price increase

[bearfacedkiller]

^ He misrepresented the msrp as $40 when in fact it was $65 in 1997. That is not a slight error. Also, he implies that the steel change is the only difference between the Delica then and the Delica4. Again, not a slight error. He also wants to omit the decreasing value of the American dollar during this time period when doing his "math".

If he paid just under $40 for a knife that had an msrp of $65 then he paid just under MAP or about 60% of msrp. For him to compare his price of just under $40 to the current msrp is disingenuous. He should be comparing his $40 to the current MAP which is $69.

He also says that a Delica4 currently costs $75 on Amazon and that is a deal yet most online vendors sell it at the MAP price of $69. Again skewing the data in his favor.

[Bodog]

Since we're here i think it's safe to assume we like Sal and company enough to be here on our free time discussing the company and products. As long as spyderco produces good products that keep us interested we'll be here. I haven't seen some mass exodus of Spyderco fans, not like benchmade and zero tolerance and AG Russell, etc. As long as the dollar remains a fiat currency and banks are allowed to manipulate the value of our currency prices will increase. As long as government keeps forcing people to pay regulators more and more, we'll see price increases. As long as oil producing nations throttle the production of energy we'll sew price increases. A lot of this is what causes price increases and it's not just concerning the knife industry.

Tldr, it's bad government getting involved where it shouldn't that causes us to pay more for the same product as much or more than people expecting a higher grade product.

[FCM415]

Yes, knives to me are expensive.

Seems they have to balance customer demands/expectations such as made in the USA, class leading quality/materials/steels, big name collaborations, innovation with profit margins that make sense for the dealers, makers, and the company.

Ultimately, customers will dictate the price... AND their own expectations. We'd all be happy with a Camry priced S65 AMG wouldn't we (gross exaggeration).. You want $40 Spydercos in this day and age, don't buy any Spydercos until the company is forced to meet you there with 3cr13mov.

[TomAiello]

Tldr, it's bad government getting involved where it shouldn't that causes us to pay more for the same product as much or more than people expecting a higher grade product.

For the win!

[Cheddarnut]

These toys are a luxury, and part of the lore surrounding luxury is that its luxury because not everyone can participate, sprints being the icing on that cake. Theres a certain false humility due to ethos and "everyman" materials being used, but i dont mistake my 210 cad native maxamet sprint as a working mans tool. This knife is an ivory backscratcher, and i intend on scratching myself in a privileged, exclusive way in front of those plebes less fortunate than myself, because i am a materialist and my steel is better. I'll pay handsomely for that.

[chuck_roxas45]

Buy don't buy. Your choice.

[anycal]

Sounds like the world is moving too fast for some of you guys.

We are way beyond living in a small clan of 500, 1000? Being self-sustaining; getting things done with a handshake and trading things for sea shells; making our own knives out of Maxamet; our actions having no impact on others, on our surroundings. Those days are long gone.

Would love to pick you brain on how to govern 7.5 billion of us. Forget the global population. Regulating what and how 321 million of us U.S. folks do things. Topic for another forum I guess...

[Bloke]

I reckon at least as far as Spyders go you have it pretty good living in the US! :)

Here's something to ponder.

I want a M4 Military because my S30V, S110V and 204P are a little lonely and believe that $US189.95 is a fair price which I'd gladly pay, but I live in Oz and shipping on the knife is $US33.95. The knife now costs $US223.90, that converts today to $AU281.43 add to that some BS conversion fee or whatever they call it and the knife in the letterbox costs around $AU310 or more. :eek:

Fanboys, Fanmen ... some here are one man Fan Clubs!

[Halfneck]

I generally don't participate in these threads as most times the posters already have their minds made up & there is no amount of convincing them otherwise. That said the Opinel comparison dragged me in. Sure your standard Opinel is only going to cost you around/or under $20. But say you want to buy one of those Limited(Sprint?) Runs or one with upgraded wood(better steel/G10?) handles? Now your up in the close to or over $100 range. Does that $75 Ebony handled Opinel #8 do a better job than the $18 Walnut handled Opinel #8? Does the unique wood handle of the Opinel #8 Chaperon perform $24 better than the Ebony handled Opinel #8?

