Why do Rolex USA allow returns of new Rolex watches?

[JJ Irani]

Hi guys,

I'll get straight to the point. Picture this!!!

You walk into an AD somewhere in the USA and purchase what you think is a brand new Rolex.

You then realise (thanks to some good, solid info on TRF) that your bracelet is not exactly how it should have been as delivered from Geneva and also a few other discrepancies.

You then discover that this watch was sold to somebody else who returned it within say 15 days just 'cause he changed his mind and wanted some other model.

So, technically, you've paid for a suppposedly BRAND NEW piece which, in fact, is NOT a brand new piece, but a slightly used one.

So how the hell does Rolex USA policy justify the fact that a NEW watch once sold can still be returned back to the AD by the owner!!???

In this part of the world, once you buy the watch and the warranty card is stamped and dated......that's it.....you OWN the watch!! No way can you return it back to the store!!

I find the return back policy quite disgusting and totally unfair!!!

[Omega_Precision]

Like any consumer goods in the world, there is a return policy.

It's a guarantee of the product. Imagine Company A selling watches with no return policy, the watch then breaks within a month of ownership. You're screwed.

Return policy is just a way to keep consumer confidence.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Omega_Precision

Like any consumer goods in the world, there is a return policy.

It's a guarantee of the product. Imagine Company A selling watches with no return policy, the watch then breaks within a month of ownership. You're screwed.

Return policy is just a way to keep consumer confidence.

Guarantee of the product only if it is found defective. NOT on the whims and fancies of some joker who changes his fickle mind and wants some other model.

Would you like to walk into an AD and pay brand new price for a used Rolex? Answer this question very honestly!!

[diablojota]

No I would not. I would expect them to negotiate or reduce the price of the watch because it is no longer officially BNIB. If the stickers were removed it would be easier to tell if it was sold before. But that's why you should ask of the watch was a return. They are obligated to tell you if you ask.

[Starwalker]

i totally agree with u JJ.....it is a bit absurd, and gross.....consumer confidence...that is what a warranty is for.....not to test drive a watch, bang it up and then return it....however....after living about 5 countries....and having traveled to plenty more...i think that this more of a N.American thing when it comes to consumer items, its not necessarily bad....and come handy when purchasing other consumer products, like a TV or something else......but i dont see how rolex allows this....

[rajurama]

I agree, I would hate it if I got a watch thats been outside the store and brought back! Regardless its condition I paid for a brand new watch and thats what I would demand!

[flyback]

You're mixing up two different practices.

1) Rolex allowing returns of their product - assuming they even will - is good business. They should be applauded for that.

2) Rolex reselling worn/flawed merchandise as new is not cool. Do they do this? Does Rolex USA refurbish watches and reapply stickers for the ADs? I doubt it. But even if they did, at least there's a remedy (see #1).

The ostensibly new Rolexes in "your part of the world" are no doubt handled by plenty of staff and customers over the months they spend in display cases. The only difference being when you get home and discover "that your bracelet is not exactly how it should have been as delivered from Geneva," you're screwed.

Not really a policy to be proud of. This arrangement seems a lot more friendly to the buyer.

[stanislav]

it is rediculous
imagine Rolex discounting every returned watch just because of change of mind
i can talk to my friend to buy a watch and then return it, after that i will go to buy it heavily discounted because it is not new anymore
you can not do this in europe without real reason, may be in USA only because of competition in this market and purchasing power and consumer society, i think in USA you buy things returned before more often and i don't believe they discount all these returned items, it will be huge loss just because consumers change their minds

[Sperry]

Once the stickers are removed from the watch, the local AD [chain] says it is yours.
If there is a problem with the watch, it will go to an Authorized Service Center, and back to you.

That said, if I ever did buy a watch new from an AD, I'd sure check it out for a couple of hours.
Rather than assume it is 100% in every way, only because it came from the House of Rolex.

[Omega_Precision]

If I purchased new, I would bring my loupe to inspect the watch.

There is no way to know if a watch was returned. It's just something you have to deal with.

Here's another scenario:

My local AD was trying to sell me a Submariner at the time and I was undecided between a Sub or an Explorer. He let me try both watches on for 20 minutes. He allowed me to walk around the store browsing, so I can get a real life feel for the watches. He didn't want me to purchase something I will later regret.

I bought the Sub and the Explorer was put back into the case. I didn't buy the Explorer but would it be considered used? Returned watch or tried on, it doesn't matter because the next customer will not know. If there were scratches put on, they will buff it out.

My answer to this, have the AD sell you a watch that is still in the clear plastic box.

[Omega_Precision]

Originally Posted by kfsal

i totally agree with u JJ.....it is a bit absurd, and gross.....consumer confidence...that is what a warranty is for.....not to test drive a watch, bang it up and then return it....however....after living about 5 countries....and having traveled to plenty more...i think that this more of a N.American thing when it comes to consumer items, its not necessarily bad....and come handy when purchasing other consumer products, like a TV or something else......but i dont see how rolex allows this....

Warranty is effective if the product had defects or failed after purchase.

Return policy is allowed because the product didn't meet it's standards.

Examples:

Rolex's lume is bad, so consumer returns watch.....a warranty isn't going to fix the problem of the lume.

-or-

Rolex bezel design is flawed and popped off when arriving home. The warranty will cover this issue but the consumer may just return the watch, for the fear of this happening again in the future.

Return policy will always give the consumer that confidence.

[Singslinger]

I'd have to agree with JJ - I'd hate it if my supposedly new watch was actually used by someone else and returned to the AD because they didn't like it. The only way I'd accept such treatment would be if they lopped an additional 20% off the price!!

