Is it typical for a dealer to leave their booth 100% unattended for 1.5 hours? Someone lost an easy
barrytrot
Posts: 759 ✭
I was wandering the floor at Summer Fun today from 3:15 to 4:45 and one booth in particular had several nicely toned and PCGS coins. I had my eye on several of them!
However, the booth was empty on all 6 of my passes by the booth within that 1.5 hour period.
A shame for the dealer and for me that whomever owned the booth didn't have a helper or something!
Is this typical behavior? This was my first conference attendance.
However, the booth was empty on all 6 of my passes by the booth within that 1.5 hour period.
A shame for the dealer and for me that whomever owned the booth didn't have a helper or something!
Is this typical behavior? This was my first conference attendance.
0
Comments
<< <i>You can go to the PA announcer and ask to have the dealer paged to his table. >>
Ok, that's nice to know if it were life and death.
However this is coins we are talking about.
If someone doesn't want to sell their coins, that's not life or death. It's a bummer, but not life or death.
If I go to someone's "store" they are there to sell to me. I'm not really in the business of begging someone to let me buy from them.
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I never caught certain dealers at their table. They had a small display of inviting coins that drew me in. Clearly, they know who they need to deal with and the general public
isn't part of that equation. In many instances, you simply can't afford their asking prices. So it works out best that you don't waste any more time. I'll leave it up to each
dealer on how to best optimize their show time to maximize their profits. Who knows, that dealer may have been buying a $50K deal at the time or selling one.
<< <i>For those dealers whose primary business is with other dealers they often just use the table as a home base to work from. I've gone to January FUN shows where in 2-3 days
I never caught certain dealers at their table. They had a small display of inviting coins that drew me in. Clearly, they know who they need to deal with and the general public
isn't part of that equation. In many instances, you simply can't afford their asking prices. So it works out best that you don't waste any more time. I'll leave it up to each
dealer on how to best optimize their show time to maximize their profits. Who knows, that dealer may have been buying a $50K deal at the time or selling one. >>
That is all very reasonable thinking. But if you don't need to sell to the public why not just get the tiniest booth in the "discount" section instead of one that was pretty high visibility near a "corner"?
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
If the dealer was there to do business with the public (that is, the case was full of inventory), it sounds like he might have been having a specific problem and didn't have a helper to man the table - many coin dealers are one-man shops and just simply don't have any helpers.
On the other hand, the dealer might have been there to do wholesale business and might have been off doing it.
There are some dealers who attend shows just to do wholesale business and either don't man their tables all the time or spend time with their backs to the public (processing invoices, etc.).
Don't waste your energy being annoyed - there are many dealers and you can find another one to do business with.
When you find that dealer in the future, you can ask about the guy who isn't at his table. If you're told that the guy only does wholesale business, you can ask your new dealer about the coins in the wholesaler's case. Your dealer might be able to go get the coins for you to look at and might offer them to you at a discounted price - in which case, you win.
Check out the Southern Gold Society
Dealers should man their tables if they want to conduct business.
Lance.
<< <i>Dealers should man their tables if they want to conduct business. Lance. >>
It depends on the dealer or table owner. The times I took tables at shows 98% of my business was done with other dealers. And at the bigger shows I had to drag
the coins to their tables to try and sell them. It was rare that anyone with buying power would walk around and wade through hundreds of tables to find me. Most of those top
wholesaler types just sit at their tables buying deals every 5-10 minutes. Those in the now realize they are no nonsense buyers who buy most everything offered if the price is reasonable. Hence sitting at their tables waiting for wholesale deals to show up is the best route for them. I never would have sold anything waiting for the "customers" to show up. I had to go find the top wholesale buyers. While some of our favorite retail dealers can just sit back and beat off the retail public, that's not the case with many smaller dealers and vest pocket types. And fwiw, the top wholesale buyers almost always paid more in "wholesale" than what the general public was willing to pay as "retail."
type2,CCHunter.
<< <i>I had this happen once so finally I just went ahead and sat down at their table and took a load off, sure enough that made him pop right out of the wood work. >>
I like this strategy
<< <i>Is this typical behavior? >>
Different dealers have different ways of doing business.
<< <i>I have seen booths set up all day with a dealer never showing up, but coins in the case. >>
I feel that if a dealer is operating a table at a show solo he/she is kind of paralyzed and has to take whatever opportunity will cover the show expenses. Even with a second body it's still a handicap to cover all the bases. If fortunate to have 3 or more people working the show then it's more relaxed and quite possible to conduct retail, wholesale, auction attendance for bidding/lot viewing, along with food drink,... Oh and restroom breaks so you don't have to watch them do the pee pee dance.
