Why the AD hate?

[Luke@TRF]

don't exactly hate the ADs but they can order stock from Rolex, not just receive what they get. perhaps only the SS models are per allocation basis.

[Colin G]

When your girlfriend starts "maximizing profit" from another guy while still with you, I bet you'd be whistling a different tune.

[Vvvlllooo]

Originally Posted by Colin G

When your girlfriend starts "maximizing profit" from another guy while still with you, I bet you'd be whistling a different tune.

That’s unnecessary and doesn’t even make sense

[Tha Baron]

Why are we still talking about this nonsense? Like a bunch of little school girls and boys...

[watchmaker]

My two cents would be people need to stop extrapolating the minority of ADs that supply resellers or provide sub par service to mean that is what all ADs do.

Beyond that statement the ADs that genuinely and provably are engaging in unethical practices deserve all the criticism they have coming their way.

[Harry-57]

I like my AD just fine. Sometimes I even buy a watch from them. Sometimes they even manage to sell me a watch. Quite an achievement nowadays. They are a business. How they run their business is none of my business. Unless they defraud people, in which case they won't be a business any more.

Here's my problem with this thread and threads like it. Even if I didn't particularly like my AD, I would not hate them. Hate is an ugly, intense and toxic emotion. Do people really hate other people for such superficial reasons? This is not good. It's a revolting way to live a life. By the same token, as a general observation, it's a revolting thing to accuse else someone of.

Why is all the fun leaving so quickly? Where is all this hate coming from? This isn't about watches or anything to do with them. It can't be.

[MinMay]

Originally Posted by teck21

There appears plenty of dissatisfaction towards ADs for their ‘shenanigans’, and to be honest I don’t understand why they should be blamed for woes not of their doing.

For one thing, they are profit maximising entities. They aim to make as much money as they can, no different from any other business at all. Yet they seem hated in a way other businesses are not, and I find that incredibly unfair to them.

Firstly, they are unable to determine what they receive from Rolex in every shipment. They receive what they receive, and do what they can with it. All of them wished they could satisfy the demands of every customer that walked in, but the scarcity of supply simply means they cannot.

They are also not allowed to sell above MSRP, and every idiot knows that the popular pieces can currently command prices well beyond MSRP.

I therefore put it to you AD haters, why should they sacrifice their own profit (by way of bundling or relationship building) in order for you to enjoy a watch from which they all know they will be ‘losing’ money from by selling it to you purely at MSRP?


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+ 1 We need more people like you in this world! I want some more sport watch but I don’t blame AD for the scarcity, just stupid to blame them.

These people should buy an Omega.

[Vanmarsenille]

What's the point of having Authorized Dealers who have nothing to sell you, while Unauthorized Dealers have all the stock?

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by Vanmarsenille

What's the point of having Authorized Dealers who have nothing to sell you, while Unauthorized Dealers have all the stock?

This point was discussed in another thread here. Rolex makes 1 million watches a year. All of the used Rolex new models for sale on-line may not be 2000 watches. Factor in what they do not even have just bait and that number may be substantially less. Point of fact is the watches are being sold by dealers the moment they come in to retail customers. The warranty card is run and the buyers information is sent to Rolex immediately. The fact the dealer's cases are empty and watches are being advertised on line and therefore visible does not come close to the myth all Rolex watches leave the ADs direct to on line sellers. All the ADs will tell you being a Rolex dealer now is better than ever before when watches stayed in the cases for years. They are making tons of money selling at MSRP. They all wish they could get more watches. They are not dealing with grays. That is a very rare and declining practice and not worth losing a Rolex agency over. The few watches being sold online and I do mean a few, are flipped by retail purchasers for a quick profit. For the record I have no problem with an AD bundling a high demand watch. Its my right not to buy it and if I were an AD I would not do that.

[Moggo]

I agree hate is a bit strong, my emotions don’t run that high for something that is inconsequential.

I dislike the ethics the same as I do with Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini etc

Building ‘relationships’ with shops for inanimate objects is pretty futile, I save my relationship building for people I care about.

The worm will eventually turn and those that have played their customers will have regrets I am sure.

I was told the Daytona was never meant as a general sale watch, it is a special ‘piece’ to showcase what they can do! Nearly spat my coffee over the AD with laughter, don’t see that mentioned on the Rolex website




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[ferrissteve11]

I'm sorry to the OP if you fail to see the overall reasoning why many have a distasteful attitude toward AD's. I understand maximizing profit as a business, but essentially 'screwing over' the WIS or casual buyer and forcing bundled sales or only selling to Greys has turned a number of people off the brand or the traditional AD buying route.
But it is what it is...

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by ferrissteve11

I'm sorry to the OP if you fail to see the overall reasoning why many have a distasteful attitude toward AD's. I understand maximizing profit as a business, but essentially 'screwing over' the WIS or casual buyer and forcing bundled sales or only selling to Greys has turned a number of people off the brand or the traditional AD buying route.
But it is what it is...

It has to be said that negative stories are far more likely to be posted than positive ones. We are not hearing about of from the hundreds of thousands of satisfied AD customers every year.

We cannot let the minority affect our view of the majority.

[teck21]

Originally Posted by ferrissteve11

I'm sorry to the OP if you fail to see the overall reasoning why many have a distasteful attitude toward AD's. I understand maximizing profit as a business, but essentially 'screwing over' the WIS or casual buyer and forcing bundled sales or only selling to Greys has turned a number of people off the brand or the traditional AD buying route.
But it is what it is...

