Yep, it is indeed their choice as to how they run their business. Frankly, I've NEVER found it convenient, which is why I'm not a customer. Quality of life is fine, I appreciate that. I would think respect for your potential customers would be important as well. Would you walk into a store, ask someone a question, and patiently wait (for months) for an answer? No, you'd probably walk out. Clearly the store is far too busy to help you. Glad to see they're doing well. It's too bad that I choose to write someone, offering to pay them hundreds of dollars for something, and they don't have the respect for me or my money to even check the "auto-reply" box in their email account.

Like I said, I'm thrilled for these guys, they're true artists and clearly they're doing something right. I own some of the coins to prove it. I just find it an odd way to run a business.

Andrew, it's a fact of life that when there is a customers' need with some money behind, the supply ends up coming with a way to satisfy it. It's just a question of time and the bashing of other craftsmen as well as the angry reactions at criticism tends to prove that it already started.

It seems that Tango by substantially improving the high end quality of its line, still maintaining a real customer friendly approach, has spotted what the market is asking. True: despite their obvious efforts neither the quality of the work nor their reputation has fully caught up as yet but it's obviously coming up pretty fast. If they have not reached collectors' standards they are already way above what is needed to simply fool an audience.

Accept the consequences... I see this on 2 levels:

- Should they accept the consequences for losing sales? Yes, of course. Their choice, their consequence.

- Should they refuse the criticism of people whom such choices are inconvenient for? Yes, of course. They could certainly accept polite suggestions from people, but if the only motivation for these people who criticize is simply getting what they want faster, or that the sellers standards are simply slower than a criticizer is used to, why bother with them?

As long as one also maintains respect for how someone wants to conduct their business, ok. I have been in this position as a customer. I may want a faster response, be unhappy about not getting what I want when I want it, but it is not my place to tell someone how they should run their business.



I don't see it as a respect from seller issue. I see it as a persistence from purchaser issue.



Well....it is! By most 'general' standards, it is not the norm. We, as buyers, just deal with 'what is'

Being an artist and being a business man are completely different things..

I vote for Roy from Canada!

Yep, you've got maybe 6 or even a dozen guys on the planet creating gaffs that are truly top end. How many of us are weighing in on this one thread on one forum? Try imagining how many customers they have hounding them for something who never even purchase it. I bet for every 10 inquiries they respond to 9 people ultimately figure out they can't afford it and the sale never happens. Even if it does, it ends up on a backlog of orders a mile long and won't be done for months. The "problem" is that these guys don't need us individually, there will always be enough demand. If they take a ton of time on every request that comes in then they only have less time to get some coins out. Don't get me wrong, I'm also waiting for things, but people can only do so much. I'm defending them all here, not a specific camp.

If you're really interested, be persistent and try calling (as has been suggested so many times). That's what I did eventually and managed to actually get through the filter so I could get some stuff ordered. It's worth it in the end. And while you're waiting just try considering what it would be like to have so many people harassing you from around the world, calling during the night because they don't understand time zones and stuffing your inbox full of duplicate emails. Sure, the customer relations side of some of these guys could be better, but as a business owner, I'd have to say is it worth hiring someone to handle all that for me when I already have more work than I can handle? It's return on investment. That won't make me more money because it's not upping output. They could hire help to produce the coins, but I'm personally not a big fan of that idea, since I pay these guys a premium for the quality of the work they do.

It's all back to supply and demand. Demand is higher than they can produce. They can write a nice email explaining this to each of the X% of people that simply don't manage to make the cut for whatever reason (random chance? past history? body odor?) but that just decreases the chance you'll end up getting something as it takes up more of their time.

And no, I'm not related to, don't know, and I've never even met any of them. I've just worked in small businesses with limited resources before, who had to deal with customers who couldn't understand why their demands weren't being met. I'm sure they'd meet them if they could, as it would only increase their profits.

Just keeping it real... Not intended as an attack on anyone in this thread or anything.

Setting an automated reply on your email account takes about 40 seconds, and you do it once and never have to worry about it again. Just sayin.

I have no issue with the fact that it takes time to actually get the product - that part makes perfect sense. It's the lack of contact I find to be disrespectful to the customers. There shouldn't be a "filter" to get through in order to contact a business. I don't expect an instant and detailed reply or someone to always answer the phone - I get that most of these guys are one man bands. I just find it surprising that I can email for weeks about wanting to spend hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of dollars with one of these producers, and not get a single thing in return.

I'll continue buy them second hand from people who actually seem to care about customer service. Obviously these guys are too busy and don't need my money. I just find it hard to give them my respect either, regardless of the quality of their work, when they can't even bother to have an automated outgoing message on their email. If you don't have the time to answer emails, fine - then indicate that on your web site. Not doing so just causes me to waste my time, and I don't care how successful you are - that's a lame way to run a business.

Yikes, this thread is scary!
ok, back to the original question, I have only Tango, Johnson and Lassen coins. I like them all, for different reasons.
I've had Johnson's since I was little and have never been disappointed in them. Decent gaffs for a reasonable price.

Tango's stuff has improved for sure, and his customer service is very, very good! I have his TUC, and really love it.

I only own Lassen's TWIAD set (IMO, a work of art!), and it FAR exceeded my expectations. He makes beautiful, super detailed coins. You might have to wait for his stuff, but it's totally worth it.

Sounds like some here want Lassen to dance to their tune, when Lassen is a businessman who dances to his own tune, and if you want to get in on his goodies, you dance to that tune too.

If you don't want to dance to Lassen's tune..nobody really cares.

BTW, Lassen doesn't make coins for the money, he makes them because he loves making coins. Selling those coins then provides him a decent living.
When money isn't your sole drive, you enjoy life and work at your own pace.

"SERVE ME NOW!!!WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER MY EMAIL, WHERE ARE YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS, I HATE YOU"

All irrelevant blabber, and once again, nobody cares!

Ooh, I even made the blog! MAN it feels good to be validated

Oh, and for the record, if you read my posts you'll see I never mentioned any particular person by name. Gotta love it when people jump to conclusions - especially when they're wrong, which they are in this case. Thanks for playing anyway, Artie.

"...Gotta love it when people jump to conclusions - especially when they're wrong, which they are in this case."

So, you are telling us that you are not talking about Todd Lassen? You were referring to the other coin gaffers, but not Lassen?

I was not referring to Todd Lassen, no.

Full of it.

Why don't you give Todd a call and see how many emails he's ever received from me? That should clear things right up - see, I don't have experience on how HE responds to email, because I've never emailed him - which is why I wasn't referring to him with that post.

I complained about an order at McDonald's once about a decade ago too...you can call their headquarters and ask for a record of it so you don't assume I was referring to White Castle, which I've never eaten at, but...well, that would just be silly.

I agree with Andrew here - If someone goes in to check out a Mercedes or Porsche and walk in the dealership... I'm generally not ignored.

Most people can and do expect friendly service when they walk in a Tiffany store.

Just because a product is "luxury" or high end doesn't mean it needs to come with arrogance by those who sell such products. The attitude does not generate posotive buzz or mystery - but rather a bad taste in one's mouth.

I've been purchasing from Todd Lassen for years. I've reached him by phone, through his blog and by E-mail. Admittedly, sometimes I've waited months for the coin set, but I've never felt that he was difficult to contact.

Ditto!

Same here.

Me TOO!