Michael Curry
The internet has affected how we do business. It has also affected buyers of gold. High street gold shops are not completely obsolete, but a majority of what would have been “brick and mortar” businesses have moved online. This is good because online businesses do not have high overheads like their brick and mortar establishments and the ability to do businesses cheaper means that they can pass whatever savings that have to their customers. Online traders are also able to offer more services and more products than physical gold dealers. Moreover, you get the best price for the gold you sell or buy because online gold traders can cut the middlemen out. If you really think about it, those small gold buyers operating from small shops and makeshift kiosks are just middlemen. When you sell your gold to them, they also have to think about their cut before your gold is passed on to a refinery.
Despite all that, here are people who do not trust online gold buyers. Most people believe that the best way to sell gold jewellery is to take it to someone who can see and touch the gold. These are people who want to be part of the process of pricing. They want to see the gold being weighed and to see how a dealer tests for purity. This is the reason why they will seek a physical gold dealer nearby rather than go online. There is also the distrust that people have of the internet. However going online can be a better way to find buyers of gold that will offer more that the glitzy high-street shop near you.
Let’s look at the advantages of going online:
Convenience
Selling your gold to an online trader is convenient. You can do so from the comfort of your own home. You would think that it’s a no-brainer but most precious metal investors have trust issues. Having to send your precious gold to some unknown dealer who exists in cyberspace seems risky, but you can eliminate the risk by doing some deep research and finding out which online buyers of gold can be trusted.
Security
On the internet, sellers and buyers can get a degree of anonymity. You don’t have to walk around with gold worth thousands and make yourself a target for thieves. Online transactions are encrypted. This means that your personal information as well as your banking details are known only to the buyer you are dealing with. Should something go wrong with the transaction, there is usually a way to trace the digital trail from beginning to end.
Variety
There are numerous online traders of gold that may be operating near you or far from you. The internet gives you a larger number of traders you can sell your gold to. The benefit of having a wider choice is why online traders are better than typical brick-and-mortar stores. You can compare a wider range of gold traders and get the best price for your gold.
Accessibility
Local physical gold buyers often rely on word of mouth and actual traffic to their stores. Online gold buyers also rely on word of mouth, however, it is easier to get a recommendation or a review of a particular store online than from an actual physical source. Finding information takes a couple of clicks.
Online buyers of gold are convenient, accessible and can give you the best price because they don’t have to contend with utility bills, securing expensive showrooms, salaries etc. There is much to be gained by using online gold buyers.