If you understand their need to maximise profit, how do you propose they maximise it without ‘screwing’ over the WIS or casual buyer?


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[Harry-57]

They are forcing bundled sales on people? Like, with a gun, or kidnapping their children? Get the police involved now.

[Moggo]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

They are forcing bundled sales on people? Like, with a gun, or kidnapping their children? Get the police involved now.

At least they could have the decency to wear a balaclava when they rob us


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[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by Moggo

At least they could have the decency to wear a balaclava when they rob us
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Standards are slipping everywhere.

[Tha Baron]

I bought donuts this morning

[brandrea]

My AD treats me very well, and always has.

I’m not the biggest spender by a long shot and I’ve never been asked to bundle a watch I didn’t want into a purchase of another reference.

My AD will sell to who he wants to sell to, based on many factors but if I had to guess, one of those factors is being a bit of a WIS.

IMO, we could shop the same AD for the same reference and depending on the approach ... get two very different responses from the AD

[Brny11]

They took a situation and exploited it in the worst of ways to their general customer. If I was in their shoes, would I have done anything different? Prob not, but the fact remains they keep stock in the back and give watches to those willing to buy unsellable watches.

It is VERY obvious why there is AD hate. Though I agree a business will evolve according to market conditions and they are to blame for such evolution.


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[hbombkid]

I have no problem with businesses making money.

ADs are 100% authorized so they are already are getting a 60% discount. Those discounts are not that high at what the trusted sellers are buying them off ADs.

Once ADs start selling above MSRP that impacts the brand and what is the point Rolex even gives an MSRP for the model.

I think the hate is also the way they play games saying you need to buy a PM or I have one not on display. They have that right but that’s why people are willing to pay a little more from a trusted seller. The customer service alone can be better and that will get my business.

[RyanJ]

Simple fix. Don't visit any Rolex ADs. To me, Rolex authorized dealers no longer exist as they have nothing I am interested in.

Maybe I will check back in 6 months to a year. For now I frequent the Patek ADs thinking about my next purchase.

[pepsiretail]

Originally Posted by RyanJ

Simple fix. Don't visit any Rolex ADs. To me, Rolex authorized dealers no longer exist as they have nothing I am interested in.

Maybe I will check back in 6 months to a year. For now I frequent the Patek ADs thinking about my next purchase.

I agree, I’ve lost interest in Rolex ADs handing me 10k when I buy a watch.

Much more interested in a Patek AD handing me 30k.

[lear60man]

I guess im the last to know. Found a Rolex I wanted to buy, checked the local AD website and it was shown (generic Rolex format that shows all models). Walked in and asked to see it......crickets. Then came the normal (?) questions, have you purchased from here before, (no) etc.. The sales lady was nice but made it clear that if they get a hot model, they will call one of their valued customers first. BTW they had a new blue 2 tone Sub and the rest was non SS sport models. Now I know.

Ordered the watch from David SD today for a fair price IMHO.

[squatchy]

For what it's worth, even as an AD I'm a frustrated consumer. I've wanted a blue SkyDweller since it's announcement at Basel and I'll probably NEVER be able to get one at retail. I understand why many turn to grays because at some point you decide that time is more important than money.

[glamorama]

Sounds like a first year business student is theorising

[AF_Rob]

I don’t like how they will sell hard to get pieces on the condition that a customer by additional ones.

Even if the customer is willing to do it, I don’t like it. Just my opinion.


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[liu_watch]

People are mad at some ADs not because of the profits they make but because of games they play to achieve profits. To be fair, same thing can be said about the grey market. The current market is no longer a balanced one. Wait till you’re ridiculed, laughed at, slighted, at some of the ADs to understand why...

It’s sad to be a Rolex fan at this moment in time.

[Calatrava r]

People who are mad at ADs are upset that they cannot obtain the watch they want in a reasonable time, they cannot try on a certain watch to make up their mind, many salespeople are overrun with requests they cannot fulfill and have lost their professional edge and they see ad promotions regularly on the scarcest of watches. Everything else is irrelevant were the watches plentiful. The shortages lead to tough decisions on who gets what and the ones who do not get are expectably irate. The AD is local and easy to dislike where you did not score. People forget Rolex could simply up the production of the SS sports line which would totally end the flipping and reselling on line. Odds are good if the watches were plentiful not many would want them. Funny how that works. Notice how so many "hot" watches get flipped. There was never any real love there, just timing and contacts.

[squatchy]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

People who are mad at ADs are upset that they cannot obtain the watch they want in a reasonable time, they cannot try on a certain watch to make up their mind, many salespeople are overrun with requests they cannot fulfill and have lost their professional edge and they see ad promotions regularly on the scarcest of watches. Everything else is irrelevant were the watches plentiful. The shortages lead to tough decisions on who gets what and the ones who do not get are expectably irate. The AD is local and easy to dislike where you did not score. People forget Rolex could simply up the production of the SS sports line which would totally end the flipping and reselling on line. Odds are good if the watches were plentiful not many would want them. Funny how that works. Notice how so many "hot" watches get flipped. There was never any real love there, just timing and contacts.

THIS. The inquiries are overwhelming. If we could fulfill every request we most certainly would. As a businessperson, if you're faced with 100 people who want a watch (one that we are allocated 2-3/year) how would YOU choose?

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by squatchy

THIS. The inquiries are overwhelming. If we could fulfill every request we most certainly would. As a businessperson, if you're faced with 100 people who want a watch (one that we are allocated 2-3/year) how would YOU choose?

Not the flipper who runs to the grey for a quick and handy profit .