How Dealers Should Conduct Themselves Toward Collectors
Honestly, I was a little nervous when I published the first part of my coin show etiquette guide. What I hadn’t anticipated was the wave of approval that washed over me. Many seem to have been just waiting to talk about politeness. There was a lot of approval, but also a call to take a closer look at dealers’ behavior. That was the plan from the start. However, I wanted to wait for your input. After all, you are the experts when it comes to determining what behavior you consider polite and what you consider rude.
Some of the letters I received surprised me, because I thought things like that no longer happened today. I was wrong. Here you can read a compilation of all the requests and suggestions I’ve received from various sources.
Rule 1: Every customer has a right to an invoice.
I never would have believed that something so obvious could be a central concern for so many collectors! Time and again, I heard complaints about how difficult it is to get an invoice at coin shows, especially when it involves “only” small purchases. Often, such a request is then rejected with very rude words.
I can understand that writing an invoice takes time and incurs costs in accounting. But today, when provenance plays a central role, invoices are of the utmost importance to your customers. Therefore: No matter where or when—refusing to provide an invoice is a no-go.
Rule 2: Explain to the customer why you do not offer certain payment methods.
I heard complaints almost just as often that dealers only accepted cash and were resistant to modern payment methods. Some collectors combined their criticism with the insinuation that the dealer was trying to evade taxes.
In fact, there are usually other reasons behind this preference for cash. Credit card payments are particularly expensive for small businesses.
Of course, I don’t know in each specific case why a particular merchant doesn’t offer a certain payment method. But I would recommend that every merchant, in such a case, politely explain to the customer why they don’t accept certain forms of payment. As is so often the case, it’s all about the tone, and if a problem arises, it’s best for both sides to work together to find a solution.
Rule 3: Clearly price your merchandise in the local currency.
Not every customer appreciates having to ask for every price just to decide whether an item interests them. I know some merchants want to use this as a way to strike up a conversation with the customer. They don’t realize that their behavior actually drives more customers away.
It saves everyone time if you, as a vendor, price your goods so that the customer can see the price.
It is a matter of courtesy to either price the goods in the local monetary unit or clearly indicate in which monetary unit the price is listed and what exchange rate you are using. This saves you and your customer the awkward moment when it turns out that you were both talking about different monetary systems.
Rule 4: If you announce your presence, be there.
Some U.S. collectors have written about how frustrating it is to never know when a dealer’s table is occupied. This is because many dealers have gotten into the habit of missing one or even several days during long coin shows.
This is understandable, especially given the excessively long opening hours of some events and the fact that many participants also run a retail store. No matter where they are, they’re missing from the other location.
Nevertheless: Especially toward those who travel specifically to attend an event, failing to show up is rude. Exceptions, of course, are cases where an unexpected event makes it impossible to attend. But that should be the exception, not the rule.
Punctuality has been called the politeness of kings. A polite coin dealer is present by the time the coin fair opens at the latest and stays at least as long as customers wish to view his merchandise.
Rule 5: Support the event you use for your business.
A quite particular form of parasitism has emerged in recent years around a group of international events: Wholesalers meet with their suppliers on the occasion of a coin fair, but so far away from it that a rival event effectively develops. Many participants who meet with both groups find themselves forced to take long and expensive taxi rides to get through all their appointments.
I can understand that the hotels chosen by coin fairs are not always located in the most interesting areas. I can also understand that one might not want to stay there. But if that is the case, then it is a matter of courtesy to undertake even the inconvenient taxi rides oneself, and not to impose them on those who, like everyone else, have wanted lodging near the coin fair.
Rule 6: Use only the exhibition space you have paid for.
There are dealers who immediately occupy every available space if no one stops them. That is rude. Of course, you are only entitled to the space you have booked and paid for. If a colleague has not shown up for unexpected reasons, ask the organizer if you can take over the empty space. If they agree, the absent dealer’s name badge is, of course, omitted from the booth.
Exhibiting under another dealer’s name is an absolute no-go.
Rule 7: Don’t shout.
Coin fairs are no longer attended exclusively by traditional dealers. A multitude of often digital startups have joined the mix. Some of their representatives believe they must draw attention to themselves using methods that are, in some cases, very strange. Shouting has evolved into a particularly unpleasant variety of PR. Therefore: At a coin fair, of course, no one has to whisper, but barkers should go where they belong: to the fairgrounds.
Rule 8: Even at a coin fair, a consignor has a right to a confirmation.
Several emails have addressed the issue that consignors who hand over their collection during a coin show are treated as second-class citizens. The criticism was that they did not receive a detailed confirmation of consignment. This is not only rude behavior, but also unprofessional and sets the stage for future disputes.
If, as a dealer, you order someone to hand over a consignment at a coin show, you should have the courtesy to take sufficient time for it! And that includes issuing a detailed confirmation.
Rule 9: Develop a security plan to avoid false suspicions.
We all know that coin fairs attract not only collectors but also thieves. That is why a clear security plan is essential for every coin dealer. It is not just about insurance, but also about courtesy toward customers. No one wants to be (wrongly) suspected of stealing a coin.
With a well-thought-out security plan, you can avoid not only theft but also false accusations. Skipping display cases out of stinginess, even though you’re carrying expensive merchandise, is not only foolish but also inconsiderate toward anyone who might come under suspicion in the event of a theft.
Rule 10: Ensure good lighting …
Any buyer of a coin wants to see what they’re buying. Dealers who are proud of their merchandise will make sure their buyers can see the quality of the items they wish to purchase. Good lighting is essential for this.
Rule 11: … and provide a chair.
We know how exhausting it is to examine coins at endless tables. So offer customers with whom you want to have a longer conversation the opportunity to sit down.
Rule 12: If the customer is standing, the dealer stands too.
Nothing is more irritating than speaking to a seated dealer while standing. The old rule applies here: either both conversation partners sit or both stand. If your customer is not sitting across from you on a chair, please stand up, no matter how long and exhausting the day has been.
Rule 13: Treat all customers equally.
Time and again, collectors have written about how humiliating it is to be pushed aside during a purchase. Dealers would favor important customers over smaller ones, they wrote. Of course, this is understandable from an economic standpoint. But this is precisely where it is determined whether the dealer and the “important” customer are polite. It would be polite to complete the first transaction fully and calmly—though the customer should not, of course, artificially drag out the process—and only then attend to the next customer.
Rule 14: Do not treat anyone condescendingly.
I was surprised (and convinced) by another concern raised by a customer who described how his son—young, dressed accordingly, but an experienced and already well-established coin collector—is repeatedly treated condescendingly by dealers because of his appearance. An experienced collector does not want to be constantly lectured on the basics of coin collecting before being handed a piece. A collector’s appearance provides no indication of their knowledge. Every visitor to a booth is entitled to expect the booth owner to take them seriously from the start. Explanations are only estimated when the other person makes it clear that they would like to hear them.
Dear reader, if you feel an important point of conduct is missing from this list, please contact me. We’d be happy to expand the guide based on your experiences!
I look forward to your feedback!
leserbrief@muenzenwoche.de
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
