Buying bullion online from a local shop looks like any other web store at checkout and works differently almost everywhere after it. At Stout Gold & Silver, the price locks the moment you submit the order, payment has to arrive within set deadlines, and in-stock items ship fully insured with a signature required, usually one to three business days after your payment clears. Or you skip the carrier and collect the order in Amarillo. The steps are the same whether you buy gold online from Amarillo or from elsewhere in Texas.
The part most first-time online buyers miss is that the payment method you pick changes the final price. This guide walks through the whole process in the order you will meet it: the order, the payment, the shipment, and the few things that cannot be undone once you click submit.
How an Online Bullion Order Works, Start to Finish
An online bullion order is a binding purchase at a price fixed when you submit it; everything after that is payment, clearing and delivery. Because the metal price keeps moving after you click, the order is treated as an agreement, not a basket you can walk away from.
A price lock is a commitment that the price shown when you submit is the price you pay, whatever the market does before your payment arrives. Our terms and conditions put it plainly: "the price at which your order is submitted is the guaranteed price."
Here is the sequence for a typical order:
- Choose the product and the payment method. Product pages carry the note "Final pricing determined in checkout after payment method is selected."
- Submit the order. The price locks here.
- Send payment within the deadline for the method you chose. The deadlines are set out in the next section.
- Payment clears. A wire clears quickly; a mailed check can take days.
- The order ships or waits for pickup. In-stock items ship one to three business days from the date of cleared payment.
- You sign for the package. Every shipment requires a signature on delivery.
If you have never bought metal before, it helps to know what you are looking at on a product page first. Our bullion catalog lists coins, bars and rounds in gold, silver, platinum and palladium, and the gold coins page groups them by country.
How Payment Works, and Why It Changes the Price
We accept bank wire, checks, money orders, credit card and PayPal for online orders, and cash and debit card in person, and our listings price those methods in two tiers. The terms list the accepted methods as "credit card, debit card (in person only), bank wire, personal check, certified check, cashier's check, money order, or cash (in person only)."
| Payment method | Where | Deadline and clearing | Price tier on our listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank wire | Online order | Must be received within one business day of the order | Cash, check and wire tier |
| Personal check, certified check, cashier's check, money order | Mailed | Postmarked within one business day and received within five; may be held before shipping (see below) | Checks: cash, check and wire tier. Money orders: shown at checkout |
| Credit card | Online order | No mailing deadline applies | Credit card and PayPal tier |
| PayPal | Online order | No mailing deadline applies | Credit card and PayPal tier |
| Debit card | In person only | Paid at the counter | Shown at checkout |
| Cash | In person only | Paid at the counter; we do not accept cash payment over $10,000 | Cash, check and wire tier |
Why card and PayPal cost more
Card and PayPal payments are priced higher because the price tier on each listing reflects the payment method, not the product. Each product page shows one price for "Cash, Cashier's Check, Check, Wire" and a higher one for "Credit Card, PayPal." The gap generally reflects the processing fees that card networks and PayPal charge the seller, which cash, check and wire do not carry. On a large order it adds up, so check both lines before you choose.
Bullion listings also carry quantity tiers: the per-coin price on a popular item steps down slightly as the quantity rises. Both tiers are visible on the product page before you order.
Check holds and late payment
Mailed checks are slower than wires because the funds have to clear before metal leaves the building. The terms reserve the right to hold certified checks, personal checks, cashier's checks or money orders "for up to ten (10) banking days prior to shipping but typically holds them for 4-6 business days," and longer, up to 45 calendar days, where fraud is suspected.
If a payment arrives late and we choose to accept it anyway, a $45 late payment fee applies before the order can be picked up or shipped. We may also ask for a copy of government-issued identification on an order.
Sending a wire safely
A bank wire is the fastest way to pay and the hardest to reverse. The Federal Trade Commission's consumer advice puts it bluntly: "Wiring money is just like sending cash in the mail." That matters in one specific situation: email impersonation, where a criminal sends wiring instructions that look like they came from the seller.
The protection is simple. Before you pay by wire for gold, silver or anything else, call the shop on the phone number from its own website, not a number in an email, and confirm the account details out loud. Any dealer should welcome that call.
What Ships, and How It Is Protected
Every online order we ship goes out fully insured, by a known carrier, with a signature required on delivery. Our shipping and insurance page sets out the details:
- Carriers. "The vast majority of orders will be shipped via UPS and US Postal Service Priority or Express Mail. Fedex may also be used."
- Insurance. "Stout Gold & Silver fully insures all of its shipments from the time it is shipped until you sign for the package."
- Signature. "Each package requires a signature upon delivery."
- Cost. Free shipping over $199.99, as stated in the banner across the top of our site.
- Timing. In-stock items ship one to three business days from the date of cleared payment.
Two conditions come with that cover. If you tell the carrier to leave a package unattended or with a third party, the shop does not accept responsibility for it. And any problem with a shipment has to be reported within two business days, as the terms require, so open the package promptly and check it against your order.
If a package is lost or damaged, we file a claim, and once the insurance investigation concludes we re-ship the items or refund the money at our discretion, which the policy says "usually takes sixty to ninety (60-90) days." Knowing that timeline in advance is better than learning it after a missing box.
