U.S. Mint Website Suggestions

Thought I’d start this thread so there’s one place where we can all make suggestions (and vent) to improve the U.S. Mint website, as there’s definitely room for improvement. Maybe some suggestions will make it to The Mint.

I’ll start it off with a minor suggestion. It annoys the heck out of me that every time I sign in, I have to type my user name, even though there’s a remember me box, which apparently does not work. Any chance this can be fixed?

 

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Your log in issue is something you can fix as it's got more to do with the way your browser preference settings are configured. Look for settings that allow the browser to remember user/passwords for sites. Many browsers wipe history, cookies and browser cache when you shut down the browser application, so the next time you run the application and navigate to the Mint site, you are asked to sign in.

It's not that big of a hassle to type your username and it's probably safer if you do it manually every time rather than entrust software to remember it for you, especially if you log on over wifi.

As for suggestions per this thread...

I've recently stated this in another thread about the Mint's online catalog and order processing through to fulfillment by PBGS... My suggestion to the Mint is to stop using their own online catalog and hand it over to Amazon or a large retailer like Walmart, with much more sophisticated and reliable systems, both online and in the real world for fulfilling orders. Clearly the Mint is good at minting coins, but not good at providing the best customer service and online experience. PBGS may be good at offering good rates to the Mint's contract, but it's costing the Mint a public reputation amongst it's customers for confusing and anything but timely, clearly defined delivery. Amazon tells you when you can get your order based upon time of day the order is received, and they handle pre-sales very well.

Furthermore, if anyone read the Saddle-Ridge horde coin story at length, some mention of Amazon expanding it's "Collectibles" category to coins this year in May should be an interesting test to coins selling on Amazon. It may give eBay a run for it's money in the numismatic listings and could be a contender for the Mint to go with Amazon.

 

They should definitely change the ridiculous moving expected shipping dates on orders. I would rather them not put anything or maybe TBD instead of a date that never ends up happening. When you put a shipping date have it mean something.

 

One of the many things that really irks me is checking on an order on 4/24 and finding that it is expected to ship on 4/17.

Edited to add: Why do they shut down to conduct inventory during a big release period?

 

Yeah, if the Mint turned it over to someone like Amazon or WalMart, they'd only have to make up a story one time rather than repeat it tens of thousands of times every time a customer called to complain.

Chris

 

I have HOF silver expected to ship on 4/16 since 4/8 and it is now 4/24. Any real business that operates like this would fail. The mint has a monopoly so can do whatever they please.

 

Mine says the exact same thing....

 

Shoot......they (mint) just pushed my gold order back to 6/21 (orig. 6/01) and the check box is back. Ridiculous.........

 

I've said this before, but I don't understand why the US Mint can't sell gold/silver bullion directly to the public. They have the web platform... are you telling me they can't compete with APMEX and Provident? Why are we forced to go through a middle man... surely they could figure out how to turn a profit selling it direct, even with all the volume? Heck they should get preferred rates for shipping through the USPS... they would be happy to have the business just to stay employed.

 

Those of you dismayed at the shifting delivery expectation dates could of course cancel your orders to send the most powerful message of dissatisfaction over this problem to the Mint. Vote with your wallets. However, I somehow think most won't and are content to just vent on forums instead, so the Mint has no reason to fix the problem since customers continue to order and put up with the delays in order fulfillment.

 

I don't know about anyone else here, but every complaint I have posted here has also been submitted to the mint. Not that the mint pays any attention.

 

If I could get the exact same item for the exact same price elsewhere, I would. But you can't do that with the HOF coins right now. If I don't order them, someone else will, and the Mint still wins...

 

The Mint offers direct sales for numismatic products and does only a so-so job at fulfilling orders. If they start including bullion orders, there will be a flood of orders of varying sizes and amounts to deal with and can you imagine how screwed things will be, plus all the people penny-pinching over spot prices and trying to make returns to avoid bad investments.... There also isn't enough personnel to simply handle all that, so it's easier to have an Authorized Purchaser program in place and have them deal with the public and deal with counting and packing all the bullion orders.

