Your policy stinks!

Is what I should of said.

I went to a coin shop near me. They had very limited coins on display, however they keep boxes of coins in the back. I asked to see their half dollars, and they said that with their new policy, they cant show me them. They said what date do you need. I told them I dont collect by date, I collect coins based on eye appeal. They said sorry.

I have been in there a few times before, they have submitted coins for me, they have my drivers liscence on file for their weekly auctions. They wouldnt let me see their coins.

Every coin shop I go to, I can find a couple of hundred dollars worth of coins to buy. I spent 6 bucks with them and left.

 

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That is unbelievable, sounds like they are too paranoid to keep a store open. I would be paranoid if I had a B/M store, oh wait, I don't. But I would NEVER treat a customer that way. My condolences!

Best Regards,

George

 

Get used to it...I've had this happen so many times I've stopped going in to certain stores. They seem to only want people who will hand them money for whatever is lying around...not people with standards or knowledge.

 

There is a shop by me with nothing on display. Everything is kept in the back room or in the vault at the bank. If you want high grade early gold, they have it. Need an EF 1916 SLQ? They got that too. But you have to ask for everything, and maybe call ahead. No thanks, I want to browse. I think most of their business is now on eBay, along with scrap gold. It is a shame because the owner is extremely knowledgeable and has some great coins.

 

I went to a place in Sacramento that when I asked for IKE Dollars, they asked what year I was looking for. I said 1971-D and they brought out about 4 of them from the back.
They never did bring out a group to go through.

I expect that a lot of coin shops are actually in the market for dummies. Hole fillers if you will. Folks that simply need a specific date and mintmark and they don't rreally care what it looks like!

I see these folks at coin shows. They'll run up to a dealer and ask if they have any silver proof sets from 2002. The dealer will pull one out and the dummy just buys it with only a cursory glance.

As for the OP, I expect that the dealer either had a slight of hand theft and/or word got back that they'd been cherrypicked! As such, they now want to control what folks see.

That's too bad since they'll lose business out of the fear of not wanting someone to make a buck or two off of them. Of course, they could always do the research themselves but then that might require some work.

Bottom line, "Know your inventory", "Know your regular clientele", don't be so paranoid.

 

I had another dealer that had tubs and tubs of 2x2'ed coins that I could browse through. He also had proof sets that he used to let me browse through.

One day, I asked to see some proof sets and he asked me what date's? I said the 1968's and he pulled a single set out.

When I asked if I could look at them all, he said no.

I have not been back since then.

 

Sounds like you guys need to find a dealer that will trust you.
This doesn't happen overnight, but if you are loyal to a dealer, they will reward you with trust and nice deals.

 

How does one build trust with a dealer (by going in often and spending money) when said dealer refuses to give said customer adequate inventory to look at to make satisfying purchases?

All they are doing is making the B&M shop pointless for buying customers. They'll still keep it because people who don't know what they have will come in to sell it to them.

 

That's just plain unrealistic , guess that's why I love stores like Harlan Berks . Where you can look at all the coins in the window and if one catches your eye they'll open the window go get the whole tray or as many trays as you want . Plus they have a nice inventory in the cases and in back . Ask and they'll get you the whole box . That's the way a shop should be run . I can see the owner being careful , bring out a tray of ten coins . Know what's in there and if you need more move to the next one when you're done with that . If I can't look at their coins I'm out of there .

 

Everyone give up an go to eBay.

 

I wouldn't have stood there. I would have sat on a chair and been comfortable while feeding them their hat

 

See. Even then he knew you were dangerous already

 

Have you had any problems with them in the past?
You need to find a new shop to deal with.

 

Poo.....

 

The shop I went to on Christmas Eve was the same way. I said I was looking for 90% so the owner's lackey pulls out a tube. I was looking to pick the cherry tree, but nope! They ask what type and how much face value. I say I like Mercs, so then he rubbed his sweaty grubs all over some (clearly picking out the most worn down, polished crap in the tube). Then says 18.5x face, so do I want them or not? I didn't get them.

Lackey goes away. Now dealing with the owner I commit to over $100 in sales for him. Then I ask about 90% again, this time Washington quarters. He dumps out the roll and lets me pick through for what I want.

 

Sometimes I just wanna see what they have for sale and look for the best deals. It's kinda nerve-wrecking to ask for a coin and end up not buying it .

 

I feel like the second I pull my loupe out, the jig is up...

 

Businesses like this don't survive in my opinion. You can't if you alienate your customer base.

I recently purchased a dental practice and the previous owner had all his window blinds closed and all the lobby windows covered with a cover. The door was locked and there was a small doorbell on the door you could ring if you wanted in. He had almost no patient base after a decade of practice. He was doing the same thing as this dealer. Driving his customers away.

 

That is very unusual for a B&M. Personally, I would have pressed a bit harder for the box with some quick, good old fashioned trust building. On top of some assurances - like explaining who I am, removing my coat and keeping everything on top of the counter - he could simply weigh the box before handing to me and then weigh it when I'm done.

I'm sure they have been ripped off so they instituted the "general policy". I can understand that as I every dealer I know has been ripped-off. But it's not too hard to win trust when someone wants to sell you something and you're a legit buyer.....like Doug said too.