Perhaps the dealer didn't bring a helper because he wanted to keep his expenses low, and because he was hoping to pass the savings along to collectors like you.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Eric
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
<< <i>
<< <i>Is this typical behavior? >>
Different dealers have different ways of doing business. >>
.....and losing business.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
<< <i>Look i have been known for complaining about dealers but in this case the dealer did nothing wrong. You obviously didn't want the coin as bad as you say, because i know if i saw a coin in the dealer's case that I wanted I would have done whatever it took to locate him ......everything...and the fact that you didn't shows that you just didn't want it bad enough and that to me says it all. In this particular situation you have zero to complain about and it is your loss. I don't care about convenience, when I see something that I must have i go after like a heat seeking missle and inconvenience doesn't stand in my way, the only thing that could stop me is an outrageous price or a dealer who will not be reasonable. But a dealer that is temporarily missing ie we know that he is there, just not there when you were by his table or checking out his table from afar, but he was there and you could have found him if you wanted to. I will go out of my way to get what I want, but maybe that is just me and I am nuts and/or kookoo for cocoa puffs.
Incorrect.
I spent 100% of my time at the show checking his "box" every few minutes.
And on every occasion on my loop I stood by his/her box for no less than 2 minutes (which given that I was there for only 1.5 hours is a LOT of time.) In each case I felt sheepish after a while like other people would think I was "casing the joint" and then walked on.
That's the best I had available to me.
I wanted the coins (there were several) and was willing to pay well for them.
I only had so much time allocated to walk the floor and I spent almost all of it eying his area!
I am always astonished when people use the line "you must not have wanted it bad enough because you didn't do X". That has nothing to do with desire. It has to do with politeness (in this case) or many other factors that are ALSO important. Yes, I could have put my shirt over my hand and smashed his case. But given polite behavior I did FAR MORE than should have been required to buy some coins!
<< <i>Could be viewing auction lots, or any of the other reasons mentioned here. Most dealers leave a few business cards, why not just give them a call on their cell phone? >>
How am I supposed to know what their phone number is? It wasn't in plain site or any thing.
<< <i>Bathroom break?
for 1.5 hours?.......must've eaten the bourse food.
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
Seems simple enough!
Just a little common sense goes a long way...............
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which any show is very willing to do,
you could have also asked the dealers
set up to his left and right side, where
the dealer might be.
When I leave my table for any amount
of time, I always mention to the dealer
on one side or the other of my table,
two things:
1. I'll be gone for 5 minutes, or 20 minutes
or whatever (sometimes I leave to go
to an auction session)
2. I ask them to keep a 'loose eye' on my
table - even though I make sure the
cases are locked, the keys are easily
accessed, and my briefcase is chained
to the back table, and at least one chair
is put in the opening, so that if someone
does try to get behind my table, they
have to move 1/2 chairs, thereby hopefully
catching the notice of the dealer next to me.
I did a significantly larger portion of my business away from my table as I did at it. Basically, selling coins can be quite easy, buying them (as a dealer) is when you make your money.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Is this typical behavior? >>
Different dealers have different ways of doing business. >>
.....and losing business. >>
Oh good grief. I'm sure the dealer knew when he left the table unattended that he would not be making any sales to walk-up customers during that time. Do you suppose it's even remotely possible that he was doing something he considered more important than waiting for customers who may or may not show up and if they did, may or may not buy anything?
If dealers want to do wholesale business, why not just hold a dealer show and sell to each other without public involvement? I find it aggravating to spend time going to coin shows only to find stocked booths with no sellers, tables where all the chairs are full of other dealers slowly browsing through inventory while bloviating to the owner of the table and each other about their recent rips at the expense of some schmuck collector, and items set aside for another dealer but still displayed in the cases as if for sale. Quite frankly, this snobbery is one reason that I've trimmed way back on my involvement in collecting coins - I see no reason to kiss someone's rear end in order to provide him/her with a profit. Not to give the impression that most dealers are involved in this as there are some very nice people in the coin biz, but there are enough horses patooties in full view to give the trade a bad rap.
I tape this to one of my cases.
A dealer can easily use this simple, low-tech, $2 solution to this problem.
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
Mr. Weinberg pretty much nailed the two common sense things that most people would do in this situation:
1) Ask the guys set up next to him where he was and when he would be back. Most of the time they would know because dealers normally tell their neighbors when they're going to step away from the table.
2) Have him paged.
Instead OP decided to just walk around in circles for an hour and a half and seems to want to play the martyr here.
(And playing a hunch-given the attitude displayed by OP here, who's taking bets on how "easy" the sale would have been?)
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
<< <i>If dealers want to do wholesale business, why not just hold a dealer show and sell to each other without public involvement? >>
I would suppose wholesale dealers want to do business with the retail dealers at the show.
