I would not necessarily assume anyone reading this would have an answer to this question, but it is something I have wondered about. Companies like Apmex, MCM, and smaller dealers like Pinehurst coins sell on Amazon. Their prices are often outrageously over spot. ($175 for a 1/10 AGE current year, for example. Why would these companies sell on Amazon? 1. They want to have a presence everywhere to increase familiarity with their brand. ? 2. They might make an occasional sale with a profit high enough to justify Amazon's higher listing fees? 3. They have partnered with Amazon in Prime arrangements for free shipping in an arrangement we don't know about that doesn't actually cost them extra to list because Amazon would like some bullion products on their site? Why would people buy from Amazon? 1. They have a certificate or some other incentive that is tied to Amazon and can't be spent elsewhere, and a few dollars extra over spot isn't the end of the world to people like this? 2. Someone is stupid and doesn't know better? 3. Someone doesn't trust having things shipped to their home, work, or doesn't have a PO box, so they feel better shipping it to an Amazon locker? I just don't know, but it is something that has really interested me because the prices are so much higher, but they seem to always be there.
Because Amazon sells everything I guess. They do have selling fees, don't know how they can be competitive on bullion.
I think you covered many of the reasons. Amazon is a large market and the big bullion sellers want to have a presence there. The buyers are a combination of people looking to redeem gift cards/certificates and those that don't know any better (similar to buying from TV coin sellers).
Amazon did try and open up some Amazon coin type section of the website, I believe they hyped they'd be selling coins from that 'Saddle Ridge' hoard. Apparently it never really took off though, as well the prices are usually outrageous.
Well, I bought two 10oz silver bar from APMEX a couple of weeks ago and their price matched the prince on the APMEX site. Plus I was able to pay with my credit card to get money back and also go free shipping. Clearly there are some good deals to get this way. I was a little disappointed that they did not count it as an order for my APMEX account so that I have to maintain a separate record. After all, the information was exactly the same as for my account with them.
Oops! Apologies. In my haste I had a brain aberration. I bought on EBay, not Amazon. Probably a misthink because I had not realized they sold on Amazon.
Biggest problem I believe is the fees and the requirements. If I remember right basically only the big boys could sell there and they get better deals from their own sites or eBay. I seem to recall a lot of the sellers who were invited to sell there saying it just wasn't worth it for them
