Why Do Prices Seem Higher At Local Coins Stores?

It actually amazes me that people can make a sustained living by running a brick and mortar coin shop in 2017. I found one shop across the street from where I do my grocery shopping and decided to check them out. They had an impressive selection of US classic silvers... for about 2-3x the going rate on ebay. Even the junk coins were overpriced... $5 each for common, worn IHCs, $3 each for dateless Buffalo nickels.

I like supporting local businesses, but not to the extent that I will overpay by $50!

I owned a storefront business many years ago. It's a tough way to make a living. You pretty much have to eat, breath and live in it. It consumes all your time.

My LCS is an old family business. Been at the same location for over 60 years. It's a dusty old shop filled with decades of dusty old stuff!
But he seems do do well. There's always a steady stream of repeat customers coming and going. His prices are a bit higher than internet but that's to be expected. It's nice to get off the computer once and a while and just browse around there . .

I found You can negotiate with coin shops once they see you as a steady customer . But don't expect a huge discount , they still have that big nut known as Overhead .

It's a greatly mixed bag. I see things on ebay that are considerably less than the local stores, but you have to wade through a lot of garbage to find them. The local dealers don't usually have culls, and seeing it up close means there are no light tricks to be done as with a picture (which has happened to me a few times now).

ebay also has terrible prices on some things, Japanese WWII occupation money for example. Most of the average circulated ones there are $2-3 each. The local dealer gave me a few boxes to go through and at the end I got a much greater variety than is on ebay now and at a much lower price -- $0.50 each for the circulated ones, $1 for a few of the CU ones.

Everything is a matter of you knowing what you're doing.

You all know my thoughts. I prefer buying off the internet for reasons previously stated. I don't want to have to pay full retail for a few coins just to get a decent deal on the fourth. You end up losing in the long run. I understand why coins shops are closing and struggling. The owners of local shops in Kansas City seem so stressed out that they lost their passion for coins. You can see it in their eyes especially when you bring in your own coins and ask questions. It's a turn off but I understand their position. It not just coin shops suffering it's retail in general. If the internet trends continue with Amazon and other online shopping venues the commercial real estate market will collapse. Actually that outcome is probably inevitable.

I never buy from ebay. Too much bs and not to mention counterfeits.
Privacy and no paper trail is also important to me, so I will pay more and deal with my LCS.

I like to see coins in hand before I purchase them. That being said a high percentage of local coin shops have totally unrealistic prices even after negotiation. I have to search hard to find coins available locally for reasonable prices and sometimes I think I'd be better served buying online.