Semi-rhetorical question I know. The fancier knife does not always do a better job in accordance to the increase in price/materials. That doesn't factor in the intangible things though. Pride of ownership in something unique and different from the masses.

I miss the days when most Spyderco knives were under $100. Nowadays most of the ones I like are almost close to $200. Sad irony in the fact that now that I own a bunch of knives I'd loved to of had when I was younger, I hardly use them as much as I did then. But I am happy that Spyderco is still going strong as a company. If the price increases are necessary to insure the continuation of the company so be it.

I understand your frustration, but your complaints here are falling on deaf ears. I just spent shy of $200 on a Lil'Temp 3 I'd been anxiously waiting years on & now that have it I find myself carrying the Manix 2 LW in CTS-XHP more - and it cost about 1/2.

[Halfneck]

Delete

[El Gato]

Here's something to ponder.

I want a M4 Military because my S30V, S110V and 204P are a little lonely and believe that $US189.95 is a fair price which I'd gladly pay, but I live in Oz and shipping on the knife is $US33.95. The knife now costs $US223.90, that converts today to $AU281.43 add to that some BS conversion fee or whatever they call it and the knife in the letterbox costs around $AU310 or more. :eek:

Valid points for sure. It appears that Canada is much the same.
My good friend and fellow :spyder: user who lives in British Columbia makes the trip down here to the states by personal vehicle whenever he can manage it. A few weeks before each trip I begin receiving several packages in the mail to hold for him until he gets here, all are knives of course! He is making the trip again in a couple of weeks, if British Columbia hasn't burned up entirely by then, and he already has at least a dozen knives waiting for him here with still a couple of weeks yet to go. How he gets all his plunder back home has always been a mystery to me but he always get it done. The knives have now become his personal property so are not being "imported", and of course no shipping charges involved.

If you ever decide to make the trip up to the states my friend, I would be glad to do the same for you. Cheers! :)
Dave

Sal,
WTB: New versions of the :spyder: Titanium Chaparral.

[Bloke]

If you ever decide to make the trip up to the states my friend, I would be glad to do the same for you. Cheers! :)
Dave

That’s a very kind and generous offer Dave, and I’m extremely grateful! :)

It’s people like yourself that make this place special.

[El Gato]

If you ever decide to make the trip up to the states my friend, I would be glad to do the same for you. Cheers! :)
Dave

It’s people like yourself that make this place special.

And I have no hesitation in saying the same for you sir. Your posts are always enjoyed and worth reading.
I would be honored to meet you sometime. :)
Dave


Sal,
WTB: New versions of the :spyder: Titanium Chaparral.

[Doc Dan]

You know what really burns me up? Spyderco charges for their knives! I mean, come on!

[chuck_roxas45]

You know what really burns me up? Spyderco charges for their knives! I mean, come on!

They really should pay us to use their stuff. :D

[archangel]

Come on. Why you now start making a joke out of this?

Nobody denies that Spyderco must charge a certain price for each of their products. Some of you guys seem to be so heavily loaded that you would and could pay any called price, just because it does not hurt you. There are many out here that can't. I am one of them. A serious, unemotional discussion about prices and their development is very relevant for us.

Many people here have posted valid arguments why any :spyder: from nowadays must cost more than a comparable yet different :spyder: from the past. Some people have posted comments how much more us non-US-citizens must pay - I think this is the wrong thread for that, regardless the fact that it is very true. Like I said before, I'm not into Spyderco products long enough to know what older spydies' prices were, compared to now. Since Mr. Glesser cared to post a comment, maybe he can present some suggested retail prices of longrunners then and now. I'd love that. I have no doubt that it is not Spyderco's objective to rip us off, neither then nor now.

