Poaching for Coins at Various Locations

You are correct...but it's not littering. Those laws restrict solicitation.

 

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Solicitors can be nailed for littering if the flyers all end up in the parking lot.

 

Sniping is a totally different animal. The buyer using a sniping program is bidding against other bidders, not the dealer.

If I understand you correctly, most of the "coin-buying shows" offering low, low prices to buy coins are like those that take out full-page ads and are in an area for one or two days. They rent a hotel ballroom or something similar, and have an agreement with the leasing agent for sole right to the space (which can even include the parking lot). I've read of numerous occasions where these rip-off artists complain to the leasing authority and have such violators removed from the premises with the threat of arrest for trespassing (which is completely legal) if they don't leave.

Chris

 

Thank you to all for the feedbacks. I wasn't expecting to hear a lot of positive feedback to be honest, but I wanted your truthful and honest opinions and that's what I received. When I began this thread I posted a question and asked if this was right or fair and that it was just an idea to increase my own business opportunities, without actually having done so in reality. It's nice to see you're all honest Abe's who appear morally upright in every sense of the word.

 

Don't forget that you asked about "poaching" from collectors, sellers, and coin shops too...

If your goal is to increase business opportunities, you'll not get far by stepping on other people's toes.

 

IMO, even the the gold buyers offer less than reasonable prices, such an activity on your part would be totally unethical.

The gold buyers bought and paid for the advertising to attract "their" customers. Not yours and "poaching" their customers is about as scummy a thing that you could do.

IF you want to offer a better price than the gold buyers, take out your own advertising, rent your own venue and then have at it.

Remember though, you'll have to gain the customers trust if you are writing checks OR you'll have to pay for security if you're buying with cash. Either way, you'll have tofoot those expenses and "hope" that someone is "poaching" the customers that you "paid for" to see.

 

Yes I've gotten this argument several times already thank you. However, as mentioned in one of my earlier replies in this thread, I retract my use of the word "poaching", as what I considered doing would be nothing of the sort since I'd be approaching these individuals AFTER their original point of sale/transaction. I'm taking nothing away from these people, if their offers aren't enough to purchase these coins then in my honest opinion its a free market. Asking someone if I can make a stronger offer isn't unethical to me at that point, only if I were to approach them BEFORE entering the buying/selling area. Just my opinion.

 

No? If you would be taking nothing away, why not go stand out on a random street corner to "approach" people? That's right.... because you really are taking something, and at the very least that is their location and advertising. Spin it any way you wish, but all this is nothing more than being a leech. If you want the "business opportunities" the buyers you so despise have, why not follow their lead and cough up the money it takes to buy said opportunity? Of course, this is all in jest as we already know the answer...

 

I believe that you are missing the point to which I will explain again.

YOU, did not pay to get those customers where they are at. Instead, you are taking advantage of the opportunity "created" by the gold buyer through their pocket books and advertising.

You may not agree with the prices they offer but that does not give you the "right" to make a better offer. You have to earn that right by paying for your own advertising and venue rental.

If you do not understand this simple concept, then "you" are scamming the Gold Buyers.

 

You might even get beat up & robbed if some thug overhears you making a cash offer to somebody, because the thug thinks you may be carrying a lot of money with you.

 

Books I thought you weren't going to offer anymore on the subject? I see your point to a degree, but my concern is with no breaking any local municipal laws. Go ahead call me a leech, but that's a slippery slope my friend, a broad generalization of how you can classify just about everyone in life, not just in this hobby/industry...also if you already know the answer in jest, why bother asking the question? I like making a legal profit, I'm not concerned with the qualms of any competitors like the metals buyers, I don't owe them anything.

19Lyds....I do see your point, and to be honest this can be spun in many ways, pro and con. How is what I considered doing any different than say online advertising in a local free classifieds website? I place my offers for coins in direct competition with other buyers, I make the top offer, I "undercut" and "poach" potential business of others in doing so....and yet, this all seems to be on the level.

