Current BST practices

[dwalker]

Does this mean I can sell an avocado on BST? [emoji3]

Only in the non knife BST

 

[Anton]

They have special avocados in Santa Monica

They say, people come and pay up to $5 each. I heard some are afraid of negotiating the price due to fear of over ripeness and missing out. They are rare

 

[valgard]

and there can only be comments about how good your avocado is even if it's rotten so nothing to lose, you might be able to swindle someone desperate for an avocado 🥑

 

[dwalker]

If someone has worked the avocado into guacamole, you can expect to pay more......or less......depending on your perspective.

 

[valgard]

for the record I just think the free market talk is BS if only cheering is allowed

 

[tgfencer]

Two words: Caveat emptor.

Someone give this man a Kato...or an avocado!

 

[dwalker]

for the record I just think the free market talk is BS if only cheering is allowed

Elaborate please.

 

[Anton]

Elaborate please.

May lead to dark and forbidden places ...

 

[malexthekid]

for the record I just think the free market talk is BS if only cheering is allowed

For the record cheering isn't necessarily allowed either. In recent years there has been a softening of the policy to all "GLWS" comments and general comments on the knife but as far as I am aware generally "cheering" doesn't happen/isn't allowed to happen.

Also "cheering" had significantly less impact than negativity. Remember the old adage it only takes one negative comment to undo 10 positive comments. And unless the negativity can be guaranteed to be truthful then I think the current is the best representative of the market.

After all, BST in no ways discourages buyers from doing their research.

 

[brooksie967]

Following

 

[Mute-on]

To lend some perspective, in a very few instances when an item advertised on BST has been priced above an available online vendor offering, and is slow selling as a result, I have PM'd the seller to let them know.

This is information only for their benefit, and is provided free of any judgment.

However, if someone was to buy an item from BST at a higher price than offered elsewhere, I'm afraid it's caveat emptor squared. Do your own research and don't expect others to do it for you. It is your money, your choice, and your responsibility.

This IS a free market, and we are privileged to have access to it.

 

[pete84]

If you don't like the price, don't buy it. No need to be fussy - nobody likes a cry baby.

P.S. - Just my opinion about things in general, of course.

 

[icanhaschzbrgr]

I buy a knife for $200. I spent 2 hours of my time scoring the knife, handling the financial transaction, etc. I unpack it, look it over, maybe do a touch-up, rewrap and make a new ad, which all took another hour. So I have 3 hours into it. My pay rate is $45/ hr. So that is $135. I list and sell the knife for $300. So did I make $100 'profit', or did I give someone a deal by selling them what is now worth $335 for $300?

I don't think this is correct calculation, unless you have a business of making/selling cutlery.
I have a full time job in IT and so I could calculate some hourly pay rate. But that only true for IT. If I start doing something else, like cooking or making knives — my hourly pay rate would be completely different due to different experience and education in those fields.

Therefore I don't think its fair to add you hourly rate when you pack/unpack/sharpen/relist knife.
And if knives are part of your business, then OP has a valid point.

 

[banjo1071]

Everyone should be allowed to buy and sell knives at a pricepoint of their choice, its a free market.
But if you do it with profit aim, you are dealer, and shopuld be treated as one and pay like the other do.
Its perfectly fine to make some money here. But these guys should be treated as all the other pros..

 

[banjo1071]

Someone give this man a Kato...or an avocado!

hmmm Kavotado

 

[Marek07]

hmmm Kavotado

Or an avokato... ?

 

[alterwisser]

Or an avokato... ?

Affokato!?!

Sign me up.... coffee, ice cream and a sharp knife? What's not to like!?

 

[alterwisser]

Everyone should be allowed to buy and sell knives at a pricepoint of their choice, its a free market.
But if you do it with profit aim, you are dealer, and shopuld be treated as one and pay like the other do.
Its perfectly fine to make some money here. But these guys should be treated as all the other pros..

If you do it on a daily basis I would agree that you're a dealer..... but I doubt this is the case given how FEW Shigs and Katos are even available.

Some of us here make the word "profit" sound evil. I wonder who here does NOT live in a capitalist country?!

If you denounce profit making for knives, do you also denounce it for other products? It's perfectly fine to make a profit. If you were lucky winning the Katofusa lottery but really don't want to keep a knife that expensive, why not sell it for what someone else is willing to pay? If someone here would tell me that I can sell a knife only for as much as I paid for it (or less) I would say "fu** you" and sell it somewhere else! This is none of your business because it's my knife and it's between me and the buyer.

