Please remove MAP pricing forever!

[Mystery Flavor]

Today is the first day we have been able to experience shops selling below MAP pricing since MAP was implemented in January 2016. This is described as a "MAP holiday" and only lasts 3 days...

Removing MAP brings back the hunt for the best deals. It becomes much more exciting to be a Spyderco fan when there are unexpected sales. Buying new Spydercos with MAP prices is very boring. Essentially every shop will have the same price. The only real differences being variations of gimmicks, like reward points. That only serves to get people hooked on just one dealer.

It would not only be more friendly to all customers if MAP was removed, but I bet some of the shops would like it a whole lot. The customer base will be way more excited and engaged with MAP removed. It will add far more variety in prices and thus more people being engaged when there are actually noteworthy sales. It would keep people checking in all over social media on a regular basis to find out about the newest deals. Since 2016 we have almost entirely lost that fun aspect of buying.

I'd suggest there's a lot of negatives to keeping MAP around. Some people only see MAP as a loophole for "legal" price fixing.

I've seen many of the most die hard customers and fans say they wish you would remove MAP. Please consider this Spyderco!

What do you think? Answer the poll!

[phaust]

The poll will heavily favor removing MAP of course, but the purpose was always to help dealers improve their margins. If that wasn't the case and/or it resulted in less net profit, Spyderco would've heard the complaints and removed it already. Ultimately dealers are Spyderco's "customers", and that's who they listen to regarding MAP.

Given that, I'm not sure any of your arguments are very influential to the brand(?).

Of course as a purchaser I'd like MAP removed :)

[apollo]

Spyderco needs to totally rework there pricing system!
The Map/Msrp thing they have now only screws up the prices.
It makes prices worse in the US and is almost deadly from the moment a spydie leaves US soil.
Other brands fix there prices so worldwide there knives costs around the same everywhere.
Only Spyderco has made it so that a standard Endura costs as much in the rest of the world then a pm2 or a manix 2 costs in the US unbelievable but true!

[standy99]

Remove MAP pricing and all the smaller dealers disappear and all the bigger dealers put prices up after the smaller dealers are gone.

Removing MAP can also have brands devalued if their products are sold below their worth.

Look at Apple it’s pretty much MAP world wide.

There are benefits of MAP….

Also if it was removed…Amazon could wipe out nearly every knife dealer by selling at a loss until it had market dominance.Where are your dealer exclusives then !?

[cycleguy]

I'll vote for MAP w/ MAP holiday. Seems to give all parties opportunity.

CG

[phaust]

Also if it was removed…Amazon could wipe out nearly every knife dealer by selling at a loss until it had market dominance.Where are your dealer exclusives then !?

We had tons of exclusives before MAP as well

[Mushroom]

END M.A.P!!!

The consumer benefits largely outweigh the retailer benefits!

END M.A.P!!!

[Mushroom]

The poll will heavily favor removing MAP of course, but the purpose was always to help dealers improve their margins. If that wasn't the case and/or it resulted in less net profit, Spyderco would've heard the complaints and removed it already. Ultimately dealers are Spyderco's "customers", and that's who they listen to regarding MAP.

Given that, I'm not sure any of your arguments are very influential to the brand(?).

Of course as a purchaser I'd like MAP removed :)

As a customer who is not a dealer, I don’t care about dealer margins at all! That’s not my problem as a consumer! I don’t think it should be Spydercos problem to combat either. Amazon clearly isn’t going anywhere and Spyderco knives have been available for purchase through them this whole time. MAP didn’t stop that and it’s not going to.

It’s time to get back to serving the customers over the retailers, in my opinion.

END M.A.P!

[phaust]

The poll will heavily favor removing MAP of course, but the purpose was always to help dealers improve their margins. If that wasn't the case and/or it resulted in less net profit, Spyderco would've heard the complaints and removed it already. Ultimately dealers are Spyderco's "customers", and that's who they listen to regarding MAP.

Given that, I'm not sure any of your arguments are very influential to the brand(?).

Of course as a purchaser I'd like MAP removed :)

As a customer who is not a dealer, I don’t care about dealer margins at all! That’s not my problem as a consumer! I don’t think it should be Spydercos problem to combat either. Amazon clearly isn’t going anywhere and Spyderco knives have been available for purchase through them this whole time. MAP didn’t stop that and it’s not going to.

It’s time to get back to serving the customers over the retailers, in my opinion.

END M.A.P!

I agree, but if the goal is to end MAP, the arguments need to be convincing to Spyderco, not other customers.

[Jim Malone]

Remove MAP and MSRP!

[Mrj]

Yes end it!

[huyfishin]

Removing the map pricing will actually destroy the market for business owners.

As a business owner I say keep the map pricing. otherwise one business will just undercut another.
Removing map is a fast way of hurting the Spyderco brand.

