Ever been asked to show ID to try on a Rolex?

[Perpetuator]

Originally Posted by seantk

I have never been asked for my ID

The are several AD chains here in Tampa, but I prefer the atmosphere of a locally owned/operated AD. The person that I deal with is very professional and knowledgeable and is a personal collector of Rolex and Panerai. It is nice when you can call your AD and they are just as excited about Basel as you are. They also were very courteous to Robert (astcell) when he was here in Tampa last month and sold him his Victorinox Dive Master LE watch at a discount

Sean

I used to live in TPA. Are you by any chance referring to an AD in SoHo?

[zak98]

yep.. they actually placed my id in the case where they took the watch from.

[Perpetuator]

I think what it really comes down to is that a rapport and certain level of *trust* needs to be established on both ends of a potential business deal, and it really shouldn't take much time or effort to get there. By starting some Rolex chatter and displaying and removing my own timepiece, I was trying to send the message that I was not only somewhat knowledgable about the product, but that I was legitimate, could be trusted, and trusted the seller. Sure it could have been a replica I was trying to front, but as good as some fakes are nowadays, the best are still a far cry from the real thing (at least to ppl who are experienced with Rolex and have seen enough of the real deal). One thing I have come to theorize about human behavior is that ones who hesitate in placing trust in others (as was seemingly demonstrated here) oftentimes are not completely trustworthy themselves. That's part of why I am a bit put off by the whole thing, it just wasn't that warm fuzzy "here's my business card!" feeling like that I receive most of the time when visiting an AD.

[Triple Black 88]

Originally Posted by mdx77

Have you been to the redesigned one in the Plaza yet?

No, I'll have to check it out next time. I was just there to for Easter Pics to

[Markg]

never id

but some AD's only allow ONE watch out of the showcase at a time.

HOW CAN YOU COMPARE TWO WATCHES WHEN YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE OUT AT A TIME????

my ad lets me have as many as i want; we have had 5 or thereabouts at one time.

[sharif]

Originally Posted by eq2675

My AD has an armed guard at the door.

But this is Kennesaw, Georgia, USA and we are all required by law to own a firearm. Kinda like Switzerland, I guess

http://www.kennesaw.ga.us/index.asp?nid=36

That's great....a friend of mine told me this, but I didnt REALLY believe there was a law on the books. I live in Marietta, but literally stone's throw of Kennesaw, and this is also my AD. I have a firearm, but I leave it in the car. :)

[Perpetuator]

Originally Posted by Markg

never id

but some AD's only allow ONE watch out of the showcase at a time.

HOW CAN YOU COMPARE TWO WATCHES WHEN YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE OUT AT A TIME????

my ad lets me have as many as i want; we have had 5 or thereabouts at one time.

This goes along with my thoughts on mutual trust and reminds me of an experience I had last summer in Miami Beach when I was shopping for a digital camera. It was one of those "independent" type electronics stores that was having a going out of business sale, and the shady owner behind the counter would only let me see one camera at a time. I asked him the same thing, "how am I supposed to compare the two?" to which he just shook his head and replied "that's just how I do business." It's no wonder why his boat was sinking. Crappy interpersonal skills + crappy business practices = shipwreck. How do people not realize this before starting a business?!

[sharif]

LOL...exactly!^^^

I have seen an AD require ID on the Gold DD's, but that was it. I have seen those signs that "request id" inside the displays, or on the countertop, but as others have mentioned, it is rarely enforced.

I am sure the sales people try to use the discretion when requesting ID.

[Art 1]

Of course not. I have been handed keys to at the MB dealer to test drive cars without ID.

[sharif]

Originally Posted by Art 1

Of course not. I have been handed keys to at the MB dealer to test drive cars without ID.

Do they let you drive it by yourself?

I have never seen a dealer let anyone test a drive without making a quick copy of their ID. You must be a repeat customer.

[rescue7]

Some of these AD's will request your first born!
Traveling back from Europe we connected in Heathrow Airport, they have one of the best duty free Rolex shops. We stopped to take a peek and a friend that was travelling with our party purchased a Stainless Ladies date. The sales person admired my TT GMT IIc, I then calmly asked if they a SS Daytona she said no but maybe this might interest you. A white gold Daytona, there was NO hesitation in letting me see it. She then suggested I show my wife who was standing 10 feet away.
Purchased a Everose gold Datejust for wifey in St Thomas, she had a hard time seeing how pink the gold was and without hesitation the sales person said to her , "take it outside and see how it looks in the sun" Now that's trust!

