AD talk…

[rmagoo57]

Originally Posted by StevenMichael

Communicated with an AD yesterday. Said (exactly) “buying a Rolex is no longer a business transaction. It’s now about the relationship with us. Starting off and seeing where it goes.” Now we all know this. But it got me thinking as I had some fun pressing him on what that means. He could not (would not) define it in any way. Basically just start buying other things and we’ll see. It got me thinking, is there any other product out there where the retailer holds it hostage and extorts you with no promises of anything in the end. It’s a very dysfunctional and interesting business model.

My reply, "How about starting off the relationship with a Sub Date!"

[Malum]

Originally Posted by inadeje

Get used to it or exit the game.

Bidding wars on property
Ferrari waiting lists
Chanel bag customer profiling
Porsche GT3 qualification process
Yacht bidding wars
Etc

Beg, show your worth, play the game or be excluded.

That’s the reality, and the rich love it when things are that way, they become vindicated.

Thank god I don’t have to play those games to prove my worth . I like where I’m at .

[Roger Lococco]

Originally Posted by rmagoo57

My reply, "How about starting off the relationship with a Sub Date!"

SA: “How about first buying 17 separate 31mm DateJusts instead?”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tricolore66]

This sounds more like an SA seeking to avoid a difficult conversation than someone you’ll actually be buying a watch from. If I heard this line from a dealer I’d insist on paying for the watch now to make sure I get it, and then see how she works her way out of the box she put herself in.

Originally Posted by buffetwarren

Every AD is different. I went to one yesterday for first time and the SA said she can get me the SS I asked for within a few months. No down payment or suggestion about buying other watches. Let’s see if she comes through but I still think there are good ADs/SAs out there.

[sleepydoc]

Originally Posted by buffetwarren

Every AD is different. I went to one yesterday for first time and the SA said she can get me the SS I asked for within a few months. No down payment or suggestion about buying other watches. Let’s see if she comes through but I still think there are good ADs/SAs out there.

This would certainly be an anomaly. Are you extremely good looking? Kidding. Sort of.

[Tricolore66]

Do you have a suggestion of a better system than allocating scarce resources to the individuals who most support the business that feeds your family?

If you think it’s sleaze then the reality is that your pockets probably aren’t deep enough to play at the table.

Originally Posted by Sprezzatura!,

It’s standard AD talk these days. Sleaze.

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by Tricolore66

Do you have a suggestion of a better system than allocating scarce resources to the individuals who most support the business that feeds your family?

If you think it’s sleaze then the reality is that your pockets probably aren’t deep enough to play at the table.

Thats a big assumption about my financial capacity.

The principal is something i entirely agree with, i’m in sales myself, albeit in a corporate landscape.

However, the WAY, these retail specialists conduct themselves and go about things, is low-grade - thats just retail for you, its not really proper sales territory.

There are many, many better ways to maximise profits from both existing customers and prospective new clientele than i see from AD’s.

You clearly haven’t got a clue, and i’m not going to give you one.

[classicalthunder]

Originally Posted by Tricolore66

Do you have a suggestion of a better system than allocating scarce resources to the individuals who most support the business that feeds your family?

If you think it’s sleaze then the reality is that your pockets probably aren’t deep enough to play at the table.

The sleazy part is that they wont give you particulars or define the terms, but keep dangling the carrot. If its all about a business transaction, just tell me how much and how long and let me determine if its worth my consideration

If I went in and asked and they said, $10K spend on other items and you will get one within 6-12 months I wouldn't really have a problem with it. Or that you need a minimum of $50K purchases to qualify for a GMT and $100K for a Daytona.

[SocialMediaUser]

Originally Posted by classicalthunder

The sleazy part is that they wont give you particulars or define the terms, but keep dangling the carrot. If its all about a business transaction, just tell me how much and how long and let me determine if its worth my consideration

If I went in and asked and they said, $10K spend on other items and you will get one within 6-12 months I wouldn't really have a problem with it. Or that you need a minimum of $50K purchases to qualify for a GMT and $100K for a Daytona.

Then I hope you are not dumb enough to bite at that carrot.
And if you are what do you complain about?

[Calatrava r]

With their cases empty, it really is an AD seller's market unless you want to pay the crazy prices on the pre-owned market. The key is to find an AD easier to deal with.

