Case pricing policy question

[MadeinUSA]

I buy a fair number of Case knives for my collection…

Can I presume Case sets a minimum selling price for its dealers… below which they (the dealers) cannot go according to their dealer agreements?

I believe the answer is an obvious yes…. because the lowest prices I find are typically the same (from many different sellers/dealers) when I’m shopping for a particular knife.

[bestgear]

Jim - I work part-time in a brick-and-mortar knife shop so that is my point of reference.

Brands such as Benchmade, Chris Reeve Knives, Hogue, Spyderco, Zero Tolerance, and SOG adhere to Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policies, which is why you’ll often see them at the same price.

Case Dealers are not bound to MAP pricing however most brick-and-mortar dealers price new inventory at Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) and discount them over time to stimulate sales.

I cannot speak for e-commerce sites- their pricing model may be different.

[MadeinUSA]

Jim - I work part-time in a brick-and-mortar knife shop so that is my point of reference.

Brands such as Benchmade, Chris Reeve Knives, Hogue, Spyderco, Zero Tolerance, and SOG adhere to Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policies, which is why you’ll often see them at the same price.

Case Dealers are not bound to MAP pricing however most brick-and-mortar dealers price new inventory at Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) and discount them over time to stimulate sales.

I cannot speak for e-commerce sites- their pricing model may be different.

Thanks Tom… I’m actually very surprised Case dealers are not bound by a MAP. They seem to operate that way. Of course, my perspective is from a strictly online buying experience. (I’ve never set foot in a store of any type, that I recall, that sells Case knives… but that might be due to my location.)

Therefore, your point about online retailers possibly having a different pricing model may explain what I encounter.

They (all the online places I shop… big guys and little guys) seem to behave like they are bound by a minimum advertised price.. The 10-15 places I regularly shop online, plus the eBay dealers, seem to price a new knife exactly the same. Can’t be coincidence, can it? For example… the recent knife I bought was priced $69 ‘everywhere’ with some retailers also showing the $83 MSRP in addition to their $69 price.

Oh well… not a problem, just was strange to see the same price everywhere I looked.