[sea-dweller]

I was asked for my drivers license once when trying on a Rolex at an AD in Southern California.

[NG1208]

I have no problem with the proceddure, but as stated earlier, the staff's attitude bothers me much more.

I asked to look at a watch a few months ago at a mall in Chattanooga. I was fairly well dressed following a business meeting there, so I didn't think that I looked suspicious. They asked for me to wait until on off-duty police officer (in uniform) could observe from a few feet away. It's a shame that it's come to this, but remember who pays when theft and robbberies affect these businesses. I'm all for them doing anything that they feel necessary to prevent loss, as long as the customer is not humiliated.

[jasonbellevue]

Asked for an ID? Never, ever. That's preposterous!

[Rolex_07]

No I have never been asked. But if they did ask, I wouldn't mind giving them my driver's lisence or debit card as collateral.

[Terry Newton]

Originally Posted by sharif

Do they let you drive it by yourself?

I have never seen a dealer let anyone test a drive without making a quick copy of their ID. You must be a repeat customer.

This is common practice in Northern Michigan. I test drove two brand new BMW X5's and they did not even go with me. I drove the hell out of the one vehicle. It was a blast to drive with the 4.8 engine and the steptronic transmission. It drove like a sports car.

I don't like it when people act like I am a criminal when I am spending my hard-earned money.

Terry Newton

[scott22]

I've never been asked for my ID, but to be honest with you, I wouldn't have a problem at all if they did ask for it. Why would I feel slighted? They're not doing it to be rude, they're doing it as a precaution against shoplifting. Losses only raise the price for honest consumers. If they tried to make a photocopy of the ID (versus just holding it), I might have a problem with it.

Having said that, I've been amazed by the trust AD's have shown me. I'm not that old and don't dress up, but maybe I don't look like a thief. I was holding and examining a TT GMTIIc (which I ended up buying the next day) at Ben Bridge in Las Vegas, and the sales lady left me there (with no other salespeople around) and went in the back of the store to see if she could find the stainless steel model for comparison. (They were holding it for another customer.) It was just me and the watch. I was actually a little nervous and surprised by this, afraid someone might come into the store and grab it from me. But I think I had established a rapport with the salesperson, and I had an LV on, which couldn't have hurt. (The salespeople do tend to notice what watch you're wearing!)

The same exact thing happened at Roman Times in the Forum Shops of Vegas -- I was left holding an expensive Zenith while the sales lady disappeared into the back of the store. (She even left the display case keys sitting right on the counter.) Again, I had established a rapport. But again, I felt a little uncomfortable that so much trust was being shown.

But no, I wouldn't be offended if they asked to hold my ID while I was examining the watch. Particularly in shopping mall stores, it would be very easy for someone to "grab and run." I would bet that the stores that do ask for an ID have had a problem with that.

[Perpetuator]

Originally Posted by scott22

I've never been asked for my ID, but to be honest with you, I wouldn't have a problem at all if they did ask for it. Why would I feel slighted? They're not doing it to be rude, they're doing it as a precaution against shoplifting. Losses only raise the price for honest consumers. If they tried to make a photocopy of the ID (versus just holding it), I might have a problem with it.

Having said that, I've been amazed by the trust AD's have shown me. I'm not that old and don't dress up, but maybe I don't look like a thief. I was holding and examining a TT GMTIIc (which I ended up buying the next day) at Ben Bridge in Las Vegas, and the sales lady left me there (with no other salespeople around) and went in the back of the store to see if she could find the stainless steel model for comparison. (They were holding it for another customer.) It was just me and the watch. I was actually a little nervous and surprised by this, afraid someone might come into the store and grab it from me. But I think I had established a rapport with the salesperson, and I had an LV on, which couldn't have hurt. (The salespeople do tend to notice what watch you're wearing!)

The same exact thing happened at Roman Times in the Forum Shops of Vegas -- I was left holding an expensive Zenith while the sales lady disappeared into the back of the store. (She even left the display case keys sitting right on the counter.) Again, I had established a rapport. But again, I felt a little uncomfortable that so much trust was being shown.