<< <i>I find it aggravating to spend time going to coin shows only to find stocked booths with no sellers, tables where all the chairs are full of other dealers slowly browsing through inventory while bloviating... >>
Collectors can just as easily tie up a chair bloviating as dealers.
<< <i>to the owner of the table and each other about their recent rips at the expense of some schmuck collector, and items set aside for another dealer but still displayed in the cases as if for sale. Quite frankly, this snobbery is one reason that I've trimmed way back on my involvement in collecting coins - I see no reason to kiss someone's rear end in order to provide him/her with a profit. >>
I can see why you'd be cutting back on your involvement in the hobby. If coin collecting made me feel that way, I'd be looking for something more enjoyable, too.
<< <i>As a dealer, my solution to this is a sign that has a clock marked: RICH UHRICH WILL BE BACK AT (clock setting).
I tape this to one of my cases.
A dealer can easily use this simple, low-tech, $2 solution to this problem. >>
This makes sense to me. I'd come back.
In general, though, it seems to me that in running a business, the one place you want to be sure is staffed is the place where the customers give you the money. If they're ready to pay, for Heaven's sake be ready to collect. IMHO. Cause some of them ain't coming back.
In that case, you're a fool. If you've learned anything here, it should be that dealers desperately want your money. All of your money. In fact, all of everybody's money.
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Lately, I have been leaving the following note:
"Dear "state dealer name",
I am a collector that is very interested in purchasing a coin from your case. I would like to make arrangements for you to meet me so that I could examine it more closely. My phone number is 855-876-5309. Please call me at your convenience. I will be at the show until "whatever" o'clock.
Sincerely, Realone
PS PLEASE CALL ME BACK! "
No one calls me any more.
<< <i>This happens often. When I encounter this scenario, I usually leave a note for the dealer to contact me.
Lately, I have been leaving the following note:
"Dear "state dealer name",
I am a collector that is very interested in purchasing a coin from your case. I would like to make arrangements for you to meet me so that I could examine it more closely. My phone number is 855-876-5309. Please call me at your convenience. I will be at the show until "whatever" o'clock.
Sincerely, Realone
PS PLEASE CALL ME BACK! "
No one calls me any more.
You find it funny to give out the phone number of a truck repair shop in Tampa?
How odd.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>I am always astonished when people use the line "you must not have wanted it bad enough because you didn't do X". That has nothing to do with desire. It has to do with politeness (in this case) or many other factors that are ALSO important. Yes, I could have put my shirt over my hand and smashed his case. But given polite behavior I did FAR MORE than should have been required to buy some coins!
Mr. Weinberg pretty much nailed the two common sense things that most people would do in this situation:
1) Ask the guys set up next to him where he was and when he would be back. Most of the time they would know because dealers normally tell their neighbors when they're going to step away from the table.
2) Have him paged.
Instead OP decided to just walk around in circles for an hour and a half and seems to want to play the martyr here.
(And playing a hunch-given the attitude displayed by OP here, who's taking bets on how "easy" the sale would have been?) >>
I now know that "paging is possible". I had never been to a show so I didn't know that was possible. The booth didn't have a sign that said, "page me at XX".
So I will state: I was wrong. I should have done what is "common" which is to have him/her paged. I now know that. I did not before.
You can ask many sellers here, I'm an easy sale
<< <i>This happens often. When I encounter this scenario, I usually leave a note for the dealer to contact me.
Lately, I have been leaving the following note:
"Dear "state dealer name",
I am a collector that is very interested in purchasing a coin from your case. I would like to make arrangements for you to meet me so that I could examine it more closely. My phone number is 855-876-5309. Please call me at your convenience. I will be at the show until "whatever" o'clock.
Sincerely, Realone
PS PLEASE CALL ME BACK! "
No one calls me any more.
ROTFL!!!
Then again, car swap meets are outside, and can be over a 3/4's of a mile walk to get back.
The other difference, since I am in Texas, peeking out of waistbands, haning up in trucks, or just sitting out in plain view, are pistols. Keeps the honestly factor up a bit (hard to steal 4 wheels and make a break for it).
<< <i>So I will state: I was wrong. I should have done what is "common" which is to have him/her paged. I now know that. I did not before. >>
If you learned something great. But, I do not see you are wrong. Perhaps wrong thinking/hoping you were on a collector friendly board and wouldn't get the usual maybe it was this, maybe it was that. You asked a simple question is all. Myself, it would need to be something I really wanted to take the time and have someone paged. And these days that just doesn't happen.
<< <i>Speaking just for myself, back in my bourse days.......
I did a significantly larger portion of my business away from my table as I did at it. Basically, selling coins can be quite easy, buying them (as a dealer) is when you make your money. >>
To each their own, and more power to you, but why even have a table at all then?