Missed "my knife" while browsing rest of site. Prob a good thing but damn!
Does anyone know if Maxim has a sale in December?
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Mute-on
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It's on the front page of the JNS website.
Just thought I'd let folks know that I had a very disappointing communication with Maksim the last 24 hours over this sale. I purchased an Itinomonn on Saturday and upon seeing the sale posted yesterday morning, I emailed Maksim asking if he would be willing to honor the sale price for my purchase. My knife had just shipped. He responded that he was not willing to honor the sale. I explained that my costs to pay shipping to return the knife and pay the 10% restocking fee per his website would still cost less than the savings currently offered but it would in fact cost him more to ship the same knife twice. His response was rude and told me that if I wanted the discount I would have to return my knife and repurchase a new knife at the discount. I'm sorry but this is poor customer service. Good customer service would have honored the sale. Decent customer service would have offered to at least honor part of the sale to avoid shipping fees (which I eventually proposed). But this is bad customer service. Which is disappointing because I have only heard good things about Maksim and his knives.
Dardeau
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I have many times missed a sale on something I was going to buy anyway. I have never asked for the discount to be extended, because that is a dick move. If it is something you were going to buy anyway why be pissed about paying full price? The world, and JNS, or any other vendor doesn't owe you a price break.
I'm sorry I disagree that is a "dick move". It happens all the time in retail as long as the purchase is within the return window. I was fully aware that folks would see both sides of this but thought it was worth sharing.
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I agree! It's fair to ask, and customers should always be able to ask...
It is fairly common, especially in the US, that retailers even match competitors prices when they are running campaigns. I know, small vendors like the knifemakers/vendors we are dealing with here are a different story, but I personally feel that in a tight knit community like this great customer service goes a long way.
Jon and Maxim are two examples of people who are constantly praised here, it feels like every new member asking about recommendations will get a referral to JKI within the first two replies UNLESS what he's looking for totally does not match what Jon is offering.
I'm not criticizing that, just stating that Jon has been offering great service for years and his outstanding reputation in this forum sure as hell has gotten him referral business.
It's Maxims right to refuse to honor that sale price, of course. He has his reasons, I'm sure. And it's your right to make it known that he didn't. I personally would've told him that I'm disappointed and that I also will let others know about it. I know it might look like blackmailing, but I consider it to be transparency because it'd give Maxim the chance to reconsider knowing what's at stake.
Just my two cents... At the end of the day I feel strongly about "the customer is always right". I know it sucks for businesses, but far, far, far too many businesses have forgotten that the customer and the customer only is deciding if you will strive as a business, or die.
Agree that it's fair to ask. It's also fair for Maksim (or any other retailer) to say no. Don't know the reason he said no and it's not really relevant. Certainly not an example of anything poor. I've paid full retail several times with Maksim, have caught a couple sales, and he's worked with me a couple times when I requested something beyond normal. I have always felt I've received great value.
In my experience one of the biggest factors in small business success is the ability to say no to a customer. Try to please everybody and you'll end up pleasing nobody.
In my experience one of the biggest factors in small business success is the ability to say no to a customer. Try to please everybody and you'll end up pleasing nobody.
The poster before, adig, is located in 'DC Metro'. I'm guessing this is Washington, but sometimes the way KKF members in the US list their location isn't always understandable to members who aren't from the US. Anyway, I think the generous kind of customer service he described can happen a lot in the US - my impression. However, Maxim is over in Denmark and certainly isn't a 1-man Walmart. His response was said to be 'rude' and I would have to say that I would never accuse M of being the best communicator (so, Alterwisser, I don't think vendor praise is completely universal). But no one's perfect, and that's fine.
Still, I think it's absolutely fair for M to refuse giving a discount on a previous sale. Tough luck. I've been in the same situation before and seen prices go down for 24 hours 2 days later and thought, ah, sh!t, and maybe it would have been okay to ask, but I didn't because to ask just would have been too cheeky and I think unfair on the seller. Shouldn't a 1-day or 2-day or 3-day sale be only that? As already said, it's not Walmart.
If you really want to be clever, you need to follow and anticipate when Maxim is working on things like a wedding, big move or upcoming beach holiday (the beach holidays are most frequent, at least 2x a year: Greece, Egypt, Spain, Thailand...), and he's likely to offer an impromptu sudden discount period 1x or 2x per year in order to raise some quick cash for these types of things. Perhaps befriend Maxim first by trying to strike up some sort of discussion about great beach holidays? :cool2: At any rate, if you time it right, you could be in luck. On the other hand M'll probably be even more ephemeral or short with his e-correspondence. Good luck!
Still, I think it's absolutely fair for M to refuse giving a discount on a previous sale. Tough luck. I've been in the same situation before and seen prices go down for 24 hours 2 days later and thought, ah, sh!t, and maybe it would have been okay to ask, but I didn't because to ask just would have been too cheeky and I think unfair on the seller. Shouldn't a 1-day or 2-day or 3-day sale be only that? As already said, it's not Walmart.
If you really want to be clever, you need to follow and anticipate when Maxim is working on things like a wedding, big move or upcoming beach holiday (the beach holidays are most frequent, at least 2x a year: Greece, Egypt, Spain, Thailand...), and he's likely to offer an impromptu sudden discount period 1x or 2x per year in order to raise some quick cash for these types of things. Perhaps befriend Maxim first by trying to strike up some sort of discussion about great beach holidays? :cool2: At any rate, if you time it right, you could be in luck. On the other hand M'll probably be even more ephemeral or short with his e-correspondence. Good luck!