That is the reason why I get the negative comment restriction. I do NOT agree with some of the culture and rules regarding comments here, but in this case I think there's some reason. IMHO there are way too many trolls who just want to be a party pooper and call people out.

I'd rather pay the price of having a few overpriced knives out here and not having the ability to call people out on it then risking that some trolls ruin a sale of a perfectly fine knife.

I guess it's kinda like prioritising not sending any innocent people to jail over having guilty people walk free ....

 

[CB1968]

I have lost count of the amount of knives I have sold on this forum probably at least 25+ and of all those knives I would say I have made a profit on maybe two or possibly three, i buy knives to try out and if I don't like them they get flicked in order to buy another one, the quest for the ideal knife is seemingly never ending!!
If anybody thinks that buying and reselling knives on this forum is going to result in consistently good profits I am afraid to say that you are delirious, you would be better of investing in shares, property etc.
However if you were lucky enough to have landed on a Kramer from ten years ago or scored a Shig or Kato before the prices became ridiculous I would say half your luck make as much profit as you can because profits in knives are far and few between.

 

[banjo1071]

I have lost count of the amount of knives I have sold on this forum probably at least 25+ and of all those knives I would say I have made a profit on maybe two or possibly three, i buy knives to try out and if I don't like them they get flicked in order to buy another one, the quest for the ideal knife is seemingly never ending!!
If anybody thinks that buying and reselling knives on this forum is going to result in consistently good profits I am afraid to say that you are delirious, you would be better of investing in shares, property etc.
However if you were lucky enough to have landed on a Kramer from ten years ago or scored a Shig or Kato before the prices became ridiculous I would say half your luck make as much profit as you can because profits in knives are far and few between.

True. But the case, that this threat is obviously about, is a bit different. The knife was bought of a dealer and rersold very soon after with a decent profit. This ist not tryout and sell, but clearly aiming for profit. Which is absolutly fine for me btw...

 

[alterwisser]

True. But the case, that this threat is obviously about, is a bit different. The knife was bought of a dealer and rersold very soon after with a decent profit. This ist not tryout and sell, but clearly aiming for profit. Which is absolutly fine for me btw...

Absolutely.... and to state it AGAIN: this is a one time thing for any seller doing this as NO ONE will (most likely) be so lucky to score Sigs/Katos multiple times ....

If THAT happens we could talk. But what good does it do? Sellers would just move to eBay and if anything it would devalue the BST section in this forum ...

 

[Panamapeet]

Firstly, I call BS. The OP has a member in mind. He has already commented in said members BST thread.

Secondly, it seems you are only a relatively new member so I find it a bit insulting you talking about "how KKF is" like you have been here since day dot. Members have been selling collectable knives for above their retail prices since before KKFs inception.

Also who are you to say if the price is inflated... You can assume you know where said knife was purchased but how can you be sure? Why shouldn't a person be able to attempt to recoup what they thought was market cost if they were swindled. And as has been told many times the market will tell you if you are pricing too high.

And finally it is just BS. No one has ever sold anywhere near the volume or the market up for this to be any form of business. It makes me question your motive given you insinuate this without giving any evidence of "business practice".

I think you should tone it down a little. I am not mentioning any names nor have I any specific people in mind. This is just meant as an honest discussion about a topic that people think differently about (with reference to the number of responses in this thread). No need to lower yourself to arguments like 'you are new here' or 'this is ********'. It just doesn't add to your credibility to be honest.

The current BST guidelines about only positive feedback about item and no negative feedback (including commentary of recent pricing from the original vendors) on a sale item protects the situation of those who buy a knife and immediately sell for significant markup, without additional modding that merits a higher price through improvements. This also biases sale threads towards an information asymmetry between sellers and potential buyers by eliminating certain kinds of contributions from other folks who may have knowledge or input about the item in question

The free market comments would make more sense to me in an environment where the guidelines in place are not entrenching more information asymmetry than that which unavoidably exists in free market transactions? Imagine a situation in which there is a reviews system, but the only reviews that ever are allowed to show up are positive reviews, and critiques or concerns are not shown on the same page?

Not that there aren't some buyers who will always bite

Hear hear.

