Passive "bait And Switch" Being Used?

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,516
BuffalosRock Pillar of the Community United States 500 Posts	Posted 06/21/2013 11:43 am I bought a MS67 Buffalo nickel about 3 months ago, directly from a dealer's website. The transaction went fine but I notice that here 3 months later and he still shows "my coin" with the same pics and cert# as still available on his site. Even if he had multiple MS67's he should update the pics! Combine that with two other coins that I have purchased "from other dealer websites" that they then email me days later saying the coin is "out of stock" - like the pics and cert #s don't matter - but they have plenty of others and would I be interested in a lower grade or sending them a "wish list". But in both of those cases the coin I "tried to buy" that they said was no longer available was still listed on their site many days later as well. Are these dealers leaving "sold stock" on their sites to attract more business or "bait and switch" folks into buying something else when they can't deliver the coin wanted? I'd never run into this before and now it seems it is an epidemic. Maybe just laziness and "slowness", but it is a bit odd/off. Report this Post to the Staff

SsuperDdave Moderator United States 23522 Posts	Posted 06/21/2013 12:52 pm I'm thinking that using stock images is just an old-school, formerly very common habit of dealers. When all you're doing is publishing small images in print advertising, and offering multiples of a given coin, it used to be expected that the image you saw was a stock one. Report this Post to the Staff
BuffalosRock Pillar of the Community United States 500 Posts	Posted 06/21/2013 1:21 pm That might explain the first example some, SD, but even then the pics were of "my coin" since they show the cert# that I got. It doesn't speak to the dealers that, only after I went through their checkout and even got "confirmation" emails of my order - then tell me they don't have that coin anymore. Yet leave the pics/ads up for it even after they notify me they don't have it anymore. I think they both want to "look bigger" by maintaining a bigger online inventory/list and also are doing a bit of a bait&switch. Like I said, both offered me different coins and wanted my "wish list" once they had my info from going through the purchase process ( only to be cancelled on ). Report this Post to the Staff
JimmyJames Valued Member United States 211 Posts	Posted 06/21/2013 3:26 pm If something can be explained by laziness rather than mal-intent, I find that the true explanation is laziness the vast majority of the time. I doubt it's a deliberate attempt to deceive, but rather delayed inventory management. Report this Post to the Staff
Doug58s Pillar of the Community United States 899 Posts	Posted 06/21/2013 3:28 pm I think you figured it out... they want you to show an interest and then they will try and sell you what they do have. I've encountered this on ebay...sellers list items they don't have anymore - and then try to do the sell of "similar" coins. Not a straight up bait and switch but more of an advertising scheme. Report this Post to the Staff
basebal21 Bedrock of the Community 13014 Posts	Posted 06/21/2013 4:06 pm If its a one time or rare occurance I give the benefit of the doubt. Stuff does get lost or sold offline before they can pull it. If it happens a lot then I assume its an attempt to get you interested in something and sell you someone else if they're out of it. I do think at least one of those was an issue of them using a stock photo. I'm not a fan of stock photos since its almost always the nicest one they have. I can understand it for low value common coins but for higher value coins they would be better served not being lazy Report this Post to the Staff
SteveCaruso Pillar of the Community United States 1796 Posts	Posted 06/22/2013 3:23 pm If it's the same cert number, I'd search for it on Heritage or Stacks Bowers or check the pictures if you can look them up on the cert's website to compare. There is a rash of counterfeits that are in fake PCGS and NGC holders and they all have the same cert numbers. Needless to say, the same cert numbers tend to come up on ebay often. Less likely than being slow to take things down, but possible. Report this Post to the Staff
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Passive "Bait And Switch" Being Used?