I don't think you can buy a TV the day before Black Friday and then go get your partial refund the next day when the price drops...he may have had specific Ittonomon knives set aside for this sale for whatever reason. Whole thing seems pretty cut and dry. You missed the sale, knife was already shipped even. It sucks but the sales do happen several times a year. Maybe Maksim didn't handle it properly but you've gotta draw the line somewhere. A 24 hour sale could turn into 72 hours with people missing it before and after the sale if people really wanted to complain.
Maksim 100% has the right to refuse to honor the sale. With that said I do think the decision to honor fully or partially and how to approach that decision is a factor in customer service and worth sharing. For what its worth Walmart does 7 day price adjustments with specifically written terms and conditions that exclude Black Friday. A lot of places actually will honor adjustments for Black Friday sales including Amazon, Home Depot, Macys, Nordstrom, Staples, and others I'm sure. The ones that don't allow Black Friday adjustments all still do price adjusting for any other sales but they have it written clearly in their terms that Black Friday specifically is excluded.
fimbulvetr
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For smaller retailers, it's often as simple as, you get the sale price if you order during the sale. I wouldn't have the gall to ask a seller that it be otherwise.
maxim
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I do this Discounts pure for fun for community and for people can get some great knives for super prices. My prices is low already and you do get free super fast shipping internationally over 1000 DKK.
As you all know i am not Walmart and alll know if they fallow me i am quite busy with move and i do handle all of the things my self. So compering Walmart, amazon etc etc with me is unfair
If i did sound rude i will apologies, but after i have explained politely why i do not do that and it is not excepted it can be bit frustrating
But in my experience it is not a problem, it is first complaint about it ever, and i can not make everyone happy.
If i had to return money to people that bought from me 2 weeks before i make a discount there will never be any discounts at all !
As you all know i am not Walmart and alll know if they fallow me i am quite busy with move and i do handle all of the things my self. So compering Walmart, amazon etc etc with me is unfair
If i did sound rude i will apologies, but after i have explained politely why i do not do that and it is not excepted it can be bit frustrating
But in my experience it is not a problem, it is first complaint about it ever, and i can not make everyone happy.
If i had to return money to people that bought from me 2 weeks before i make a discount there will never be any discounts at all !
Well said Maxim. Thanks.
_PixelNinja
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Expecting a small, one man shop half the way across the world to have the same practices as commerces located in the States, multinationals for some at that, is bit unfair, to put it that way.
Jovidah
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Just a short question, but do these get promoted in e-mails or anything? Or do you just have to 'get lucky' and happen to bump into it in the right time? By the time I found out about it most of the vultures had already picked half the carcass clean... 
Yes and no. By no means should a small local owned business be expected to operate the same way as a large multinational organization. I didnt make the original comparison someone else did. In fact, it's actually more important for a small local owned business to strive to surpass large multinational organizations in areas like customer service if they want to differentiate themselves. I do everything in my power to support local businesses. I shop at a local butcher for meats, buy the majority of my produce from farmers markets, etc. and good service is as much of a reason for me to return my business as a good product. Like I said before, Maksim had every right to deny to honor the sale. But it is still worth sharing that he didn't. I would advise language added to the refunds and exchanges section of the website and/or communicating upcoming sales in advance to avoid something like this going forward.
Nah, just had one in Dec. 2 days, 20%? (I acted and ended up replacing that red aoto that went your way.)
We'll have to wait for the next beach holiday. Could be a while... He says it's 'fun for the community' but I think it's mostly his fun. After all, who's off to the beach? But being from gloomy DK probably has something to do with it.
Good points, I think. There's been a bit more open discussion of vendors of late, and why not. Assuming we tend to share community values and people like things up front and also trust our responsible selves to see reason and work things out, it's a good thing you brought this up. The fine print idea is probably a good rec for Maxim, although he might also like to keep things more flexible based on his preferences.
maxim
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Yep i share it always on FB on my front page and to my email subscribers
Just a short question, but do these get promoted in e-mails or anything? Or do you just have to 'get lucky' and happen to bump into it in the right time? By the time I found out about it most of the vultures had already picked half the carcass clean...
Timthebeaver
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nail. head.
Maksim, plz have another sale, I am needing a 210 Toyama gyuto to keep my Zensho Yoshi 240 and Itinomonn suji honest. 5% should do it
jacko9
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Maksim - I have subscribed to your email notification for Shig and Kato knives, would I also get notifications like the Itinomonn sale? I have found it on this site but there doesn't appear to be any short (210mm) Sujihiki's left in inventory at this time.
I also follow your Facebook page and I really appreciate the quality of products you carry.
Jack
I also follow your Facebook page and I really appreciate the quality of products you carry.
Jack
I think there are two separate subscriptions (one specifically for shig&kato)?
I also agree with not honouring the subsequent sale for the reasons mentioned. I snoozed on some uchigomori fingerstones during the December sale, then went and bought them afterwards at full price. It should be considered a special treat if if timing works out with the discounts, not an entitlement. I too shop at many smaller/local businesses and find their prices to be fair already considering the products are typically of a higher quality, wouldn't expect them to cut into their livelihood
I also agree with not honouring the subsequent sale for the reasons mentioned. I snoozed on some uchigomori fingerstones during the December sale, then went and bought them afterwards at full price. It should be considered a special treat if if timing works out with the discounts, not an entitlement. I too shop at many smaller/local businesses and find their prices to be fair already considering the products are typically of a higher quality, wouldn't expect them to cut into their livelihood
