Software that can be used at coin shows that will automatically take the coin off their website once it is sold. Twice now I've "bought" a coin, only to be told that it has already been sold. Maybe this is par for the course...
You can have all the software in the world, but unless someone actually takes the time to scan the coin or enter the information then it is worthless.
Deduction of scanned coins only works for certified coins, as inventory bar coding for dealer's raw coins is neither practical nor cost effective. Thus, no viable solution to this problem yet exists.
I beg to differ. There are several of them out there. If you assign a number to an inventory item the software will create a barcode that you can print out. You don't even have do have a reader to scan numbers, though you can scan them with your cellphone, you can manually enter the number to track the sale and remove it from inventory.
Granted, I'm not a dealer, and I realize that those who have been doing this for a long time are telling me that I don't understand how hectic coin shows are, and how much volume trades hands (especially between dealers). I'm just saying that, to an outsider, it seems easy enough to: 1) assign a number to each coin (write it on a sticker) 2) when you sell it, write it on a piece of paper 3) that evening, type them all into Excel 4) have a program that parses that and removes them from inventory You *have* to be keeping track of the inventory anyway, right? Those who do remove them from their websites probably have to do it manually anyway.
It all matters in the timing of things. Most dealers (not only coins) write a record of what they sell so they can either balance their total at the end of the day. Or to remove them from their site. But if they don't get a chance to, or if somebody just so happens to purchase the coin at the same time. There is not much that can be done. Think about it this way. You put a coin on ebay and a buddy (or someone) knows you have the coin emails you saying they want the coin. They paypal you and you send the coin out, you log on to your ebay and sees someone has clicked on the BIN. Its exactly the same thing as a dealer.
Actually the smarter ones do it as part of the sale. But it takes a wireless data card (cost), a monthly data plan (cost) and 30 seconds during the sale. If the dealer is busy (good for him/her), that 30s can be important. And sometimes the network doesn't work in that (metal) building.
