Okay folks, my Ebay thread provided some great answers and some interesting insight, so here is another question. What is most important when buying coins? Please list in order of your importance: Good seller/dealer Good communication during/after sale Good Prices/fair prices Certified or Raw (including grading ability) Exceptional customer service Quick shipping (orders shipped same or next day) Terms of sale (including s&h, insurance, payment methods, ect.) When you are making your purchases, how do these things rank in your decision? Are there others? When looking for new dealers/sellers do these factors still make up your decision? Be specific.
For me, this is the order: 1. Good dealer 1a. Trust between dealer and myself. 2. The right coins - selection and quality 3. Exceptional Customer Service 4. Good/fair prices 5. Raw coins (Certified on certain items) 6. Terms of sale These are my factors no matter what - existing or new dealers. I imagine that if I was at a coin show, I would have to go on instinct as most of these factors take a little time to manifest. Cris
Based on feedback from my customers, I would have to say that honesty and integrity are the most important factors when a collector decides with whom to do business. Collectors want to know that they can trust their dealer when it comes to grading, pricing, authenticity, etc. Second would have to be the desire to communicate and the skills to do so. The customers I deal with enjoy discussing our hobby and are eager to absorb as much information as they can, before, during, and after the sale process. Dealers who approach their business methodically and without regard to the hobby, seem to always have less folks at their tables. When you mention prices, shipping, terms of sale, etc., I believe these are all important factors but that, in the customers mind, they are oftened rolled into "trust & integrity." If a collector trusts their dealer, they do not even question that the prices are fair - they know that they are. Unfortunately, the Internet does change things and if I were to review your list and apply it to collectors who were purchasing soley over the Internet from unknown dealers, I believe the list would read (in order of importance): selection (availability of the desired coins), price, terms of sale, and customer service.
OK, in the order listed: #2,3,4,6, and 7 all are factors which determine whether a seller/dealer is good (#1). I think all these 5 factors are important, because failure on any one could make for a bad experience. But, if I had to rank, in order of importance, I would say 3,2,4,6,7 Now #5, Certified or Raw, I like the mantra "buy the coin, not the holder". Certification by the top 4 provides some assurance that the coin is graded properly, but should not keep one from buying raw coins, if you know your grading. Also, if I think a slabbed coin is overgraded, or I am even unsure it is accurately graded, I won't buy it, even if it is slabbed by PCGS or NGC (well, I'll buy a slabbed coin that I think is undergraded )
Well, this is pretty clearly yet another eBay thread. In particular, you seem to be doing some market research, which is always a form of advertising, really. Advertising by its nature includes "meaningless" words (new! improved!) and the first one that jumped out at me was "good" as applied to sellers and buyers. By this, you must mean that they have good FEEDBACK. Otherwise, what is a "good" dealer, or a "good" seller? When I buy -- which is seldom -- I buy at coin shows and coin stores. I save my money for ANA conventions and such (MSNS; CSNS) and do not squander it on so many junk coins a week or whatever compulsions other numismatists seem to have. When I buy, what counts most is that the dealer actually HAS the material. My interests are not in the mainstreams that are tabulated and spreadsheeted each week or month. I mean, if I wanted a 1916-D Mercury, all I would need is money. The last time I went to a show, I bought Michigan Iron Mine Scrip. Two dealers had it. They actually had a couple of notes in common, but mostly he had this and she had that. The same applies in ancients or any other specialty area. Once I see what I want, price is not important -- as long as I can afford it, of course. If I do not have $100 or $10 or $1, I am not a buyer. If I have "enough" on me to get "enough" change back, I will make a counter offer to the sticker price as a formality. Otherwise, I seldom quibble about price. What impresses me most about a dealer is not the compilation of statistical opinions, but the dealer's KNOWLEDGE and their demeanor toward me. Again, once you get outside of the mainstream of US Type, knowledge counts. Within U.S. Type, I have yet to see where "knowledge" makes much difference, as long as you can grade and price the item. Communication BEFORE the sale means something to me. Do I know the dealer? Have I read their works in the Celator or heard them speak at Numismatic Theaters? Do I know them from RCC, perhaps? Buying most often in person "shipping" and such are not factors. However, they do come up, interestingly. I have twice or more times seen something at a show when I was out of money and arranged to buy it later. The last time, I dropped the dealer a letter, asking if the material was still available and at the price and I rounded up for shipping, etc. He replied and rounded down. I paid the higher amount because when he "replied" he included the items. I know that this reply is not what you are looking for. However, I felt a need to speak up for the many uncounted traditionalists who are not eBay buyers or sellers. This is a tougher market. So, I really appreciate the old-fashioned dealers who built a lifestyle around commerce in numismatics. Michael
Well I certainly did not intend this to be an advertisement or anything to do with Ebay. What my intention is: To get others to think about why they buy, and to get others to see how and why others do this. Too often, new collectors make rash judgements in purchasing. TV feeds off of this point of sale technique. Most internet users are Ebay addicted. While my purpose here is only to offer credible advice, and share a little knowledge. Having said that; I do not, and will not be a buyer nor seller on Ebay. Now this is just a business decision that I have made, and does not reflect upon any other person who uses and enjoys the site. As far as advertising goes, I think all concerned will see the effort that I give to staying impartial. I do not promote my firm in any fashion. In 1000 posts, I have never solicited sales, or services. I have never mentioned the firms name in any public forum. All requests that have been made by members, have been directed to do so privately, and will always continue to be done in that fashion. I am attempting to share my knowledge and experience in a way that is acceptable to all concerned. I am sorry you or anyone has felt that this thread was done out of self promotion or some form of promoting a site that I do not use.