[Tricolore66]

Whether or not I have a clue is debatable, but I don’t have an issue getting anything I want from my AD.

Originally Posted by Sprezzatura!,

Thats a big assumption about my financial capacity.

The principal is something i entirely agree with, i’m in sales myself, albeit in a corporate landscape.

However, the WAY, these retail specialists conduct themselves and go about things, is low-grade - thats just retail for you, its not really proper sales territory.

There are many, many better ways to maximise profits from both existing customers and prospective new clientele than i see from AD’s.

You clearly haven’t got a clue.

[Gardensvi]

I love my AD. I do understand the frustration of many though. Much of what we get in life we earn through building relationships and being honest. I waited 20 plus years to get my first Owsley buckle. So the four years for a 116508 wasn’t as bad.

[D007]

good analogy

Originally Posted by bluestreak

Go into an Hermes store and try to buy a Birkin Bag.

I liken the situation to this: think of the AD as the hottest restaurant in town and Rolexes as Friday and Saturday night reservations.

It’s possible to get the hot reservation, but usually it takes time or effort or expense.

If you want to walk up on a Saturday night without a reservation and get a table you’re going to have to 1) be incredibly lucky 2) be the person that is a regular (i.e., has a relationship with the restaurant) and and eaten at the restaurant during the week too. The Tuesday reservations are the non Rolex things the AD sells. And if you ask any restaurant owner, it’s the Tuesday regulars they care the most about taking care of. It’s what keeps them open. Or 3)Slip the maitre d’ some cash, which is basically buying some stuff as a new customer

Every business that has a resource where demand vastly exceeds supply works in this manner. At least in the near term.

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by Sprezzatura!,

Thats a big assumption about my financial capacity.

The principal is something i entirely agree with, i’m in sales myself, albeit in a corporate landscape.

However, the WAY, these retail specialists conduct themselves and go about things, is low-grade - thats just retail for you, its not really proper sales territory.

There are many, many better ways to maximise profits from both existing customers and prospective new clientele than i see from AD’s.

You clearly haven’t got a clue, and i’m not going to give you one.

I for one would like to hear your thoughts on the many better ways to maximize profits from both existing customers and new clientele. Maybe some ADs will learn something.

[noshake]

Originally Posted by Stupot

I think some Ferrari and Porsche GT models are in the same zone.



Not speaking from personal experience, I may add!

I've read that Ferrari has been doing this for years. But they build in small quantities like Patek. Rolex is mass produced doesn't really add up. IMO the demand and limited supply chain has caused this current environment. If you didn't start your collecting journey 5 years ago its going to be very difficult now to build a relationship.

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

What was the context of the conversation?

First visit? 15th visit with no purchase history, just popping in or are you an established repeat customer?

My interpretation of what he wouldn't come out and say is the in order to build the "relationship"...you buy what they have to sell, including high margin jewelry and other watch brands. You also don't want to be "that guy". I would define that as the guy who when they walk into the store, the staff isn't glad they showed up for various reasons...including neurotic behavior, whining, complaining and other personality traits that could be generally viewed as "negative" . They simply have too many customers and too few watches to put up with any of that, so if the individual doesn't spend enough and exhibits unfavorable behavior then there will be No Relationship which = No Rolex. That's pretty much it.

Hang on… ‘put up with any of that’?? Haha

We are talking about retail staff here?? A shop, that happens to sell high-end goods?

You have GOT to work in a store that sells Rolex watches. I dare you to tell me you don’t!!??

[classicalthunder]

Originally Posted by SocialMediaUser

Then I hope you are not dumb enough to bite at that carrot.
And if you are what do you complain about?

I haven't, nor would I buy anything that I didn't truly otherwise want just to get a Rolex...that seems like a fools errand

Last watch I bought was almost 20 years ago and have relocated several times in that point, so I'm starting from scratch again so I feel the frustration.

Luckily I already have my grail watch, and my local AD carries a number of other watches that I do sincerely otherwise want, but the decision to purchase these widely available watches from them rather than a different AD or a boutique is going to be tethered to their ability to get me a Submariner

[noshake]

Originally Posted by Ftech1

Ferrari for sure.

Yep,

Ferrari- old money
Lamborghini- new money
Rolex- we'll see, build a relationship

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by Tricolore66

Whether or not I have a clue is debatable, but I don’t have an issue getting anything I want from my AD.

