MCM wrote:Piss on Wallmart.
I quit shopping there.........
Just don't like what they are all about.
The end.
Same. Ever since I saw the documentary in Economics in high school :eek: I could never go there again.
Look for an army surplus store. I thought I only had an over priced gun range near me but then I found an army surplus store and they have EVVERRYYTTHHINNGG. spin endura police military lava persian kopas. they really stock up. plus they have a lot of other neat things around the store :)
Slick wrote:This thread needs a comment from someone at Spyderco.
I've always wondered how Spyderco made money on the Native's Wally World sales. Spyderco's domestic supply chain may be better utilized producing other knives.
Hi Slick,
What type of comments would interest you?
As far as Wal-Mart goes, I can't say that it was very profitable for us on a per knife basis. The hope was that more people would be interested in Spyderco after trying the Native and there was possibility that Wal-Mart would be interested in more Spyderco or byrd models once they worked with us.
It didn't work out that way. They said that we were very good at delivering on time, but that our knives just didn't perform well enough. (Performance to Wal-Mart means sales, not cut).
the local walmart here in ketchikan had the native I on sale for $30 each about a month ago. i couldn't believe it... i thought it was just about the best knife deal imaginable... spyderco quality, warranty, S30v, for $40???
let's face it... most knife knuts aren't buying at walmart.
It didn't work out that way. They said that we were very good at delivering on time, but that our knives just didn't perform well enough. (Performance to Wal-Mart means sales, not cut).
sal
Thats it.....I`m not shopping at Wally World Again!!!!! :p
Henry
My Wife Say`s I Buy One More Spydie She`s Going To Divorce Me....God I`m Going To Miss Her!!! :rolleyes:
Yep, saw a 2 hr special and was floored.
Could not believe they encourage their work force to get Gov aid rather than offering any type of benefits. Food stamps, medical etc.
They are eligible as the work force is considered "poor"
Also the non union bashing propaganda. Its actually illegal to do what they are doing in that area.
Then the clip in China, with young people sent to factories to try to better themselves. Only to work 6-7 days a week, 12+ hours a day for like $2.00 per day. 1/2 that goes to Co. for provided sleeping quarters & food.
I am about as cheap as they come, but with this....... I draw the line.
Thanks / but no thanks. :mad:
Sorry to screw up this thead with this.
But everyone should see the 2 hr special.
You will be blown away...........
I go there and I buy common everyday things that are less expensive than other places. In some cases for me it is cheaper to pay more locally (gasoline costs) and I favor mom and pop stores. I don't go to Walmart to buy a Stihl or a Husqvarna chain saw or a Lawn Boy. I don't go to Walmart to buy any high dollar watch or Harley Davidson or Moto Guzzi part or accessory. They just don't carry them because they sell in volume and also would have to deal with factory authorization. They deal in easily recognized name brands that John Doe (or even me) will buy if we need that product. Nothing high end on sale there except for maybe cameras and electronics. The joke goes like this: A guy walks into a bar and asks for....................OK, you've heard it. I walked into Walmart recently and then to the sports dept. I asked if they had any Spydercos. The clerk said "what"? I said Spyderco knives. He said "what"? I knew before I asked that they had none. You can buy knives like they sell anywhere. How many Benchmade and Microtechs are sold at Walmart? Part of the Spyderco thing for me is the cult like following, the rarity of some present and most past models and that the founder is still accessable to the people who use and collect these knifes. Just try and find some rare and older Spydercos on ebay and check the prices. I usually get the best deals on Spydercos on the web.
While I think it is unfortunate that Wal-Mart dropped the Spyderco/Byrd line, I do think people are overly harsh on them. I worked at a couple Wal-Mart stores to put myself through college, and have many friends and some family that work or have worked there. While the pay wasn't spectacular, it took me two years at my next job before I made as much as when I left WM.
Wal-Mart constantly checks up on the factories in China to make sure that the workers' environment is acceptable (and above China's standard). They also have good medical and dental plans cheaply available for WM workers and offer paid vacation and personal time for full-time employees. As far as I know, nobody was ever encouraged to apply for gov't help at my stores. In fact, just the opposite. We all had to take a class informing us about what company benefits were available and how to sign up for them.
