New stuff

[gladius]

With the long lead times to stock some items, increasing inventory on some items is wise, especially the top sellers. On the other hand, until an item is proven a good seller, then maybe not stocking so deep may be prudent. In terms of unique items I think you beat the competition but it is costly to have inventory sit on the shelves. There is where you must find the best formula to balance inventory/replenishment/sales to keep product steadily moving.

On the front-end one thing I find in some other retailers that I think would be helpful is a way to narrow to relevant items with a drill down query. e.g. stainless, in-stock, 6-7 inch blade, narrow handle, 4+ review rating, on-sale: then display that list to the consumer. That would help tremendously with sales reducing frustration with the overwhelming number of choices.

[Jeff B]

I bet about now Mark is wishing he had just kept his thoughts to himself.

[CacahuateSommelier]

All I know is whatever you are doing it is working.... home butcher is the only one doing as much new stuff constantly..... JKI also gets my business because of their large selection which differs from yours

[Carter]

Ok...my $0.02. First off Mark/Sue & the entire CKTG team does an excellent job of providing both inventory depth & selections as well as customer service. I have never worked in any retail business, but I can imagine the temptation to bring in new products...some successful, some duds...I've made plenty of decisions that I swore were gold and they ended up as lead. I am know there is financial and inventory control analysis/reporting that sheds much info on what is moving and what is not and the $$$ tied up with both. I also assume some of that needs to tempered against long lead times of this particular product.

As a general statement, I find CKTG to be better and more consistent with the website and availability of product than most of the competition. I have been around for a good number of years and have grown with the store and the amount of offerings. If I were a newbie, I might be confused or intimidated, but this is where CKTG really shines and has an advantage....the Forum. It is a friendly place with tons of great info and immediate response to questions from newbies (and experienced users as well), the depth of info is invaluable. I don't know what percentage of customers are active or even look at the Forum, but for most any buyer that is serious and making a conscious decision and has questions....what a hell a of a resource it is.

I think Mark and team are on the right track, not that that needed saying, but I don't feel they should change much....maybe sharpen the pencil on stale or low margin items....and sometimes maybe resist the urge to pull the trigger on large orders with unknown vendors/products...that is Sue's role, to stand over Mark when he hits the order button (sorry Mark, but you know it's true).

Great Job CKTG!

[jbart65]

I see Joe's point, but I honestly don't find it difficult at all to shop the site. I know everything on CKTG and it didn't take me long to figure it out. Now I just check new arrivals every so often to see what new is coming in.

Obviously it would be wise to prune if inventory isn't moving, but I might not have picked up a few knives if you pruned too quickly!

I was thinking of you when I wrote my post. You've bought A LOT more knives than me over the last 20 months...and you've handled more in pass arounds. As I said above, if I used more of the knives first-hand, I think I'd find it much easier to keep track of things. But without that (which, I assume, is the vast majority of customers we're talking about, who haven't tried all those knives first-hand and are coming to the site with just a bit of forum browsing knowledge), I do think it is a lot to take in. I think of all people, Jeffry, you know that you've cycled through a well-above-average number of knives over a short period of time!

No worries, Joe. I have been ... glutinous!

Honestly, though, I was intimidated by all the Japanese knife sites when I first started out. Boy was I confused.

The wide selection actually encouraged me to learn, however. So not a bad thing all in all.

If it were up to me, customers would see the knives in stock when they went to the site. With the option to see what's still being sold but on order.

Be that as it may, I actually have found very few knives that I consider carbon copies of each other. Virtually every one I've tried has something distinctive about it, whether the handle, finish, grind, steel, profile or some such. Maybe a few of the Masakages bunch up, but I can tell the difference between every one I've used. Most customers probably wouldn't, but that's the advantage of me having used so many knives.

[Bob Z]

As a home cook with only 25+ knives and cooking for two, I say you have too much similar new stuff and can slow down and relax a bit.

I never shop at competitors unless i find something in the forum that's interesting that you don't have but when i do their sites are usually flawed in some/many ways but some do have more photos and descriptions than you. Being in a rush i can imagine sometimes your descriptions are meager like for this https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yubl2na18.html. there are no attributes at all for this knife.

I depend on reviews and comments in the forum and so much new stuff now there aren't any comments etc so Im hesitant to buy it. Like all the new cleavers you have. Videos and reviews and comments get me to buy a new knife. Like was mentioned before with so much new stuff, nobody knows about it or writes about it.

Website is nice, could use drill down like Gladius mentioned but as is, its a winner! The new arrivals page is what the competition doesn't have!

