Ticked off LCS?

Did I do something to tick off my local coin shop?

I looked at some Morgans a few weeks ago (if you recall, there was another thread because he claimed they were from a bank roll, etc.) I went back yesterday to look again and take better pictures.

There wasn't anyone else in the shop. He digs around for them in the back somewhere. As he sets them out, he tells me he's gonna have to ask $75/ea for these at MS64 prices because "he can't keep getting them out like this".

Just 3 weeks ago, he offered them to me for $65/ea.

Maybe I don't understand how coin shops work. Please enlighten me, 'cause it seemed downright rude to me.

He has very few slabbed and basically said that he would have to charge more for the same coin if it was graded.

I have returned a few items to him, which I guess is frowned upon, but he seemed fine with it at the time.

Was it because I took pictures? Because he knows I'm asking for advice on the evil Internet?

He gets paid the same whether he pulls them out for me or not.

 

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idiot, punt.

 

Agree. He clearly doesn't want to do business with someone who does his homework or he feels that you are a lower end customer and you aren't worth his time.

He fails to understand he is in a service industry and as a result his service is bad. I'd take my business elsewhere.

 

1. Bad day

2. Marketing, trying to make you buy. Have you offered 65 and he refused?

3. Silver was at 18 3 weeks ago, now it's near 22.

4. Maybe the guy himself did some online research and noticed 65 is below market.

 

He sounds like a toad, but multiple returns would be a turn off for any seller/ shop owner, and he may consider you a time waster. However, if you've spent decent money there in the past (aside from the returns), he should have worked with you and not been such a jerk.

 

Bingo!

Being gruff to customers and acting this way is not in general good to anyone's bottom line - if people aren't buying your product because you shoo them away with your attitude/actions obviously you won't stay in business long.

I can understand if people come in repeatedly asking to see stuff and then never buying - that can tend to irritate. However, the key as Camaro said is that he's in customer service. It's his job to take that unfocused buyer and sell to them, convince them that they want to buy something, even if it's a 2 dollar item at first. Need to build up the rapport with the customer, and make them feel like coming back to buy more. Bees and honey, not vinegar, all that sort of stuff...

He's obviously not doing that so unless you have something specific in mind when you go there or it's especially convenient to just go there, I'd blow that shop off and go elsewhere.

 

I have seen very few slabs in coin stores. Hopefully I don't offend anyone, but I think most of them view it as taking their edge away both buying and selling. Also, very few have prices listed so most of the time they seem to be just throwing out a number and seeing if you will bite. Play the game, stand your ground, money talks. You can be friends again in no time!

 

You snooze you lose.

Prices can change. Deal with it.

 

He probably feels the effort he puts out for you, he doesn't get back, especially when sales end up being returns. It sure sounds like your not on his preferred customer list. I would avoid him for awhile and shop somewhere else. If he is the only game in town, I would go there and just talk with him more along the lines of a social visit. It might help erase the tension and negative feelings he has. See if you can find a common ground on other subjects. Right now, it seems he feels you are becoming more of a pest than a customer.

 

He lets you look numerous times, lets you take photos and you still had to return items a couple of times? I read the first post, I don't know you, but, you seem to be making yourself out to be a little bit of a pain in the butt (I mean that in the nicest possible way, of course). Just judging based on your presentation. No offense!

 

Any time I return, I make sure I buy something else at least close in price.

I've returned 3 items in 8 months. I've spent a few hundred bucks there. Chump change for some of you, but a lot for me.

I admit that I'm a bit of a pain in the butt. The more I learn, the less of a PITB I am (I hope). I don't want to present this as me being perfect and him being a complete jerk.

 

A few hundred bucks based on how many hours in the store? Everything is relative.

 

I agree, respectfully as well. Coming in and taking photos of the coins should have been enough. If you took photos, why the heck do you need to see them again? This, coupled with previous returns, I am sure he feels you are more of a tire kicker than a customer. He is trying to make a living, not be an approval service for you to come in and look at coins and photograph them multiple times, only to have some still come back for returns.

I am not usually viewed as being "pro-dealer" necessarily here, as most here will attest, but IMHO if you are going in, looking at coins repeatedly, photographing coins and still not buying, and bringing returns back, you are not being a very good customer. I view the dealer as being somewhat rightfully POed at you to be honest.

Just my view.

 

I thought he went over and above with his service. He offered a better price, allowed photos of his inventory to be taken and it has been 3 weeks.

I respect an individual who knows what he wants and how much he is prepared to spend, before he goes into the store. This should be really easy, especially having access to the internet as a modern day tool. I am not a dealer or seller of coins. Window shopping and wasting time in a retail environment is not for me.

 

I think he cut you some slack. Now maybe it's your turn to cut him some slack.

You took photos, came back and took more photos of the same coins, and have returned coin(s). Commenting about raising the price is his way of saying that you're asking for a lot and giving little in return.

 

Thanks for your honesty. I only started taking pictures recently so I could get opinions here and look more closely at home, research, etc. before I bought.

I probably went in at least once a week.

The first photos of the Morgans showed a strange discoloration on the obverse. I was trying to make sure it wasn't the lighting, angle, etc.

 

Do yourself a favor, don't write about this anymore. You've devoted entirely too much time to a coin that isn't even yours yet. You want to study the coin with lighting, angles and check for discoloration, buy it first.

 

returned coins? Were they counterfeit? I wouldn't be too happy about a customer returning coins. In fact, I wouldnt allow it. How would I even know its the same coin coming home? Unless it was slabbed of course.

As far as the price increase, his given reason is weak but the prices fluctuate, I bet if her said they were 55 you wouldnt be complaining.

 

He didn't offer a better price...he offered the going price and when he got annoyed at the customer he bumped the price up.

You are right, all that is probably annoying. But, had he smiled and played nice...he might have sold some of those coins instead of them still being in his inventory. I work in a service industry too...sometimes you just have to smile and place nice. It's hard, but sometimes that's the deal if you want to be successful.

 

I think the dealer was still being nice. He let him look at the coin again even though he probably wouldn't make a sale and it might be returned if he did sell it.

The dealer might develop a better relationship with this character if he nudges him like this now because the customer will have more respect for him (or he could take it the wrong way and go and borrow coins from another dealer).