Is Cash The Way Dealers At The Show In Boston Will Want To Be Paid?

As I posted in the other thread about the Boston show, I've never been to a stamp show so this is my first go around.

It occurred to me that if I do want to make a purchase at the bourse, they will probably want cash?

Also, is haggling over price expected? I'm not good at that and should probably wear a sign "I pay full price for everything".

Some dealers use an APP on their phone for cc transactions, all will accept cash. Haggling is like negotiating with the wife. How good at that are you? (It's part of the experience)

When I first read that, I had a fleeting vision of vultures circling around up above a wounded animal...

Then, I realized that you were probably kidding.



John

My sympathies - I hate haggling. And shouldn't people at an international show have a higher level of professionalism than a dodgy guy on a market stall?

Over time I have time across some well-known dodgy dealers.

It opens your eyes when an account manager at Stanley Gibbons calls a dealer who became one of the most prominent British thematics dealers a rip-off for overpricing and selling inferior stamps.

Recently, I asked a big dealer from Spain, who is overpricing stamps as a rule, whether he might have mistaken a cheaper obvious variety for a much more expensive basic stamp. And he blatantly said it was the expensive basic item. Another, who is an expertiser, tried a switch on me, sending inferior stamps to the ones advertised.

Big names in philately are no guarantee for fair play.

Well, only a little bit. As my letter carrier dad used to say, "there's a reason your friends are always inviting you to the poker game...

But don't worry, I will wrap some $5's on the outside of my wad of $50s to throw off the "dodgy" dealers.

Alas, that won't work. The dodgy dealer wants the first dollar, the last dollar, and every dollar in between. However, I expect that most at this show will not be dodgy. Expensive, perhaps.

Why would anyone be concerned with haggling over prices? This isn't your local grocery store with fixed prices!

As for your question about offering to pay with cash - you're far more likely to get a better deal buying with cash than any other way. "Dodgy" dealers might see it as an opportunity to cheat on the books, and honest dealers can avoid paying fees associated with electronic payment methods. In either case, it's a win for the dealer.

Yes, they all want cash. And yes you can haggle if you pay cash.

Sure, cash is king.

Split your carried stash into three portions. Your pocket where you pay for coffee and a taxi, a second pocket with a few/several hundred that you can immediately access, and a third spot that you might need to visit the restroom to access. Keep your head on a swivel.

If you're playing with serious cash, leave some in a safe at the hotel. Use your phone to take a short video of you placing your cash in the room safe. Can't hurt. No room safe? The front desk will have one.

If I think I'm getting a good price, I don't haggle. I pay cash. The dealers I like working with know this.

If I'm being asked to pay a price that I'm not thrilled with, I will ask if there is any movement, and I may use a card to preserve my cash position.

For those who still have them, checks work too.

Given the dealers costs for attending this show I wouldn't expect the same haggling room that you might normally find. Maybe towards the end (if they stay) if they haven't met the goals they set in their mind.

Another question is what do people use to carry around their purchases? I was thinking of bringing a zippered portfolio/notebook type thing. Would that work?

Not really true anymore. The unspoken "advantage" of cash was always the "off the books" tax advantages and of course no processing fees. Now though, electronic payments are the king.

And I can't see an advantage in dealers carrying large sums of cash in a city they don't live/work in. Stash it in the hotel safe? Carry it through the airport? Find a bank branch you have accounts in? ATM deposits? It makes no sense to walk around with a roll on you. Besides, I want the protection of a credit card in the event that the purchase goes South on me.

You don't want large sums of money on you. CC are much easier and safer.

It can be helpful to keep a small amount of cash on hand, if you're interested in making a couple of small purchases here and there. Some dealers at shows I've been to only take cash, but these were at smaller shows and were selling cheaper items. This show will skew towards the more expensive end of the spectrum.

If you're looking to make a more substantial purchase, chances are that the dealer will take credit cards. If, for some reason, they insist on cash, or if you can somehow obtain a cash discount, then find an ATM and take out the amount of cash you need for that purchase.