[ButlerHoosierChef]

Honestly looking at this site it is better than most fairly easy to navigate. The forum is by far the most valuable asset you have created. A whole bunch of chef knife nerds gathered that are knowledgeable polite and have a willingness to share information to help others out. I feel you are able to find new up and coming talent and are able to share their work with us. Your prices are very reasonable normally lower than competitors. You offer us poor folk a way to experience some of the finest knives on a shoe string budget. I feel that you have reached that saturation point and must now cool your jets and wait for new customers to come in. We as consumers have been saturated which we love and yet still can be bad. Our bank accounts can't keep up. That is why you're seeing a slowing down on the BST board. Also why some knives aren't selling. Why some don't have comments etc. It is a fine line you must walk now between keeping your customers well fed and yet still hungry for more figuratively speaking. Yes you still need to do your thing with finding talent. Get the higher end knives. For Pete sake get more fujis in. Haha. It is now time to take the time to do the videos of the knives. Fill in the specs. Look at where you are drawing people from whether internet social media the forum etc. Also looking at what knives sell the best and restocking those while starting to shed some of the others. Add known quantity makers like for example Tsubaya Tanaka. I know easier said than done. Overall though you are doing an awesome job. Thank you.

[Cutuu]

As a home cook with only 25+ knives and cooking for two, I say you have too much similar new stuff and can slow down and relax a bit.

I never shop at competitors unless i find something in the forum that's interesting that you don't have but when i do their sites are usually flawed in some/many ways but some do have more photos and descriptions than you. Being in a rush i can imagine sometimes your descriptions are meager like for this https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yubl2na18.html. there are no attributes at all for this knife.

I depend on reviews and comments in the forum and so much new stuff now there aren't any comments etc so Im hesitant to buy it. Like all the new cleavers you have. Videos and reviews and comments get me to buy a new knife. Like was mentioned before with so much new stuff, nobody knows about it or writes about it.

Website is nice, could use drill down like Gladius mentioned but as is, its a winner! The new arrivals page is what the competition doesn't have!

Everything has to be new at sometime, before it can have a rep, reviewed. I especially like the new small cleaver additions.

[LostHighway]

I think the original question has already been answered multiple times but I'll add my voice to the, no competitor is adding new product at anything approaching a comparable rate, chorus. Insufficient breadth of inventory is definitely not a problem. I do, however, tend to agree with much of what Joe/salemj has posted. Sometimes the new selections feel a bit scatter-gun. I think there might be an argument for reducing the volume of new selections to focus on a smaller, more selective, number and doing more to promote those lines, perhaps including more information about the workshop/smith, more photos, and additional detail about the merits of the line and why you brought it in, i.e. more focus on marketing.
IMO the site itself is already functionally the best among the numerous JK vendors but given the amount of inventory I think it can still be confusing for new customers, as opposed to the forum regulars, especially if they are not already well grounded in Japanese knife knowledge. I do agree that a more sophisticated search matrix that includes style of knife, steel, wa or yo handled, price, etc. would probably be beneficial. The site text could also use some clean up. There are few spots where the syntax/grammar/usage could use some added polish as well as some dated information in places.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

It occurred to me that if we were in the streaming video business we would be a mom and pop version of Netflix.

I do have a scattered approach but that’s because I serve more than one group of knife users. Pro users are one focus. Collerctors and enthusiasts are another. I try to feed both a steady diet of new offerings to keep them coming back.

[snipes]

What was the original question again? I've been around your site and forum long enough that I'll consider myself an old timer for purposes of this feedback. Here is the main difference I see now vs.many moons ago. In the past, the talk, buzz and selection centered around a handful of well known names and makers. Everyone wanted that Kono or Hiromoto or Kioshi Kato and you had to sit around and wait for months for it to come back in stock. That was also the general recommendation, hey if you want it, wait for it and the wait will be worth it.

When I occasionally look at your competitors sites, they still look like this. The breadth of choice is limited to the marquee names and most of them are sold out the majority of the time.

Nowadays on your site, if one doesn't want to wait around for the Fujiyama to come back in stock or are looking for a comparable laser to the HD2 or finally gave up on waiting for Kurosaki to put out more AS lasers, you have multiple choices of comparable quality and design to offer. The guidance has also shifted to that same type of recommendation.

So I say, keep on keeping on, as long as it continues to make business sense to you.
There is quite a bit of truth though to the lack of knowledge on many of the newer offerings which impacts reviews and recommendations. Perhaps bringing back the passarounds or targeted push passarounds should be considered.