Yeti coolers didn't become a 3.5 billion dollar company by offering cheap discount coolers. They have map pricing and good marketing. Which created the high end cult brand. (even though its made in china)

Try convincing spyderco to remove it. Bet nothings gonna change.

[standy99]

Have a quick read of this

https://www.channelsight.com/blog/what- ... for-brands


Better brand protection

Without a MAP policy in place, retailers may advertise products at low prices to attract in-store footfall, increase web traffic or clear out stock.

On marketplaces like Amazon, competition for a place on the digital shelf can be particularly intense. Some sellers may be tempted to sell a brand’s products at a cut-throat price – or even at a loss – in order to earn positive reviews, win the ‘Buy Box’ position and boost their sales volume.

If this happens too often, it can diminish the value of a brand or product in the eyes of consumers. This could have a devastating impact on luxury brands and high-end product lines.

For this reason, it is hugely important for brands to retain some control over their minimum advertised price.



Here are 2 key points

2. Never consult retailers

Brands need to create their MAP policy independently. If retailers are consulted or have any input into the process, this could be seen as price-fixing – which is a violation of antitrust laws.

To make sure your brand never has to face penalties or court hearings, don’t request the opinions of any third-party stakeholders.

4. Consider including seasonal exemptions

During big sale events, like Black Friday, some brands temporarily waive the rules around Minimum Advertised Price.

This can boost retail sales and create a buzz among consumers. If brands offer this kind of flexibility only occasionally, they should be able to maintain their reputation and the profitability of retailers too.

Black Friday takes place after Thanksgiving and typically retailers offer heavy discounts on products.

[Frozenspyder]

I'm sure that Sal has reasons for choosing to run his business as he does. He's been doing it successfully for quite some time. I'm not going to question his decisions.

[Mushroom]

I don’t actually expect MAP to permanently go away. In another thread earlier this year, I advocated for even just decreasing the MAP percentage to help alleviate the inevitable price increase coming in the new year. It’s currently at 30% off MSRP but if that was decreased to somewhere around 35-40% off MSRP, that would be a tremendous help for customers.

[Scandi Grind]

Removing the map pricing will actually destroy the market for business owners.

As a business owner I say keep the map pricing. otherwise one business will just undercut another.
Removing map is a fast way of hurting the Spyderco brand.

Yeti coolers didn't become a 3.5 billion dollar company by offering cheap discount coolers. They have map pricing and good marketing. Which created the high end cult brand. (even though its made in china)

Try convincing spyderco to remove it. Bet nothings gonna change.

Huyfishin, as usual you have good insight. I am a small business owner as well and know that these sorts of decisions are not as cut and dry as a consumer would like them to be. Improvements could possibly be made, but I don't think it is by removing MAP in this case.

[wrdwrght]

Hate to be a that guy but Spyderco is a business before all else. MAP was a business decision.

The only way you can involve yourself in that decision is, you guessed it, stop buying Spyderco.

Winning us few to the anti-MAP cause (20 people for removal when last I looked) will make not an iota of difference, even if we few reverse our clearly-demonstrated MAP-tolerant behavior.

Didn’t vote.

[zhyla]

I’m sure Spyderco enjoys the stability that MAP gives them (retailers don’t have to compete on price, so it’s more predictable what their profits will be, so they are comfortable placing orders). I guess that benefits consumers to some degree as Spyderco can bring new products to market with less risk.

A downside though is Spyderco is only vaguely price competitive to begin with, an MAP eliminates whatever remaining competition there was in the market. Fine if you sell pocket jewelry. Not great if you sell tools meant for mass consumption.

[JRinFL]

There are always pros and cons to MAP/No MAP decisions. I think it is too high now and should be dialed back. I do understand some about protecting brand value. MAP just sticks in my craw and I can't help but kick against it, but it is here to stay in some format.

As far as having a known yearly MAP holiday, I think this would force most buyers to just hold off until the end of the year to buy. Not sure how that would help retailers or Spyderco since you'd have 11 dry months and one month of floods.

[huyfishin]

There are always pros and cons to MAP/No MAP decisions. I think it is too high now and should be dialed back. I do understand some about protecting brand value. MAP just sticks in my craw and I can't help but kick against it, but it is here to stay in some format.

As far as having a known yearly MAP holiday, I think this would force most buyers to just hold off until the end of the year to buy. Not sure how that would help retailers or Spyderco since you'd have 11 dry months and one month of floods.

With Taichung factory at max capacity I doubt they have 11 dry months of knife sales a year.
The knives are selling. If one knife isn't selling then the other knife is. Many collectors buy more then one. Drop or lose a knife and need to buy another. year round camping. Parents always buying there kids a first knife. Kitchen staff buying knives for work. There is always one selling.