Spyderco Online Factory Seconds Sale!

[Ramonade]

But something changed this time; perhaps a larger audience, greater demand, idk.

Well they changed their advertisement strategy for the past year. Many people said it was way better now, informations go on social media and everything, it wasn't like the past years.
I saw the advertisement for the seconds sale circulate on every group like the Millie PM2 Para3 club, even on the French Spyderco Fan Club.

The traffic must've been dozens of time bigger than anticipated.

[LeDe]

Good morning,

I am lucky enough that the knives I am interested in are still available.

Now before I put an order I have 2 questions, 1 fpr Spyderco and 1 for the European/French forumists.

Can anybody answer if the Siren are post CQI? I understand those in the sale are not perfect items but I would notvwant to order one with the lock issue.

Anyone has experience with delivery to France or at least Europe. Not quite sure what the total duty/custom tax could be (around $200 order) but at least I would like to know how much hassle free the experience is. How would I even pay the taxes?

Best,

[RyanAnchors]

But something changed this time; perhaps a larger audience, greater demand, idk.

Well they changed their advertisement strategy for the past year. Many people said it was way better now, informations go on social media and everything, it wasn't like the past years.
I saw the advertisement for the seconds sale circulate on every group like the Millie PM2 Para3 club, even on the French Spyderco Fan Club.

The traffic must've been dozens of time bigger than anticipated.

The first time I tried the seconds sale (think it was the first online one they did) years ago, it was the same and I wasn’t able to get anything that time because I came too late for anything I thought was worth getting. I will say they had way more different SKUs and random stuff on that one. This sale had a pretty limited number of SKUs. I have a feeling they put a lot of the ones where they only had maybe a few in the mystery boxes. Not a bad strategy. I’m wondering what I got, it’s like Christmas. I find this way more interesting than gambling even though it kind of is a gamble. They should do mystery boxes with first quality versions year round

[vanka]

Good morning,

I am lucky enough that the knives I am interested in are still available.

Now before I put an order I have 2 questions, 1 fpr Spyderco and 1 for the European/French forumists.

Can anybody answer if the Siren are post CQI? I understand those in the sale are not perfect items but I would notvwant to order one with the lock issue.

Anyone has experience with delivery to France or at least Europe. Not quite sure what the total duty/custom tax could be (around $200 order) but at least I would like to know how much hassle free the experience is. How would I even pay the taxes?

Best,

Usually when I order from Spyderco directly I get my items in 7-10 days to the UK. Haven't paid any customs charges. UK might have a different threshold for applying VAT and customs taxes. Usually in the UK it's 20% VAT plus 8% import tax. But I found out that most of the times it's just flat 20% VAT. Don't really know the regulations in France. But I have a friend of mine in Bulgaria and he's paying about 25% on top. That includes all - VAT, import tax, etc. I hope this helps.

[LeDe]

Good morning,

I am lucky enough that the knives I am interested in are still available.

Now before I put an order I have 2 questions, 1 fpr Spyderco and 1 for the European/French forumists.

Can anybody answer if the Siren are post CQI? I understand those in the sale are not perfect items but I would notvwant to order one with the lock issue.

Anyone has experience with delivery to France or at least Europe. Not quite sure what the total duty/custom tax could be (around $200 order) but at least I would like to know how much hassle free the experience is. How would I even pay the taxes?

Best,

Usually when I order from Spyderco directly I get my items in 7-10 days to the UK. Haven't paid any customs charges. UK might have a different threshold for applying VAT and customs taxes. Usually in the UK it's 20% VAT plus 8% import tax. But I found out that most of the times it's just flat 20% VAT. Don't really know the regulations in France. But I have a friend of mine in Bulgaria and he's paying about 25% on top. That includes all - VAT, import tax, etc. I hope this helps.

Thanks, that helps.

I have read there may be a 150 euros threshold in France but not certain.

If I could get a Siren and an Aqua for around 250 euros and a smooth experience, I guess that is great. But the Aqua does not have a sheath...if the Siren is not CQI that would be a deal breaker.

[Ramonade]

Well they changed their advertisement strategy for the past year. Many people said it was way better now, informations go on social media and everything, it wasn't like the past years.
I saw the advertisement for the seconds sale circulate on every group like the Millie PM2 Para3 club, even on the French Spyderco Fan Club.

The traffic must've been dozens of time bigger than anticipated.

