Met an Ethical AD Today

[cdubg21]

Went in to a new AD today and spent some time chatting with the sales rep and trying on a few pieces. Very nice people. Their policy is 100% of every shipment goes into the case and it is first come, first serve. No lists, no preferential treatment for VIP’s. I was told a gentleman walked in to have a bracelet sized two months ago and walked out with a Pepsi that was sitting in the case. As somebody who is nowhere near VIP status, I can appreciate this system. Stop in and visit, be in the right place at the right time, and maybe you get lucky. Much prefer this sliver of hope to being told “somewhere between 3 years and never”.

[dwjez14]

Now that is the way to do business. I am all for that. Get it by chance!

[droptopman]

Nice to hear.

[RobearH]

Sad that for true watch enthusiasts this is a rarity and not the norm.

[kneedeep]

Nice to see there's some exceptions to the BS MOs out there today.

[Zuger]

No chance of that happening with the ADs around where I am

[RaceDoc11]

That's how it is supposed to be. I hate ADs who think they are doing me a favor by accepting my money to buy a Rolex.

[ArtNouveau]

And I bet there was no SS Professional pieces in the case either.

[MOOI]

Hmm isn't this THE solution? This way the true rolex enthusiasts are getting the watch, they already stop by frequently

[ELLimon]

Seems like it be a better model. Because encourages foot traffic with tends to result in indirect sales.


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[samshah]

That’s the way it should be.

I was at an AD in downtown NYC during lunchtime and had a very pleasant experience too. We chatted and he said he’d be happy to call me when pieces I was interested came in with no obligation. He did cavaet it with to temper my expectations for a Daytona, Pepsi or a SS SkyD. So far, he’s come through on one of them from my wishlist. Didn’t purchase but had an opportunity to buy at MSRP w/ tax.

The lesson learned was be nice, show you have an actual appreciation for the watches, and make it clear you’re not a flipper.

[cdubg21]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

And I bet there was no SS Professional pieces in the case either.

There was a YM blue dial, two-tone Daytona, YM 36 platinum dial, two tone YM II, a bluesy, and the usual assortment of DJ and DD models.

[cdubg21]

To share a contrary experience from last week... I have been looking for a LVc for the past year. I was in a different AD and there was a guy in the store they had called to buy a LVc they had in stock. He decided not to buy, and I was thinking this was my lucky day and could jump on it since he decided to pass....not so fast, I asked to purchase it and was told they had about 20 people to call before it became available. Disheartening.

[RobearH]

Originally Posted by MOOI

Hmm isn't this THE solution? This way the true rolex enthusiasts are getting the watch, they already stop by frequently

Unfortunately probably not. Take for example Total Wine. With the bourbon craze they have no list and put all allocated bourbon on on the managers desk every morning at 10. At the two outlets I use there are at least 10-12 retired or unemployed who scope up almost everything everyday.

The few will always ruin it for the many when there is $$$ to be made!

[BobDyl]

As well as being ethical, it seems like a smart business policy:
- Encourages foot traffic and repeat visits, increases likelihood of collateral sales
- Great way to acquire new customers who might just remain loyal
- Is fair, impartial and, frankly, honest (no extorting for "package" deals)
- Sets up the reseller for a downturn since they've treated everyone fairly

Compare this to the model of "reserving" hot pieces for "big" customers and the new customer experience:
- Immediately treats new customers as inferior, loses any chance of acquiring new customers
- All desirable products in the case are spoken for and feels like a bait and switch
- Creates the bizarre and repellent dynamic of having to sell salespeople on you rather than salespeople selling you the product
- Does it really generate more sales from the whales? Won't they buy the PM pieces anyway?
- Is this policy actually feeding the greys? Hot pieces have been reserved at ADs for several years now and clearly the greys are doing better than ever and have no trouble getting product. So, so much product is going to folks who don't want it but will gladly take a few thousand the next day.

(Needs a no squatting policy, to address the prior point, but feels like the right direction).

Time to try something new. Bravo to this AD, whoever it is.

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by cdubg21

There was a YM blue dial, two-tone Daytona, YM 36 platinum dial, two tone YM II, a bluesy, and the usual assortment of DJ and DD models.

No offense but those are the orphans that are still in many if not most dealer cases. I wish you luck but I think the dealer was just trying to make you feel good and a little hopeful.

PS: I sometimes visited a small market dealer who stated he had no lists but made a personal choice from his customers who got what. Don't know how close he stuck to that but he is/was one of the dealers purged by Rolex earlier in the year.

