AD vs TRF for first-time purchase.

[Kanger]

It really comes down to one thing. Do you like money? If you like this substance called money (others call it other things such as but are not limited to: dough, moola, paper), then the answer is TRF sale board :)

[m5blitzer]

Originally Posted by kanger

It really comes down to one thing. Do you like money? If you like this substance called money (others call it other things such as but are not limited to: dough, moola, paper), then the answer is TRF sale board :)

Unless there is no appreciable difference in price between the AD and the trusted seller (i.e my DD II WG). I had the opportunity to touch and feel (loupe) the watch before dropping a bundle. Enjoyed the face to face, no pressure sales by my AD. Was even tempted to spend time in their "cigar" room to dwell on my big decision over Black Label scotch, neat, or course.

But I do agree money talks and BS walks and in most cases, the trusted seller wins as their pricing is just incredible.

[Zed Homme]

I use the trusted sellers. Part of the ad experience ought to be a discount especially given the current economy. Try shopping around with various ADs. Their attitude also changes when you tell them that you have the money with you and youre ready to buy that moment if you can get the right deal...

Some of the trusted sellers buy overstock from the ADs hence their ability to offer such great prices on watches with "open papers."

[MortgageGuy]

I have bought at least a dozen watches from the trusted TRF sellers, I am just saying for your forst Rolex you should have the AD experience... you can get AMAZING discounts at AD's too

[jldc]

You have to price the watch through TRF's sellers and through the AD. Be sure to add shipping, tax, etc so you are comparing apples to apples. Then you know that your new SubC (or whatever) will cost x from the AD and y from the trusted seller. Then you decide if the money saved is worth loosing the AD buying experience. In the end that's your decision and yours alone. Money saved vs loss of buying experience and minuscule risk of being cheated online. I've never had a problem with one of the trusted sellers but there is a certain "leap of faith" required with your first bank wire.

I have bought my Rolex watches only on TRF, but if the cost difference was negligible, I wouldn't hesitate to buy at an AD. I am going to Las Vegas next week and if I can find a green ceramic sub at list, shipped back to texas, I might buy it because they are going for very close to list here on TRF (although the prices are steadily dropping).

Buy the watch the way you are the happiest with, and wear it in good health. Good luck.

L

[dligg72]

I bought my Sub C and Date just from my local AD. I cannot speak as to TRF. Personally I like the customer service I get with my local AD. I can always count on them removing or adding links, polishing and cleaning ect. Also it would just feel weird going in with a new Rolex purchased elsewhere. However my Local AD are very nice people the next closest one to me are cocky asses and I would rather buy somewhere else.

[bemik]

In my case, it was about availability.
A few hundred dollars were relatively insignificant when I was about to spend $10K+, and since I was looking for a SS Daytona, price didn't really differ that much whether I got it from an AD or TRF.

I searched nearby ADs for months trying to locate a SS Daytona in vain, and luckily I was able to find one here.

Since this was also my first purchase, I think I would have purchased from an AD if they had the stock.

But at the end of the day, I wanted the watch badly, no AD had it in stock, TRF did, and that's how I got the watch.
No regrets, excellent transaction, plus extra $$$ to spend on martinis!

[RedwinGV]

If you know what you want, find out what a Trusted seller would sell one to you for. Then hit the AD. You'll know the answer.

I have read about AD's discounting. That may be true for the more costly (i.e. watches w/gold) Rolex's. It may also be true for those that have multiple purchases w/the AD. As for me, I got no movement from list from any of the AD's I visited, none, zip, zero. I guess I just must rub them the wrong way.

So, my vote is go with the trusted seller here. For the cost savings that is.

For the folks that promote post service- for what I saved, I can pay for quite a few trips to the AD. And not to bash any AD, if I come in for a tweak on my Rolex, they should treat me with respect and grace- and I have no problem being charged a reasonable fee for what I need. I shouldn't be treated any worse than a customer that made a purchase.--- In fact, if it were my store, I'd treat "me" at least as nice so that maybe I can get the next buy out of me.

[alettiere]

Has anyone ever played the TRF card at the AD? I'm curious as to what their responses are to justify purchasing from an AD. Does TRF get a bad rap from the ADs?

If I said, "Well, I can get a Sub-C for X amount of dollars at a TRF - so why should I purchase from you instead?" What would they say? That I run the risk of buying a fake?

[TRW]

Trusted Seller BNIB is the Route I would take.Good Luck

[karmatp]

Originally Posted by alettiere

Has anyone ever played the TRF card at the AD? I'm curious as to what their responses are to justify purchasing from an AD. Does TRF get a bad rap from the ADs?

If I said, "Well, I can get a Sub-C for X amount of dollars at a TRF - so why should I purchase from you instead?" What would they say? That I run the risk of buying a fake?

