A fading Customer / Dealer relationship.

coinsomniac

The relationship is still there, but not nearly as vital as it once was. Sort of like the way that your old college buddies are still your friends, but they have moved away and started families, so you are not nearly as close anymore.

We still talk, but not nearly as frequently. Where I used to call at the drop of a hat, when I saw an interesting coin on their site, I now pass just as often. I am getting tired of getting voice mails most every time.

It used to be that when we were close on price, he could find a way to do the deal. Not any more, my last 3 offers were shot down. All were 5% back of the asking price.

I will not name names, I still like the dealer and will continue to buy from him for the near future. He has just become a bit too busy for me. Soon, I may become a bit too busy for him.

21Walker

He has just become a bit too busy for me. Soon, I may become a bit too busy for him.

And well you should. When he starts loosing his customer base, guess who will come around if he is still around.......

Rick

ricko

Just vote with your feet.... when enough do, he will realize the error of his ways. Cheers, RickO

coinsomniac

<< <i>Just vote with your feet.... when enough do, he will realize the error of his ways. Cheers, RickO >>



My business has dropped off substantially this year. Probably below 6 figures.

tcmitssr

I have much the same situation with one of my old favorites. I'm not so sure they realize it as well. Pretty good customer in the past but not too much any longer.

It started with a non-willingness to do a buy-back and kept on rolling downhill.

mrearlygold

This can certainly be a more personal business. Or not. But IMHO long term professional relationships form , even develop into friendships. That's really more of the old fashioned coin business. I find the business in general turning more impersonal in recent years except on a dealer to dealer level.

thebeav

I wish everyone would counter me at 5 back. Boy, would I ever have a sack of cash. Coin inventory would be low, but I'd still be happy......

Mowgli

I completed all of my 20th century (save Barbers) series collections by 1994. During those years dealers were pretty helpful - even a mail order only company would let me come in and look through their inventory and the owner's assistent would steer me away from questionable coins (which I'm sure he sold to others). As I moved to more specialized 19th century series after 1994 I found the dealers to be very helpful, friendly etc. Occasionally I made a purchase I regretted and they would take the coin back at the price I paid. Today I am working on three sets of Barbers and have a dealer who values my business enough to find coins for me at shows that I cannot attend and will buy back anything at 90% of what I paid for it which is going to be higher than greysheet ask. The dealers who specialize always seem to work at making their relationships with customers work. At least that has been my experience.

Coinsponge

I started out Ebaying but was moving toward doing more business with dealers. I have had a lot of negatives in my experience. One dealer quoted me a price on the phone for a PCGS graded set and lowered it substantially when I went in the next day. Another dealer I wanted to sell to stated that a 70 was no better than a 69 because PCGS just throws out occasional 70's to make submitters happy. Another one I delt with had the manorisms of a used car salesman IMO. I am not fond of ebay because of to much dishonesty but the dealers annoy me. I know there are good dealers out there but I have found too many stinkers.