[LostHighway]

I do have a scattered approach but that’s because I serve more than one group of knife users. Pro users are one focus. Collerctors and enthusiasts are another. I try to feed both a steady diet of new offerings to keep them coming back.

Understood and perhaps something of a given. You have vastly better access to your sales data but I see at least four groups although they overlap to an extent: novices and those with limited budgets (arbitrarily the ≤$150 market), pro users who probably primarily are looking for larger more robust knives (perhaps mostly in the $200 - $400 realm), collectors/those affluent enough to see $450+ knives as more than aspirational and finally non-pro enthusiasts who I would guess again cluster around that $200 - $400 pocket but who might be drawn to more potentially fragile knives or more cosmetic aspects. My perception is that you have that first, novice/low budget, group more than adequately covered for now. I know nothing about the collector market nor can I afford the fare. I do think some selective additions in that $200 to $400 pocket might be justified especially if coupled with a bit of pruning of slow moving existing inventory. Obviously, these are little more than guesses.

[Cutuu]

I do have a scattered approach but that’s because I serve more than one group of knife users. Pro users are one focus. Collerctors and enthusiasts are another. I try to feed both a steady diet of new offerings to keep them coming back.

Understood and perhaps something of a given. You have vastly better access to your sales data but I see at least four groups although they overlap to an extent: novices and those with limited budgets (arbitrarily the ≤$150 market), pro users who probably primarily are looking for larger more robust knives (perhaps mostly in the $200 - $400 realm), collectors/those affluent enough to see $450+ knives as more than aspirational and finally non-pro enthusiasts who I would guess again cluster around that $200 - $400 pocket but who might be drawn to more potentially fragile knives or more cosmetic aspects. My perception is that you have that first, novice/low budget, group more than adequately covered for now. I know nothing about the collector market nor can I afford the fare. I do think some selective additions in that $200 to $400 pocket might be justified especially if coupled with a bit of pruning of slow moving existing inventory. Obviously, these are little more than guesses.

I respectfully but strongly disagree with your assessments. I don't think pros are "primarily looking for larger more robust knives." I think many pros have just as much chance of owning a variety knives that can definitely include lasers. Also, pros are very individual still and will still vary greatly. It depends on their particular job, environment, personality, knife skills, body type may play a role, and even particular situations that can define their preferences. Also non pro enthusiast can easily enjoy beefier non fragile knifes. These knifes can offer other things such as food release, or the ability to get rough with for example smash garlic. Also pros may have knives that they use at work and others that they use at the house. Non pros may have knifes that they use a lot and other's for special occasions . I think your trying to create a box or label that just doesn't work imo. Even though some of the things you have noted can be true at times, I think to consider them practical labels or a realistic generality is very untrue.

I also think @Mark that you bringing in new knifes is very beneficial to us as consumers. It helps keep completion, which can help keep prices honest. It also, as was said, gives comparable alternatives to hype knifes(which is obviously subjective still), and produces new gems - perhaps, like the makato line.

[ButlerHoosierChef]

I also want to add that when I see you (Mark) post new knives and give your impression of the knife on the board here it holds alot of sway. The reason is is that you have a good grasp on knives obviously and it usually means you really like the knife. For instance the Sakura SG2.

[CacahuateSommelier]

Just my 2¢..... just read through everyone else’s 2¢ and I think in total we all add up to about 38¢

meanwhile, Mark is the on only one making $$$$$! I think after all these years you know what works for YOU & you are a very savvy businessmen to have grown to what you are.... trust YOUR instincts (they are likely right). You asked the questions cause your instincts were telling you something (listen to your damn self before anyone else)

Anyway, all this extra space has now been filled and our bank account is running low. Increasing inventory by 50% year over year will do that. I need to slow it down a little.

^ See... you already know the answer

Now, to the question you originally asked

I have a question because a really don’t know the answer. Do my competitors add this much stuff? I never have time to look at them.

Nobody adds as much new as you do, well at least that I can tell, most do not highlight new stuff like you do (they would be smart to copy you)

Homebutcher does a bunch of one off domestic customs on the daily.... so they have you beat on the domestic custom side..... but they kind of operate that separate segment that you just dabble in & they just dabble in Japanese knives.... both of you are leading in your respective areas.... Jon @jki could do a better job of highlighting new stuff like the both of you.... but his strengths lie in other areas I suppose

I won’t give business advise because you don’t need it... cheers Mark!!

[mauichef]

^^^ +1 ^^^

Very well said