Rolex VIP Factory Tour

[inadeje]

So, my background is marketing, at some long ago point in my professional history. Switzerland derives massive national revenue from the tourism dollar influx. Factory tours are available from just about all of the Luxury Brands, especially car manufacturers like Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini. Brands like Montblanc, Cartier, etc. Most offer within their tours collecting a car, item or product. Car manufacturers even sell cars that you can you drive around Europe for x months, and then deliver to a German/Dutch port for pre-arranged shipping back home, with all registration formalities in your home country handled.

Proposal for Rolex

In a deal with the Swiss Tourism Bureau, Rolex starts a Rolex VIP Factory Tour. The cost is $2500 and, includes two nights of accommodation near the factory and, VIP dining 1 night. Guided tour includes all phases of watch production through specially installed external windows along external a tour corridor. A Rolex history museum section with iconic watches on display. A special Rolex VIP Concierge tour is $3500 which includes trying on any 5 Rolex of your (pre-decided when booking) choice. You would then be allowed to by One (1) of those watches, through a special VIP concierge at a special factory flagship boutique on-site. $2500 would be refunded against the eventual purchase.

Benefits

*Increase Brand awareness
*Watch Geeks like us get fast track access to a piece we want
*Rolex increases its historical info. preservation
*Swiss Tourism congratulates Rolex for spearheading tourism development
*Swiss towns and cities near the factory get increased tourism revenue
*Rolex manages to massacre grays through an ingenious win/win proposal
*Rolex covers tour refund against purchase at MSRP from money saved not given to AD 30-40%
*Concierge participants get a special Card linked to their home AD for priority invites and presentations
*Any other upsides you guys can think of?

Now TRF members, would any of you sign up for such a tour? I may talk to a friend at a multinational called RevoluVIP to approach Rolex to put something like this together.

[OysterBracelet]

Don't waste your time.

[THC]

I dream about Rolex too...

[Alan111]

Originally Posted by inadeje

So, my background is marketing, at some long ago point in my professional history. Switzerland derives massive national revenue from the tourism dollar influx. Factory tours are available from just about all of the Luxury Brands, especially car manufacturers like Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini. Brands like Montblanc, Cartier, etc. Most offer within their tours collecting a car, item or product. Car manufacturers even sell cars that you can you drive around Europe for x months, and then deliver to a German/Dutch port for pre-arranged shipping back home, with all registration formalities in your home country handled.

Proposal for Rolex

In a deal with the Swiss Tourism Bureau, Rolex starts a Rolex VIP Factory Tour. The cost is $2500 and, includes two nights of accommodation near the factory and, VIP dining 1 night. Guided tour includes all phases of watch production through specially installed external windows along external a tour corridor. A Rolex history museum section with iconic watches on display. A special Rolex VIP Concierge tour is $3500 which includes trying on any 5 Rolex of your (pre-decided when booking) choice. You would then be allowed to by One (1) of those watches, through a special VIP concierge at a special factory flagship boutique on-sight. $2500 would be refunded against the eventual purchase.

Benefits

*Increase Brand awareness
*Watch Geeks like us get fast track access to a piece we want
*Rolex increases its historical info. preservation
*Swiss Tourism congratulates Rolex for spearheading tourism development
*Swiss towns and cities near the factory get increased tourism revenue
*Rolex manages to massacre grays through an ingenious win/win proposal

Now TRF members, would any of you sign up for such a tour? I may talk to a friend at a multinational called RevoluVIP to approach Rolex to put something like this together.

Sound great, but Rolex would never go for it, especially at those prices.
I would go with the VIP concierge for $3500, tell them I want to try on a 116500, buy it at MSRP and get a tour+2 night at a hotel + VIP dinner for $1000.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by Alan111

Sound great, but Rolex would never go for it, especially at those prices.
I would go with the VIP concierge for $3500, tell them I want to try on a 116500, buy it at MSRP and get a tour+2 night at a hotel + VIP dinner for $1000.

