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How do you handle hagglers at shows?

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  • MasonGMasonG Posts: 6,863 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:
    People do that on ebay all the time. They ask for an offer, i give it. They counter. I reject it. They offer to "split the difference". I always counter with the original price.

    The same thing happens to me a couple of times a year.

    @jmlanzaf said:
    On occasion, I've countered higher and offered to split the difference. They don't find it funny.

    I've done this before but never heard back from the "buyer".

  • MorganFanaticMorganFanatic Posts: 87 ✭✭✭

    I go to a lot of shows and never ever pay asking price. I collect Morgan Dollars so there are always many dealers to choose from. I usually offer 85-90 % of asking price and if the offer is declined i move on,no harm no foul.

    I find i have the best luck with my offers late in the day,on the last day of the show

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 9,585 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 29, 2026 6:12PM

    Many times I may quote a price like for example $120 they come back with a counter offer, I may just simply say “I said it’s $120 (haggling burnout).

    This one show the table fee is $150. That’s the most I can lose. But the psychology can be the walkup buyers have no idea what the price should be or any concept how to price coins, hence the haggling. On that scenario sellers may quote the price little bit higher (play game) then if haggling then room at least get the price they want.

    I think a lot of them I encounter at shows are incompetent about pricing or want buy wholesale. I am not a wholesaler lol. If they want to buy like a dealer take a table at a show.

    With my Accounting background I know exactly what I need to get for sales to offset fixed opex plus have a successful show in the green.

    Investor
  • ARCOARCO Posts: 4,443 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would never survive in the Turkish bazaars, I hate haggling.

    If the price is a couple of hundred dollars and I like the coin, I just buy it. I have money and they are in the business of selling coins.

    If I buy multiple coins from a seller, I will ask for a "best price" or a group buy discount. I usually get 5-7% and that is great.

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 9,585 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2, 2026 6:09PM

    I welcome them if they buy in the green (positive p&l). Gotta move them. But if their offer in red - adious.

    I think a lot of them really don’t know how to price coins. One guy always just wanted 10 pct off no matter what it was. Once you know their angle you can have a play call to offset it. Which is how I roll.

    Investor
  • OnlyGoldIsMoneyOnlyGoldIsMoney Posts: 3,536 ✭✭✭✭✭

    At shows I am commonly a buyer and infrequently a seller.

    I avoid haggling as I view it as disrespectful to the dealer. When serious about an item I will ask for the seller's price. If I view the price as fair I will agree to the purchase price. If I think the price is a bit high I will make a note of the table location-item specifics-cost and tell the dealer that I will keep that item in mind. It is not uncommon that the dealer will then offer a better price. Those unsolicited reductions often result in my purchases. If I believe the seller's first offer is too optimistic I thank the dealer and move on but never criticize the seller's proposed price.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 40,354 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MorganFanatic said:
    I go to a lot of shows and never ever pay asking price. I collect Morgan Dollars so there are always many dealers to choose from. I usually offer 85-90 % of asking price and if the offer is declined i move on,no harm no foul.

    I find i have the best luck with my offers late in the day,on the last day of the show

    Good to know. If I raise my prices by 20%, I'll accept your offer and you'll happily pay more than my asking price.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • Morgan13Morgan13 Posts: 2,308 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 30, 2026 12:55PM

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @MorganFanatic said:
    I go to a lot of shows and never ever pay asking price. I collect Morgan Dollars so there are always many dealers to choose from. I usually offer 85-90 % of asking price and if the offer is declined i move on,no harm no foul.

    I find i have the best luck with my offers late in the day,on the last day of the show

    Good to know. If I raise my prices by 20%, I'll accept your offer and you'll happily pay more than my asking price.

    @jmlanzaf you don't believe this actually happens already?
    So if a dealer has quoted a price that is 20% higher than a more realistic price it's rude to ask for a best price?
    I think it's common to see overpriced coins expecting a negotiation.
    Added: So do you think that a collector should pay this 20% high retail price if they want the coin.

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  • MasonGMasonG Posts: 6,863 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Morgan13 said:
    I think it's common to see overpriced coins expecting a negotiation.

    It's this belief that finally encouraged me to increase my BIN eBay prices. They're still not overpriced (half my listings sell at the listed price), but I set them higher than I used to. I'd prefer to not play the game, but enough buyers are insisting on it anymore that it's financially imprudent not to.

  • oldglorycoinsoldglorycoins Posts: 252 ✭✭✭

    @OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
    At shows I am commonly a buyer and infrequently a seller.

    I avoid haggling as I view it as disrespectful to the dealer. When serious about an item I will ask for the seller's price. If I view the price as fair I will agree to the purchase price. If I think the price is a bit high I will make a note of the table location-item specifics-cost and tell the dealer that I will keep that item in mind. It is not uncommon that the dealer will then offer a better price. Those unsolicited reductions often result in my purchases. If I believe the seller's first offer is too optimistic I thank the dealer and move on but never criticize the seller's proposed price.

    As a dealer I don't find it disrespectful at all

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 9,585 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 1, 2026 9:46PM

    Guy in coin club bumps his stuff up (shows) abt 10-20 pct above CDN CPG then lets them haggle him down to what he would want anyway, he says “its all just fun and games.”

    Investor
  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 40,354 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2, 2026 4:57AM

    @Morgan13 said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @MorganFanatic said:
    I go to a lot of shows and never ever pay asking price. I collect Morgan Dollars so there are always many dealers to choose from. I usually offer 85-90 % of asking price and if the offer is declined i move on,no harm no foul.

    I find i have the best luck with my offers late in the day,on the last day of the show

    Good to know. If I raise my prices by 20%, I'll accept your offer and you'll happily pay more than my asking price.

    @jmlanzaf you don't believe this actually happens already?
    So if a dealer has quoted a price that is 20% higher than a more realistic price it's rude to ask for a best price?
    I think it's common to see overpriced coins expecting a negotiation.
    Added: So do you think that a collector should pay this 20% high retail price if they want the coin.

    Read what he wrote. He always offers 10-15% less than the "asking price" He didn't say he always offers guide or10% back of guide.

    And yes, I do think it happens. It's basic sale psychology. There used to be a comic store in town. They marked everything at double guide+10%. On Sundays, they had a half off sale. You couldn't get in the shop on Sundays even though the price was still over guide.

    Do I think people should pay an "inflated price"? No. But that's not what we were discussing. I don't think every price should be haggle. But people want to pay the game win actually forces people to inflate the price.

    I GUARANTEE you will sell more Morgansc at a show if they are marked $70 with 25% off than if they are just marked $50. (Of course, some people will offer $40 to both. )

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 12,043 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2, 2026 5:19AM

    I recall a dealer back in Ohio many years ago who used to tell customers that he sells at Bid to collectors, why should they pay more than the dealers…. That sounds great, but the problem was that he overgraded everything. Paying Bid for a Bust quarter that he labeled as XF that is really VF looks pretty good if you don’t know how to grade.

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