Disappointing experience in Venice

[Token74]

In Venice for a few days staying next to St Marks Square so thought I’d pop into the AP boutique. Turns out that it is appointment only and whilst the chap in the store suggested we could make an appointment for later in the day, he was really curt and not welcoming at all. So unusual for an AP boutique.

Will stick to AP House in London from now on, a truly brilliant experience!


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[brandrea]

Sorry to hear Vince.

Luckily you have lots of other watch brands to look at while you’re there. Besides that, you’re in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with some world class food

Is the city busy? We were there about this time last year and it was dead (in a good way)

Lastly, what watch are you wearing?

[gretch6364]

Agreed, so to hear you had a bad experience. AP should designate on their website which locations require an appointment.

I walk past by local AD almost daily when working in town (on way to some of my go to lunch spots). I stop in an say hi all the time (when no other customers are in the store).

[APWhale]

Quite normal for boutiques to be appt only nowadays, and don't know for Venice specifically but it's possible for welcome staff to be curt due to receiving constant unknowing walk-ins (not excusing their behavior) but for the actual SAs to be friendly and welcoming. Just saying!

[APWhale]

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Agreed, so to hear you had a bad experience. AP should designate on their website which locations require an appointment.

I walk past by local AD almost daily when working in town (on way to some of my go to lunch spots). I stop in an say hi all the time (when no other customers are in the store).

They do, although Venice does not show to be appt only on the site.

[Token74]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Sorry to hear Vince.

Luckily you have lots of other watch brands to look at while you’re there. Besides that, you’re in one of the most beautiful cities in the world with some world class food

Is the city busy? We were there about this time last year and it was dead (in a good way)

Lastly, what watch are you wearing?

The city is amazing, never been before. It’s busy enough to have a nice buzz, but not busy enough to be painful. It’s wonderful!

Wearing a Sea Dweller 116600 by day and a Royal Oak 15300 by night


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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Token74

The city is amazing, never been before. It’s busy enough to have a nice buzz, but not busy enough to be painful. It’s wonderful!

Wearing a Sea Dweller 116600 by day and a Royal Oak 15300 by night


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That's awesome!! I truly hope you have a great stay!

Also, good on your for wearing some nice watches to Italy

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[Token74]

Originally Posted by brandrea

That's awesome!! I truly hope you have a great stay!

Also, good on your for wearing some nice watches to Italy

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Thanks Brian


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[Vivalas]

That’s a shame you’ve had that experience, though Venice is a beautiful city, in a beautiful country.

Brings back memories - I went inter railing around Europe in 1989/90 for a few months as a 20 year old and had the best experience of my life. Saw the Berlin Wall coming down! Venice was one of the highlights of my trip - must dig out some old photos :-)

[Reign]

Originally Posted by Token74

In Venice for a few days staying next to St Marks Square so thought I’d pop into the AP boutique. Turns out that it is appointment only and whilst the chap in the store suggested we could make an appointment for later in the day, he was really curt and not welcoming at all. So unusual for an AP boutique.

Will stick to AP House in London from now on, a truly brilliant experience!


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I had similar issues with AP Milan


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[APhound]

I live in Kansas City and the two nearest boutiques are about 8+ hours away. I’ve visited both. Had the worst retail experiences of my life at both. Both times I was in such disbelief and it bothered me for a while after both times.
I’ve spent a lot of money on APs (from greys) and always wanted to build a relationship with a dealer/ boutique. I understand the demand for these watches is what it is right now. And I’m okay with spending the premiums I’ve had to pay to get them. But I must say it is such a turn off to the brand.
Let me be clear. I wasnt hoping to pop in and grab a royal oak 50 or something. I just wanted to talk and introduce myself and build that relationship. They were completely uninterested and one time I was wearing a Perpetual calendar royal oak and another time I was wearing a 43 roo… They wanted nothing to do with me and I’ve never had that feeling before.


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[7sins]

Originally Posted by Token74

In Venice for a few days staying next to St Marks Square so thought I’d pop into the AP boutique. Turns out that it is appointment only and whilst the chap in the store suggested we could make an appointment for later in the day, he was really curt and not welcoming at all. So unusual for an AP boutique.

Will stick to AP House in London from now on, a truly brilliant experience!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Had the same experience in Milan, they were very abrupt with me even with the watch I was wearing. They then looked up my AP profile and all of a sudden couldn't be friendlier, even asked if they could help trying to find a watch while I was in Europe.

[AperolSpritz]

For context and those of you who've never seen the Venice "boutique", it is literally a 10 sqm room with one desk and two chairs. It is awful. I don't get this boutique.