That’s exactly the point Alan111. Those watches they sell at this very special concierge factory boutique are MSRP “but” in this instance, its the only place on planet earth where Rolex isn’t selling to an AD, so they’re not ceding the 30-40% to the AD and, can throw in the Tour, in most cases, from within that % disparity

[LandWatch]

What would they get out of it? Would they really want the hassle of running this for a few measly thousand CHF? Of course not, no way!

On a lighter note ... Just imagine how much the package tours would sell for on the grey market!

[OysterBracelet]

OP, you do realise there isn't a single 'Rolex factory' don't you?

[Dr. Robert]

Originally Posted by OysterBracelet

Don't waste your time.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by OysterBracelet

OP, you do realise there isn't a single 'Rolex factory' don't you?

Yup - same with Porsche, BMW etc. They just use one, which is specially prepared with all the points needs to offer the coherent tour and, annexed to Museum/Boutique.

[CharlesN]

Rolex do do a sort of tour.
You done see too much at all. Very little of the manufacturing process.
I know of only 3 people who have been to Rolex.
It’s not something you can apply for. It is by invitation only and then for a reason.
As to a chance to buy an item there .. No that is not an option.
There are plenty of AD’s in Geneva but again you won’t get the sought after pieces .

[OysterBracelet]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Yup - same with Porsche, BMW etc. They just use one, which is specially prepared with all the points needs to offer the coherent tour and, annexed to Museum/Boutique.

Don't give up your day job.

[tng11]

Pie in the sky idea. Rolex is notoriously secretive.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by tng11

Pie in the sky idea. Rolex is notoriously secretive.

Oh and Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Mercedes aren’t? Yet all offer these factory tours.

[OysterBracelet]

In fact, I've changed my mind, this is a wonderful idea. I'd suggest booking a flight to Geneva and walking straight into the factory to propose this to the CEO.

[chris242]

if there’s one brand in the world that doesn’t need more “brand awareness,” it’s Rolex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Roger Lococco]

I had a very similar tour at Vacheron last year - just my wife and I. Took 4 - 5 hours. They were absolutely awesome and really rolled out the red carpet. Somehow, I don’t see Rolex as being as accommodating...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Chadridv]

It’s a lovely idea. Sign me up. Hilarious part though is being able to buy a watch of your choice. Retail on a Daytona is 12.4k. Pay $2500 for the tour and choice of watch to purchase, market value is $25000. Sign me up all day for that deal!

Anyway, the whole “buy a watch of your choice” thing aside, if they could make aometbing like this happen it would be incredible. But don’t think it would happen.

[eltonbalch]

There is no upside in this for Rolex that I can see.

They (apparently) currently sell everything they make, they are notoriously secretive and (likely) wouldn’t want sophisticated Watch nerds “watching” what they do and they would be undercutting their own distribution network by selling desirable pieces factory direct. They would also mostly be attracting super fans who already are purchasers and have cultivated AD relationships.

Now, that said, moving forward with an inquiry is a good first step. Most good ideas involve thinking outside of the box and as I have often told my children if you don’t ask, the answer is always no. You never know; this might be a great PR move since they are taking a beating for their current supply difficulties.

Good luck!

[SlideRacker]

I will immediately buy shares in Swiss International Airlines stock. But, OTOH, the stock would have already made it's move on the news.

[Tomas Eriksson]

I like the overall concept but the pricing is off. Try again at x5 the price. And for -xxx for the price of the purchase of a watch... Not with rolex. I might work for Panerai?

[Ssunnylee24]

No instagram posts would kill the deal.

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by Chadridv

It’s a lovely idea. Sign me up. Hilarious part though is being able to buy a watch of your choice. Retail on a Daytona is 12.4k. Pay $2500 for the tour and choice of watch to purchase, market value is $25000. Sign me up all day for that deal!

