First off, let me say this: I love you folks and vendors who took the time to display your goods for me at (fill in the blank) meet. God bless y’all. I appreciate the service and opportunity that you provide.
Here are a couple of suggestions that may help to move your merchandise, and make a better experience for the potential buyer…me.
Presentation - Laying the trains out flat, or stacking them vertically, or even on an angle, is so much easier to identify items. Leaving them in a milk crate/cardboard box/plastic tub with just the end markings to search is rather time consuming. I don’t mind it as much in a little fire hall or church basement show, but when the venue is big, the most I can hope to do is a quick cursory scan, then move on.
Pricing - If you have dragged the same merchandise to at least 5 shows, and it hasn’t moved, guess what? Put that Greenberg guide down, and determine what it is worth—> to you. Leave a little bargaining room in there as well. Along with pricing, let’s mention labeling/tagging the merchandise as well. I’m familiar with a few folks who don’t put prices on their goods, and “size up” the potential buyer, even saying “what’s it worth to you?”
Greeting - I’m the kind of guy who makes eye contact with everyone. Now, I do realize that’s not so with a lot of folks, but heck, what does looking down at the ground gain you? If someone says “hi” or “good morning”, I am more apt to stop and thoroughly check out their table. Case in point: a few years back I was helping a friend who had a table directly across from Angela Trotta. Everyone walking down this aisle was looking at Angie’s display, and rightfully so (gorgeous stuff).
Great points fifedog,I know of one parts dealer who will not be getting any of my money ever.I was going to buy from him but when I asked a question he was very rude and insisted I buy his catalog.The guy I buy from now has never hesitated to answer any of my dumb questions.
Fife, very good. Basically you could summarize your whole thought under the premise of simply good salesmanship. A smile and helpful advice can compensate for prices that might be a little higher than others.
On the other hand, I so sympathize with those who are not privey to blowout pricing. While it benefits the consumers, it does undermine any company’s dealer network. You have dealers, who in good faith preorder products to have them in stock. Then they sell slower at the distributor level than anticipated, so the large dealers get offered the blowouts. Now it appears as though the small dealer is ripping off the consumers, when in fact his wholesale price was probably higher than the blowout discouts.
In these cases, it’s probably better for dealers to not cart those products to shows unless they are prepared to either cart them around for awhile or take a loss on them.
And while I also understand how some might leave products stacked sideways in crates or boxes, one still needs to have some “enticing presentation” and have some products laid out in full view. Once someone is interested in one of those items, they are more willing to go through some boxes or crates to look for another purchase.
All in all it does come down to treating a customer like he is the only customer - whether he is or isn’t. Folks who work in sales will tell you that good manners and honest salemenship can help make a sale before price even gets discussed. There will always be some where price is make/break point. But good will can bring a customer back, remembering how good they were treated, or bring a recommendation which could result in a sale from a friend of that customer.
I’ve been lucky when I’ve been to YORK and have been offered better prices without having to even ask. But maybe that’s because I was looking for the kinds of starter products that most YORK attendees are passing over.
I have never been to the “Big Show”, only local small ones and with some sellers it’s as if I’m going to steal a secret formular from them. They’re just plain rude and who knows, or cares if they ever sell anything.
What the heck are they there for and what the heck do they think they have? Gold!
Most of their goods have seen better days and they all have a pocket price guide, thinking that they’re going to hit the jack-pot.
I don’t expect that they give away their goods, but for crying out loud, at least they should have decent prices.
I agree totally. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked by a table with way over priced post war trains and overheard the seller telling the guy next to him “I haven’t sold anything today”. Well guess why? When it’s 200.00 over what the train normally sells for on Ebay its not going to sell. Its NOT gold bars folks. Also I have had to wait for too long too many times and just walked away when the seller let a non- paying customer stand there and BS with him instead of asking me what I needed.
My BUCKEYE BUNGLER TRADE SHOW AWARD goes to the parts vendor at York who arranged his display area with only a small entrance/exit and then only allowed two (2) potential customers to enter at one time to see his wares. I went past this display three (3) times and there wasn’t a line to get in, but there were only two (2) guys poking through the parts. Per the vendors rules, I wasn’t allowed to enter so I quickly walked on to the next display. On my third and last pass through this aisle, one guy was poking through the parts and another guy had the the dealer/clerk in a heated conversation about a subject that did not pertain to the vendors wares. Again, I was not afforded the opportunity to see this vendor’s wares.
(We have a small hobby shop in Ohio, that does a decent business because the lady proprietors who are not expert toy train aficionados, display their trains so you can see what is for sale. They open boxes so you can see the train sets instead of just looking at an artist rendering on the outside.)
I agree with all of the above. One pet peeve of mine not mentioned is how a dealer wants to be paid. I prefer credit card, but I understand (thanks to Don B) that some dealers are not set up to take credit card, but they could at least have some change. If I go to a show with $500.00, it will be in $50s with 1 or 2 $100s and I will need change.
Pat…I completed a transaction by credit card this last week where the vendor used a cell phone wireless credit card scanner. More than likely too costly for the small one table TCA type vendor, but definitely a benefit to the high volume dealers at York. As most things go, this electronic technology will become more affordable.
To Add, “DEALERS” are in the Orange, Brown, and Purple Halls at TCA York and make a living selling trains and hobby supplies, they collect Sales Tax.
