Spyderco Forums

Bloke wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:17 pm

ChrisinHove wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:27 pm

Bloke wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:21 pm

standy99 wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:08 pm

With $63 US shipping to Australia ( equivalent to nearly $100 Aussie dollars nowadays ) Don’t even look there anymore

2 or 3 knifes from Knifecenter or BHQ for $15 shipping is where my money goes.

Their shipping costs are quite absurd Andy, and reading between the lines tells me they don't want our business which is fair enough I s'pose. :rolleyes:

That’s the conclusion I came to, as well. Never mind, we can struggle on without ....

Hey Chris, I clean forgot about the good people at Deadwood Knives, because I haven’t bought anything from them in a while but they’ve always been excellent to deal with in the past.

I put a Waterway in my cart to see what they charge to ship now.



I have no gripe with Bento Box but just the same I reckon they should punch their knives up their ...!

So based on those prices, it looks like BBS just only offers USPS International Express shipping. Just like they only offer USPS Priority for domestic shipping. Not making a judgement either way, but it does explain the high cost they charge for international shipping.

JuPaul wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 4:03 pm

So based on those prices, it looks like BBS just only offers USPS International Express shipping. Just like they only offer USPS Priority for domestic shipping. Not making a judgement either way, but it does explain the high cost they charge for international shipping.

Hi JP, it's all nonsense at the end of the day and it all boils down to customer satisfaction. I personally couldn't care less what their return policy is or what they charge for knives or shipping. All said, if they offered a "reasonable" choice on shipping options I'd have already bought at least two knives from them by now. They don't, so I buy elsewhere and I'm just as happy to go without. In the big picture knives are quite an insignificant part of my life and I've never lost any sleep because of them.

Good Luck to them I reckon! $US60-$US70 won't make nor break me, but given the choice I'd rather give the money to my grandkiddies, a charity or some poor bastard down on his luck rather than an inflexible retailer. :)

Evil D wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:15 am

They have every right to operate their business however they see fit, and I have every right to never order from them. So far it's working out great for both of us.

100% agreed!

I've never ordered from them, and I definitely won't. I understand that's their policy but there are too many great dealers out there who actually stand behind their products and support their customers. In fact, I just ordered another Spydie this morning - guess who I didn't order it from... :)

So.... I just got three knives in today from one of those retailers with generous/liberal return policies. Two of them are obviously other peoples returns/rejects. I really hate this game of pass the trash. I'm sticking with companies that weed the rejects out by having them sent back to the manufacturer; NOT back to the retailer so they can re-sell and send it back out to someone else. BBS is going to get all my money!!!! I'm about 10 purchases with them and have not yet had any issues - and come to think of it have received many of my better knives from them.

CG

cycleguy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:38 pm

So.... I just got three knives in today from one of those retailers with generous/liberal return policies. Two of them are obviously other peoples returns/rejects. I really hate this game of pass the trash. I'm sticking with companies that weed the rejects out by having them sent back to the manufacturer; NOT back to the retailer so they can re-sell and send it back out to someone else. BBS is going to get all my money!!!! I'm about 10 purchases with them and have not yet had any issues - and come to think of it have received many of my better knives from them.

CG

Valid points! :cool:

cycleguy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:38 pm

So.... I just got three knives in today from one of those retailers with generous/liberal return policies. Two of them are obviously other peoples returns/rejects. I really hate this game of pass the trash. I'm sticking with companies that weed the rejects out by having them sent back to the manufacturer; NOT back to the retailer so they can re-sell and send it back out to someone else. BBS is going to get all my money!!!! I'm about 10 purchases with them and have not yet had any issues - and come to think of it have received many of my better knives from them.

CG

I've thought this before, I always email the company and ask and the ones I've asked sent them back to Spyderco if they're sent back. I'm curious why you thought they were sent back

cycleguy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:38 pm

So.... I just got three knives in today from one of those retailers with generous/liberal return policies. Two of them are obviously other peoples returns/rejects. I really hate this game of pass the trash. I'm sticking with companies that weed the rejects out by having them sent back to the manufacturer; NOT back to the retailer so they can re-sell and send it back out to someone else. BBS is going to get all my money!!!! I'm about 10 purchases with them and have not yet had any issues - and come to think of it have received many of my better knives from them.

CG

My first reaction was that this was a good point... but why can’t bento box accept the return and then send it back to Spyderco? They’re the retailer, they have all the time in the world to wait on the Warranty department. For the user who was super excited to get his favorite knife in a badass steel, receiving it only to send it off for three weeks really sucks. I even ordered custom scales that are already in the mail, but now I won’t have a knife to put them on when they arrive because Bento Box decided it’s my problem to deal with the faulty product that I paid them a good chunk of money for.

BBS has an interesting model. Knives don't have an expiration date or become obsolete. Often times Spydercos increase in value.
So BBS is willing to sit on a smaller inventory for longer to get a higher selling price. This runs counter to most knife dealers who want to increase sales volumes.
BBS also differs in their customer service. They charge more for shipping than competitors and they don't accept returns.
Personally I choose not to do business with them. I don't like the feeling that they're trying to squeeze every last dollar out of me. I do find their business model interesting because it differs from other knife dealers. Apparently they've been successful.

1) I have heard multiple people on forums and social media admit to ordering 2 or 3 of a knife so they can cherry pick their favorite and return the rest. That is likely why some dealers label some folks as chronic returners.