Ad's don't care about TRF, because AD's feel like they have more to offer. With the AD you will get your name on the card, the joy of walking into a local store and walking out with a new Rolex, (which I think is worth something, it's a amazing feeling), extended warranty (3 years), and 100% satisfaction that you are buying a authentic Rolex. With buying second hand or online, you might be buying a fake, a stolen Rolex or one that was illegally brought into the states without a AD stamp, (Rolex will not warranty these by the way).

Another thing that gets me is that many local AD's will deal if you can negotiate with them, except for the large chains it seems. I have often purchased Rolex watches for much less than the going rate here on TRF, the deals are good but not that good.

With that said, there are some great sellers here on TRF that you can deal with without troubles, BUT, for your one and only Rolex purchase for life, go with the AD experience.


You are local to me so I will shoot you a pm, you'll have your new
Rolex in no time, great choice on the Sub C by the way.

[The GMT Master]

There are deals to be had at ADs, and there are places that will take good care of you, not just when purchasing the watch, but for whenever you have an issue with it too. They are out there, but sometimes they're a little hard to track down amongst the more disappointing ADs

[dsio]

If you paid one of the TRF sellers full MSRP instead of their discounted rates, I'm sure they'd be willing to take you to dinner/strip club/Disney land and send a thank you card.

[Art 1]

I have never regretted buying my first Rolex from an AD. That was a start that has allowed me to buy 4 very hard to find watches at MSRP that GD's would have charged WAY over MSRP for.

[psv]

I've bought at least 3 Rolex from different ADs as well as more expensive Panerai, JLCs etc from boutique or ADs, and I have never been offered champagne or been particularly impressed with the treatment. Nice and courteous treatment, very friendly and no-pressure, good service etc - so I don't think that is the reason to buy from AD.

For me it comes down to a couple of reasons:

Is this a piece that I plan to keep for life and hand down to one of the kids? If so, I want it untouched by other people and the warranty in my name. I might be able to do that via our TRF Sellers but then again, on the popular models their prices are at the same levels, or higher, than a good AD. I got my recent SubC at AD for less than it frequently sells for used here at TRF. The hype is over on the SubC and most ADs have them in stock - Jan/Feb post-Christmas is slow-season so there is room to negotiate.

On the other hand, if it is a model I really like but not 100% sure about for life, and it is a common model like a GMTIIC, I much rather buy via TRF Sellers in used mint condition and save big.

About getting AD discounts: most people know better than to judge the book by the cover. I have an former boss who is LOADED (think private jet, multiple houses, tons of Patek etc). He regularly strolls in at top end jewelry/AD store in sport pants and flip-flops and he might very well walk out with a Patek or Lange.

It all depends on how you carry yourself when you are in the store: your level of knowledge; what you converse about (like what else is in your collection); your seriousness about doing business that day; your ability to pay in various ways; perhaps a bit your age and appearance, perhaps profession. I hate to say it, there is nothing fair about it - as always in life - people who got plenty of money get the best discounts (same goes for banks, car dealers, whatever).

[m5blitzer]

Originally Posted by psv

It all depends on how you carry yourself when you are in the store: your level of knowledge; what you converse about (like what else is in your collection); your seriousness about doing business that day; your ability to pay in various ways; perhaps a bit your age and appearance, perhaps profession. I hate to say it, there is nothing fair about it - as always in life - people who got plenty of money get the best discounts (same goes for banks, car dealers, whatever).

100% agree. Well said. Especially if the money is hard earned.

[Chad C.]

My first Rolex I bought at an AD. My next Rolex I will buy from a respected dealer here. My next watch will be a new GMT IIc. You can find them here BNIB with your name on the warranty card, etc. for a steep discount. Why would I not want to save $800 or so dollars? That is pretty tough to pass up, IMO.

There is a significant mark up on Rolex watches - I think people on this forum have estimated 30% - 40%. Those selling the watches here are still making good money and I would wager to guess they are selling at a much greater volume than most ADs.

[slcbbrown]

Originally Posted by alettiere

Hey guys, I’ve been saving for my first (and only) Rolex purchase for a few months now and am about halfway there. After debating between a classic Sub and Sub-C , I have my heart set on the ceramic.

As I’ve gotten closer to being able to make my purchase, I’ve been dropping by a few ADs in my area to just “test the waters” and get a general idea of what I’ll be having to shell out cash-wise, as well as trying on the various watches that have sparked my interest.

