POLL. Rolex, online sales.

[Watch This]

I don't find the concept that unlikely. Times are changing rapidly. Newspapers are becoming extinct. Malls are struggling to adapt to losing long-standing anchor tenants. Cabs are getting destroyed by Uber and Lyft. Kids these days function in a cashless society and rely upon internet purchases heavily. When was the last time you were in a record store? Artists rely on concert revenue because streaming services give their product away.

Brick and mortar stores are in trouble. Those with the ability to envision and accept these trends will profit. Those that can't will only complain.

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by Watch This

I don't find the concept that unlikely. Times are changing rapidly. Newspapers are becoming extinct. Malls are struggling to adapt to losing long-standing anchor tenants. Cabs are getting destroyed by Uber and Lyft. Kids these days function in a cashless society and rely upon internet purchases heavily. When was the last time you were in a record store? Artists rely on concert revenue because streaming services give their product away.

Brick and mortar stores are in trouble. Those with the ability to envision and accept these trends will profit. Those that can't will only complain.

[Speedbird-1]

Are you watching Geneva?
See those numbers?

[debbs20]

Yes i would in a flash.

[CHOSEN1]

Yes

[1William]

I would not buy online as I can source most of the watches that I want from my AD or TS. I understand the price benefit of paying msrp for hot models but if they were available on line they would not be hot for long and the second hand market would be less than the web site. I also have a long term relationship with my AD and buy items other than Rolex watches through them. The customer service and discounts add up to a better deal than buying off a web site.

[Dilemma]

Rolex can't be happy to be damaging their own reputation, can they?

I don’t know. Are they really damaging their reputation? You can’t use this place as a indicator that’s for sure.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Dilemma

I don’t know. Are they really damaging their reputation? You can’t use this place as a indicator that’s for sure.

like it or not this place is much more lively due to the shortage. Passion on both sides of the issue but its undeniable its engaging more people and as the saying goes there is no such thing as bad publicity.

When times are good its a lot less of this kind of discussion and more focused on the watches for sure, but controversy and intrigue and conspiracy is what really drives most people.

shortage threads have supplanted discount threads probably by double from when those were quite common, so is that bad for brand image? Probably not.

[Dilemma]

@ tyler. I guess what I meant was people here are probably not the average Rolex buyer. I agree, it’s certainly given *Us* something to gnaw on but I’d venture to say that most people’s Rolex knowledge starts and stops with a Sub.

I could be wrong. Been wrong before.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Dilemma

@ tyler. I guess what I meant was people here are probably not the average Rolex buyer. I agree, it’s certainly given *Us* something to gnaw on but I’d venture to say that most people’s Rolex knowledge starts and stops with a Sub.

I could be wrong. Been wrong before.

i tend to think the average buyer buys a DJ or a Sub. Obviously a DJ isnt hard to find and a Sub is one of the easier hot models. I really don't think the average buyer probably has noticed too much.

A shocking number of people what a Rolex and when they are ready to buy a Rolex go to an AD and decide based on the selection thats there.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

i tend to think the average buyer buys a DJ or a Sub. Obviously a DJ isnt hard to find and a Sub is one of the easier hot models. I really don't think the average buyer probably has noticed too much.

A shocking number of people what a Rolex and when they are ready to buy a Rolex go to an AD and decide based on the selection thats there.

This. Most buyers walk in, see a watch they like and buy it. "We" are in the minority.

There's a reason the DJ is Rolex' best selling watch. By some margin.

What is perhaps ironic about this entire thread is that certain posters appear to be of the belief that selling high demand references online is going to make the slightest difference to actual availability.

It may regulate wait lists to ensure that if you order your Daytona at Rolex.com you truly are number 2165 on the list, rather than being on a list that evolves and changes like a living, breathing thing every time a VIP/friend of the AD/celebrity walks in the door of the AD, but in all reality its not going to appear any sooner.

[Navarino]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

i tend to think the average buyer buys a DJ or a Sub. Obviously a DJ isnt hard to find and a Sub is one of the easier hot models. I really don't think the average buyer probably has noticed too much.

A shocking number of people what a Rolex and when they are ready to buy a Rolex go to an AD and decide based on the selection thats there.

Very true. Someone at my office (not a WIS by any means) wears a Z-Blue Milguass. It came up in conversation one day while we were both in the kitchen. He told he just walked into an AD (this must have been about 6 months ago now) and just picked the steel model that he liked the most from the display case. A few months later he made a comment about my BLNR saying how he really liked it and didn't see "one of those" when he was browsing. When I briefly explained to him there was a waitlist for the watch, etc. he looked completely baffled. My guess is his reaction is the same as 99.9% of other people who walk into an AD.

