Negative Experience with Max Bankin / International House of Time

[brandrea]

Interesting read, thanks for the post OP.

[GradyPhilpott]

[DeanSmith]

Thanks for the post re: Max Bankin

Was very close to buying something today from Max via Chrono24.

I have only purchased new from Rolex Auth Dealers in the past and would like your opinion on purchasing from "pre-owned" online retailers.

Recently, tried on a Submariner 16613 Bluesy and fell in love instantly (compared to the updated 116613). Have been looking for a few weeks for this same model but with RolexRolex engraving inside bezel (c.2006).

The dilemma is to be able to find an honest, ethical pre-owned retailer. Do they exist ? Every retailer claims they have their "expert watchmakers inspect every detail to ensure all parts are authentic." Is this possible without being a Rolex watchmaker?

Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you.

[strafer_kid]

Originally Posted by hambone1983

I don't know how anyone could consider this chain of events an honest mistake by the seller. Plus his attitude sucks.

Why even take the chance? There are plenty of sellers out there!

[Intl House of Time]

Unfortunately this thread resurfaces. Please read through the thread and all the comments and you will get your answer about our company. This customer wanted to voice his opinion to try an hurt one of the good companies in the business because we quickly refunded him after realizing we made a mistake. Why would you want to pin a company to the wall for that. We never misled or did wrong by this customer and have NEVER wronged a customer over almost 10 YEARS in business. So make your decisions based on facts and longevity instead of one customers need to write an essay about a minor mistake.

[Star Ferry]

regardless of the merits of the original customer complaint, you should apologize for saying "Buyers are the Enemy."

That was needlessly antagonistic IMO

[imperio]

Originally Posted by Intl House of Time

Unfortunately this thread resurfaces. Please read through the thread and all the comments and you will get your answer about our company. This customer wanted to voice his opinion to try an hurt one of the good companies in the business because we quickly refunded him after realizing we made a mistake. Why would you want to pin a company to the wall for that. We never misled or did wrong by this customer and have NEVER wronged a customer over almost 10 YEARS in business. So make your decisions based on facts and longevity instead of one customers need to write an essay about a minor mistake.

Too little too late unfortunately!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Intl House of Time]

Buyers in this realm have become a threat to many watch dealers lively hood and attempt to hang them any chance they get even for the slightest infraction. Just as an example in this very thread you will read of somebody talking negatively about a company named watch trading co for offering to switch dials to appease his request. He comments that he immediately started laughing. What does that even mean ? Oh I know , that he is an arrogant so called expert who thinks that changing a dial on a watch is preposterous and is a laughable matter to even be considered. Changing dials is common practice even at a Rolex authorized dealer you can have a dial changed if you like!!!!!! He goes on to say that it would be better if you dealt with one of the trusted Trf sellers when I actually have many positive reviews here and would be considered one of those sellers and two watch trading co is beyond trusted and reputable. The laughable matter here is that this Trf guru is talking about something he really has no knowledge about considering the fact that watch trading co happens to be one of the largest wholesalers in the business. Larger and more reputable than 99% of the dealers that sell on this forum. Many of the dealers that sell on this forum most likely buy a lot of their watches from them! And some guy wants to drag their name through the mud because they offered to switch a dial to appease him. Most of the rants and negative threads made here are of people that have looked way to deeply into this hobby and now consider themselves experts and is nothing farther from the truth. I hope you can all take into perspective that many watch dealers are not out to get you or slide one past you. Yes all business have good and bad in them but please do not jump to conclusions and all start bashing people that are good people and do this for a living if they have not attempted to defraud or hurt you. Dealers who rip people off by stealing and misleading need to be dealt with and should be outed. But a company that has multiple employees and happened to double sell an item by two different sales
people of an item that is listed on 10 different avenues is not a crime and should not be judged like
one. The customer who began this thread was unreasonable and could not understand that we made a mistake and had to refund his money shortly after he purchased the watch. He wanted us to find him another one and began accusing us of lying. He goes on to threaten us with a bad review if we did not filler order... This is the point where we told him to kick rocks and we do not do business with people who threaten us.

[Intl House of Time]

Apologetic and humble came before he started threatening us with bad reviews if he didn't get his way. We are all about customer service with a logical understanding customers

[Fjweld]

Tough to come back after the “Buyers are the Enemy” statement, wish you luck and maybe you could learn a lesson here. Buyers are the lifeline to any business model especially in luxury goods. I have been in the sales and marketing industry for over 20 years for fine wine and the customer can become troublesome at times but you would never catch me putting something on a forum that would jeopardize my name, reputation and ultimate successful business. This is something that you can never get rid of.

[Intl House of Time]

I am not making an apology and still stand but my statement that buyers are the enemy in this instance. Illogical irrational buyers ( primarily snobby forum buyers) that will use any leverage they can against somebody to get their way with knowledge that they believe entitles them to act this way is ridiculous. No , retail buyers are not the lifeline of my business especially of this nature and we are primarily wholesales , if we never made another retail sale ever again it would not effect us one bit that is why I have no problem telling all you keyboard warriors how it really is. Stop acting like children.