But no, I wouldn't be offended if they asked to hold my ID while I was examining the watch. Particularly in shopping mall stores, it would be very easy for someone to "grab and run." I would bet that the stores that do ask for an ID have had a problem with that.

This goes along with what I have been saying. The people at those Vegas stores placed trust in you. Could a person in your position have potentially run out of the store with a watch or two? Sure, but the chances of that occuring are so slim that they felt it was worth "taking that chance," thereby further entrusting in you and making your experience with them as pleasant as possible. Those are wise business practices from people who "get it" and probably see a lot of sales.

Most high-end retail establishments have excellent customer service relations and business practices. Why, to make shopping at their stores more pleasant and enjoyable? Sure, that's nice and everything, but like I mentioned above, it is because these places "get it." They see the importance of consistently providing quality products and service. Their profit margin is higher, but volume of sales perhaps a bit lower (e.g., compare Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus to places like Dillard's and Belk). The people who set the policies for Nordie's and NM realize the importance of making the customer happy in all their dealings (e.g., purchases, returns, etc). This is because people who can afford to shop at these places generally place a high value on their entire shopping experience, and shopping for a luxury item like a Rolex or BMW should be no different. The person in a previous post who mentioned how the salespeople at a car dealership just handed him the keys to take a test drive also demonstrates this. Would this have happened at a Hyundai or Toyota dealership? No way! But the ppl at the luxury car dealership where he was visiting realize the value of trust and how the entire start-to-finish experience of purchasing a vehicle from their establishment makes the buyer feel. The salesppl at Hyundai operate on volume. They move more cars for less of a profit while the guys at Mercedes and Porsche sell fewer, but for a higher percentage. In much of the same ways, I would expect that the experience at a Rolex AD should be different than walking into Zales (I don't think they ever sold Rolex, did they?) where I wouldn't be as suprised to be asked for ID before holding a "Hearts on Fire" diamond ring.

[Perpetuator]

(double post)

[Trurolexer]

Never happen to me.

[seantk]

Originally Posted by Perpetuator

I used to live in TPA. Are you by any chance referring to an AD in SoHo?

No, the Ad I visit is on Dale Mabry near the Carollwood area.

I actually live an hour north of Tampa, but I work in Tampa

Sean

[KanzenR_1983]

Originally Posted by Perpetuator

I've been somewhat enchanted with the blue-faced DJ Turn-O-Graph and swung by an AD at the local mall today. After briefly chatting with the sales rep about how I got a Z series 14060M last summer and may be in the market for a DJ, I noticed a s/s blue dial TOG in the case. I took off my Sub, laid it on the counter and asked to try it on. As he was opening the case he said "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but we will be required to hold your ID." I provided it without hesitation and casually asked if that was a new policy. He didn't seem to have much to say about it. The funny thing was that he handed me the TOG, then put my ID in the display case . I tried to joke with him and said that I would gladly let him keep my ID if he let me keep the watch (..."I'm going to be famous someday, so that ID is going to be worth something!"). At best, he was mildly amused.

I tried to chat a bit more, but he wasn't really having it, at least not as much as some reps. So I put my Sub back on, thanked him for his time, and walked the 50 yards to the other AD (where I wasn't asked to show ID).

Has this happened to any of you? I've visited ADs dozens of times and have not once been asked to show any ID before this. I just thought it was interesting.

BTW, the blue-faced TOG didn't quite smile back at me...

haha yes the same thing happened to me except i put my platty ym on the glass. . .i was wanting to try on the gmt2c tt and they still took my id card. i thought them having my platty would be insurance enough lol. i was ready to buy the gmt2c tt from them right before i decided he didnt deserve my bussiness. did i forget to mention he wasnt all that friendly either. i ended walking across the way and purchased it at my regular ad.

[rob]

Originally Posted by gg922

I never had that happen. The last time I was at the local AD which is an hour away from me I had three out at one time. He even went to talk
to the owner and left me standing there with them on the counter.

same here and I dress way down, like the least likely to buy a rolex. If I were treated like that I vote with my feet, especially if I got the response you got.

[2careless]

Originally Posted by Terry Newton

This is common practice in Northern Michigan. I test drove two brand new BMW X5's and they did not even go with me. I drove the hell out of the one vehicle. It was a blast to drive with the 4.8 engine and the steptronic transmission. It drove like a sports car.

