Fossil Dealers

[jason longboard]

Ive ran into some real frustrating things while pricing online. Some of these sites are set up so nice, but by the time you make up your mind on something and email to ask about it, its either on hold or sold. Dealers need to know as boring and time consuming as it may be, its horrible for us who are trying to decide on something and spend all the time researching to find out the sites not up to date. It may say it is, but its not.

Another thing, some places make you click on the item before seeing the price just for it then to say its sold, then after all your searching, you realize only 3 things out of 100 are for sale lol.

A few sites got it together. they have for sale section only and sold section. The first glance at an item will also show the price.

Just in case any dealers are reading this. Thank you to those who take the extra time to update your sites.

Also another thank you to this site for making it so easy to navigate and load images and such.

Jason

[Auspex]

Our own PrehistoricFlorida deserves a shout-out here: his new site is a model of clarity and efficiency. >check it out<

[FF7_Yuffie]

My main frustration when shopping online is when sites don't show the price that past items sell for.

I how much various fossils are worth etc. Especially when I'm buying a fossil on ebay when I always check different sites to see what it's value is and whether I'm getting a fair deal or not. It's frustrating when websites don't show the price past fossils have sold for

[Darwin Ahoy]

My main frustration when shopping online is when sites don't show the price that past items sell for.

I how much various fossils are worth etc. Especially when I'm buying a fossil on ebay when I always check different sites to see what it's value is and whether I'm getting a fair deal or not. It's frustrating when websites don't show the price past fossils have sold for

I get like this too. HOWEVER, I also note and respect that should another similar item come around, it may not be a similar price, for one reason or another. If you've shopped around enough, you may notice that the prices of fossils can vary widely on not-so-standard items (I'm not talking E. kingii trilos or Spinosaur teeth, here) depending on how many hands it's changed. If you've had an item listed for $300, and the next time you're able to acquire one, it may have to go for $450...it keeps people from trying to keep getting you to go down to the price of your previous specimen. If they're frequent enough visitors to your site that they can REMEMBER the old price, well, then in my opinion, they deserve a discount anyway

The buyer may also not want the price he bought it at to remain posted, for one reason or another. Not as though you'd know who the buyer is by looking at the item, but it may be a personal preference to some.

But yes, it is terribly frustrating when there are pages of "sold" fossils in for sale sections on some sites. I'm actually trying to start selling myself, and it is certainly something that I've taken into consideration. There's definitely a strong desire to keep listed very nice pieces that you've sold in the past, but there has to be a distinction and a way to filter out that material for those who do not care to see it.

[siteseer]

I understand the frustration. In the defense of friends who are dealers, and you noted part of the reason, it is time-consuming to update a website, taking down old items and adding new ones. Of course, anyone would say, "Well, that's the business of being an online seller. Customers may not check out your site as thoroughly if they notice you haven't updated in the last month or two or longer.

One thing to consider is that many online sellers are really hurting in this weak economy that has lingered over the past three years or so. Fossil-selling was the main source of income for some dealers or it was a decent side-business for a while. With fewer people buying and those people buying less than they used to, some dealers have had to cut back on time spent with the side business or have had to put time into looking for another job.

Yeah, some dealers are slow to update their sites even when things are going well, but some have had to let the site sit (or go largely idle) while they are taking on a second or third job or trying to find that extra one.

Ive ran into some real frustrating things while pricing online. Some of these sites are set up so nice, but by the time you make up your mind on something and email to ask about it, its either on hold or sold. Dealers need to know as boring and time consuming as it may be, its horrible for us who are trying to decide on something and spend all the time researching to find out the sites not up to date. It may say it is, but its not.

Another thing, some places make you click on the item before seeing the price just for it then to say its sold, then after all your searching, you realize only 3 things out of 100 are for sale lol.

A few sites got it together. they have for sale section only and sold section. The first glance at an item will also show the price.

Just in case any dealers are reading this. Thank you to those who take the extra time to update your sites.

Also another thank you to this site for making it so easy to navigate and load images and such.

Jason

[jason longboard]

I understand the frustration. In the defense of friends who are dealers, and you noted part of the reason, it is time-consuming to update a website, taking down old items and adding new ones. Of course, anyone would say, "Well, that's the business of being an online seller. Customers may not check out your site as thoroughly if they notice you haven't updated in the last month or two or longer.

One thing to consider is that many online sellers are really hurting in this weak economy that has lingered over the past three years or so. Fossil-selling was the main source of income for some dealers or it was a decent side-business for a while. With fewer people buying and those people buying less than they used to, some dealers have had to cut back on time spent with the side business or have had to put time into looking for another job.

Yeah, some dealers are slow to update their sites even when things are going well, but some have had to let the site sit (or go largely idle) while they are taking on a second or third job or trying to find that extra one.