The first time I tried the seconds sale (think it was the first online one they did) years ago, it was the same and I wasn’t able to get anything that time because I came too late for anything I thought was worth getting. I will say they had way more different SKUs and random stuff on that one. This sale had a pretty limited number of SKUs. I have a feeling they put a lot of the ones where they only had maybe a few in the mystery boxes. Not a bad strategy. I’m wondering what I got, it’s like Christmas. I find this way more interesting than gambling even though it kind of is a gamble. They should do mystery boxes with first quality versions year round

Oh yeah, forgot there was a first online seconds sale during covid. They have upgraded their website since then, (we saw the difference during the 15V Mule drop compared to the MagnaCut drop for example).
I agree about the limited number of SKUS, a lot of Golden models and very few Taïchung ! I would've loved to grab 2 Watus and some Chaparrals. That's the main reason I did not go nuts and limited my purchases. After that I went to buy a MagnaCut N5 LW to a french dealer lol.

Their website definitely isn't made for big traffic. As an european I'm just happy to have this option, no matter how much time I might lose one day of the year

[Ramonade]

Good morning,

I am lucky enough that the knives I am interested in are still available.

Now before I put an order I have 2 questions, 1 fpr Spyderco and 1 for the European/French forumists.

Can anybody answer if the Siren are post CQI? I understand those in the sale are not perfect items but I would notvwant to order one with the lock issue.

Anyone has experience with delivery to France or at least Europe. Not quite sure what the total duty/custom tax could be (around $200 order) but at least I would like to know how much hassle free the experience is. How would I even pay the taxes?

Best,

I always order Mules to ship to France so I'm quite used to the possible amount of taxes you'd have to pay.
Since July of 2021 any package coming from outside the EU is to be taxed (+ everything LaPoste will add as fees for making us pay instead of the French Customs). The Treshold I've seen is 20€. Everything I've received costing more and not coming from China has been taxed.

The taxes are broken in 20% TVA, 2,5% customs and some other fees (usually around 5€ of "file fees")
1^st problem is : they take shipping cost into account and we pay 45 USD to receive stuff from the SFO.
2^nd problem is :they sometimes don't even bother to use the exchange rate of USD->Euro and simply replace the Dollar sign with the Euro sign

For 2 75USD Mules + 45USD Shipping, I sometimes pay 32€ in taxes, other times 43€, once 47€....

[LeDe]

Good morning,

I am lucky enough that the knives I am interested in are still available.

Now before I put an order I have 2 questions, 1 fpr Spyderco and 1 for the European/French forumists.

Can anybody answer if the Siren are post CQI? I understand those in the sale are not perfect items but I would notvwant to order one with the lock issue.

Anyone has experience with delivery to France or at least Europe. Not quite sure what the total duty/custom tax could be (around $200 order) but at least I would like to know how much hassle free the experience is. How would I even pay the taxes?

Best,

I always order Mules to ship to France so I'm quite used to the possible amount of taxes you'd have to pay.
Since July of 2021 any package coming from outside the EU is to be taxed (+ everything LaPoste will add as fees for making us pay instead of the French Customs). The Treshold I've seen is 20€. Everything I've received costing more and not coming from China has been taxed.

The taxes are broken in 20% TVA, 2,5% customs and some other fees (usually around 5€ of "file fees")
1^st problem is : they take shipping cost into account and we pay 45 USD to receive stuff from the SFO.
2^nd problem is :they sometimes don't even bother to use the exchange rate of USD->Euro and simply replace the Dollar sign with the Euro sign

For 2 75USD Mules + 45USD Shipping, I sometimes pay 32€ in taxes, other times 43€, once 47€....

Thanks!

And there is no way to argue about the shipping cost being included and/or the exchange rate?

Seems insane La Poste gets to collect tax as they please...

[Ramonade]

Thanks!

And there is no way to argue about the shipping cost being included and/or the exchange rate?

Seems insane La Poste gets to collect tax as they please...

Well they do it on behalf of the French Customs and they then pay them with part of the money they got from us... I was taxed 225€ for a 169€ package of venev stones and I've been fighting for them to retax it and reimburse the difference for 5 months now

At least when it comes from Spyderco the amount you have to pay may vary, but it's not totally crazy. I went online to check and the shipping cost must be included in the taxation. I believe that the person that calculates it based on the customs declaration just often forgets to do it.

In my very honest opinion : it's total crap that they would perceive VAT on shipping fees....

[LeDe]

n my very honest opinion : it's total crap that they would perceive VAT on shipping fees....

Should not be a hugely controversial opinion

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Good grief, I was offline for most of the day and this thread went from 6 pages to 22!

