Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

The Financial Experience of a Knife Purchase

With modern technology, many things are possible, including your knife purchase. The reason I've created this page is that far too frequently, when payment of knives is due, banks have difficulty executing a bank transfer. This is not the fault of my clients, or their favorite knife maker, but happens because bank tellers or officers are not familiar with this operation. I assure you, the method is safe, direct, and usually inexpensive, no matter what country the transfer occurs in. It is, simply, a good way to pay for a knife!

• Bank Transfer or Zelle? Zelle is a U.S.-based digital payments network. It handles the transfer without fees, if both the sender and recipient is enrolled in Zelle. Most US banks are Zelle-ready and this makes transfers extremely fast, easy, and safe, since no exchange of bank information is required. No bank account numbers are needed, no routing or account information is exchanged, and Zelle is designed to create fast easy, safe, and private transactions typically using only a cell phone. If a client's bank is enrolled in the Zelle system (most banks are or have this available), it is the preferred way to accomplish the bank transfer or wire. Even if the bank isn't enrolled, it's supported by Android and iOS. I prefer to use Zelle when possible, and you will too. All my client needs is my email, jayfisher@jayfisher.com, and he can wire the payment instantly, using only his cell phone.
• What is a bank transfer? A bank transfer (also called a wire transfer, or domestic or international wire) is a direct transfer of funds from an account at one bank (the client's or customer's) to my bank (the knife maker). It is a means of electronically moving money between bank accounts, even if those accounts are in different banks and in different countries.
• Why use a bank transfer? There are several reasons to use bank transfers.
  • International clients: For my clients that are not in the United States of America, it is simply the best and easiest way to pay for a knife, project, or purchase. This is because I cannot accept international credit cards (due to identity theft prevalent in these international credit card transactions), and other methods may be slow expensive or unavailable. Western Union is very fast, but it is quite expensive. I don't accept checks or international money orders; this is a condition set by my bank.
  • The wire transfer is direct and fast. From my client's account to my account, there is no paper exchanged, no waiting, and the entire process takes place in the span of a business day or two (depending on your location in the world).
  • Payments can be made from a variety of sources. For instance, you can use your credit card to pay for the transfer. This way, you can still put the charge on your card, and the payment is quick and secure.
  • Banks are quite accurate and careful about how transfers are conducted, and the specific location of the account and bank are well-documented and traced through international banking agreements. You'll see special codes and numbers that accompany a transfer; these are well-established methods of tracking payments from one institution to another. Nearly all countries in the world use these, and this is how most businesses exchange money for goods and services in the modern world.
  • Exchange rates are accurate to the day of the transfer. When you specify a bank transfer to pay me for your knife project, and you specify it is in US dollars, the bank will accurately calculate the exact amount for the day of the transfer. This makes it simple and easy to do.
• How a bank transfer works: When a payment or purchase price is due, I give you my information to accomplish the transfer. You give this information to your bank along with the amount in US dollars and they execute the transfer. The information I will give you includes five things:
  • The wire routing transit number: this is the number that the banks use to route or direct the money between institutions.
  • The SWIFT Code: this is a business identifier code created by the International Organization for Standardization (the ISO) that is used when transferring money between banks.
  • The Bank Name: This is the name of my bank.
  • City, State: This is the city and state in my country where my bank's home or corporate office is located. A direct address is not necessary, only the city and state.
  • My account number: This is the number of my bank account that the funds will be transferred into.
  • Account name: This is the name of my account; my name.
• Domestic or International? The process and information works both domestically (inside the United States of America) or internationally (outside the United States of America). I'll give you slightly different information depending on your location. If you are in the US, Zelle is the preferred method to accomplish the exchange.
• What are some potential problems with this payment method? While it is usually clear and simple, decades of selling knives and receiving payments via bank transfer has taught me that there seems to be two recurring issues:
  • The bank teller, officer, or agent does not know what this is! Unfortunately, lower level bank tellers and officers are not well trained, and they do not normally encounter an international bank transfer, or international wire transfer in their daily duties, so they are often flummoxed and confused about their own role, method, or job in doing this! I've seen it far too often: a bank transfer is requested by my client, he contacts his local bank and they don't know what he is talking about, so they ask him for inappropriate information, are confused by the process, or simply claim it can't be done. My client then writes me back with this information, and I suggest that he contacts a senior teller, officer, or agent at his bank. When he does, the transfer is quickly and efficiently handled. This has happened every single time, and literally in dozens of countries my clients live and bank in. Any senior bank officer will know just what to do. Once a client has been through this process, he knows how and who to contact at his bank, and it never happens again!
  • The bank may assess a fee and not disclose this to you! Certain banks use intermediary banks to accomplish the transfer, and those banks charge a fee. If your bank is not aware of this, what happens is the fee is taken from the total amount transferred. The result is that I am shorted on payment, typically $20.00US to $40.00US. Some banks are tricky, getting $20-$40 for no actual work whatever, as all of this is accomplished electronically! If your bank does this, you need to complain at the very least, and better yet, find a new bank as they are spoiling the simple transactions of commerce by allowing another bank to dip into your pocket (and mine!). The reason that I don't accept this practice (and neither should you) is because most banks do not do this; they transfer the funds quickly, easily, and complete, so this is not some impossible or far-reaching challenge. Though you may ask and have the bank assure you that there is no additional fee, the only way to know this is when I receive payment.

So, there it is. You can pay for your international or domestic knife purchase with an international or domestic wire transfer; it's quick, simple, and accurate. But you may have to train your teller and bank about the process!

If You are in the United States, Zelle® is preferred!

Zelle® is a wireless banking transfer system, and is US-based. Most US banks participate in Zelle, and Zelle does not charge a fee for its use. Even if a bank doesn't have Zelle, it is available on Android and iOS cell phones.

Zelle doesn't require you to visit your bank, or even contact your bank. We don't have to exchange any numbers or information whatever. Just enroll in Zelle, and you'll be set up to directly transfer funds. Most people do this on their cell phones.

To complete your purchase of a knife, enroll in Zelle, and you can transfer the amount of your purchase directly into my account knowing only my email address: jayfisher@jayfisher.com. The payment is instant, and your knife can be on the way the very next business day! Zelle is fast, private, and reliable.

Click on the Zelle homepage to learn more about this banking transfer system.

Thanks for being here and considering a Jay Fisher handmade knife!