Im aware of that. The guys Im talking about are mainly in the UK. I was fighting to get a cave bear paw or one of the 2 feet, some of these guys seem to be doing pretty good. It depends on the quality of the items. The rarity as well. I think some places focus to much on the same items and end up battling each other too much for business. IDK, im just rambling, gotta get to work.

[megateeth]

Ive ran into some real frustrating things while pricing online. Some of these sites are set up so nice, but by the time you make up your mind on something and email to ask about it, its either on hold or sold. Dealers need to know as boring and time consuming as it may be, its horrible for us who are trying to decide on something and spend all the time researching to find out the sites not up to date. It may say it is, but its not.

Jason

I try to update my site as soon as I sell a Megalodon tooth but sometimes I forget. I have 200+ teeth on my site and I would guess that up to 5 Megalodon teeth that are listed have been sold. I do an inventory every couple of months to try to reconcile what I have. It is not uncommon for me to list a tooth in the evening and find that two people have purchases the same tooth the next morning. When someone purchases a tooth that has been sold I usually offer them a refund or 30% upgrade. So if they buy something for $100 I let them pick out something for around $130.

[Cris]

This thread has a lot of potential to be very useful. As someone currently working on a website, it's nice to hear people talk about fossil dealers, things they'd like to see done and things they don't like. This thread could help dealers see changes that could be made with the way they do things.

I know on my site, I decided not to allow visitors to see the prices items sold at for multiple reasons. The main reason was that, as Darwin Ahoy said, similar fossils come around all of the time, but because of things not extremely apparent from pictures, they will differ in price a lot. I know it would be discouraging for me if I was looking for this rare fossil, I found it and then I found one just like it that sold for 1/4 the price a few days ago. I would be much less likely to buy the more expensive one.

[jason longboard]

This thread has a lot of potential to be very useful. As someone currently working on a website, it's nice to hear people talk about fossil dealers, things they'd like to see done and things they don't like. This thread could help dealers see changes that could be made with the way they do things.

I know on my site, I decided not to allow visitors to see the prices items sold at for multiple reasons. The main reason was that, as Darwin Ahoy said, similar fossils come around all of the time, but because of things not extremely apparent from pictures, they will differ in price a lot. I know it would be discouraging for me if I was looking for this rare fossil, I found it and then I found one just like it that sold for 1/4 the price a few days ago. I would be much less likely to buy the more expensive one.

Well, before I made the thread, and through out the last months of pricing things and seeing how each company was running things, I knew most of the answers to my own complaints. Working for the company I do, I socialize mostly with business owners and management. I know how hard it is to multitask and balance life and business let alone multiple businesses like some of you achieve. Im always having to balance the satisfaction between our company and the customers and certain customers from the other customers and so on.

I did not make this thread for negativity to overpower what good could come of it. Im glad some of you can take it as constructive, though I was complaining, and though while complaining I knew some of the reasons why this stuff happens, I was still being realistic. I never would have named any of the companies because Ive got no idea what they are doing behind the scenes, I would have just emailed or contacted them and been straight.

You are right though. Im on some of the biggest reptile boards around and will be selling these little geckos that are poppin out fast. With all the others doing the same thing, I will have to be sharp and persistent about it to sell these guys. Like fossils its something not everyone is into. I love the threads on those boards that are more of a suggestion box of constructive criticism for dealers and individual sellers. You can learn a lot through others complaining, and I learn things as well. So glad you see things that way and I wish you the best of luck with your website. To anyone on here, good luck with your companies and I hope I can get a chance to brows them soon. However if you forget to add the price on something Im looking at, say a right and left paw from a cave bear or something, I will expect it in the mail at $1.99 plus tax haha.

Jason

[32fordboy]

I, too hate it when sites have only "sold" fossils. Taking that into consideration, I try and keep my site updated, moving the best fossils to the top of the pages. I also used to hate it when people would not say what a fossil sold for. But, from a business standpoint, it might be a good idea to get rid of that price (as I now do). Why? Because it's nobody's business. It can be a privacy issue, especially since the fossil community is so small these days and especially since you have to pay for quality (which some people don't understand). So the rundown: I try and keep my site organized and updated, but you won't find any prices on sold fossils.

[jason longboard]

I, too hate it when sites have only "sold" fossils. Taking that into consideration, I try and keep my site updated, moving the best fossils to the top of the pages. I also used to hate it when people would not say what a fossil sold for. But, from a business standpoint, it might be a good idea to get rid of that price (as I now do). Why? Because it's nobody's business. It can be a privacy issue, especially since the fossil community is so small these days and especially since you have to pay for quality (which some people don't understand). So the rundown: I try and keep my site organized and updated, but you won't find any prices on sold fossils.

your site is well done. Ive enjoyed checking on it the past weeks.