Things You Probably Won't Find At Dealer Tables

That's not what I'm referring to. It goes beyond that IMO. It's putting down the other's inventory, selection, pricing, etc., in other words just normal business practices that the negative comments are about. There's a deep longstanding grudge there methinks, and it leaks into many areas, some of them inappropriately IMO.

The irony is that the dealer complaining about the other's prices being too high is far more difficult to negotiate with; he rarely ever discounts, even on 4-figure purchases. It's the dealer whose prices he disparages that I usually can negotiatie with, even on smaller daller amounts.

Ahh humans, they're so darned annoying...

On a related issue: personally, I find it inappropriate for a dealer to bring up politics, religion, or any other "personal" or "hottbutton" subject area unless the customer does first, or unless the dealer asks "Do you mind if I say something about XXXXX?".

Then again, as a customer, it wouldn't occur to me to start talking with a dealer in those subject areas just out of the blue, unless they were a longstandaing acqaintance, i.e., there's some sort of established personal rapport.

I love the social aspect of shows. I've talked many a time with dealers about what would be lost if everybody just searched ebay for what they are looking for. Now I'm on the younger side of 55 and completely opposite most dealers politically from what I can tell. I love to talk politics, but several dealers have been so strident with their conversation I've kept quiet for fear of being booted from their tables.

revenuecollector, yeah growing up I was taught that politics, religion and "off-color" [prejudicial, sexual, etc.] topics were not appropriate for the business place or the dinner table.

There are a lot of general rules of thumb that we were taught in the past that seem to have been forgotten, increasingly so as time goes on. It's easy to get caught up in it too but I try not.

As previously noted: I am quite opinionated and curmudgeonly...

Jeff

Just an opinion from the other side of the fence:

Way out here on the west coast, in the philatelic apocalyptic wasteland that is Los Angeles, there are absolutely no retail stamp stores anymore.

There are only two reasonably decent stamp shows, Orcopex and Sescal. Each happens once per year. Neither is attended by any "large" dealer from the east coast. Neither is attended by any dealer that has more than a thin booklet of revenue stamps for sale. Both have several Disney topical dealers, first day of issue cover dealers, guys with postage at 10% off face, and other dealers catering to other beginner-level areas of philately.

I haven't been to a stamp show in 15 years, as they simply have turned into a waste of time and gas. All of the local dealers that sometimes had some decent back of the book stamps have long since passed away.

So, for some of us at least, grumbling about the various topics of discussion at dealer's tables generates some envy. Be grateful for whatcha got.



Jim

True that.

Living only a 3-hour drive (or less) from Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Louis gives me a rather large number of shows each year to pick and choose from. Sadly, the budget only allows me to attend 3-4 a year, but they're (usually) worthwhile, so I can't complain.

I envy you. I live in southern Georgia, and haven't made it to a real stamp show in nine years.

Dan,

What we lack in decent stamp shows we make up for with police pursuits, traffic, earthquakes, wildfires, Terminator's for governor, beaches everywhere, traffic, smog, drought, flooding, traffic, riots, and, finally, traffic.

Plus, we're just going to slide into the sea soon, anyway, when the San Andrea decides to let go.

Jim

Well, at least there's no traffic.

He goes on about the prices because he feels the other dealer is attempting to rip people off. Both can be expensive, but the one does try to screw the last nickle out of people. I have hardly ever heard of him cutting a deal. Maybe when you buy 3 bankers boxes worth so he doesn't have to drag it back home..............:-)

Well, that wasn't the only only instance. I've negotiated with him quite a bit at shows. Sometimes he won't bargain (depending on the material), but at other times, it's been somewhat surprising. Last year there was an item that I wanted, but nowhere near the price he wanted for it, and we went back and forth for about 10 minutes and he finally gave me the price I wanted... maybe just to get rid of me.

With the other, the one tactic I've found that will occasionally work is to simply walk away from the item; be willing to not purchase it. That has sometimes prompted a modest discount after a period of other discussion.

At they end of the day, they both have quality material and price it extremely aggressively. As a buyer, you have to be willing to play in those areas or stay out. Collectors looking for material at 50% of Scott or less need not apply... heck, even 80% or less...

Apparently everyone knows who you guys are discussing but me (and probably others that don't want to admit it).

Could you maybe give a hint, without specifically naming names? Maybe their initials or something?

Jim

Who are the two largest revenue stamp dealers in the U.S.?

Well, I once knew this dealer that must have tipped the scales at a solid 500 pounds, but...

Oh, wait a minute, you mean in volume of sales. (forehead slap)

Now I gotcha, I think. Their rivalry and animosity is legendary, assuming you mean M and E, not E and R.

If it's E and R, that's news to me.

Jim

The latter.

The way that I justify paying a higher price for a stamp from a dealer is to realize that I'm not buying just the stamp per se, but I'm mostly paying for time.

I could spend my time advertising to buy stamps, traveling to inspect the stamps, cleaning the stamps, and then organizing and identifying and, if necessary, researching them.

Instead, I'm basically paying someone else to do that for me. That is the premium you pay on any one stamp, when you buy from a dealer.

I used to own a retail store, so I'm fully aware that, if you want to eat a meal once in a while, you HAVE to make a profit on almost every transaction. If you don't understand this fundamental principal, then you won't be in business for very long.

I have no problem with giving a dealer some profit, so that he continues in business and feeds my sickness I mean hobby. I just wish sometimes that I wasn't feeling like I was helping to pay off a mortgage or something.

Jim