It seems that prices on TRF are better when making comparisons to the AD. Not drastically better, but definitely more appealing. Unfortunately, when I talk “discounts” with the ADs, they offer nothing. In fact, they offer no real incentive for me to purchase other than the usual sales scare tactic about “prices going up next week” and discussing their financing option if I wanted to go that route instead of paying all at once (which is my preferred method). I find their refusal to mildly negotiate to be a little unusual, but have been told that unless you’re a regular, don’t expect to walk in and get any accommodations. Although, maybe the fact that I admit that I’m still in the process of saving and not showing up with the intent to purchase right then and there doesn’t give them the motivation to attempt to work with me.

It seems that TRF is the way to go if you’re wanting to get the best price, although I’m wondering, are there any disadvantages to this? If a seller is reputable and the price is right, why would I bother spending a little more at an AD? The warranty (provided it’s available) should still be intact and transferable, right? Does it really just boil down to not being able to run to the AD where I purchased it if problems were to arise?

Ultimately, my goal is to be able to purchase when I hit 7K – which seems doable when I frequently browse TRF. At a local AD in my area? Not so doable. Is it really worth the extra dollar to go with an AD and pay their full price? Hell, the sales tax alone makes me want to hurl!

If you are already knowledgeable about expensive watches and this is your first Rolex, there isn't much reason to buy from an AD. For a new model like the ceramic Rolex, the AD's probably see them first and might have a better selection.

If you don't know much about watches, at all, doing business with an AD is very comforting and requires nothing from you but the money. A strong AD could have their own service dept, which can be nice, later on. Otherwise, they all send to RSC and the AD contributes nothing except some handling. You can send to RSC, yourself.

As far as a discount, I would find it odd for an AD to discount the newest model.

[witch watch]

On my more expensive watches i have i went three ways to get them,boutique,GD,AD and my advise would be if you can save a substantial amount by going GD then that's the way to go UNLESS you honestly believe that you will purchase more in the future, especially if it's a hard to get model as a good rapport with an AD can go a long way in that respect.

[tripleC]

Originally Posted by dsio

If you paid one of the TRF sellers full MSRP instead of their discounted rates, I'm sure they'd be willing to take you to dinner/strip club/Disney land and send a thank you card.

Lol. Who pays full price anyway hit up a trf member.

[Chipmunk]

What is more important for you......getting a good discount or an AD Experience?
Some AD's have no Experience.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by Chipmunk

What is more important for you......getting a good discount or an AD Experience?
Some AD's have no Experience.

This is very true. You can probably get great deals from an AD in certain parts of the country. Adam (MortgageGuy) has had a great experience with his AD! Unfortunately that isn't going to happen here in NYC. The AD experience here in NYC is terrible not to mention very little discounting and an insanely high tax bill to boot.

[Lion]

Go with the seller who makes you comfortable. There are many great gray dealers here on TRF and there are many good Ad's out there as well. My first one I bought from my local AD(didn't know about TRF) and got 13% off for a first ever purchase from the jewelry store. My second one I bought from them as well and got 20% off so there are AD's who will discount.....you just have to find them. Otherwise buy from here on TRF and have confidence that respected gray dealers will meet your needs!!!

[garGARgar]

Originally Posted by Lion

Go with the seller who makes you comfortable. There are many great gray dealers here on TRF and there are many good Ad's out there as well. My first one I bought from my local AD(didn't know about TRF) and got 13% off for a first ever purchase from the jewelry store. My second one I bought from them as well and got 20% off so there are AD's who will discount.....you just have to find them. Otherwise buy from here on TRF and have confidence that respected gray dealers will meet your needs!!!

Agreed. Just go with whoever you are more comfortable with. I doubt you'll regret either way.

[Gottog]

Money talks. When you're ready to buy and show cash in hand, no AD will let you walk out empty-handed due to a strict discount policy. 1%?! 2%?? They'll give it to you.

[duckdown]

I'm looking at buying via DavidSW but the "royal treatment" sounds nice too! If only the AD's around here were as flexible with their pricing

[m5blitzer]

Yes, DavidSW is great! And yes, buying your 1st watch at an AD is also great!!!

[CashGap]

I have to say, no AD can offer the experience level available on-line.

My iPad is a great place from which to shop for a Rolex, a Gibson guitar, an Infiniti, a BMW and any number of other fine products.

I haven't found a jewelry store as comfortable as my den, maybe I'm shopping in the wrong cities.

I shouldn't say no AD can offer that experience, they can, and would if not for the prohibitions in the dealer agreement.

This article today How Sales Has Changed in the Information Age covers some of what the manufacturers are fighting, though the article has a B2B focus.

[m5blitzer]

@ AIKO - Go Steelers!!!

[Traveler]

There are only 3 TRF sellers I would buy from. Otherwise, BNIB from an Authorized Rolex Dealer only..in both cases ONLY with my name on the original Rolex warranty card/papers.