[bobabreath]

I think a good solution is to have online sales where Rolex makes the watch when you order it. That way supply = demand. Then there will be no premade supply to get snatched up by wealthy VIPs and grey market flippers. No unpopular models lying around begging for an owner. The average Joe in his pajamas at home can get whatever in the catalog. Who cares if this devalues the Pepsi ceramic, SS Daytona etc. Watches are for wearing, not for investing. Rolex will release another hot item next year anyway.

Retail stores will be for trying on dummy watches and minor servicing like bracelets and bezel inserts. No more risk of smash and grab robberies. Just go there to hang out, have a Coke and talk about watches.

[Kigan]

No.

[Andad]

Ha, now I see how old you are Steve I can give you some advice son.

I didn’t vote because at the end of the day.....for the watches we want......


ROLEX HAVE NO STOCK.

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Ha, now I see how old you are Steve I can give you some advice son.

I didn’t vote because at the end of the day.....for the watches we want......


ROLEX HAVE NO STOCK.

Thanks Grandad!


NURSE!...NURSE!...Eddie's out of his cot again..

[nektar]

Absolutely! And I would wait for Black Friday sales


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RTG]

If I know what I want and I couldn’t buy it locally then yes. Absolutely I would buy from Rolex.com.

In my experience these watches never look the same on the wrist as they do in images. I prefer to visit the dealer and try the watch on. I would rather reward the dealer for having the inventory and purchase through them if they helped me come to a conclusion.

[GTC]

Originally Posted by Spam16v

Is it going to ever happen? No.

Exactly. Polls this deep in the abstract provide what?

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by GTC

Exactly. Polls this deep in the abstract provide what?

Thats a fairly shallow, abstract response, isn't it?

Why wouldn't Rolex set up a direct sales outlet?
We all know it will happen, eventually....don't we?


Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it. ~André Gide

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Lt Virgil Hilts

Why wouldn't Rolex set up a direct sales outlet?
We all know it will happen, eventually....don't we?

Why?

Rolex sells luxury not watches.

Can you sell the luxury experience online?

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Why?

Rolex sells luxury not watches.

Can you sell the luxury experience online?

+1

The fact that luxury groups do it (reichmont) doesnt mean Rolex will. They have different models and different interests to look out for. Public companies try to sell as much as possible and increase share prices for external shareholders. It often leads to long term damage to get short term results. They also make their watches in general readily available as they want to sell as many as possible. Scarcity doesnt exist to them and online is a vehicle to squeeze out a few more sales

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Why?

Rolex sells luxury not watches.

Can you sell the luxury experience online?

I have never bought anything for the 'luxury experience' (whatever that is).
For the individual that needs a retail, 'pat on the head', that would seem to me to be a very expensive way to have one's ego stroked.

The Rolex, 'luxury experience', for me is catching sight of my GMT on the bedside table, and slipping that beauty on my wrist every morning.
The retail part, I can do, without, thank you.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Lt Virgil Hilts

I have never bought anything for the 'luxury experience' (whatever that is).
For the individual that needs a retail, 'pat on the head', that would seem to me to be a very expensive way to have one's ego stroked.

The Rolex, 'luxury experience', for me is catching sight of my GMT on the bedside table, and slipping that beauty on my wrist every morning.
The retail part, I can do, without, thank you.

its the warm fuzzy feeling most people feel when dropping insane amounts on money on an item they don't need and it allows them to pull the trigger. Most people are not like us and know what we want.

Shopping watches with my wife takes months, and she goes back again and again and again. Tries everything on in the store and then thinks about it and then repeats every so often until she is ready. Its not that abnormal either. Then at the end the experience was a big part of what she enjoyed.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Why?

Rolex sells luxury not watches.

Can you sell the luxury experience online?

I agree while times are good or normal things will not change, but in future if the watch market really collapses to the takeover of I-tech then maybe Rolex will have to cut costs and become more creative and direct, but Rolex will be the last watch brand name to have to adapt, if it ever will.

[Sarosh]

Originally Posted by AK797

I agree while times are good or normal things will not change, but in future if the watch market really collapses to the takeover of I-tech then maybe Rolex will have to cut costs and become more creative and direct, but Rolex will be the last watch brand name to have to adapt, if it ever will.

We’ll all be long gone before that ever has to happen!! Which is why I’m already gonna put my grandchild’s name on a wait list for a Daytona!! Might actually arrive on time for their 18th and if not they can order it online and wait a few more years

Doesn’t matter online or not. All we would be doing is readily giving them our money and most likely have an undetermined delivery date on the more ‘in demand’ watches....