" MEMBERS" are in the Silver, Blue, Red, and White Halls and are Hobbyists doing the Show for fun and friendship. I would think the use of Credit Cards in a Member Hall would be a “red flag” to the PA tax people who do attend.
You hit the nail on the head. I have had all of the same thoughts at the shows I have attended. The only other point you may have not mentioned because you are a gentleman is the subject of personal hygiene. How hard is it to take a shower and use some deodorant sometime before the show starts? I can’t tell you the number of times a vendor’s “personal situation” has caused me to keep right on going past his table.
ballastbob - [(-D] I wasn’t goin’ there, but now that you mention it, I do splash a lil’ Old Spice on to help me out on a hot day. Can’t tag that one on vendors though…
Very good thread. I usually have two tables at the local TCA meets. Always have change. One way to loose a sale is no change. Always greet everyone and ask if i can help. Looked into credit cards, way too expensive. Not worth it.
I had one bad experience at a show due to the manners of a parts dealer. They make you put your parts in a small plastic basket. I had some parts in my basket, and I picked up a ZW nameplate to show my dad who was standing not even a foot to my right. Here is what happened:
Dealer: “Put that down now!”
Me: “Excuse me?”
Dealer: “Put that down now!”
Me: “Okay.” (turns basket upside onto table)
I just gently picked up that part to show my dad. I didn’t even step away from the table. I would of gently set the part down if they would have just asked me nicely to put it down, but I gave them the same rudeness they gave me. I went to a dealer next to these people who was more than happy to have my business. My point here is that a little kindness goes a long way, and lack of it on the seller’s end is not good for anyone. Out of fairness, I won’t name the dealer I had issues with, and it isn’t one that is mentioned on this forum.
Good thread Fife. One thing I would like add. Why do some sellers bring items that are just plan dirty. I am not talking about items in boxes (a dirty box is no big deal to me) but things without boxes. To me it would seem that an item that is clean and can just get put on the track and run would sell quicker than an item that has 30 years of dirt and grim on it. Don’t get me wrong, when I buy a basket case, I have no problem with tearing it down and rebuilding. But asking a high price for an item just to take it home and spend cleaning up only makes me go somewhere else.
I had one bad experience at a show due to the manners of a parts dealer. They make you put your parts in a small plastic basket. I had some parts in my basket, and I picked up a ZW nameplate to show my dad who was standing not even a foot to my right. Here is what happened:
Dealer: “Put that down now!”
Me: “Excuse me?”
Dealer: “Put that down now!”
Me: “Okay.” (turns basket upside onto table)
I had a similar experience a few years back at a show in Springfield,Ohio.
I picked up a real nice post-war Burro Crane.I think the dealer had a fair price,but one I thought I could deal with him on,when all of sudden he looks over and says," If you can’t afford it,don’t pick it up." [:O]
You know I don’t dress in my Sunday’s best or try to pose like I’m a millionaire when I go to train shows,but I felt really embarrassed,and insulted.
I go to train shows to enjoy myself,meet with old friends,make new friends and try to find great bargains.
I don’t go to be embarrassed or have snide comments made to me.
So me and my Dad just walked off and never took a second look over that rude sellers items.
To this day when I walk by this mans tables,that’s just what I do,walk by his tables.
I really like this thread. All of these experiences, or at least something very similiar, has happened to me. I like talking to people, but frankly some sellers seem insulted when I ask any question. Another suggestion is to not sell something that may have more personal meaning to you than cash I am willing to part with, since you the seller will be mad at me for your personal issue.
Boy, this resonates with me too. I had some surprises at train shows. I’ll always ask if I can touch something - even when something’s boxed. I try to think as if the vendor has been dealing with grabby kids with no manners or supervision all day. But I’m a grown-up and am surprised at how I’ve gotten my head taken off when I’ve asked to see something obscured or in a stack of items or even inquired whether a vendor has something - that question is an opportunity to sell me something else - not get mad for my asking.
Yes, this has continued to be good reading. And I find it really does fall under the principle of good salesmanship. But I’ve been on both sides of the table, so to speak, and so I can also understand that customers can also be as cantankerous as sellers can be.
Some years ago I was at a train shop when very unexpectedly, one of the owners said “I really like you and value you as a customer.” I was surprised, but he continued along the lines of “when you come in, you don’t act like I owe you something or that you own the shop because you buy expensive locos. You always have a nice word and don’t grumble to me about what the train companies are doing wrong, as if it was my fault.”
So that broke the ice and we kept talking. I made the point that I don’t buy costly trains and surely he must have more supportative customers. He said “NO” and that guys like me, in his estimation, do far more to keep the hobby going… that lower end products still sell more than the higher end ones. He also made the point again it is more fun to spend time talking with someone who likes the hobby versus someone who comes into his shop, perpetually complaining about what MTH did wrong, or why he doesn’t have EVERYTHING in stock.
Whether it is the moral of the story or not, I also without ever asking have gotten good discounts there too. As I am being rung up, I notice the prices being hit are always lower than what’s on the box.
I’m not making excuses for some of the kinds of sellers like those we are reading about on this thread. They are out there and I amost wish they would find something else to do that actually might make them happy… maybe that isn’t possible… maybe they like being cranky!
But I do believe courtesy and kind words are a two way street, and it sure has worked for me.