To lend some perspective, in a very few instances when an item advertised on BST has been priced above an available online vendor offering, and is slow selling as a result, I have PM'd the seller to let them know.

This is information only for their benefit, and is provided free of any judgment.

However, if someone was to buy an item from BST at a higher price than offered elsewhere, I'm afraid it's caveat emptor squared. Do your own research and don't expect others to do it for you. It is your money, your choice, and your responsibility.

This IS a free market, and we are privileged to have access to it.

This is not a free market though, as the BST section is regulated by rules.

If you don't like the price, don't buy it. No need to be fussy - nobody likes a cry baby.

P.S. - Just my opinion about things in general, of course.

Again, not crying about prices. Just wanted to discuss this as different points of view are possible . No need to call names.

If you do it on a daily basis I would agree that you're a dealer..... but I doubt this is the case given how FEW Shigs and Katos are even available.

Some of us here make the word "profit" sound evil. I wonder who here does NOT live in a capitalist country?!

If you denounce profit making for knives, do you also denounce it for other products? It's perfectly fine to make a profit. If you were lucky winning the Katofusa lottery but really don't want to keep a knife that expensive, why not sell it for what someone else is willing to pay? If someone here would tell me that I can sell a knife only for as much as I paid for it (or less) I would say "fu** you" and sell it somewhere else! This is none of your business because it's my knife and it's between me and the buyer.

That is the reason why I get the negative comment restriction. I do NOT agree with some of the culture and rules regarding comments here, but in this case I think there's some reason. IMHO there are way too many trolls who just want to be a party pooper and call people out.

I'd rather pay the price of having a few overpriced knives out here and not having the ability to call people out on it then risking that some trolls ruin a sale of a perfectly fine knife.

I guess it's kinda like prioritising not sending any innocent people to jail over having guilty people walk free ....

Making a profit isn't bad (don't get your reference to capitalist countries though, as far as I know kkf is not a country). It is bad if it's not allowed by the rules though...

 

[malexthekid]

I think you should tone it down a little. I am not mentioning any names nor have I any specific people in mind. This is just meant as an honest discussion about a topic that people think differently about (with reference to the number of responses in this thread). No need to lower yourself to arguments like 'you are new here' or 'this is ********'. It just doesn't add to your credibility to be honest

I am not lowering myself to anything (And what on earth did I say that needs toning down?). It is a statement of fact. You have been active on this forum for less than a year, so any comments about "its just not in the spirit of the community" should be taken in that context. And in regards to this are just contrary to history. Knives have always sold for profit if they are rare and desirable. And no one has ever consistently sold knives at a profit to be considered anywhere near a business.

Also sorry but you question my credibility and state you have mentioned no names and have no one in mind yet you post this less than a week after making negative and quite honestly insulting remarks to another member in his thread. So sorry if I read between the lines there but to me it is obvious that you at least had someone in mind as a trigger.

So to answer your hypothetical of course if someone was making a business off of it they would have to register to be a vendor. Forum rules are clear on this.

So basically you just feel that people should only sell knives for what you deem fair and you should be able to male spurious comments about transactions you have no involvement in?

 

[dwalker]

If it is too expensive from your perspective, don't buy it. There is real economic research that clearly shows the benefit of price gouging. It feels unsavory, but actually makes in need items available to more people. It cuts down on hoarding from people who already have and are considering acquiring more. This is true even in natural disaster events like the floods in Houston. It feels dirty, but taking the feelings out of it, data shows more people in need are able to get things they need because of it. The net result is positive.

 

[Panamapeet]

I am not lowering myself to anything (And what on earth did I say that needs toning down?). It is a statement of fact. You have been active on this forum for less than a year, so any comments about "its just not in the spirit of the community" should be taken in that context. And in regards to this are just contrary to history. Knives have always sold for profit if they are rare and desirable. And no one has ever consistently sold knives at a profit to be considered anywhere near a business.

Also sorry but you question my credibility and state you have mentioned no names and have no one in mind yet you post this less than a week after making negative and quite honestly insulting remarks to another member in his thread. So sorry if I read between the lines there but to me it is obvious that you at least had someone in mind as a trigger.

So to answer your hypothetical of course if someone was making a business off of it they would have to register to be a vendor. Forum rules are clear on this.

So basically you just feel that people should only sell knives for what you deem fair and you should be able to male spurious comments about transactions you have no involvement in?