ND, as far as I am concerned, your post was not about eBay, not about advertisement and only trying to spur conversation, which I personally appreciate. Thanks for your efforts and time...
I think it was just a misunderstanding. I have a great deal of respect for mmarotta. His articles and posts are done for the benefit of the hobby.
"Good seller/dealer" That really sums it all up ........ If you can find a good seller then all thats needed is for him to have what youre lookin for... It kinda gets me sometimes.......Ill see something that i really want on Ebay.........a nice coin say......and I have to pass it up cause the sellers stuff keeps gettin "lost in the mail"....
Just so the readers know, I am adding a link to an earlier thread I created in response to the self promotion rule.. http://cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=701&highlight=dealers+humble+opinion I hope this clears up this matter.
ND.......Ive only been here a short while but you seem to have gone out of your way to not self-promote.... Unless the guy who owns the site complains, I wouldnt worry about what a particular member may may .....you'll have the finger pointers in every bunch...if thats the case here....
Well, I seem to have offended again. Each time someone brings up self promotion, my inbox gets full of emails from viewers. I receive many good emails also, but since I reply to each and every one I receive, I am trying to stop this onslaught. The site owner is a great guy, and has supported me throughout my membership here. So have many others, and I want to thank all of you that have been sending me emails and private messages. I honestly believe that all of this was just a simple misunderstanding. I have made a habit out of not being as clear as I should be. No offense given or taken.
1. i would have to say knowledge of coins in general. 2. communication with me. whesther it is a conversation about the wheather or a transaction. (shipping, did you receive payment etc) 3. trust 4. quality of merchandise. i guess this would tie in to the knowledge and trust part. would my dealer sell me a coin that he knew was a fake or has been cleaned? 5. prices. i would realize that this is how he puts bread on his table. so after the decision is made to buy from a dealer with all things cosidered in the equation i wouldnt mind spending a little extra for mayby an item i could have gotten cheaper somewhere else. i guess it would be the same for the dealer. i could go on and on. oh and nd. i do not see this as an ebay whatever. you are a business man and what better place to see the other side of the counter so to speak then this forum.
How about a few characteristics of a bad dealer, in no particular order of importance: 1. When you go into his shop as a stranger, you also leave as a stranger. 2. When he sees you looking at a group of world coins he says in a condescending voice "Those are only foreign stuff". 3. He has a bunch of overgraded, overpriced stuff that he tries to push on you. 4. If you are (or test him by acting as if you are) a Newbie, he brushes off your questions. 5. If you look at any of his low end or junk box coins (even though he may have let some gems creep in through his own ignorance) he writes you off as a cheapskate. 6. If you offer him something less than his posted price, or let him know you disagree with his grading of a raw coin, he gets angry. Every one of those statements is drawn from my own real life experiences!
The misunderstanding was mine. I apologize for not being more familiar with your history on this forum. I was wrong to jump to the conclusion that this was "another eBay thread." I have never bought or sold anything on eBay, either. So, your choice about that certainly strikes a responsive chord with me and, again, I am sorry that I misperceived you. I have no problem with advertising. "Advertising is content." is a maxim often repeated by a pricing guide editor I worked with and I had to agree that in our hobby -- in business in general and in the wider world -- advertising is information. Again, I did not stop to re-read your original post in some other tone of voice to hear what other subtexts it might contain. Opinion polls shape opinion -- but that is not their only use -- and I did not intend to suggest that such use is wrong. And, once more, I regret writing directly from the fingers without engaging my brain. I trust that the positive aspects of my reply will reinforce your own best efforts. Michael
Michael, thanks for following up! It is true that the advertising aspect of coins reaches far beyond the venue of magazines and print media. The dealer, the collector, the newbie and even this wonderful site are advertising for the hobby. What I wonder about is where education and advertising meet (like in our hobby/addiction) is there a distinquishable line that can be drawn between the two? Or is it just one of those things that "you'll know it when you see it"? Cris
Michael, I thank you for responding. I have many times not been exactly clear in my threads here. Trying to keep it simple for the novice, while trying to elicit thoughts from the average collector isn't always easy. If I can help one collector in their learning curve, my goals are satisfied. We all know the pitfalls that await the novice, and I feel a responsibility to at least put forth my best effort to keep too many from learning the hard way. It was my thought that if I could get collectors to think about what their decision process was, and why it leads them in a certain direction, I would better be able to assist them. I hope that makes sense. No offense taken. I hope that you will visit this forum a little more often. Your threads are very informative. I know that they are appreciated by all that have read them.