WM isn't a perfect company by any means, but I think people take a few isolated negative incidents and use those to represent the company as a whole. Even Spyderco occasionally has a defective knife, but those don't accurately represent the whole company. As I learned in my documentary class (I graduated in film making), you can make a documentary say anything you want. The film makers probably realized they wouldn't sell many copies if it showed Wal-Mart was an OK company (that's not very sensational), and probably set out with the intent to find the few cases that support their derogatory agenda.
All I can say is I'm glad Wal-Mart has a store in town. Since I lost my job recently, it makes it much more affordable to eat and survive in the meantime. Now if only they would carry a wide variety of Spyderco knives to make my knife purchases more affordable... :p
Wal-Mart doesn't sell Spydies in Canada at all, never have,. I was in Orlando 3 weeks ago and specifically went to a Wal-Mart to try and get a Native...must have been too late, none were displayed as for sale.
The really odd part is Buck, Gerber, Kershaw don't make knives with anywhere the quality of Spyderco, just the steel alone on the Native was vastly superior to any other knife they have for sale, not sure why the Natives didn't sell at Wal-mart.
Not everyone is interested in performance, or even knows enough about knives to determine that some perform better than others.
Spyderco is rarely the first knife someone buys. As you learn more about knives and interest grows, then some of what we do makes more semse than it did at first glance.
sal wrote:Not everyone is interested in performance, or even knows enough about knives to determine that some perform better than others.
Spyderco is rarely the first knife someone buys. As you learn more about knives and interest grows, then some of what we do makes more semse than it did at first glance.
sal
My first knife was a Spyderco, actually went to store to buy another knife but once I picked it up I feel the quality right away and couldn't put it down.
jabba359 wrote:As I learned in my documentary class (I graduated in film making), you can make a documentary say anything you want. The film makers probably realized they wouldn't sell many copies if it showed Wal-Mart was an OK company (that's not very sensational), and probably set out with the intent to find the few cases that support their derogatory agenda.
Exactly, trust documentaries as much as you trust politicians, especially if it's trying to sway viewer's opinion/discredit someone.
I hadn't been in the Wal-Mart Sporting Goods department for a long time. I stopped the other day and there were no Natives or any Spydies at all in the display case. I could not get a clerk to wait on me. The girl ignored me. I was upset about that but at least I know where not to buy a knife of anykind now.
sal wrote:Not everyone is interested in performance, or even knows enough about knives to determine that some perform better than others.
Spyderco is rarely the first knife someone buys. As you learn more about knives and interest grows, then some of what we do makes more semse than it did at first glance.
sal
I am proud to say that my first knife was a Spyderco, kinda. It was the flatbyrd and it just made me want more. The Byrd lineup is a great way to introduce non-knife people into the Spyderco brand. Too bad Walmart won't sell them. Maybe in the future.
How many people in the market for a quality bicycle go to Walmart? Hand tools? Watch? Writing instrument? Fishing gear? Tent? Shoes? Clothing? Why should knives be any different? It's more surprising to me that Walmart ever decided to carry Spyderco than that they dropped the Native.
The Deacon wrote:How many people in the market for a quality bicycle go to Walmart? Hand tools? Watch? Writing instrument? Fishing gear? Tent? Shoes? Clothing? Why should knives be any different? It's more surprising to me that Walmart ever decided to carry Spyderco than that they dropped the Native.
That is why it was cool, it was like buying a Rolex with Walmart pricing.
The Deacon wrote:How many people in the market for a quality bicycle go to Walmart? Hand tools? Watch? Writing instrument? Fishing gear? Tent? Shoes? Clothing? Why should knives be any different? It's more surprising to me that Walmart ever decided to carry Spyderco than that they dropped the Native.
I agree, I think walmart hurts the Brand name. Spyderco has a great niche market like quality bicycles (such as Gary Fisher and Cannondale) and I think they should focus on those retailers that help the brand instead.
brandonreed2008 wrote:I found an army surplus store and they have EVVERRYYTTHHINNGG. spin endura police military lava persian kopas. they really stock up. plus they have a lot of other neat things around the store :)
yea, army navy stores are probably your best bet when it comes to knives. my local closest army navy store has a decent selection of spyderco, benchmade, crkt, as well as a few other brands i cant really think of currently.
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