Who cares about whether you can get anything you want? I certainly wasn’t asking you. And you do realise how sleazy that also sounds… ?

My comment was a one-line observation, not a complaint. I don’t need to justify, like you do, what i can, or cannot get from an AD. But, regardless of what they have supplied me with over the years, i still think they are sleaze.

[Wcdhtwn]

I went to the Houston PP AD a few weeks ago and had a similar conversation. Relationship this and relationship that… I asked him directly how much I have to spend before I can get what I want. He evaded of course, “it’s not an amount of money, it’s about the relationship…”.

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by Sprezzatura!,

Hang on… ‘put up with any of that’?? Haha

We are talking about retail staff here?? A shop, that happens to sell high-end goods?

You have GOT to work in a store that sells Rolex watches. I dare you to tell me you don’t!!??

I think the thing that bothers folks the most about the current Rolex situation is the fact that it requires treating retail employees as something other than underlings.
Anyone who has worked retail or in the service industry knows that there are people you treat well because they spend, but there are also people you treat well because they treat you well.

And if you’re selling a product that you know you will absolutely sell every single one you get, you do have to “put up with” less crap/jerk behavior because there are 10 other customers in line waiting to give you their money.

[classicalthunder]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

I went to the Houston PP AD a few weeks ago and had a similar conversation. Relationship this and relationship that… I asked him directly how much I have to spend before I can get what I want. He evaded of course, “it’s not an amount of money, it’s about the relationship…”.

just stop in once a week to see if they saw the Rockets game last night or ask how the kids are doing and see if that works! /s

but honestly, this is the part that bugs me...just tell me what I have to do and let me run the calculations to see if its worth it to me...

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

I for one would like to hear your thoughts on the many better ways to maximize profits from both existing customers and new clientele. Maybe some ADs will learn something.

There are a lot of amateurs out there, and a great deal that many AD’s could learn. They are shifting a product that sells itself.

Try taking a member of staff at an AD and watch them TRY and sell an item that isn’t Rolex… perhaps something where the client says NO, initially.

Comedy.

No. I don’t need to impart my wisdom here.

[waterking]

With Ferrari's top tier models you are very, very lucky if you get a build slot and, these days, you need to get the slot before they stop accepting orders. Sound familiar?

[StevenMichael]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

Thanks

To sum up my previous comment, dealers simply want to deal with individuals who spend , with high dollar and high frequency on diverse mix of products with no hassle to them. They can be selective because there seems to be a lot of individuals out there who are capable of doing this and they aren't overburdened with Rolex inventory, so they can be very choosey and simply blow off the individuals they don't feel are "cool" enough to interact with.

So assign a dollar value to “spend.” Just tell me the formula. It’s so vague.

[bob sims]

Originally Posted by StevenMichael

Communicated with an AD yesterday. Said (exactly) “buying a Rolex is no longer a business transaction. It’s now about the relationship with us. Starting off and seeing where it goes.” Now we all know this. But it got me thinking as I had some fun pressing him on what that means. He could not (would not) define it in any way. Basically just start buying other things and we’ll see. It got me thinking, is there any other product out there where the retailer holds it hostage and extorts you with no promises of anything in the end. It’s a very dysfunctional and interesting business model.

Patek and AP same BS.

[Sprezzatura!,]

Originally Posted by StevenMichael

So assign a dollar value to “spend.” Just tell me the formula. It’s so vague.

Thats the point.

See how far the customer will go without any guidance.

[nyyankees]

My AD isn’t like this. It must be different from AD to AD.


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[BradSomrak]

Originally Posted by StevenMichael

It got me thinking, is there any other product out there where the retailer holds it hostage and extorts you with no promises of anything in the end. It’s a very dysfunctional and interesting business model.

Certain cars and champagnes are just two off the top of my head.

[buffetwarren]

Originally Posted by Tricolore66

This sounds more like an SA seeking to avoid a difficult conversation than someone you’ll actually be buying a watch from. If I heard this line from a dealer I’d insist on paying for the watch now to make sure I get it, and then see how she works her way out of the box she put herself in.

I see no reason for the SA to lie. They did not suggest for me to spend or put a deposit down. Another member noted here last week they got a SS from this same AD within a week of expressing interest despite no purchase history. Yes these ADs are blood suckers but I’m sure there are still some decent ones out there.