When an item is marked "delayed"
A delayed item is a product that can be ordered but is not on our shelf yet, because it is still coming from a mint or distributor. The terms explain that the expected delay is estimated during checkout, if available, and that this "normally only happens when demand spikes and manufacturers/distributors get backlogged." The price still locks when you order; the ship date moves with the supply.
What Doesn't Ship
Our published terms do not list products that are excluded from shipping; what stays at the counter is certain ways of paying and the choice to collect in person. Two things sit on the counter side of the line:
- Cash and debit card payments. Both are accepted in person only, and cash is not accepted above $10,000.
- Pickup orders. "Pick up in person" is a delivery method at checkout. The order waits for you instead of going to a carrier.
What You Can't Undo After You Order
Bullion orders cannot be canceled like an ordinary online purchase, and bullion sales are final. Knowing the rules before you submit saves an expensive surprise.
- Before shipment, an order can only be offset: we buy the metal back at our current buy price during business hours. Offsets fall under our market loss policy, plus a $95.00 administrative fee. If the price has fallen, you cover the difference; the terms state that "any and all market gains on cancellations shall belong solely to Stout Gold and Silver."
- After shipment, "the order is final and cannot be canceled."
- Returns. The terms state that all bullion sales are final. A defective item can be exchanged within 14 business days if the exchange is approved, and you pay the return shipping.
The practical rule: decide on the product, the quantity and the payment method before you submit, not after.
Ship It or Pick It Up in Amarillo?
Shipping suits buyers who cannot get to the shop during the week; pickup suits buyers who can, and who would rather not wait on a carrier. Each option has real advantages, and neither is right for everyone.
| Order online, ship it | Order online, pick it up | Walk in and buy at the counter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Buyers who cannot get to Amarillo on a weekday | Amarillo-area buyers who want the online price lock without a delivery | Buyers who want to see the piece before paying |
| Timing | Ships 1–3 business days after cleared payment, plus transit | Collect during weekday business hours | Same visit |
| Cost to you | Free shipping over $199.99 | No shipping charge | No shipping charge |
| Payment methods | Wire, check, money order, credit card, PayPal | As chosen at checkout | Includes cash and debit card |
| Trade-off | You must be home to sign; issues reported within 2 business days | Limited to weekday hours | Limited to weekday shop hours |
One more local detail: Texas sales tax treats bullion differently from most goods. That is a subject of its own, covered in our guide to the Texas sales tax exemption for bullion.
What a Local Shop's Web Store Does Differently
A local shop's web store puts a counter and a family name behind the same checkout a national site offers. National web stores have genuine strengths of their own: catalogs running to thousands of products, the scale to hold large quantities of popular coins, and ordering that never depends on a shop's opening hours. For a buyer who knows exactly what they want and values range above everything, those strengths are real.
What a local shop adds is different, not better. Stout Gold & Silver has been family owned and operated in the Texas Panhandle since 1986, and Brett and Hannah Stout run it. An online order can be collected at the same counter you can walk into, a question can go to the shop that fills the order, and the terms that govern it are posted in writing on the site. If you want the broader comparison, our article on family-owned versus chain gold dealers in Amarillo covers it.
This article is educational and reflects general information about precious metals and collectible coins. It is not investment, tax or legal advice, and Stout Gold & Silver is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer or tax professional. Metal prices fluctuate and past performance does not indicate future results. Consult a qualified professional about your own situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stout Gold & Silver offer free shipping on bullion?
Yes, shipping is free on orders over $199.99, as stated in the banner on our website. Every shipment is fully insured from the time it ships until you sign for it, and a signature is required on delivery. Most orders go by UPS or USPS Priority or Express Mail, and FedEx may also be used.
How long does an online bullion order take to ship?
In-stock items ship one to three business days from the date your payment clears, and transit time is added on top. A wire clears fastest. Mailed checks and money orders may be held before shipping, typically four to six business days and up to ten banking days. Items marked delayed ship when stock arrives from the mint or distributor.
Can I cancel an online bullion order?
Not in the usual sense. An order is binding once submitted. Before shipment it can be offset at our current buy price under the market loss policy, plus a $95.00 administrative fee, and you cover any drop in price. After shipment the order is final. Bullion sales are final; defective items may be exchanged within 14 business days if approved.
Why is the credit card price higher than the wire price?
Our listings price credit card and PayPal in a separate, higher tier than cash, check and wire. The difference generally reflects the processing fees card networks and PayPal charge the seller. Both prices are shown on each product page, and the final price is set at checkout once you select a payment method.
Can I pick up an online order in Amarillo?
Yes. Choose "pick up in person" as the delivery method at checkout and collect the order at Stout Gold & Silver, 2300 SW 7th Ave Ste 105, Amarillo, TX 79106. We are open Monday–Friday, 10am to 4pm, and closed Saturday and Sunday. Call (806) 374-8698 before you come in.
Can I pay cash for bullion?
Yes, in person only. Cash and debit card are accepted at the counter, not online, and we do not accept cash payment over $10,000. Online orders can be paid by bank wire, personal or certified check, cashier's check, money order, credit card or PayPal, each with its own price tier, and wire and check with their own deadlines.
Order Online or Pick Up on SW 7th
Browse our bullion and top items online, check the price tier for the payment method you plan to use, and choose shipping or pickup at checkout. If you would rather ask a question first, call us before you order.
Stout Gold & Silver
2300 SW 7th Ave Ste 105
Amarillo, TX 79106
(806) 374-8698
Monday–Friday: 10am to 4pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
