Do you haggle with coin dealers?

I was wondering if a coin shop is the kind of place where you are expected to pay the asking price or you are expected to haggle. There are certain types of business where haggling is customary and others where it would be an insult, and it's hard to know which this is without some guidance. I don't think I've ever heard any other customers haggling, but that doesn't mean it's a bad idea either.

 

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I always haggle unless its already a low price, on sale, or bullion price.

 

I agree with hamman88 and always be reasonable. Sometimes you don't have to because the dealer may offer 10%-15% (or more) if you're a good customer and depending on whether he wants to move the item(s) quickly or not.

 

Most coin shops I've been in don't have prices listed on the coins, as they'd have to change them daily. So I always just ask what's the best they can do on a particular coin I'm interested in, and whatever they say is either good for me or I decline and move on to something else. I always feel more comfortable letting the seller set the price. I always have the option to not buy and they always have the option to adjust the price.
Guy~

 

Just for fun try getting the dealer to Raise his price, tell him he is way too low, tell him coin shop x is getting twice as much for the same coins.

Seriously, I tend to dispute the grade more than the price, I do not mind paying a fair price, but I want a coin that I feel is solid for the grade.

On low end purchases I tend not to dispute anything

 

I heard this at the Summer FUN show

"The price is good, its just the wrong grade."

 

You have to haggle its human nature.To save a couple of bucks will always get you back in his door.Just today sold my dealer a bunch of peaceand morgan dollars I thought his price was to low got an extra 47 dollars out of it and he will still make money on the ones I sold him.He called me for them because he was out of a couple of common dates.

 

I don't buy it if it doesn't with haggling... unless there isn't any haggling needed. Sorry dealers: It's part of the fun.

 

I always try to get 15% off, and usually settle for 10% off.

 

I accept offers on coins- just be realistic if you are making an offer .
I wouldn't call it haggling though. I agree the best & most common way is for someone to just ask what is the best they can do on this item.I dont really go back & forth on prices. It does really depend on how long I have had an item,what I paid for it , & then how you approach the transaction.
Remember -it is what it is ,take it or leave it. There will ALWAYS be another coin at some point that you will like or want more.

 

I get a ball park idea of what I should be paying from the Grey Sheet. I don't feel comfortable haggling because I'm not good enough at grading to really know what I'm talking about. So, I give myself this ball park figure and if the price is way out of range and the coin doesn't look that great, then I'll pass.

I buy all of my coins at shows and I've gotten good at asking what they would be willing to do on a coin, and I think just about every time, they reduce the price that's listed on the 2X2. I'm sure that there have been occasions, probably more than I'd like to admit, in which I've paid more than I should but I have enough knowledge that I know I am not getting totally ripped off.

 

If you don't (and most dealers I have dealt with are prepared to haggle), then you are in the wrong hobby. Dealer prices are pretty much invitations to haggle.

 

I'm not confident enough to haggle yet. Even when I am though, I don't think I will. It's just not something I've ever been comfortable with.

 

I understand what your saying, but I disagree. Now, If I wanted to become a coin dealer, and I didn't like to wheel and deal, then it would be correct to say that I was in the wrong business. But to say that I am in the wrong hobby isn't fair. Maybe I am overpaying and as a result am not a great investor or deal maker, but I still enjoy collecting coins.

I'll continue looking forward to the coin shows, getting to know the dealers and learning about coins. I'm a good customer and most good business people know not to take advantage of a good customer. Really, I am not naive, I know when someone is trying to take advantage of me and I won't buy from them.

Also, I hear a lot of haggling at shows and to be honest what I mostly hear is the dealer saying "no sorry, I can't do that"

 

depends on the dealer. The one I deal with most is very up front: "I can do better on that price if you buy more." Then he generally looks at my pile of stuff and quotes a total that is usually a nice discount of the posted price.

 

When i lived in the great country of South Africa u had to haggle or else people wldnt sell to u. I haggle if it is reasonable to with coins. Not if its a low grade hole filler tho

 

JDS there are dealers like that and they will put prices on their coins and when someone comes up they'll say "I can move 10% below what's marked". Just put the prices on the coins with 10% more then you want/need.

 

I love to haggle, heck not only do I do it at the coin shop, I do it wherever I go with the grocery store and gas being the exceptions. I just bought a new bed and haggled til they knocked off $100 and threw in a mattress cover, 2 new pillows and a bed frame for free. Haggling is a way of life in just about every other country except ours.

 

Wow, it seems like pretty much everyone does haggle. I've mostly been buying cheaper coins but eventually I'll get to the better ones and I figure that's when this will come up. I'm glad I got people's opinions.

 

The only thing I would like to add, regardless of what side of the counter you're on is this: It is not personal, just business. I have no problem with somebody asking for a deal, but if your're going to become obnoxious about it, you will get ignored or shut down in a hurry. Again, it's not personal, just business.

One thing I find really funny or ironic is that if somebody offers $20 for something marked $25 and the seller just accepts the offer, the buyer always walks away wondering if they could've done better, or will try to do better by asking for something else. This brings me to the conclusion, as a seller, that you never cave too easy, or the buyer will not be happy. So be careful how you make your offers as a buyer, and never cave too easy as a seller.