[GS93108]

Vince, next time, if it's not a spur of the moment thing and wherever in the world you may visit, then get AP London to call ahead for you and arrange things.

[Token74]

Originally Posted by GS93108

Vince, next time, if it's not a spur of the moment thing and wherever in the world you may visit, then get AP London to call ahead for you and arrange things.

Good shout, but totally spur of the moment!


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[Token74]

Originally Posted by Vivalas

That’s a shame you’ve had that experience, though Venice is a beautiful city, in a beautiful country.

Brings back memories - I went inter railing around Europe in 1989/90 for a few months as a 20 year old and had the best experience of my life. Saw the Berlin Wall coming down! Venice was one of the highlights of my trip - must dig out some old photos :-)

Venice is stunning. I adore Italy and the Italian people (and of course the food!). But Venice really is something else! Rome remains my favourite city in the world but that’s because of many special memories, Venice is just incredible.


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[ikincooper]

Hope you enjoy your stay. It’s so wonderfully to read of more and more people travelling again.

Your SD4K is a great daily companion watch, I love wearing mine and hope to have an AP for evenings/weekends sometime soon.


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[westoque]

I was just in Venice 2 weeks ago and also thought about going to the store. Seeing it as very small and not having planned ahead, I would have expected to get the same response as you did.


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[binaryduke]

I had a similarly bad experience 4-5 years ago at the Venice boutique. Really dismissive and blatant 'you'll never get anything you want from us unless you buy other things, e.g. something for your wife first'.

Originally Posted by westoque

I was just in Venice 2 weeks ago and also thought about going to the store. Seeing it as very small and not having planned ahead, I would have expected to get the same response as you did.

If you're going to have a visible, street level presence with a window and a logo, there should be no reason to 'expect to get the same response as you did'. The AP House model akin to private club, appointments for meetings, etc., is excellent and perfect. It is not acceptable though to have a window/showroom however small that invites interest and be treated like crap. Good way to repel everyone including brand enthusiasts.

Reputation takes a long time to build and an instant to kill.

[Armis]

Originally Posted by binaryduke

I had a similarly bad experience 4-5 years ago at the Venice boutique. Really dismissive and blatant 'you'll never get anything you want from us unless you buy other things, e.g. something for your wife first'.



If you're going to have a visible, street level presence with a window and a logo, there should be no reason to 'expect to get the same response as you did'. The AP House model akin to private club, appointments for meetings, etc., is excellent and perfect. It is not acceptable though to have a window/showroom however small that invites interest and be treated like crap. Good way to repel everyone including brand enthusiasts.

Reputation takes a long time to build and an instant to kill.

Well said, that’s a key point you highlight. I haven’t had the experience of visiting any AP boutiques besides locally, but you are correct on principle. It would be equally fair to have a formal feedback or rating system of boutique experiences and individual SAs. In the U.S. healthcare they have started to institute formal assessments and ratings of physicians and centers based on patients’ assessments, which in turn has implications for the physicians. I realize it’s a different industry, but it seems fair to have something similar for each services-based industry where client experience factors into the bottom line. At the very least, a warning sign can be put on the boutique door alerting people who don’t meet that given boutique’s criteria for worthiness of basic consideration and respect. Of course, these are just my opinions, as I’m sure others feel differently about the matter.

[macrowatch]

Better or worse treatment than Paris? Lol.

[APWhale]

Originally Posted by macrowatch

better or worse treatment than paris? Lol.

😭😭

[dbfagan]

I was in Rome last week and was admitted as a walk in, Sicily the week prior and no one even came to the door. I was underwhelmed in Rome to put it mildly.

[APWhale]

Originally Posted by dbfagan

I was in Rome last week and was admitted as a walk in, Sicily the week prior and no one even came to the door. I was underwhelmed in Rome to put it mildly.

Had a great experience in Rome last month.

[AG_Watches]

Originally Posted by Token74

In Venice for a few days staying next to St Marks Square so thought I’d pop into the AP boutique. Turns out that it is appointment only and whilst the chap in the store suggested we could make an appointment for later in the day, he was really curt and not welcoming at all. So unusual for an AP boutique.

Will stick to AP House in London from now on, a truly brilliant experience!


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That is interesting I was at the Venice boutique about a month ago and didn’t need an appointment but they were just as unwelcoming if it makes you feel better. Was a waste of time going in. They are extremely short with you and trying to get you out.

[AG_Watches]

Originally Posted by APWhale

Had a great experience in Rome last month.

I also had a good experience in Rome but I did make an appointment a week or so in advance. Granted they didn’t even know I was coming so not sure what the point was lol.

[binaryduke]

The Rome boutique is in a different league to Venice. I also had a good experience several years ago on a walk-in.