Anyway, the whole “buy a watch of your choice” thing aside, if they could make aometbing like this happen it would be incredible. But don’t think it would happen.

Thats the whole point. Aficionados like us get the piece we want. Rolex gets true buyers. Maximum 1 factory tour annual (no exceptions). Swiss Tourism gets a boost. Rolex sells at MSRP and builds a true “real buyer” following who actually took the time to visit the factory and see its heritage. Rolex doesn’t sell to AD at -30-40% in these specific sales, thus covering Tour refund. Grays get slaughtered. Rolex creates an elite club of true brand loyalists who get a special card linked to their home AD which raises their profile with that AD through reference received from corporate.

[Greenwich Mean Time]

I wonder how long the wait list would be.

If that would ever happen, I'd do it. It would be the trip of a lifetime.

[toolr]

I see most of the benefits listed as reasons Rolex would not be interested in such a plan.

[watchmaker]

Rolex already give tours to VIPs. For free.

Hate to break it to you but spending $2500-3000 on a ticket doesn’t make someone a VIP.

It’s a nice idea though.

[r_afficionado]

I would go on this tour. Maybe take a few family members. 3 months after Baselworld... sign me up!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Fat_ninja]

I surmise this be like being in the Matrix

[multimedia]

*Increase Brand awareness

Not sure Rolex actually need more brand awareness though :) They are the envy of most brands when it comes to marketing done brilliantly.

Cheers,
Joe

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Thats the whole point. Aficionados like us get the piece we want. Rolex gets true buyers. Maximum 1 factory tour annual (no exceptions). Swiss Tourism gets a boost. Rolex sells at MSRP and builds a true “real buyer” following who actually took the time to visit the factory and see its heritage. Rolex doesn’t sell to AD at -30-40% in these specific sales, thus covering Tour refund. Grays get slaughtered. Rolex creates an elite club of true brand loyalists who get a special card linked to their home AD which raises their profile with that AD through reference received from corporate.

Some counterpoints.

"Factory Tours" are really only necessary in either highly competitive industries where the brand is trying to "ground" their customer or for a brand trying to increase their market share with "new" business from first time consumers or users..

The difference here is that Rolex essentially doesn't have any real competition in the luxury watch market.

Sure there are posts on here about "I'm going to buy an Omega because I can't get a Rolex"!....those numbers are absolutely insignificant.

Rolex just owns the market for this sector. Their dominance is so total that I would be concerned other brands might end up going out of business. They simply cannot compete..in fact they are the ones who might make use of a "factory tour" to tell people..."Hey we make cool and desirable watches too"!!

As for your "greys get slaughtered" portion of this plan, Rolex has NO intention of doing that. The grey market is a very important component to their strategy. It is a free and alternative channel for watches to be sold through and as a manufacturer, selling units is the goal.

The grey market also serves very effective price and promotion roles. The FOMO drive is spurred by elevated secondary market prices and the subsequent promotional narrative of value retention. It is an AWESOME prime mover for units.

Just look at brands that have drastically lower than MSRP prices on the grey market...Breitling, IWC, Omega.....All of Richemont...lol

The brands are soft, weak and undesirable. Richemont was so desperate to stop this brand deflation of their overproduced references that they bought them back themselves to stop the bleeding...

So, Rolex wouldn't need to host trips like this, but brands like Breitling, IWC and the other usual softies might benefit from them...oh and make better watches in fewer qtys...

[Largoshark]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Aficionados like us get the piece we want. Rolex gets true buyers. Grays get slaughtered.

Greys don't only sell to "Aficionados"...I don't see how this would crush the greys in any way. If anything it would just creat more frenzy. We'd see 20 year factory tour waitlists, and people selling their spots in line for 500% + markups. Meanwhile, the existing grey market would remain more or less unchanged.

It's a nice pipe dream, but you seem to be implying that this idea would solve all of Rolex's perceived problems, when it simply would not, and would more likely only create new ones.

Regardless, this was an interesting read, and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.