[swatty]

JJ, Have you been to the US ? The consumer is very tough , I agree with you , If you cant decide what you want , then don't buy it . I have a friend who lives there , he bought a 4000in Tv and decided it was to big the store changed it for a smaller one no charge . Maybe business is to blame .

[Kokyuryoku]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Guarantee of the product only if it is found defective. NOT on the whims and fancies of some joker who changes his fickle mind and wants some other model.

Would you like to walk into an AD and pay brand new price for a used Rolex? Answer this question very honestly!!

Kia ora JJ,

I totally agree with you . Brand new means just that brand new and used is used. There's nothing wrong with buying used but you expect to pay used prices. Any AD that sells used watches as if they were new is dishonest.

[eyen]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Guarantee of the product only if it is found defective. NOT on the whims and fancies of some joker who changes his fickle mind and wants some other model.

Would you like to walk into an AD and pay brand new price for a used Rolex? Answer this question very honestly!!

No.

[Chris B]

No I wouldn't. The AD should have been honest & open about it, it'd be like buying a low mileage used car & the price should reflect.

[Omega_Precision]

We will never know....at least when you buy used, you get what you buy.

[trickyric]

As an American who buys in the US (Florida) I can tell you they are very clear at Mayors that when you remove the stickers it's yours!
As for returns, I have no problem with that but the AD should tell you it was tried by another customer. I however don't think they should have to discount it. After all, it is a watch and unless it is damaged, in which case it would then have to be "refurbished" which is a different issue, it is really still pretty new.
When a person drives a new car they consider it new for like 6 months so why not a $10,000 watch?

[bardm]

I thing this is a North American problem only. In the rest of the world, as far as I know, if you buy something, you bought it. Once it leaves the shop it's considered a used item.

You MAY be lucky enough to return it, but then you will only get part of your money back, becaurse the seller knows he / she has to discount it when reseling it. It's just totally unheard of to buy something new that is actually returned. It's not the next customers problem that you changed your mind! You have to take that financial hit yourself by not getting all of your money back.

This really works fine, and as I see it, is a fair way of dealing with the issue. You should consider yourself lucky to be able to return it at all, even if not getting a full refund. In USA I guess they go more by "what the next customer don't know...". I really think the north amercian way shows a disrespect for the customers and a need to sell at any cost.

[Jeff in Florida]

Unless it is a toothbrush I am buying, I am not too concerned that someone else may have tried it out. I was given 10 days to try my watch out, and appreciated the opportunity to change my mind. I spent an hour looking at the watch before I bought it, and saw no flaws whatsoever. If there was a scratch or scuff, I would not have bought it, at least not at a new watch price.

Its kind of like buying a car, you never get one with the odometer at 0. There is always a little mileage on it already.

[Omega_Precision]

Originally Posted by Jeff in Florida

Unless it is a toothbrush I am buying, I am not too concerned that someone else may have tried it out. I was given 10 days to try my watch out, and appreciated the opportunity to change my mind. I spent an hour looking at the watch before I bought it, and saw no flaws whatsoever. If there was a scratch or scuff, I would not have bought it, at least not at a new watch price.

Its kind of like buying a car, you never get one with the odometer at 0. There is always a little mileage on it already.

Brilliantly put.

Like I said, if the product didn't live up to expectation, then we should be able to return it. So I come home with the Rolex and it's in the evening, I find that the lume is horrible, something I didn't notice indoors in the afternoon. So I return it....what's wrong with that?

The return policy has nothing to do with Rolex, it has everything to do with the retailer and I am sure every retailer does this. Should we get a discount from gray market dealers for everytime someone returns the watch?

[seantk]

JJ,

Not all AD's in the US have a return policy. The large national chain stores might have a return/exchange policy, but the locally family owned AD's probably do not

Sean

[SLS]

JJ, both my AD's paperwork is very clear, the watch has to be in unworn condition for it to be returned. So as long as the watch had the proper paperwork and in my eyes looked new, I would have no problem with that.
~Scott

[allanofcalifornia]

The ADs should have one of these policies:

1. No returns if the watch has been worn or if the band has been sized. Return watches should be thoroughly inspected by the AD.

2. Allow returns but with a stocking fee which discount is given to the next customer, like an open box discount.


Allan

[AIKO]

Agreed that it is messed up. The AD should have to disclose it is used and discount it.

[082013]

Same in the UK, Ernest Jones for one have a returns policy, as long as it is in as new condition.

[net0man]

if you want to be an original owner of an unworn Rolex watch, make sure its band is sealed.

[ghostrider]

If the AD sells the watch twice as "new" than they should have their license revoked. A watch is new only once. A quick comparision would be a new car. If the odometer shows 20 miles it is new. If it is the demo model it was never sold to an individual. If you look at the odometer and it shows 500 miles you expect a discount. You hvae no idea what the perosn actually did with the watch when they had it for a few days. Maybe they took a shower with the crown unscrewed or dropped it on a concrete floor and then ran back to the dealer. Let's not confuse warranty with "new".

[chicagowatchman]

This indeed is a BIG problem with SOME ADs.......

I know of a (will not name) AD where the owners wife and sons " test drive"
some jewelery at parties and events they attend including Rolex watches.

A well known socialite was baned from Shreve crump and Low in Boston about 12 years ago for purchasing jewelery and Rolex, Cartier watches and wearing them to parties and then returning.

Thats why what ever watch and jewelery I buy I always Order factory fresh......it is worth the wait and piece of mind!

[JPersat]

When I went to buy my GMT IIC, I told them the AD that I wanted one from the vault, I told them that would be a deal breaker. They understood, and they took care of business.