[Chuckred]

Originally Posted by Intl House of Time

I am not making an apology and still stand but my statement that buyers are the enemy in this instance. Illogical irrational buyers ( primarily snobby forum buyers) that will use any leverage they can against somebody to get their way with knowledge that they believe entitles them to act this way is ridiculous. No , retail buyers are not the lifeline of my business especially of this nature and we are primarily wholesales , if we never made another retail sale ever again it would not effect us one bit that is why I have no problem telling all you keyboard warriors how it really is. Stop acting like children.

I have no vested interest in this issue, but can't resist the train wreck. But some great advice I got in the past: "when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging ". (Will Rogers).

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Chuckred

I have no vested interest in this issue, but can't resist the train wreck. But some great advice I got in the past: "when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging ". (Will Rogers).

Nah, let him bury himself.

So far he's doing a good job.

[Fjweld]

Originally Posted by Intl House of Time

I am not making an apology and still stand but my statement that buyers are the enemy in this instance. Illogical irrational buyers ( primarily snobby forum buyers) that will use any leverage they can against somebody to get their way with knowledge that they believe entitles them to act this way is ridiculous. No , retail buyers are not the lifeline of my business especially of this nature and we are primarily wholesales , if we never made another retail sale ever again it would not effect us one bit that is why I have no problem telling all you keyboard warriors how it really is. Stop acting like children.

Guess you should change your mission statement from your website:

Our Company has been heavily involved in almost every spectrum of this industry. Starting out in Miami, Max Bankin began selling one Rolex at a time .From there we entered the Luxury Watch Market. Over the years we recognized the need for a direct channel of sales between wholesalers and the retail public. Our Website is dedicated to offering our customers the best product at the lowest wholesale price. Through this, we save you, the customer, thousands off the current retail price on any timepiece you may be looking for.

Our business philosophy is simple: we work with a small markup, with a high volume of sales, allowing us to have many repeat, loyal, and satisfied customers. We offer the class and prestige of buying a "High End Swiss Timepiece" online, while still maintaining the highest standards of quality, reliability, and trust which is the true backbone of success for any establishment

Good Luck...

[Intl House of Time]

Originally Posted by Fjweld

Guess you should change your mission statement from your website:

Our Company has been heavily involved in almost every spectrum of this industry. Starting out in Miami, Max Bankin began selling one Rolex at a time .From there we entered the Luxury Watch Market. Over the years we recognized the need for a direct channel of sales between wholesalers and the retail public. Our Website is dedicated to offering our customers the best product at the lowest wholesale price. Through this, we save you, the customer, thousands off the current retail price on any timepiece you may be looking for.

Our business philosophy is simple: we work with a small markup, with a high volume of sales, allowing us to have many repeat, loyal, and satisfied customers. We offer the class and prestige of buying a "High End Swiss Timepiece" online, while still maintaining the highest standards of quality, reliability, and trust which is the true backbone of success for any establishment

Good Luck...

Not sure why we would change any of that when it is all true, we have a great customer base that continues to grow along with great customer service and a great reputation. The forum dwellers here seem to think without them a company like ours is doomed . We have never made any real money with this platform or any of its members. You amount to almost none of the real
Market share in the Rolex world even though you would like to believe otherwise. We will not be attacked negatively by forum buyers for unreasonable causes that is all. You should all
also consider the person who started this feed it was his first post he ever made in an attempt to smear our name when we have been a stand up company in the Rolex community for close 10 years. We are only looking for fair and informed feedback which none of this is considering only one person negatively speaking about our company has actually had any contact with us.

[Fjweld]

Originally Posted by Intl House of Time

Not sure why we would change any of that when it is all true, we have a great customer base that continues to grow along with great customer service and a great reputation. The forum dwellers here seem to think without them a company like ours is doomed . We have never made any real money with this platform or any of its members. You amount to almost none of the real
Market share in the Rolex world even though you would like to believe otherwise. We will not be attacked negatively by forum buyers for unreasonable causes that is all. You should all
also consider the person who started this feed it was his first post he ever made in an attempt to smear our name when we have been a stand up company in the Rolex community for close 10 years. We are only looking for fair and informed feedback which none of this is considering only one person negatively speaking about our company has actually had any contact with us.

You say in your bio you’ve been business for 30 years; 20 years and now close to 10???

Max, it’s best to ride off into the sunset, I would stop with the insults to the members here (many professionals that have much more integrity than you are demonstrating) and continue your “business” with your wholesale base.

[Fjweld]

The OP wanted to warn our community what you have proven regarding your company, the post count should be of no importance as you have solidified his initial post of someone this community should watch out for

[abs82]

Originally Posted by Intl House of Time

if we never made another retail sale ever again it would not effect us one bit that is why I have no problem telling all you keyboard warriors how it really is. Stop acting like children.

Oh geez! This guy...amirite?? BTW, I don't think that is going to be much of a problem based on his responses here.

Was it an unfortunate "mistake" - maybe. But the reaction by the seller is what was going to make or break the transaction and well....as you can tell from his responses above, I don't think it is hard to imagine the level of "customer service" that I received from this seller.

That being said, I never leveled any personal attacks unlike this seller and simply provided information by which others can make their own decision and I stand by my OP. No need for threats when someone does this to themselves

When someone shows you who they are - believe them.

[abs82]

Originally Posted by Fjweld

The OP wanted to warn our community what you have proven regarding your company, the post count should be of no importance as you have solidified his initial post of someone this community should watch out for

[hambone1983]

Attitude still sucks.