I don't like it when people act like I am a criminal when I am spending my hard-earned money.

Terry Newton

Every car dealer from Toyotas to BMW/Merc I test drove their cars asked me to hand in my licence, photocopy it, and sign a declaration that I'll be responsible for any traffic tickets and agree to pay $2500 excess for any accident incurred when the vehicle is under my care. This is standard practice here.

Even going to house inspection I'll have to show them my ID and the estate agent copies down the details.

These are reasonable demands for the vendors to know you. However, I will find it unreasonable to ask for my details before they show me their timepieces at an AD as the salesperson is supposed to keep an eye on their timepiece all the time when it's out of the display case.

[cmr]

Originally Posted by Perpetuator

Some interesting responses so far, but I agree with this. By laying down my $5000 watch, I felt like I was proving my "credibility" in a sense. If it is a company policy (it was Reeds Jewelers), it certainly is not a well-established or routinely-enforced rule. I say this because I was in the same exact store a couple months ago and tried on a t/t GMT IIc and something else, no questions asked - and I didn't even have my Sub on me! I don't know, I was dressed fine today, but I am a youngish-looking guy (I'm 32 but could probably pass for 25 ). Nonetheless, I figured my 14060M was enough to quell any possible questions as to my worthiness for the "privilege" of touching their watches. To the man's credit, though, he did offer me 7% off on the TOG after looking it up on the computer.

Oh well, no big deal, I just thought it was interesting. The lady at the other AD (Fink's) was very pleasant and even asked me if I would like my oyster bracelet polished (to which I respectfully declined after reading some of the horror stories on here).

reed's here in tulsa has never asked me to do that. it has been about a month since the last time i was in their so maybe it is a new company policy.

[sherwin]

Originally Posted by eq2675

My AD has an armed guard at the door.

But this is Kennesaw, Georgia, USA and we are all required by law to own a firearm. Kinda like Switzerland, I guess

http://www.kennesaw.ga.us/index.asp?nid=36

Awesome, that is that way it should be done, that way, everyone is secured that no one is going to try and pull a fast one, and those that try, will be promptly dealt with.

Originally Posted by rescue7

Some of these AD's will request your first born!
Traveling back from Europe we connected in Heathrow Airport, they have one of the best duty free Rolex shops. We stopped to take a peek and a friend that was travelling with our party purchased a Stainless Ladies date. The sales person admired my TT GMT IIc, I then calmly asked if they a SS Daytona she said no but maybe this might interest you. A white gold Daytona, there was NO hesitation in letting me see it. She then suggested I show my wife who was standing 10 feet away.
Purchased a Everose gold Datejust for wifey in St Thomas, she had a hard time seeing how pink the gold was and without hesitation the sales person said to her , "take it outside and see how it looks in the sun" Now that's trust!

I have had that too, no biggie. This is in S'pore tho, and my dad was wearing some hidious work clothes (shorts and a tattered shirt), but we were ready to buy and luckily the sales guy saw that and not just the surface (first timers at a AD too.) having said that, I left my passport with them to show that I mean business. Now which tosser would leave their passport on the counter if they were trying to pull a heist.

Originally Posted by NG1208

I have no problem with the proceddure, but as stated earlier, the staff's attitude bothers me much more.

I asked to look at a watch a few months ago at a mall in Chattanooga. I was fairly well dressed following a business meeting there, so I didn't think that I looked suspicious. They asked for me to wait until on off-duty police officer (in uniform) could observe from a few feet away. It's a shame that it's come to this, but remember who pays when theft and robbberies affect these businesses. I'm all for them doing anything that they feel necessary to prevent loss, as long as the customer is not humiliated.

I totally agree, but look at it from the AD pov. if i dont protect myself, no one is going to protect me. after all the employee is going to be sacked and as the employer, you are still responsible for his pay, etc.

put simply a matter of be safe or be sorry.

[astcell]

Some ADs that I visit have to buzz you in the door. They will take out a dozen watches for you, but you are locked in.

[cmr]

Originally Posted by astcell

Some ADs that I visit have to buzz you in the door. They will take out a dozen watches for you, but you are locked in.

my breitling ad is like that. they will hand you all kinds of watches.