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Old 24 November 2018, 02:56 AM   #1
Etschell
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Retail perception of customers

I'm just wondering this because of a few interactions I've had at brick and mortar stores, not necessarily ads.

Does the watch you wear affect the service you receive?
I am not referring to an ad or b and m that knows you.

So is it different if,

No watch
Lower end swiss watch
Higher end swiss watch
Gold swiss watch

Just interested to see.
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:06 AM   #2
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Eliot, my selection from your non-(actual) poll list is:

Yes - at least 3 of them.
However, the most interesting being: a non-luxury watch.

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Old 24 November 2018, 03:11 AM   #3
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Quote:
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Eliot, my selection from your non-(actual) poll list is:

Yes - at least 3 of them.
However, the most interesting being: a non-luxury watch.

Yes that too
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:18 AM   #4
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I can't compare because i almost always wear a Gold swiss watch, dress decent and normally get good service.
In the same time I am polite and friendly, which perhaps works better
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:23 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Etschell View Post
I'm just wondering this because of a few interactions I've had at brick and mortar stores, not necessarily ads.

Does the watch you wear affect the service you receive?
Rarely
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:36 AM   #6
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Of course it does. Its more than just the watch tho. Luxury sellers gauge your spending power many different ways.
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:51 AM   #7
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I think most retailers make quick judgements about customers based on what they are wearing, but from experience, these judgements are often misplaced. I’ve seen many large purchases by people of seemingly lesser means. Never judge a book by its cover....
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:51 AM   #8
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I just scatter £50 pound notes all over the floor and don't bother picking them up. That and my retinue of 30 lackeys usually gets the salespersons attention.
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Old 24 November 2018, 03:55 AM   #9
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Quote:
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I just scatter £50 pound notes all over the floor and don't bother picking them up. That and my retinue of 30 lackeys usually gets the salespersons attention.
Hahahahaa
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Old 24 November 2018, 04:12 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian Macdermott View Post
I just scatter £50 pound notes all over the floor and don't bother picking them up. That and my retinue of 30 lackeys usually gets the salespersons attention.
Was this pre brexit vote or or post? Side note i heard Tony Blair give a speech shortly after that in NYC and he was like OMG
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Old 24 November 2018, 04:18 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Etschell View Post
I'm just wondering this because of a few interactions I've had at brick and mortar stores, not necessarily ads.

Does the watch you wear affect the service you receive?
I am not referring to an ad or b and m that knows you.

So is it different if,

No watch
Lower end swiss watch
Higher end swiss watch
Gold swiss watch

Just interested to see.
At a car dealer I was wearing a President everyone instantly noticed... next day wore a GMT 16710 to meet the same dealer -- he asked why I wasn't wearing my rolex.
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Old 24 November 2018, 04:24 AM   #12
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100% it does. We did a day of jewelry shopping in St. Maarten recently and all the jewelers were making comments over my watch and the wife's Cartier bracelet. They were offering us drinks, champagne, wine, etc. No way we get those treatments if they were not marking us as high-value customers.
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Old 24 November 2018, 04:31 AM   #13
Etschell
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What is funny is the best treatment I had was at an AD in coral gables. I was wearing my pelagos blue and the salesman was awesome. He was happy to see something different.

However, at the secondary seller the sales lady had no clue what a tudor was and asked me who made it.
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Old 24 November 2018, 04:31 AM   #14
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Quote:
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I just scatter £50 pound notes all over the floor and don't bother picking them up. That and my retinue of 30 lackeys usually gets the salespersons attention.
I thought the Ferrari key on the counter was the trick, damn!
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Old 24 November 2018, 04:49 AM   #15
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In my experience, being amiable and sparingly charming when necessary can work wonders in many situations. Far more than any trinkets can.
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Old 24 November 2018, 05:00 AM   #16
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I usually get good service regardless as I tend to be an amiable person when shopping or rendering services.

I do recall in Wailea we were in the shops at an AD before dinner to check out the selection. My wife left her watch at home but I had my Sub. The woman was walking us around showing us, literally pulling out APs, Platonas, all sorts of jewelry, for us to try on. She also forced me to put on a GMT that was gold and had rubies and sapphires in the bezel.

