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 Replies: 32 / Views: 3,899 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1121 Posts |
I am the administrator for buycoinshere.com
Let me please say that this is not a plug for the site. I would just like brutally honest opinions from CCF members.
Please do not be offended if you are a member and have a coin website. I have no intention of offending anyone on CCF.
That being said. I am getting a lot of hits on a daily basis. But I cannot, for the best of me, figure out why sales are down. I don't know if it is all because the coin market is down, my prices are set too high, poor layout...ect
If I google: where to buy coins online
our site is the 2nd listed. I did this not by buying advertising space, but by the nature of the design...so the hits are not the problem. The sales ratio compared to the hits are.
If you call the 800..i am the person who answers all calls and questions. I try to offer very good quality of service and the repeat buyers are great, but I'm just confused.
Any comments, no madder how blunt would help me. Thank you all. -Tom
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
Hi neversuited1,  just visited your site, it looks great! easy to browse along, with quick image pop-ups. very nice site and very nice coins, per your query, just noticed two small things: a. Site is geared mainly for USA customers, as category headings can only be clear to an american collector, I get lost when the term "early coppers" or other american terms come in. b. I can't see the other side of the coin I'm buying, basically buying half-unseen. Note I also am not that good in clicking keyboards, the other coin side might have gone by me. Hope that helps somewhat, best  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1121 Posts |
Nic,
Thank you. I am working of redesigning the site to have the obverse and the reverse shown. As to catering more toward worldwide sales, I do think that is a good idea. I have shipped outside the states, mainly to Canada and Australia though. That is definitely something to think about. Thank you again, -Tom
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1745 Posts |
Tom, I took a quick peek at the site and have the following comments: - Nice selection of coins in better grades, prices seem a tad high (10-20%) and a picture of the reverse would be great. Maybe a CCF discount would be nice - Small selection of supplies, but Dansco's and 2x2 are priced higher than I'm used to paying - Shipping would be considered high for a small dollar value order - My decisions usually come down to overall cost and quality of the coin. - I bookmarked the site and will check back often Duke |
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
Quote:
I would just like brutally honest opinions I'm good at that I agree with all the statements made so far. Speaking strictly as a cautious internet buyer...I would change the name of your website. Please don't take offence but the name "Buy Coins Here" sounds like a fly by night place like Cash4Gold. Everything you are doing so far is excellent and you wanting to get advice shows great character in making business decisions. |
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Forum Dad
 United States
24150 Posts |
OK... blunt... You're trying to sell coins right? Not give Kitco free home page advertising.... Move the spot prices to their own page. Not important enough for the home page. Get some items for sale above the fold on the home page. I have to scroll a whole lot or click a link before I even see something I can buy. Make an "About me" page and move most of that type stuff to it, off the home page. Keep a short synopsis with a "read more" or "Why you should buy from me" link on the home page. Most buyers look to see if you have something they want first, then check you out. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5953 Posts |
I only skimmed the section I was interested in I have to say your prices are way too high. Also the coins described are not the ones pictured. For example you have a nice G4 1871 2 Cent coin but the coin pictured is an 1870. The same applies to various other dates they have the wrong coin pictured. Back to the 1871. Your Price $68, Krause monthly price guide G4 $43 VG$49 PCGS G4 $19 F12 $26 Numismedia G4 $18 VG8 $25 I won't mention CDN as its a retail site not whole sale. For me its way to expensive to consider a purchase from you I suspect many of your potential customers have access to online price guides and ebay close prices. As I say I just looked at the section of interest to me. I don't know if my comments apply to any other section or not. |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
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As I say I just looked at the section of interest to me. I would have, except I wasn't going to click my way through the Morgans, only 10 per page, until I reached the last few of almost 400 coins just to look at 1921's. That's probably 35 clicks just to reach my date of interest; unshoppable. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1840 Posts |
You have a nice selection. I would want higher res pics of both sides of the coin before I considered buying. You'd also need pricing that would compete with more established sellers on the web. If I can get a coin for the same price or cheaper from Harlan Berk, then I would most likely go with the seller I have used several times in the past.
Also, when you list slabbed coins, stick with the big names only. I get a little leery when I see PCI sharing space with ANACS and NGC.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1121 Posts |
Thank you all for the honesty. The earlier pics were not taken by me, so I am working on the quality one at a time. And although I do not own the website, I do run it and all the processes that goes with the site such as pics, customer service, billing, invoicing, and shipping. Bobby thank you for the homepage suggestions. The kitco charts was an idea to really help keep the bullion investor informed. I have an RSS feed applied to all the bullion coinage..ie ASE, Gold Bullafo's ect...Basically trying to say "Okay silver is at $17.50 today and an unc ASE is $20.50." Basically $3 above spot. The premium doesn't change, but the price does compared to Spot Prices. I guess looking at it I need to change the layout of the homepage, put more products and less info on the homepage, be more competitive in prices, and make it more navigational friendly...hmmm...good suggestions! Thanks CCF as always. I like brutal honesty. So....Free Shipping on orders $30 and over for CCF Members. Enter coupon CCF ...Thanks again all! -Tom |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1121 Posts |
SuperDave,
Just reconfigured to 50 items per page...still manageable for those with slower connections and better then 10 per page..ty!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1121 Posts |
The Duke,
I have the Dansco's at 85% of Suggested Retail. We do have a lot more Supplies on hand..just need to upload more...and working on prices...just gonna take time. If anyone wants to talk about a specific price, I service the toll free line from 10-5pm EST Mon-Fri..and email via "contact us" I check more frequently.
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
10743 Posts |
Do you ship to Canada.... and, at what cost  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1682 Posts |
The first place that I look at when I visit a site is the shipping page.
On the site mention, it is not complete. Several $(price here) on the page as well as (put fee here).
I do like the fact when you look for item, it tells you how many are in stock.
I did price up two items. Tried my UK address and my parents US address....both told me shipping was $5.
I think stuff like that is a turn off to potential customers.
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Valued Member
United States
382 Posts |
I agree with Bobby about the spot prices,I know that for me when I see spot immediately I think not of a coin dealer but or a bullion dealer, turns me off right away, that's just me. Yes prices, it might depend on the customer you are trying to attract. The serious collector of the unwitting buyer. Be aware of this.
My 2 c, Tony
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Pillar of the Community
United States
763 Posts |
I just took a look at your site and I agree with a lot that has been said. You need to have better pictures (obverse and reverse) and the pictures have to be correspond to the coin listed. For example, you are selling a 1921-D Mercury dime in AU for $1,300, but the coin shown is in AG. I also don't like browsing through page after page to get to the coin I'm interested in. Maybe, you could have a list of your coins available without pictures. Then browsers could click on the coins they are interested in to see pictures. Or you could just have more subcategories with date ranges (ie Lincoln Cents 1909-1919, etc.) Finally, I do think the prices are too high. I expect to pay more than CDN for coins from dealers, but I rarely will pay more than Red Book for a coin. |
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Replies: 32 / Views: 3,899 |
Posted 11/11/2009 06:18 am
