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10 June 2019, 03:58 PM | #31 |
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+1. It's comical.
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10 June 2019, 06:46 PM | #32 | |
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I'm guessing that it's a lack of staff training and accountability. If they want to improve the boutique experience, that would be a good place to start. For those that complain about bad experiences, don't allow the sales rep to treat you how you don't want to be treated |
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10 June 2019, 07:39 PM | #33 |
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You can have two discussions types - and both are valid.
1) Use the discussion to vent and raise your concerns as a customer. Him being new in the position will be interested to listen (just joined from Berluti) 2) Have a more constructive discussion and go further beyond the rant about what are the areas AP can really work on (and with this I would not refer to discussions around "removing" certain personalities from the store). I would be much more interesting in 2) - because with 1), depending on his personality, and reading the requests in this thread, he might just sigh and wants to move on. |
10 June 2019, 10:59 PM | #34 |
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I think it is, when prices move up so much, you get many new entrants to the market, as well as the old, and while looking on Insta is nice for the show, they need to come on forums for the business, for the reasons why and to see some debate on where this is all going, as we see on so many threads now, so we are not as select a group as before the hype started, esp on the more niche AP and PP markets.
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10 June 2019, 11:02 PM | #35 |
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Yes, was always an amazing trick that designer gear boutique staff pulled off to make their far wealthier customers feel insecure and intimidated on entering their store.
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11 June 2019, 12:08 AM | #36 | |
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Funny, i just had this happen in a tumi store recently. Not that i would consider tumi to be in a price range of AP, but it’s not inexpensive luggage either. I am getting a new bag for international travel and i was in the local tumi store in my mall. I have a lot of tumi gear and i have purchased a ton from this particular store, i don’t know this particular sales rep i dealt with however. Long story short, i saw their was a sale going on, i asked about said sale, the rep told me to flip over the tags to look at prices. I was asking about a particular bag and dimensions of the bag, with zero people in the store, the rep would hardly talk to me. I actually started laughing at one point when i asked a question and she said “ uh huh” as she completely ignored me. I just happen to be wearing shorts, a t shirt, backwards hat and flip flops. I have a tattoo sleeve and i am fairly young. The judgement was immediately noticed. So, what can we do? Well for one, never buy from that rep. If i needed a bag right then and there i would have bought it online and apple paid on my phone in front of her. She was that bad. I’ve never written an actual complaint about someone, but this was the closest I’ve come. I’ve had it happen at various ADs in the past, i think its just the state of the business currently. More buyers than product means the sales reps don’t need to try anymore. It happened to me in SF when i was asking about a white gold Daytona in the case. I was in the city for a huge tech conference and this lady could care less that i wanted to see the Daytona. In a city like San Francisco, their are tech millionaires everywhere. Punting people looking at 30k watches is a bad move. Full disclosure, I’m not one of those tech millionaires lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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11 June 2019, 04:12 AM | #37 |
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How’d you reach out to HQ? Would like to do that myself. Anyway, glad to see they are at least interested in talking, let us know how it goes.
Also, with regards to a Bay Area boutique, I emailed about 6 months back about that and was told it was something they were looking into, whatever that means.
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11 June 2019, 05:42 AM | #38 |
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11 June 2019, 05:42 AM | #39 | |
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11 June 2019, 06:04 AM | #40 |
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^^^^^
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11 June 2019, 06:09 AM | #41 |
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The only time I’ve ever experienced this was when Sam (SC11) and I went to the RM boutique in Harrods, the sales girl looked so cheap, like an RM11 would be worth more than her house and all its contents, yet she stood there and sneered at us for daring to enter her space. I lost interest in RM there and then.
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11 June 2019, 08:57 AM | #42 |
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^
Cutting your nose off to spite your face is just plain daft – you’re buying the product, not the salesperson. If you felt slighted, then you could’ve taken her to task. Alternatively, you could’ve simply laughed it off, dismissing it as the action of someone lacking professionalism in her job role. You had the potential there to turn things around in your favour with a bit of strategic dialogue. |
11 June 2019, 02:17 PM | #43 |
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How about producing more 15500ST - so first timers can get one too
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11 June 2019, 04:04 PM | #44 |
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maybe sell watches on their website?