 

Like I say, until people stop shopping at the Mint nothing will change.

 

You have to overcome the urge you've been trained to react to... just because they Mint it doesn't mean you have to buy it, from the Mint or anyone else. Change doesn't come easy and if it's change you want, then going without the latest coin release, may be necessary to correct the problems so many are griping about but are unwilling to do anything about.

When enough people stop giving their money to the Mint, they WILL take notice and be forced to react. When they come up to the customers level of satisfaction, then you reward them with your business, anything less and you are not in control of your spending habits, which leads you to logic like the one in your response.

 

I make at most one purchase from the Mint a year for usually less than $100. I love baseball and played it in college. If I thought I could get this coin for the same price in the near future elsewhere, I would have waited. But I feel it will always carry some premium, so I had to buy from the Mint to get it at this price. When you have a monopoly as the Mint does, and have limited supply of a resource people want, there isn't much that can be done.

 

Marketing uses emotions to sell products. You love or deeply enjoy and identify with baseball and coins so can't resist the offer to buy these pieces. The same probably isn't true with the First Spouse coins, is it? Yet those are rarer in minted amounts and will carry a premium later once they are no longer available directly from the Mint, yet they are ignored as the subject matter isn't something everyone connects to and can be persuaded to buy into. Marketing has a powerful control over people and decides for them how to spend their money. As I said, if you have a complaint about the Mint but continue to buy from them, nothing changes. Resist the urge, that 'need' to possess these material things, and the Mint looses.

Most of the commemorative coins aftermarket prices descend anyway, their mintages of these products are enormous and so there's really no reason to feel it urgent to buy upon release. It's just hard for most to get their minds past the feeling of missing out, which is how people's spending is being controlled, and making the Mint profitable.

 

When you're weary, feeling small,
when tears are in your eyes....

just remember....

The Mint loves its customers

United States Mint Shows the Love with New Customer Promotion

WASHINGTON - The United States Mint today launched a new promotion to express its appreciation to customers. Starting today, customers will receive a free, reusable shopping bag branded with the United States Mint logo with a purchase of $75 dollars or more.

"As one of the largest e-retailers in the nation, the United States Mint prides itself on fulfilling thousands of orders every day, on time and to our customers' satisfaction," said United States Mint Deputy Director Richard A. Peterson. "This promotion serves as a simple means to thank our customers and remind them how much we value their investment in genuine United States Mint products."

The "We Love Our Customers" promotion launched today with an email message thanking patrons for their support and offering the gift with purchase. Web elements, including a kingpin on the home page, banners on the United States Mint's online catalog, and social media content also shared the message of the United States Mint's appreciation for customers. The reusable bag is available while supplies last through orders placed on the web at www.usmint.gov, at the call center at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468), at retail locations, and at the American Numismatic Association's spring conference taking place later this month in Atlanta.

The United States Mint was recently recognized by the American Customer Satisfaction Index for attaining a ranking similar to or higher than the best private sector companies. The Index, which measures sentiment among federal government services, gave the United States Mint a benchmark ranking of 94 out of 100 for its customer call center service.

"As the marketplace provides more and more choices for customers to spend their dollars, it's important not only to thank our customers for their support, but also to engage with and seek input from them to help us improve the way we do business," said Peterson.



So, the Mint states they rank just as highly as the best private sector companies. If that is indeed the case, what is with all of the gripes?

 

Sign of life?

 

Just what we needed treehugger a repeat of the Mint's justification for foisting the bag on it's customers, with a lathering of marketing BS. Customer appreciation has turned into a sick joke giving plastic totes to people interested in precious metals and collectible coinage.

Once again, I can state that anyone who disliked the bag could have line item cancelled it in their orders before it was shipped to them, and that action alone would have eliminated a LOT of waste, since many were sent a parcel with only a bag and invoice (no coins) in it following the recent Hall of Fame coin release, via UPS 2nd Day shipping, signature required delivery. Those shipping costs of course passed on to the customers they love so much, and all those materials and production costs associated to preparing the bags, lovingly built into the cost of customers coin products.