What is the ask price?
Every dealer quote has two sides. The ask is the sell side, what the product costs you today, expressed as spot plus a premium. The bid is the buy side, what the dealer would pay to take that same product back today.
Neither number means much alone. The ask tells you the entry cost; only the pair tells you the cost of the whole transaction.
Why does the ask matter less than the spread?
Because you experience a round trip, not a purchase. If the ask is 8% over spot and the bid is 2% under, the metal must rise roughly 10% before you see a profit. A 'low ask' paired with a poor buyback can be worse than a higher ask with a tight one.
This is exactly where high-premium products hurt: their ask is inflated, but their bid usually collapses back toward melt value, creating spreads of 20% or more.
How does the ask show up in practice?
Before buying, ask one question: 'What would you pay me for this exact product today, in writing?' Dealers comfortable with their pricing answer immediately. Hesitation, conditions, or 'it depends on the market' is information too.