 

Simple. Your free online advertisement would bring people to you.
How would you feel if you placed such an ad only to have someone waiting to counter offer your customers?

But, I can see that you've already made up your mind since you cannot see nor understand the obvious. Continuing the dialog appears to be a waste of effort but hopefully, someone thinking along the same lines as you will understand.

 

It is pointless, as stated there are 2 sides to the argument. I have never engaged in such activity and was merely looking for feedback. Thank you for providing some and your personal perspective on the matter.

 

I'm curious...what would be your motivation for doing this?

 

To attempt to add to my collection at a faster pace while living in an area with very low supply levels. I have a habit (probably an unhealthy one) of trying to add X number of coins or X $-worth on a weekly and monthly basis. It's been like murder trying to get my hands on anything for the past month and as a collector I've been starving for some new additions for some time now. But I guess I'm not the only one in the area with this issue currently lol.

 

as my late coin dealer said "you can not buy every coin". I understand this now. Patience is part of coin collecting. Save up for the coin you want most of all. Make a huge want list. divide that up to top 10. then top 5. then #1. There's nothing like buying a coin you've wanted to buy for 10-15 years because it finally has come on the market. been there done that (mostly world coins). next breathe. you need to learn coin etiquette... this comes from years of coin collecting....you would not like someone trying to buy a coin while you are buying it from a seller would you ? NO!...you would get mad ? YES! ....see how that works ? good. lol

 

Something smells rather bad about this whole thing. Earlier it was...

But now he just wants "to add to [his] collection", just as in the OP he wanted to "poach" not only from gold buyers as later claimed, but also "collectors/sellers" from "business owners/vendors" at anywhere from a "coin shop, flea market, silver/gold buyers event etc". He claims to live in an area with "very low supply levels" yet clearly there must be enough business for gold or hotel buyers to profitably set up shop, even with supposedly "99.9% of their potential 'customers' walking away laughing at their weak offers". He admits that such behavior may only be "acceptable so long as I discuss it with the paying vendor and work out a share of the profit with them once I've gained their permission" yet goes on to say that he would be "taking nothing away from these people, if their offers aren't enough to purchase these coins then in my honest opinion its a free market. Asking someone if I can make a stronger offer isn't unethical to me at that point".

On second thought, this doesn't just smell bad; it stinks.

 

Books no offense man but you need a life....seriously, troll on elsewhere. Your opinions don't matter to me, and once again you've quoted me in a conversation you started off with saying "I'm not going to make any further comment or advice on the matter"...it's just too bad you couldn't actually follow through on what you said. Maybe put down the books and go outside or back under that rock you live under. Thanks in advance.

 

First, if you're going to quote me, at least have the decency to do it right; what I actually said was:

I believe I was quite clear in that I'll not help you leech off of others in your thinly-veiled quest for unearned personal gain. Now, while I've given no advice on how you could weasel your way into profiting from the work and investment of others, what I have done is try to get you to see the folly of your views, and later made note of your contradictory responses/claims; nothing less and nothing more. As for my opinion not mattering to you, that's fine, and since you appear not to have taken any opinions expressed in this thread seriously, it seems I am in good company.

If one of us has shown ourselves to be a troll, it is not I, sir. After all, I am not the one who asked how to "poach" from "collectors/sellers" on a forum full of collectors and sellers, so perhaps a long look in the mirror is in order. One can only hope that, with this ridiculous sense of entitlement, you follow through with this plan and just happen to pull it on the right people and receive a hard taught yet well deserved lesson in the fine art of acceptable conduct.

As for getting a life, this thread speaks much to the quality of your life and character, and as for crawling under my rock, I'll happily do so if you'll only slither back into your hole.

 

I get the distinct feeling that you want to have your cake and eat it too. You want to be able to buy coins from the public but you aren't willing to spend the time or money to do so. Sorry, that's not quite how it works. You want my advice? Take a table at a local show and make contacts that way. This is a cost effective way to have the ability to buy coins from collectors... But I'll think that you'll find that even offers you think are fair will get beat by the big boys in the room.