2) I don’t see a ton of difference between returning to a dealer or a manufacturer. The dealer doesn’t throw the knife away and swallow the cost, they also return it. If it is a defective knife I believe that it eventually ends up at Spyderco either way.

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:37 am

1) I have heard multiple people on forums and social media admit to ordering 2 or 3 of a knife so they can cherry pick their favorite and return the rest. That is likely why some dealers label some folks as chronic returners.

My brain can't understand why would someone do that.
If your knife is going to sit in the drawer or on the shelf....that is a bit sad story for that knife, because that knife was born to cut.
I think that this behaviour speaks a lot about how that person is going to use that knife.

This is what we have become as a culture? Pages of complaints about a retailer the majority claim to have never used and never will use? We cannot just note to ourselves that it is not a retailer we want to use and move on to the many, many other ones that are a better fit?

cycleguy wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:38 pm

BBS is going to get all my money!!!!

Well said. They'll take it to...and never give it back have you a problem. Any and all retailers are the first line and closest link of satisfying a customer. If someone got "trash" that person should get their $ back. Would you not agree?
Way to pay full retail for same knife others sell 30% or more less. Least BBS has one loyal customer to help keep the doors open.

JRinFL wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:09 am

This is what we have become as a culture? Pages of complaints about a retailer the majority claim to have never used and never will use? We cannot just note to ourselves that it is not a retailer we want to use and move on to the many, many other ones that are a better fit?

Whoa whoa, hey now.... I bought a k390 pm2 from BBS. I get to complain. :D :D

bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:37 am

2) I don’t see a ton of difference between returning to a dealer or a manufacturer. The dealer doesn’t throw the knife away and swallow the cost, they also return it. If it is a defective knife I believe that it eventually ends up at Spyderco either way.

Not sure that's always the case. I ordered an Advocate from BHQ and it came rattling and wih a pivot screw that was jacked up. Pretty sure it was a return.
I returned it and ordered another which was the last one in stock at the time. I asked the rep on the phone if it was a return. He looked at something on his computer and said he didn't think so. He was right. It came in the factory sealed bag.

Look at it like this. You buy a brand new TV day before superbowl or something. Open it up and screen is cracked or just doesn't work. Bring it in to the retailer and they tell you to get bent. You ok with that???
Even worse being that they charged you full price...
Believe this thread can end now. No reason to bash a retailer anymore for poor business practices.

aaronkb wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:28 pm

I hit them up for an exchange and it turns out they don’t do returns or exchanges at all (my bad for not reading their terms);

It's four pages of whining, repetitive backslapping, and unrelated dogpiling because a guy doesn't read the terms. He says they don't have customer service, in fact he's just unhappy customer service did their job rather than changing the rules for him. Entitlement meets social media.

This is a good forum when it's about a shared appreciation of Spydercos but it's not worth being here when it's nothing but negativity.

Monty wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:27 am

aaronkb wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:28 pm

I hit them up for an exchange and it turns out they don’t do returns or exchanges at all (my bad for not reading their terms);

It's four pages of whining, repetitive backslapping, and unrelated dogpiling because a guy doesn't read the terms. He says they don't have customer service, in fact he's just unhappy customer service did their job rather than changing the rules for him. Entitlement meets social media.

This is a good forum when it's about a shared appreciation of Spydercos but it's not worth being here when it's nothing but negativity.

Don't like it, don't read it. People are allowed to have opinions whether you like them or not.

Monty wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 08, 2019 9:27 am

aaronkb wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:28 pm

I hit them up for an exchange and it turns out they don’t do returns or exchanges at all (my bad for not reading their terms);

It's four pages of whining, repetitive backslapping, and unrelated dogpiling because a guy doesn't read the terms. He says they don't have customer service, in fact he's just unhappy customer service did their job rather than changing the rules for him. Entitlement meets social media.

This is a good forum when it's about a shared appreciation of Spydercos but it's not worth being here when it's nothing but negativity.

Hi, Monty. I work in customer service. A substantial part of my job is dealing with entitled people, day in and day out, and I try to be conscientious of my own behavior as a consumer.

That said, I recognize an anti-customer policy when I see one. I don’t think it’s entitled for me to gripe about a policy that isn’t remotely in line with industry standards and norms and shows a lack of regard or care for customers on the part of the business. It wouldn’t be as bad if they didn’t have a monopoly on certain products because we’d all just buy them from a company that doesn’t hate its customers, but that’s how BBS stays in business.

And regarding the policy being written in their terms... somebody telling you up-front they’re going to be a jerk doesn’t make them not a jerk.

Variety is the spice of life, but these threads are tiresome.

It's good to see something concrete and real (a report on QC for a small run of the Para3 LW) and I think Spyderco benefits from that even if none of us do, I'm glad this thread was started. But the flame war has got to stop.

Neither side has an ironclad proof that's going to change the other side's opinion. It seems that everyone understands why a place like BBS exists, and that we also understand why they have chosen their policies.

I've got my opinions, but I'm vowing not to discuss them on this forum anymore. Unless there's actually a question that can have a factual answer, there's no reason for us to discuss BBS shipping/return policies for yet another hundred volleys of opinion.

If someone asks if BBS is a good place to buy from for shipping overseas, we can state the facts.
If someone wants to deal with a problem knife by returning to the retailer, we can state the facts.
There's no reason to argue with each other about why this shop is/isn't wonderful beyond that.

Let's not force the moderation team to question their laissez-faire approach to setting rules.

^ I like this post!