Some observations from the coin show

I would never be offended by someone countering my best price. As a seller, my "best price" goes down sometimes based on my need to move coins. If I need the money for something else, I will move the coin, even for a loss sometimes.

 

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In 2008 I bought a bunch of fractional Buffalos. They were a very hot item and still are. I had some $25 proofs for sale $1,100 or BO. I had sold a few already and knew what I could get for them. My lowest price was $1,000.

Ebay buyer offers me $300. I countered with $1,000 and a note saying that $1,000 was the lowest I would go. On his 2nd offer he offered $350 after I told him my best price was $1,000. Guess what, I blocked him. The next day he sends me a nasty email asking why I blocked him, said he was going to make another offer. I told him that I had already told you my lowest price and you didn't comprehend that. I told him to take his offers and stick 'em.

Sold all my Buffalos at my set price and I'd be willing to bet a BILLION $$$ he never got one close to $350.

I'm in the Conder, Doug, and Stewart camp. There are some buyers that just like to mess with sellers and tick them off with unrealistic offers.

 

I think he just got tripped up, fell, his hat went flying, landed on Vic's head and you mistook the hat for Doug.

 

That's all fine, your point is valid, you removed yourself from the situation, you blocked him, cutting him off. I didn't see the unethical part, where you kept him going, while raising the price to insult him back. That is where you stand out above the crowd you mentioned.

 

I just didn't think about that, I will next time.

 

I agree. My best price changes as well. Inventory gets stale, need to raise capital for something else, or I just feel like giving someone a great deal.

 

The issue is not really the countering of a best price, but the countering of a best price with an insultingly low offer. If you give your best price and someone comes back with a fair offer that's in the ballpark you both have a basis for continuing to negotiate and discuss the coin further.

 

I think there is an extremely important point that everyone is missing or overlooking.

When you go into a store, the store owner sets the rules. If you do not like the rules you do not have to participate, but please do not try to change the rules. A coin dealer at a show is the store owner, they lease the space or table, just like walmart leases the space they occupy.

I have seen several posts here where the potential buyer thinks they are entitled to set or change the rules. Read through this thread again and ask yourself for each poster, would I want this poster in my store?

 

No one argued if they were legally able to intentionally insult people. It is legal for me to walk down the street and insult everyone I walk past. No one is questioning the right to do this. What the rest of us are questioning is the appropriateness of this behavior. What is legal and what is considered appropriate are two different conversations. Sure the dealer has every right to even insult people that just try to look at his coins. He is his own boss right? But this does not make this behavior appropriate or more importantly what we are discussing professional.

No one here so has said they are willing to do business with anyone who acts unprofessionally to the point they intentionally insult people. Something to think about huh?

 

So, next time someone lowballs with $350, you'll take the time to counter upwards with $1100?

 

Good observations. I'd be annoyed to. Hope it gets better over there

 

So, just out of curiosity, if he had countered with an offer of $950 or $975, would you still have blocked him?

 

No, just decline. The reason I blocked him was bc he was being a pest on purpose. Don't remember the exact # but seems like I only accepted 2-3 offers. These were hot as you know and I had no problem selling them. Matter of fact if I had held them a few more months I would have gotten more.

 

This, above all, is a most diplomatic way of doing things........

 

I never said it is ok for a buyer to act like the above guy. It is not. I would not talk to and or block him as well.

The whole point I'm making is it is professional to simply not do business with him. It is not professional to go out of your way and insult him. This is the difference between the professional coin dealer and the shmuck simply buying and selling coins.

 

To me, this discussion boils down to this:

Is it wrong for someone to counter a "best" offer? Probably. Then again, coin trading is much more fluid that shopping at Walmart, and a certain amount of bartering is expected.

But is there a better way for the dealer to handle a low-ball offer? Certainly. I think that's what @Vegas Vic is getting at. All a dealer has to do in the situation is politely but firmly decline any further discussion. He doesn't have to stoop to the level of the insulting offer.

Suppose I'm the next person in line, or standing at a nearby table, and I witness the dealer reacting poorly to what he or she feels is an insulting offer. Not only will the dealer lose the sale to the person in front of them, but potentially the next as well.

But that's just the way I see it, and I think valid points have been made on both sides. I just feel that the dealer should do his or her best to take the high road in this situation.

 

I thought a business is in business to make money, not set rules for customers.

Sorry, but when I read your post, it sounds like a government employee wrote it. Those are the only operations I'm familiar with, that value their rules over money and transactions. Their scheduled breaks are always more important than the line-up of customers.

I will gladly avoid interaction with narcissistic dealers and their stores. At a show, you are fair game, you paid for entry, I paid for entry, let the establishment decide if certain types of negotiation are not allowed. The tables and chairs are not yours, you just paid for the right to use them, so did the crowd. Both parties paid for their chance to transact.

Leave your silly rules in your own establishment. Chances are, if you had a good enough client base in a brick and mortar store, you wouldn't need to go to a show, incur travel costs and pay for the privilege of having the crowd see your goods.

 

The Soup Nazi has a long line of customers, and he makes his rules and you better go by them if you want that soup.

 

There is an extremely important point that you are missing. Wal Mart and coin dealers are not even remotely connected when it comes to pricing.

A coin shop invites offers on their coins. Wal Mart will laugh you out of the store if you say "I can go .49 cents on that .59 cent bag of Fritos".

You couldn't have made a worse comparison.

 

I understand the point you are trying to make. But actually if you go to Walmart and can prove someone else has an advertised price lower they will match the price. But if you don't have the proof then the manager still treats you with respect and does not go out of their way to intentionally insult you. Why? Because he is a professional.