Please explain how my comment was insulting to anyone in that specific thread you are talking about, I would love to hear . I do not feel like people should only sell knives for what I deem fair, it is definitely not me who should set prices. All I'm saying is that if people clearly are aiming for a profit that they should adhere to the rules that exist.

And for the record, people do not have to be a member of something for ages in order to be able to think and have an opinion. I always thought it was proper manners to let everyone think for themselves and if you don't agree you can provide valid arguments. As long as you judge people by the duration of their membership (by no means a valid argument in this respect) I'm not taking you seriously, I'm sorry.

 

[Mucho Bocho]

WOW, its getting hot in here.

Walker, That's some deep S#it right there. Quite insightful if I might add.

Now Sipet and Alex, Nock it off. All you need is love and knives right?

If it is too expensive from your perspective, don't buy it. There is real economic research that clearly shows the benefit of price gouging. It feels unsavory, but actually makes in need items available to more people. It cuts down on hoarding from people who already have and are considering acquiring more. This is true even in natural disaster events like the floods in Houston. It feels dirty, but taking the feelings out of it, data shows more people in need are able to get things they need because of it. The net result is positive.

 

[malexthekid]

Please explain how my comment was insulting to anyone in that specific thread you are talking about, I would love to hear . I do not feel like people should only sell knives for what I deem fair, it is definitely not me who should set prices. All I'm saying is that if people clearly are aiming for a profit that they should adhere to the rules that exist.

And for the record, people do not have to be a member of something for ages in order to be able to think and have an opinion. I always thought it was proper manners to let everyone think for themselves and if you don't agree you can provide valid arguments. As long as you judge people by the duration of their membership (by no means a valid argument in this respect) I'm not taking you seriously, I'm sorry.

Who is losing credibility now?

Sorry but I am not judging you by you duration as a member I am merely using it to add context to your comments.

Your voice has just as much say/sway as mine here, however when you talk of the "community spirit" here then your duration of involvement is a perfectly acceptable form of contextualisation.

For instance there have been quite a fee nasty days here in the past and if a member joined on that day then they would have a very different perception of the community then someone who has been here for years.

And as for that thread, from memory your comment was a snide sarcastic remark about pricing. Which I could find no other way as a not so subtle insulting dig at the original poster of that thread. Maybe I interpretted it wrong however I could see no other way of interpreting.

Look I have nothing against you, and as many have already pointed out. Selling a knife at a profit is nor against forum rules... and if someone was making a business from reselling knives the forum rules are also quite clear. So I may have jump the gun, however that is how I saw your comments and this thread.

 

[fatboylim]

Thankfully there is no lack of passion... at least you all care...

Oop, that is the popcorn bell, hold that thought!

 

[pete84]

The problem isn't that nice things cost a lot of $. The problem is not having enough money to buy the nice things we want.

(Easier to complain about the former than do something about the latter IMO)

I'm willing to bet most knives would not sell if bought new and someone attempts to "mark-up" and re-sell on BST. Many "lightly used" "like-new" or "only stropped once" kinda knives sell for steep discounts in BST, even examples from notable and popular makers. Thankfully, when I first joined KKF the BST forum allowed me to buy and try knives I could otherwise not be able to afford on a line cook's salary.

If anything is for sale at a price the OWNER determines is fair to them, and a BUYER agrees to pay said price - I don't see the problem. There are automobiles so rare and desirable amongst collectors that once its sold by the manufacturer new, it actually increases in value. The Ferrari "la Ferrari" was sold new for $1.5 million and they are currently auctioning around $3-5 million, with one having just sold for $7 million (that was a charity auction however). These are for new or nearly new examples that were just made over the last few years.

A Shig or Kato is definitely a Ferrari or Lamborghini of kitchen knives - super nice, but non-essential luxury item. A sharp Tojiro will do the same task nearly as well, but if it can't make you happy - thats not the Tojiro's fault.

 

[FoRdLaz]

If it is too expensive from your perspective, don't buy it. There is real economic research that clearly shows the benefit of price gouging. It feels unsavory, but actually makes in need items available to more people. It cuts down on hoarding from people who already have and are considering acquiring more. This is true even in natural disaster events like the floods in Houston. It feels dirty, but taking the feelings out of it, data shows more people in need are able to get things they need because of it. The net result is positive.

+1