[Evil D]

If we could discuss away high prices, or talk down the price of things we can't afford, I would be driving a Ferrari. There are things in life we can't afford. Some of those things might have been affordable in the past but have been improved and are now more expensive. This is life. What kind of discussion can change that? I don't have a lot of disposable income, and I have a lot of hobbies. If I want a new sprint run, I have to compromise in other areas of my life to afford it. If I can't, or I won't compromise, then I don't want or need it bad enough. That's called​ being an adult. Maybe I'm over simplifying this, I just don't see it being more complicated than this. For example, I like the Sebenza, but I don't like it enough to pay $410 for one. I wouldn't ever dream of complaining to CRK about their prices because I just don't see that ever being an effective way of lowering them. The only way prices get lowered is if demand drops, and that's not happening is it?

[Eli Chaps]

Come on. Why you now start making a joke out of this?

Nobody denies that Spyderco must charge a certain price for each of their products. Some of you guys seem to be so heavily loaded that you would and could pay any called price, just because it does not hurt you. There are many out here that can't. I am one of them. A serious, unemotional discussion about prices and their development is very relevant for us.

Many people here have posted valid arguments why any :spyder: from nowadays must cost more than a comparable yet different :spyder: from the past. Some people have posted comments how much more us non-US-citizens must pay - I think this is the wrong thread for that, regardless the fact that it is very true. Like I said before, I'm not into Spyderco products long enough to know what older spydies' prices were, compared to now. Since Mr. Glesser cared to post a comment, maybe he can present some suggested retail prices of longrunners then and now. I'd love that. I have no doubt that it is not Spyderco's objective to rip us off, neither then nor now.

I suspect they are making a joke out of this because, well, it is a joke to begin with.

No disrespect to those who have tried to give good and educational responses here but the entire premise of the discussion is, in my opinion, silly. to me it's like a stamping of feet, balled up little hands, and watery eyes cuz we can't have ice cream for breakfast type thing.

I don't have many dollars so I need to spend them wisely. For folding knives, I choose to spend those dollars on Spyderco knives because I feel they bring me the best designs and materials at a price I find fair. But, that doesn't mean I just buy whatever Spyderco knife at whatever price. I really wanted an Ouroborous but for me, the price was prohibitive. Not that I doubt the need to price as it was, I just evaluated the product, my needs, and the price and opted not to make the purchase. That is how grown-ups do things. Starting a thread on a forum, especially that manufacturer's forum, about price increases is generally silly. Now, if it's a discusion trying to understand MAP or someone reporting what they think is gouging or what have you, then yes, that brings value to the group but what value does a discussion like this bring?

It sometimes amazes me how some people, some more than others, crawl out into the light to tell the Glesser's their version of facts and how to run their business when they seem to have been doing pretty well at it themselves for a lot of years without our advice. If a person thinks Spyderco is overpricing their merchandise, then they should spend their money elsewhere. It's capitalism.

I would much rather spend $65-100 on a **** good knife that will last and is being built by good people than $25 on junk that I'll need to replace frequently or that is a poor design with lesser materials.

I work in manufacturing and often find myself having to prepare quotes for customer requests. People would be amazed at how little they understand manufacturing even though so many think they know all about it. From costs to quality, people with no manufacturing experience tout their opinions as gospel when all too often it is just basely rhetoric.

I'm not attacking you in any way archangel. This is mainly just a generic rant, although our favorite finger-pointer does seem to have made his usual appearance.

Again, I think it is great folks try to answer these "questions" and provide differing points of view but I just think it is a waste of time. Count me into the fanman club. :)

[bearfacedkiller]

We have been told many times that prices are based on costs so obviously costs have gone up.

There are more affordable knives out there that are quite functional if Spydies cost too much.

Desire is the root of suffering. We all have different income levels. Wanting beyond your means is the issue, not prices. Appreciating what you can afford instead of lamenting what you cannot is a surer path to satisfaction.

[TomAiello]

Would love to pick you brain on how to govern 7.5 billion of us. Forget the global population. Regulating what and how 321 million of us U.S. folks do things. Topic for another forum I guess...

Why do you think we need to be governed?

Personally, I'd be happy to let you govern yourself, and I'll govern myself.

Definitely a topic for another forum, though.