Stocks in the back of AD

[TickTockChuck]

Originally Posted by Vince_76

Crazy stock in the back of “grails” and “hype” pieces. How allocations are dealt with, etc. don’t want to get into specifics but can confirm this does happen

The AD's probably don't want to put anything for sale on display anymore to keep a sense of limited supply and mystery. It's going to be "display only" watches for a few years yet with the goodies still hidden away. Honestly the fancy display cases and special rooms are a complete waste of space when a Rolex vending machine would suffice...ha! Many buyers know more about what they're buying than the SA's anyways imho.

[Philadelphialawyer1]

Some malakka SA at Tourneu in KOP said to me today--"min 10 year wait for new customers".

I laughed in his face, rolled up my shirt sleeve to show my sub and told him to shove his list up his ass.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by TickTockChuck

Wow, those look pretty cheap for something so expensive. Clear plastic is recyclable. I liked the little coffins, plus they were crush resistant. I would have thought PP used hand made wooden boxes...ha! Quite a contrast to the over the top display cases in the AD's. Cheers!

Rolex has always been a master of efficiency. Someone figured out that those cardboard boxes (which can fold flat) are not only cheaper and more environmentally friendly, they are cheaper to ship and take less space to store.

We also don’t know what outer shipping box Rolex uses to ship between factory and distributor (and from distributor to dealer - though maybe someone has seen the latter). Could well be that a harder coffin case was no longer needed…

These are all considerations for the logistics department.

[H25B]

With the flippers buying everything up to and including even Datejusts these days, why would they put anything out now other than the exhibition pieces. Might was well hold everything in back and give themselves a chance to feel out the customers a little first. (shrug)

[Vince_76]

Originally Posted by Philadelphialawyer1

Some malakka SA at Tourneu in KOP said to me today--"min 10 year wait for new customers".

I laughed in his face, rolled up my shirt sleeve to show my sub and told him to shove his list up his ass.

As you should!! Way to stick to your guns. And go Eagles!!

I went to school out in Philly - I remember walking into the boutiques at KOP (2014) and trying on every RO and Rolex I could fathom lol

[Rico_Brasole]

Originally Posted by Philadelphialawyer1

Some malakka SA at Tourneu in KOP said to me today--"min 10 year wait for new customers".

I laughed in his face, rolled up my shirt sleeve to show my sub and told him to shove his list up his ass.

You showed him!!!!


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[TheHulk]

This is kinda painful…..

[Philadelphialawyer1]

the poor guy looked like the crypt keeper
i wasnt going to southwest philly hardcore on him
im a diplomat

[kittansett]

My AD took out a brown box like this 16 months ago in his office on a quiet workday. Currently, they have to store a minimum of 40 watches in stock to be an AD, up from 24 based on our last conversation. Owner was not happy due to the amount of cash tied up that cannot be sold.

[onyourbikes]

Originally Posted by kittansett

My AD took out a brown box like this 16 months ago in his office on a quiet workday. Currently, they have to store a minimum of 40 watches in stock to be an AD, up from 24 based on our last conversation. Owner was not happy due to the amount of cash tied up that cannot be sold.

What they holding them for? If they can't be sold, then realistically they don't exist in terms of inventory. So they are just place holders for future stock, which could be done with an empty drawer.

[Polyesterpig]

I was wondering with the latest smash and grab robberies, the ADs were trying to limit their exposure by keeping their cases empty. At Christmas time, I was in a mall shopping when a smash and grab team hit one of the large jewelry stores. The AD in the mall was Ben Bridge and they only had 2 Exhibition pieces out. Probably saved them.

The idiots robbed a store right next to a Marines recruiting store. A few Marines saved the day.

https://www.dailybreeze.com/2022/12/...ance-mall/amp/

[dauster]

Originally Posted by Laostuh

Geary's?

No mark wahlberg and Zach
Lu buy the entire stock so they don’t have anything in the vault


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[ThatOtherGuy7]

It’s been said over and over that there are watches in the back. They do have watches on hand. It’s kind of like De Beers and diamonds. I’ve stopped caring. If they call me, then great! I’ll stop by for a quick hello if I’m in the area and feel like it. Otherwise, I’m done with the games and such for a watch.

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by Travis29

That’s how they are shipped to the AD. My recent purchases were brought out like that. Papers and box are seperate.

Box is separate, but papers (now a card) are inside each little box with the watches.

[kittansett]

Box is separate. AD sold a watch, and the box was mailed 1 week after.
I suspect it's an inventory watch like the one pictured, and no box available.

[4rnold]

When I ask my AD owner, wich is a family based shop with a very long tradition and a really nice person who is genuinely kind and honest as far as I can tell.

He allways says that the have to wait to get pieces from Rolex, and that he is annoyed with the fact that they can't help their customers sooner. And they do some effort for their long time based customers. That I know.

So it strikes me as strange that everyone here says they have a lot of stock in the back.

I wonder who speaks the truth

[Devildog]

Perhaps we all need to stop jumping to conspiracy theories people.

