production much more appealing. That would probably up the prices, though...

[Johnnie1801]

If sprints are selling so well, wouldn't it make sense to make more sprints? Give the people what they want!

My point is people only have X amount of $ to spend on knives, I'm guessing the majority are like me and prioritise sprints and exclusives as once they're gone they're gone. This year in particular Spyderco have probably released more sprints and exclusives than any other year since I have been following them. If people are spending their money on sprints then they're less likely (like me) to purchase regular production knives because of lack of funds and hence sales suffer. I've only bought 4 knives this year (one was hijacked in the mail) and all were sprints, if there weren't so many sprints coming out I'm sure i would have purchased at least one of the knives on the discoe'd list

One of the great things about Spyderco is that they work with some of the best custom knife-makers around but I wonder how long they'll continue to do that. What other knife company would make a knife like the Introvert or Nirvana? I just worry that Spyderco will start to cut back on collaborations because they can make a quicker buck selling a sprint run.

[Johnnie1801]

If more regular production knives had interesting steels... The Pattada would've been a beast with K390. Regular ol' S30V for the new D'Allara just doesn't cut it for me, too. Upping the standard steel to 20CV or 204P would make regular production much more appealing. That would probably up the prices, though...

That's certainly a factor as well, I think many people were looking forward to the Positron thinking it would be 204p like the Southard but when it was announced in s30v people lost interest.

[anycal]

A different perspective.

Few of you mentioned that it was the production runs that made you get the sprints/exclusives.

I am not in that boat. Not sure if I am the minority here or not. But being new to the game and seeing a lot of production runs side-by-side with sprints and exclusives, I have no interest in basic steel and black color handles. Not that there is anything wrong with them. And if that is all I knew and that is all there was, I am sure that would buy them.

Now, the exception is production knives that are already using an upgraded steel, and will not likely have an exclusive or sprint run - GB, Mantra, couple, I can think of.

I am at a point where I have more knives than I will ever need. So, even if I really like a new production knife (perfect example Manix 2 BL), I am willing to wait for a special. And if it never happens, no big deal for me. Like I said, I have more knives than I will ever need. I have 12 :spyder:s, and not a single production run.

All that said, a production run is a perfect first knife. Also, perfect as a gift to someone as a first knife, first :spyder: .

[bh49]

Everybody is different.
In general I do not care about latest and greatest steels. VG10 is great. As long as I am not paying for it as much as I would pay for Maxamet.
I am buying knives only, if I like or love overall design and can afford it. I passed on most of sprints and exclusives this year because I am not attracted to the models. But I bought CF Fluted Native5, when it came out. S90V or S30V wouldn't change my decision to buy.
I am waiting for regular production Shaman with S30V. Many people said that they will pass and wait for sprints. Good luck. Be my guests. This sprint will be in a year? or Two or three? And somebody would think that I will wait that long, when I can enjoy this knife in a month or two?
Some models never see sprints of exclusives. Shabaria sprint happened probably 10 years after production model was discontinued. The same about Dodo.
And BTW, there are several of my favorite models, which never had sprints at all.

[Surfingringo]

If sprints and exclusives are what is selling why would it be in their interests to try to stop making them so we would buy more non sprint knives? Wouldn't that tend to alienate buyers? It seems you try to make more of what has the highest demand and not force purchases of lesser demand knives. I don't get the concept of this admittedly.

Joe

This was my first thought too when I read the op. I reckon they should be making whatever knives sell the best. That’s certainly what I would do were I running a business.