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11 June 2019, 05:11 PM | #45 | |
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PJ S the jury is still out on whether you actually own anything better than a Grand Seiko since you shy away from posting photos of your own watches even when prompted and yet you keep chiming in on these luxury watch threads with your deliberately irritating comments. I’m entitled to my own opinion which is that when buying even a 10k + watch you’re also buying into the ‘brand’ and what it stands for, this goes for all luxury high value material items because at the end of the day all of these products are seriously overpriced. In future when you start tapping out a reply to something that I’ve written on here please bear in mind that I don’t need patronising life lessons from you, thanks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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11 June 2019, 06:04 PM | #46 |
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I entirely agree, Ash. In reality there's no way any of these watches are worth what we pay, and that most definitely also includes Rolex. For me I'm 'buying into the brand', and if I feel slighted by that brand I have the right to, and may well, take my money elswehere.
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11 June 2019, 07:40 PM | #47 | |
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Porsche did it when it started making Diesel engines, Rolex did it and AP did it. Heck even Ferrari is upping the production numbers all in the name of the bottom line. People "buy" into a legacy just to see the Legacy change. Tag made a smartwatch. Ferrari is making electric vehicles. Apple is selling a 1K stand and no longer targets "the people" Porsche is making Diesel engines. So do not kid yourself too much when you say you buy a brand history because that will change overnight. For what it's worth, what is happening now, looks and feels like the whole Swiss watch community agreed to lower production number and become more premium to battle Apple and the likes. The part that doesn't make business sense is them not upping MSRP themselves. For me that points to the fact this is a transitory situation. Either they will up the production number or the prices. one of the 2 has got to give to maintain exclusivity. Well that or demand breaks down because of a recession but they can still go and sell below MSRP as they used to 2 years ago.
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12 June 2019, 07:56 AM | #48 | |
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12 June 2019, 08:15 AM | #49 | |
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This may be true of other regions but it’s definitely not my experience from buying AP in England. Admittedly I’ve bought a few watches from AP so my experience isn’t based on a purchase history of just one watch. At least once or twice a year I get invited to something very nice with AP, they definitely work hard at relationships here. It could be a factory invite, SIHH, AP golf trophy at one of the best courses in the UK, a lovely Dinner/party, a nice lunch in London or even just opening a bottle of champagne if you visit the office. These guys work hard to make you feel valued. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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12 June 2019, 09:42 AM | #50 |
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The dealers I went to and spent good money at and thought I had a good relationship, when they became the prettiest girl at prom told me to go pound sand.
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12 June 2019, 10:23 AM | #51 | ||
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As much as I really shouldn’t give a toss, I'm disappointed that you interpret them as such. You appear to be going out of your way to look for something that just simply isn’t there, but that’s a matter for reconcilement in your mind. Quote:
I disagree with any notion of “buying into a brand”, the process as nothing more than being a consumer of manufactured commodities produced for, and aimed at, those with a certain amount of disposable income. In your mind, what exactly does that phrase mean or entail, and how does it affect your perception of the actual product? |
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12 June 2019, 01:23 PM | #52 |
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Manny from Miami was wonderful. Would not step foot in New York ever after just one phone call with you know who. More options on frosted gold.
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12 June 2019, 03:18 PM | #53 | |
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He makes my point. In the end, these are just watches. We might appreciate the complexity and the heritage that goes along with it (mostly because of marketing) and our OCD side might like the geometry of a watch and the refined movement. But it's just an overpriced watch. In the end, it's just a big d* contest of who was what watch with very few real collectors. Just look at the Rolex forum, it became a kids playground only focused on the newest hype or incoming and having the "hard to get models" at any price. That has nothing to do with watchmaking but only aesthetic and bragging rights.
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12 June 2019, 05:13 PM | #54 | |
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12 June 2019, 05:21 PM | #55 | |
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12 June 2019, 06:10 PM | #56 |
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So what about the meeting?
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12 June 2019, 07:13 PM | #57 | |
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In terms of the meeting I would personally be frank at the start and say the experience you had was poor. I tend with these things not to talk about the person as it is never helpful to destroy someone and it really grates when you are on the other side. Then you need to move on quickly and be constructive about what could be improved or changed etc. If you do that you might get somewhere. If you have a 20 minute rant at the CEO then they will sit there, smile, you will leave feeling better for a day or so after, but the CEO will not take in a word you say....... FD. |
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13 June 2019, 09:56 PM | #58 | |
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18 June 2019, 10:36 AM | #59 |
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OP - any update on how the meeting went?
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18 June 2019, 05:18 PM | #60 |
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