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by cdubg21

Went in to a new AD today and spent some time chatting with the sales rep and trying on a few pieces. Very nice people. Their policy is 100% of every shipment goes into the case and it is first come, first serve. No lists, no preferential treatment for VIP’s. I was told a gentleman walked in to have a bracelet sized two months ago and walked out with a Pepsi that was sitting in the case. As somebody who is nowhere near VIP status, I can appreciate this system. Stop in and visit, be in the right place at the right time, and maybe you get lucky. Much prefer this sliver of hope to being told “somewhere between 3 years and never”.

I’ll admit I am naturally a cynic anyway...but I don’t believe any business would neglect customers that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

They might put a healthy portion into their windows but I would bet the shirt on my back 100% of their delivery does not go to the window for the first person that walks in to buy.

There is no ‘right way’ to do business, because everybody’s perspective is different and nobody can claim to deserve a Rolex more than the next person, be that the stores best customer or a brand new potential client that self identifies as a WIS

[hitman23]

this person must be a really great salesman. he sold you the story.

[cdubg21]

Originally Posted by hitman23

this person must be a really great salesman. he sold you the story.

It was a woman

[cdubg21]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

No offense but those are the orphans that are still in many if not most dealer cases. I wish you luck but I think the dealer was just trying to make you feel good and a little hopeful.

PS: I sometimes visited a small market dealer who stated he had no lists but made a personal choice from his customers who got what. Don't know how close he stuck to that but he is/was one of the dealers purged by Rolex earlier in the year.

Neither here nor there. The hot models are not likely to stagnate, whether reserved for VIP’s or put into the case.

[cdubg21]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

I’ll admit I am naturally a cynic anyway...but I don’t believe any business would neglect customers that spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

They might put a healthy portion into their windows but I would bet the shirt on my back 100% of their delivery does not go to the window for the first person that walks in to buy.

There is no ‘right way’ to do business, because everybody’s perspective is different and nobody can claim to deserve a Rolex more than the next person, be that the stores best customer or a brand new potential client that self identifies as a WIS

She told me the lists caused more problems than they solved—i.e. people who feel entitled to the next hot piece feeling snubbed, so they changed their policy. She was very genuine and I don’t have any reason not to believe her

[ap1]

Originally Posted by hitman23

this person must be a really great salesman. he sold you the story.

gotta be stuff In the safe ready for a bundle special. They are Making the best of limited supply. I don’t like it either. This hobby is so much work now....

[Largoshark]

Yeah, I'm a little bit skeptical. If you had walked out with a BLRO or Daytona this story would be easier to swallow. Hope they stick to their word though, and you luck out one day.

[101031-28]

That's great to hear OP, I would like to see how many of the hard to get hot pieces they get and put out on display before I start clapping. Sorry to be so skeptical but I have been told so many stories by this or that AD, I honestly take what they tell me with a grain of salt at this point. Hope their new policy lands you a 116500 or BLRO soon

[Sprta]

Visited a small AD on my vacation and they said the samething, everything they receive goes in the display case.
However there was not much of anything in the displays. I will say last year on my vacation they had a deepsea and a BLNR in the display case.

[FirstF80InSpace]

My AD's in my city won't do that. Frig, now you have to be a VIP to even get your hands on a blue dial DJ 41.

[illiguy]

This ought to be the norm and not the exception, but good on your AD.

[singe89]

If I buy 10+ pieces from an AD I would hope I would get something like VIP status in return other than having to go to his store everyday in search of the watch I want. Just not worth the time.

If I'm new to an AD I don't mind bundling either if it means getting the watch I want, in the time I want it and for less than the grey market. Last offer at a local PP AD was to buy the grey market value of the watch over retail in jewelry to get the next watch I wanted when it came in at retail.

[BobDyl]

Originally Posted by cdubg21

She told me the lists caused more problems than they solved—i.e. people who feel entitled to the next hot piece feeling snubbed, so they changed their policy. She was very genuine and I don’t have any reason not to believe her

FWIW, I believe you (and her). Everyone is pissed off by the lists, except for the first one or two guys on it. If I were spending $100K+/year with an AD but found myself 10th or lower on a list with a multi-year wait ahead of me, I'd be seriously angry. But I suspect this is the situation that the big city ADs find themselves in...

I think a better way to take care of your big spenders is to give them discounts on pieces they can buy today, not something they have to wait years for.

[cdubg21]

Originally Posted by singe89

If I buy 10+ pieces from an AD I would hope I would get something like VIP status in return other than having to go to his store everyday in search of the watch I want. Just not worth the time.

If I'm new to an AD I don't mind bundling either if it means getting the watch I want, in the time I want it and for less than the grey market. Last offer at a local PP AD was to buy the grey market value of the watch over retail in jewelry to get the next watch I wanted when it came in at retail.

Well the good news is 99% of the AD’s out there employ the system you desire