Rolex encouraging ADs to sell to “new customers”

[SS Oyster]

I’ve heard this now from three ADs … Rolex asking them to sell nice watches to new and deserving customers.

ADs see this as a good thing, but hard as new customers might just flip the watches as they don’t know the “new customers”.

So, to those on here thinking you have no chance, I’d tell the AD that you’re new to the brand, but would love to have a watch you have grown to love. Be specific, know the watch, don’t say “I’ll take anything in steel”. With good attitude, I think you have a good chance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[padi56]

Well in the real world all ADs are a retail business thats sells watches nothing more and should be treated like any other retail store. And just like any other retail business there object is to sell as many of there retail products to anyone who enters there retail store.

[Harry-57]

My AD will do this if the new customer lives in their locality. They want to encourage new business, as well as keep their established customers happy. A new customer will be put on a waiting list for one hot watch maximum. Other than that, they can buy as much as they want and I expect that a willingness to spend on other things will facilitate their Rolex acquisition.

Established customers on multiple wait lists have been removed from all but one or two lists. I have moved up the Sky Dweller list because it was the only watch I was waiting for. This apparently gives people like me credibility as fans/collectors.

As with anything, it will be a measured approach. Nothing is black and white. It sounds sensible in theory. It also reinforces my belief that one should never say never. Getting a hot Rolex is difficult, not impossible, and as Mark said, being specific and targeting one model is going to be the best approach.

[Hemdog]

Imagine going to the store and telling them ‘I’ll take anything in steel’ sounds so desperate

[snowgoat]

Wtf is a deserving customer. We are talking about buying watches still aren’t we. A watch. Just a watch.

[911991]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well in the real world all ADs are a retail business thats sells watches nothing more and should be treated like any other retail store. And just like any other retail business there object is to sell as many of there retail products to anyone who enters there retail store.

What he said

[TimepieceRPP]

Haha. How Rolex can control the ADs? Funny.

[1William]

Ok. I can see this for some average watches in the lineup but I doubt that the average, "deserving Joe", is going to get a SS Daytona/Pepsi/SD Blue, etc. More AD BS.

[huncho]

Originally Posted by snowgoat

Wtf is a deserving customer. We are talking about buying watches still aren’t we. A watch. Just a watch.

it's not just a watch though. if they give some random person a pepsi they're basically giving them a free $20k in cash. even if it's a less desirable model they're still giving away free money

[teager]

You say that but a friend of mine recently attended an 'interview' at a Patek Philippe store in London

Originally Posted by padi56

Well in the real world all ADs are a retail business thats sells watches nothing more and should be treated like any other retail store. And just like any other retail business there object is to sell as many of there retail products to anyone who enters there retail store.

[brandrea]

It would be good practice IMHO.

[samson66]

Hopefully one day my status can rise to the level of "deserving customer"

Thank you so much Rolex for your generosity and compassion

[JRell]

It’s true I posted an article about this here not to long ago. Great to hear and I have seen a bunch of first time Rolex buyers post here, even harder to get Rolex. Love it.

[desertwanderer]

Well that message must have gotten lost in my part of the world because it sure aint how the boutiques here work...

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

Rolex asking them to sell nice watches to new and deserving customers.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by TimepieceRPP

Haha. How Rolex can control the ADs? Funny.

Control? Probably can't. Monitor and "advise" AD? That's just a matter of looking at incoming warranty card swipes (if buyer information is transmitted along with it).

[garyk]

If this is true, I’m done. Happy to have what I have!

[JSolution]

Originally Posted by teager

You say that but a friend of mine recently attended an 'interview' at a Patek Philippe store in London

I called PP in London a few days ago - told me I would have to come in to be interviewed … yeah not for me thanks

[Newt]

I think you guys almost give people too much credit. Only some tiny minority of potential new customers have any idea about the market for Rolexes. I'm not "Rolex sophisticated" like many of you, despite owning a few. I bought a new sub in 1998. And bought my wife an OP about 3 or 4 years ago. And I have two inherited old Rolexes. Despite having bought and owned, I had no idea what things looked like until a couple of months ago.

I went to the AD, put in an order in December, and thought nothing of it(although I wore the sub for 20+ years). All those years, and still no idea. It wasn't until I decided to look for another one while waiting that I joined here and started learning what's up. And I admit it was eye opening. :) After considerable research, and some paranoia I bought an "unworn" from one of the boutiques here.

I really think if you math it out, people doing flipping as new customers has to be a VERY small number. Less than 1%? I dunno. But compared to capture of new customers I think they have to think it's worth it. I think I'm a good example here. I wore the same sub from 1998 to 2021 when it basically died(getting repaired). Now that I've bought a new DJ, and I'm lurking around here I have a freakin spreadsheet of watches I now want to get my hands on. That's gotta have larger future value in loyalty than the flippers?

I admit I'm new to all this though, so my calculus may be dumb. Interested in what people think. I sure do wish I'd gotten into this lunacy before things were so hard to get. haha.

[travisb]

Still depends on the AD. More likely to happen with the smaller non chain ADs but worth asking. You could get lucky either way.
Happened to my brother twice in a 2 month period with no purchase history from a large chain.

[edisonstar23]

Great news! Even though I do not see how Rolex can verify or monitor that they are new customers. Unless, they do random checks to see if the registered person on the watch actually has the watch.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by travisb

Still depends on the AD. More likely to happen with the smaller non chain ADs but worth asking. You could get lucky either way.
Happened to my brother twice in a 2 month period with no purchase history from a large chain.

That’s great news Travis

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by JSolution

I called PP in London a few days ago - told me I would have to come in to be interviewed … yeah not for me thanks

Your rejection will surely have Patek rethinking their strategy

[JSolution]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Your rejection will surely have Patek rethinking their strategy

Funniest part is that they said that would call back and the lovely sales assistant didn’t even bother to ask my name or number

*also you can’t walk in there it’s “invite only”

[Tim Plains]

Encouraging doesn't mean anything. I encourage my kid to eat his veggies but it doesn't happen. I could see mandating a certain percentage go to new customers but that wouldn't make financial sense for dealers.

[GONZO2LR]

REMEMBER......back in the day...walking in to an AD....you could try on any watch because you are actually shopping around...limme see this one...limme see that one...nice...naw...okay....can i please see that one....ohhh...how much...ohh...well..im gonna pass and think about it....maybe a week or two goes by...i say hello again and say...i thought about it and i want that Rolex Sub....yeah....ohh..do i want to open an account...ohh...not this time...here...im gonna charge it or debit it...ohhh...yeah please size it...great.....thank you...

those were the days!!!!!

[Flint]

Originally Posted by JSolution

I called PP in London a few days ago - told me I would have to come in to be interviewed … yeah not for me thanks

Absolutely ridiculous policy , this practice turns me off completely , I know many would disagree but in long term PP and others who ' interview ' someone willing to spend their hard earned money will lose out to other brands

[Chris]

Originally Posted by JSolution

I called PP in London a few days ago - told me I would have to come in to be interviewed … yeah not for me thanks

No doubt this will spawn numerous threads what watch should i wear to the interview?

[Eric-London]

Originally Posted by snowgoat

Wtf is a deserving customer. We are talking about buying watches still aren’t we. A watch. Just a watch.

A deserving customer = a big spender.

[dpt.calvin]

Originally Posted by TimepieceRPP

Haha. How Rolex can control the ADs? Funny.

Quite easily. ADs are just Rolex customers. We are customers of ADs. If ADs don’t comply with Rolex’s wishes, AD status gets pulled. It’s happening weekly.