It was a bit strange as the ADs in NY are helpful and only pull out things you ask them to, which is how I prefer to browse.
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Old 24 November 2018, 05:00 AM   #17
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Retail perception of customers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Etschell View Post
I thought the Ferrari key on the counter was the trick, damn!


No but I make sure to wear the Ferrari hat, jacket and Puma driving shoes. I just clip the Enzo key to my belt loop. Driving gloves stacked neatly and tucked (with the fingers hanging out, of course) in my left rear pocket. The right rear pocket holds my iPhone, clad in a Rosso Red enamel case with a gold prancing horse logo.

Usually wear my old Porsche Design sunglasses, just to keep them guessing.

But the reality of it is I generally find myself in a nice store like this is shorts and flip flops with a G shock on. It’s a good test of some salespersons character.


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Old 24 November 2018, 05:04 AM   #18
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be polite and wear nice clothes. Also age helps. I get treated better now than I did 5 years ago.
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Old 24 November 2018, 05:56 AM   #19
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A watch isn’t always noticed but yes depending on the type of store and the person yes you can sometimes expect to get better treatment depending on what you wear.
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Old 24 November 2018, 07:01 AM   #20
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Of course they judge you on what you wear.
Recently I had my 3 series serviced at my local BMW dealer and I dressed smart as I normally do and wore my tt dj. One of the sales guy offered me to test drive a feckin i8. Didn’t take the offer as I needed to get back to work on that day.
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Old 24 November 2018, 07:05 AM   #21
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brother used to date a girl on the forbes list. he told me she always dressed down to go shopping. like sweats and a tshirt.
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Old 24 November 2018, 07:08 AM   #22
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Absolutely!!! The difference I’ve seen wearing the Platona vs SS sub was noticeable.
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Old 24 November 2018, 09:35 AM   #23
Etschell
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Absolutely!!! The difference I’ve seen wearing the Platona vs SS sub was noticeable.
Next time I go I'm bringing you with me.
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Old 24 November 2018, 10:03 AM   #24
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While touring a new cruise ship today, stopped to speak to the manager of two of their onboard stores, started talking about a Cartier Calibre de Cartier, in blue that I love that they had on display
Before I had said three words, he knew I had a Rolex Bluesy, wife had a Breitling and dad had a Rolex Datejust on.
Yeah, I think they notice and judge.
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Old 24 November 2018, 11:02 AM   #25
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I look at it a different way. When I go in to make bigger purchases I leave all the high end stuff at home. I dont want to be marked as having deep pockets and getting screwed. Salesman always notice that type of stuff so I just try to blend in.
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Old 24 November 2018, 12:06 PM   #26
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I am one that leaves the high end stuff at home when I am out shopping or buying anything of significance.

I’m not looking to become an easy mark in a retail setting nor am I looking for any specific attention.

Normally my watch is under my shirt sleeve - and rarely gets any attention from other then myself.

Just my .02


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Old 24 November 2018, 02:00 PM   #27
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I am not in retail, but I can tell you my experience as a customer. First, I dress VERY comfortably when on my own time, we are talking raggy-old shorts, tennis shoes and a t shirt. When at work, I have to look professional, but when I’m walking around a mall, I don’t really care. Anyway, I can tell you DEFINITELY there is a difference how I get treated when someone recognizes I have a Rolex on. It is night and day. I could give several instances but from my experience, if you don’t look like you can buy what they are selling, they are not wasting their time. This is probably terrible, but it’s the way life is IMHO.
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Old 24 November 2018, 02:31 PM   #28
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Two things:
I don't want to give the impression that I am rich enough for them to fleece.
and
Being able to speak with articulate intelligence, and looking civilized, is a better way to keep the sales people's attention.
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Old 24 November 2018, 09:29 PM   #29
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Personally, I don't need a salesperson to assume what I can and can't buy. I know what I can and can't buy. Besides, I like to think I buy things, not get sold things. (But that's the trick, isn't it?)
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Old 24 November 2018, 09:46 PM   #30
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I recently went to a grey dealer to have a look at a £60K Lange that I had requested to see and when I arrived the lady called for a security guard to come with the watch. I was wearing a gold AP that I said I may have to trade in and then the watch came out and no security guard ever materialised.
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