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<p>[QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 3428977, member: 112"]There was a time when I used to wish the same thing. And from a buyers perspective it's easy to understand why one would wish that. But how many of us have ever considered the dealer's perspective ?</p><p><br /></p><p>You mention about it being stuck on the back of the slab. And while it's true that some dealers do put the actual price on the back, what far more of them do is put a code on the back, their own code and one that only they can read and understand. And what that code tells them is what they paid for the coin, and when they bought it. And there is a very valid reason for that, a couple of them even.</p><p><br /></p><p>For one coin prices change, and they change far more often, (shorter periods of time), and move up and down far more than most people realize. And they do this because that's the way the electronic dealer market works - bids and asks change every day. And the electronic dealer market is what defines current prices more than any other factor, and often more than all other factors combined.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, imagine this, you put actual prices on all your coins. But a week, 2 weeks, maybe a month, later the price has moved up or down say 20% - are you going to leave that price you put on it unchanged ? Undoubtedly some will, but also undoubtedly many will not, they will change the price to more accurately reflect the actual current price. They do this because there's little sense in leaving 20% on the table, and there is also little sense in trying to sell something for more than it's really worth. So changing the price makes sense.</p><p><br /></p><p>But then you also have to consider that time is money, and if the dealer has to spend time changing the prices on his coins all the time - he's not making any money doing that. All he's doing is driving his profit margin down because it's time wasted. And so to pay for that time he has to mark his prices up, at least a little.</p><p><br /></p><p>There's also a second reason for using a code and not a fixed price label. In order to make money dealers have to turn their inventory over. In other words, they can't afford to have their money tied up in a coin that sits on the shelf for months and months, or maybe even well over a year. They need to sell that coin and sell it soon, so they can use that money to buy another and then sell it. That is the name of the game - that is the business they are in.</p><p><br /></p><p>So every so often a dealer will go through his inventory and read his codes, and he knows how long he's had that coin, sitting there, not being sold. So he makes a mental note and tells himself - I gotta get rid of this thing ! So the next person that shows an interest in the coin - he marks the price down, in his head, but marks it down just to get rid of it - to get that coin out of his inventory. It's the same practice that all businesses utilize, it's called a sale. And they all do it to get rid of inventory so they can buy new inventory. It's far better to make only a little, break even, or even sell at a loss, so you can buy something else that you can money on ! That's just good business.</p><p><br /></p><p>So the next time you go into a dealer's shop or are at a show and there are no price labels on the coins - think about why there aren't. And think about this too, not having them there might be, and often is, saving you the buyer money.</p><p><br /></p><p>Good dealers, trusted and respected dealers - they know all these things. And what's more they practice them. They know who butters their bread, their customers. And they know they have to take care of those people. And they got to be trusted and respected because they do practice those things.</p><p><br /></p><p>And yeah, there's the other guys out there too. The ones who are looking for every way they can find to take advantage of you. The ones who are asking double what another guy is asking. But those dealers, they're not the trusted and respected dealers. And they do the things they do, they take advantage, because that's the only way they can survive.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 3428977, member: 112"]There was a time when I used to wish the same thing. And from a buyers perspective it's easy to understand why one would wish that. But how many of us have ever considered the dealer's perspective ? You mention about it being stuck on the back of the slab. And while it's true that some dealers do put the actual price on the back, what far more of them do is put a code on the back, their own code and one that only they can read and understand. And what that code tells them is what they paid for the coin, and when they bought it. And there is a very valid reason for that, a couple of them even. For one coin prices change, and they change far more often, (shorter periods of time), and move up and down far more than most people realize. And they do this because that's the way the electronic dealer market works - bids and asks change every day. And the electronic dealer market is what defines current prices more than any other factor, and often more than all other factors combined. So, imagine this, you put actual prices on all your coins. But a week, 2 weeks, maybe a month, later the price has moved up or down say 20% - are you going to leave that price you put on it unchanged ? Undoubtedly some will, but also undoubtedly many will not, they will change the price to more accurately reflect the actual current price. They do this because there's little sense in leaving 20% on the table, and there is also little sense in trying to sell something for more than it's really worth. So changing the price makes sense. But then you also have to consider that time is money, and if the dealer has to spend time changing the prices on his coins all the time - he's not making any money doing that. All he's doing is driving his profit margin down because it's time wasted. And so to pay for that time he has to mark his prices up, at least a little. There's also a second reason for using a code and not a fixed price label. In order to make money dealers have to turn their inventory over. In other words, they can't afford to have their money tied up in a coin that sits on the shelf for months and months, or maybe even well over a year. They need to sell that coin and sell it soon, so they can use that money to buy another and then sell it. That is the name of the game - that is the business they are in. So every so often a dealer will go through his inventory and read his codes, and he knows how long he's had that coin, sitting there, not being sold. So he makes a mental note and tells himself - I gotta get rid of this thing ! So the next person that shows an interest in the coin - he marks the price down, in his head, but marks it down just to get rid of it - to get that coin out of his inventory. It's the same practice that all businesses utilize, it's called a sale. And they all do it to get rid of inventory so they can buy new inventory. It's far better to make only a little, break even, or even sell at a loss, so you can buy something else that you can money on ! That's just good business. So the next time you go into a dealer's shop or are at a show and there are no price labels on the coins - think about why there aren't. And think about this too, not having them there might be, and often is, saving you the buyer money. Good dealers, trusted and respected dealers - they know all these things. And what's more they practice them. They know who butters their bread, their customers. And they know they have to take care of those people. And they got to be trusted and respected because they do practice those things. And yeah, there's the other guys out there too. The ones who are looking for every way they can find to take advantage of you. The ones who are asking double what another guy is asking. But those dealers, they're not the trusted and respected dealers. And they do the things they do, they take advantage, because that's the only way they can survive.[/QUOTE]
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