What do you think ADs do with watches delivered from Rolex before they are paid for and collected by their new owners?

Lets think about that one.

Oh, yeah, the keep them in secure storage before they are sold.

There is every possibility that the watches in those pictures comprise a just delivered Rolex AD allocation and what looks like dates on the boxes is staggered collection so that the AD isn't crowded with too many people picking up on the same day.

(edit - I've just noticed the post above about having to retain stock)

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by 4rnold

When I ask my AD owner, wich is a family based shop with a very long tradition and a really nice person who is genuinely kind and honest as far as I can tell.

He allways says that the have to wait to get pieces from Rolex, and that he is annoyed with the fact that they can't help their customers sooner. And they do some effort for their long time based customers. That I know.

So it strikes me as strange that everyone here says they have a lot of stock in the back.

I wonder who speaks the truth

There are watches in the back. But they are all pre allocated. They are not surplus stock or being held to artificially create demand.

[Philadelphialawyer1]

ad told me in mid dec that he has to start 2023 with a certain number of watches in inventory. told me that was a rolex order and to check back in feb.
side note--i bought my sub from him but not the engagement ring so im a 2nd tier client now not expecting him to come through

[Harry-57]

There's a difference between holding stock and holding enough stock to sell to every enquiry. So an AD might have 10 Subs in the back. How many enquiries do they receive in a day for a Sub? How many people do they already have queuing for one? This is before we get into B2B trading which is one of the oils which keeps the market running smoothly. What some people regard as selling out the back door, the trade regards as SOP, and newsflash - it ain't wrong or illegal.

Regardless of how many watches they could potentially sell, even if they could get them, how much stock can they afford to hold? How do they manage and service their credit lines? How do they manage stock throughput? The POV which goes "they've got stock so why won't they sell me one?" ignores just about every aspect of running and successfully managing a retail business. It ain't easy. There is more to it than just throwing money about, as many grey speculators are beginning to realise.

[garyk]

I see these things and I just don’t know what to believe anymore?!

[amh]

Originally Posted by 4rnold

When I ask my AD owner, wich is a family based shop with a very long tradition and a really nice person who is genuinely kind and honest as far as I can tell.

He allways says that the have to wait to get pieces from Rolex, and that he is annoyed with the fact that they can't help their customers sooner. And they do some effort for their long time based customers. That I know.

So it strikes me as strange that everyone here says they have a lot of stock in the back.

I wonder who speaks the truth

Does this AD sell marked up jewelry, Tudor, Omega, GS? Do they push those other items when someone asks about a Rolex or do they simply say "Please be patient" ? Most around here will make clear that spending $20k on a diamond necklace will catapult you onto the faux list. Some of the nicer ADs are zero hassle. (No SS Rolex available, ladies models are available immediately.)

[4rnold]

Originally Posted by amh

Does this AD sell marked up jewelry, Tudor, Omega, GS? Do they push those other items when someone asks about a Rolex or do they simply say "Please be patient" ? Most around here will make clear that spending $20k on a diamond necklace will catapult you onto the faux list. Some of the nicer ADs are zero hassle. (No SS Rolex available, ladies models are available immediately.)

They have Tudor Cartier, and Breguet also I believe.
And Jewelry. They don't push it in any way whatsoever.

I bought jewelry from them but not really much compared to what a Rolex watch is worth

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Nairn1980

Box is separate, but papers (now a card) are inside each little box with the watches.

Originally Posted by kittansett

Box is separate. AD sold a watch, and the box was mailed 1 week after.
I suspect it's an inventory watch like the one pictured, and no box available.

There would be no faster way to demolish margins than to ship boxes with watches. Those cardboard containers are about 1/3 the size (roughly) of the display box, so shipping together increases shipment dimensional volume by roughly 4x (and weight by probably 1.5-2x).

If I had to guess, I would guess that Rolex ships via the fastest, highest security methods available, and those are very, very expensive. Once again, I'm speculating, but it wouldn't surprise me if armored cars were used between factory - airport and destination airport - distribution center, with overnight air in between. Those aren't costs you want to suddenly increase by 3x.

Plus the boxes are supposedly made in China, so that factory can ship directly to country distributors instead of first shipping to Geneva.

[train-time]

Originally Posted by garyk

I see these things and I just don’t know what to believe anymore?!

My sentiments exactly Gary!

Beyond not knowing what to believe, when one is dealing with a personal representative from an AD that you have known for nearly 20 years, it makes one feel like a bit of a fool to be bullshitted to should all these pieces be sitting in the back for the deserving one.

[Gebbeth]

Originally Posted by Auric Goldfinger

No, these are in use worldwide and has been nearly a year since the change over. See thread below from last summer when it was becoming widely noticeable.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=862656

Did you buy from an AD? There is a lot of those replica plastic "coffins" for sale online that may secondary dealers purchase to hold watches.

The cardboard box style is the new design and is similar to how Patek delivers their watches to ADs.

Or the AD has been hanging onto some watches for more than a year. After all, who knows where the grey market will be headed.