I waited for the site crash to get fixed for an hour then had to work, did a $500 minimum drop and leave job instead of a $3500 day-rate job cuz the sale didn’t start till 11 my time,then tried again in the afternoon…still down so I went to the river to cool off and fish a little, caught two little dinky rainbow stockers then came home only to see four knives available…I put the Aquasalt se and Ark se in my cart only to realize no sheaths were included…so I passed then turned on the one hour delayed Braves/Red Sox game only to watch them get beat 7-1…highlight of the game for Braves fans was a triple play…exhausting day

[nerdlock]

Man, people complaining of complainers here should go see the absolute whining, Spyderco-bashing and childish reactions at losing out on the seconds sale at the facebook knife groups! Some posts there make people here look like saints.

[vanka]

They charge for the total amount item plus shipping because years ago there was very wide spread tactic to avoid customs. Buying a 1000 $ item plus 100$ shipping was filled in the papers the other way around - 100 for the item and 1000 for shipping. It was pretty obvious but the old legislations would allow it. They've changed it worldwide as far as I'm aware. And now it's all inclusive. The only difference is each country have a minimum threshold for free of charge import. Some countries don't have it.

[WilliamMunny]

Man, people complaining of complainers here should go see the absolute whining, Spyderco-bashing and childish reactions at losing out on the seconds sale at the facebook knife groups! Some posts there make people here look like saints.

I have seen some nasty stuff out there on the sale already. We are all Spyderco fans here, while frustrated and disappointed I still love the second sales and thank Spyderco for running them. Maybe next year I can pick up a Shaman.

But the other 99% of the people out there are not as kind.

[LeDe]

They charge for the total amount item plus shipping because years ago there was very wide spread tactic to avoid customs. Buying a 1000 $ item plus 100$ shipping was filled in the papers the other way around - 100 for the item and 1000 for shipping. It was pretty obvious but the old legislations would allow it. They've changed it worldwide as far as I'm aware. And now it's all inclusive. The only difference is each country have a minimum threshold for free of charge import. Some countries don't have it.

Unfortunately, kinda makes some sort of sense.

Thanks

[Michael Janich]

Dear Cletus:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

Stay safe,

Mike

[nerdlock]

Man, people complaining of complainers here should go see the absolute whining, Spyderco-bashing and childish reactions at losing out on the seconds sale at the facebook knife groups! Some posts there make people here look like saints.

I have seen some nasty stuff out there on the sale already. We are all Spyderco fans here, while frustrated and disappointed I still love the second sales and thank Spyderco for running them. Maybe next year I can pick up a Shaman.

But the other 99% of the people out there are not as kind.

Some of the posts on those groups really take the word "entitlement" to a whole new level.

[Jurmuscle]

I mean I don't see a problem with people respectfully telling their story. I think it's important for Spyderco to realize that while it was a cool event, not everyone had a good time. Some people wasted hours of their day for nothing. In the army we have an after action review. We discuss good things and bad things. There is no reason to be mean about anything but at the same time someone expressing discontent with wasting a whole day seems like a legit concern. Calling them complainers because you hold yourself in some higher light is kinda messed up too in my opinion.

[LeDe]

I mean I don't see a problem with people respectfully telling their story. I think it's important for Spyderco to realize that while it was a cool event, not everyone had a good time. Some people wasted hours of their day for nothing. In the army we have an after action review. We discuss good things and bad things. There is no reason to be mean about anything but at the same time someone expressing discontent with wasting a whole day seems like a legit concern. Calling them complainers because you hold yourself in some higher light is kinda messed up too in my opinion.

I'd agree with that. But balanced opinions tend to be dismissed by both sides in most debate those days.

[z1r]

I mean I don't see a problem with people respectfully telling their story. I think it's important for Spyderco to realize that while it was a cool event, not everyone had a good time. Some people wasted hours of their day for nothing. In the army we have an after action review. We discuss good things and bad things. There is no reason to be mean about anything but at the same time someone expressing discontent with wasting a whole day seems like a legit concern. Calling them complainers because you hold yourself in some higher light is kinda messed up too in my opinion.

I'd agree with that. But balanced opinions tend to be dismissed by both sides in most debate those days.

So, this is at least the third if not 4th event that I've tried to participate in without success due to the site imploding. I'm a certified Spyderco nut, but honestly feel that my time and effort is not valued. I've wasted a good bit of both trying to participate and come away with nothing for my efforts. I think at some point, they need to re-evaluate this process and invest in whatever IT resources are needed to offer functional online sales events. I've had my share of successes in the past but the number of failures outweighs the successes and quite frankly, leaves me with a bad taste.