Going to try some reverse psychology on AD next week....

[Rado63]

Originally Posted by mjr24

So a local AD (have never bought from them but have had a few watches sized and polished there over the years) is reopening now that the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the stay at home ban enacted by our governor.

I need to get my 126715CHNR sized that I just got and am going to do that there. I'm pretty sure they are going to ask why I didn't buy such a piece from them. I'm going to tell them that until they offer me a good SS piece at MSRP that I won't be buying PM models (which have much higher margins for dealers) from them. Basically, the reverse of their "buy a ton of stuff and then maybe we will sell you a SS at MSRP." Probably should wait to say that until AFTER they have sized the watch.

I'm curious to see what they say.....or if they can suddenly come up with a Hulk.

This is fun, I like this and we should try to help. My suggestion is to Prepare how to respond to the AD. The AD may say that they have a list of clients with a purchase history at this store, and the policy in the store is to sell a SS piece to the clients who are a part of that list.

[franktehtank]

AD's only have power because the consumers give it to them. We're buying little baubles for 10's of thousands of dollars (and sometimes much more). They're also relatively useless compared to a simple G shock, and do their job much worse.

In my mind, AD's should be bending over backwards for a customer willing to fork over such a large amount of their hard earned money for a trinket. However, that's the world we live in, and it's entirely our fault as consumers, helped along by some of the most incredible marketing the world has ever witnessed.

I say, try the reverse psychology on them. AD's aren't your friend, so don't treat them as such. If it works out, fantastic! If not, forget them. You don't need them, there are literally hundreds or thousands of other AD's and preowned sellers who may be more forthcoming.

Me, I can't wait for this market to flip back and bring the power back to the consumer. I'll be remembering which AD's were useless.

[calebb90]

I don’t really understand the logic here. You don’t like that ADs play games, so now you’re going to go play games with the AD?

Sounds like you have a place that you like buying watches from and they’ve given you fair deals. Why not continue to do business with them?


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[calebb90]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

I’ve already had a chat with my AD and explained, no more purchases until the BLRO turns up, then they get the green light and I will add some more. There’s other brands I’m happy to buy instead. I quite fancy a Globemaster if I’m honest.

I like this. Straight forward and honest.


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[subprimero]

Please report back with your results.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

I’ve already had a chat with my AD and explained, no more purchases until the BLRO turns up, then they get the green light and I will add some more. There’s other brands I’m happy to buy instead. I quite fancy a Globemaster if I’m honest.

The globe master annual calendar is very nice.

[Ihatecheese]

Buying things guide


Buyer- I want to buy X
Seller- OK. I will let you know when available, anything else?
Buyer- No thanks, bye.

[horseShu]

There are other fashion brands that have these same tactics (waitlist, bundling) in their boutique stores.
Hermes, LV, Chanel.

Maybe talk to your wife/mistress and ask for tips?

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by AJMarcus

I really don’t think they’ll care either. But they may try some reverse psychology on you. They may tell you to take it to wherever you bought it and have them size it for you, funny man. I might if I were them. Bringing attitude into an AD isn’t a good strategy to get on their good list. Good luck

And I’d leave the biggest, fattest, deserved one star rating on their social media and then take it to the next AD and have it sized.

I will say that I emailed them about sizing the watch maybe a week and a half ago because I wasn’t sure if they might still be doing some sort of curbside pickup for stuff like that. They emailed back and said they were closed and weren’t doing that. They actually called and left me a VM on Tuesday saying they were now open and to come in....which I wasn’t expecting (especially since we had only talked via email). I don’t think I told them what type of watch it was in my email.

When I say some are missing the point....I mean that I’m not doing a bundle. I’m also not buying another PM right now, whether I’m offered the Hulk or not. I simply am assuming they will ask where I got that CHNR and likely will ask why I didn’t purchase from them. They certainly may not say a word and that would be fine....I won’t even bring up the Hulk then. No harm done. Again, this is a smaller AD in an area that isn’t a hotbed for Rolex likely....so they might rarely see the CHNR. I might be underestimating, too.

I, like a lot of us, am just kind of curious how many dealers had watches in the safe. I am also curious how bad the current economy is for them or whether that was all speculation on our parts....maybe they aren’t hurting.

Like I also said, I’m not a sucker. I’m not bundling a PM to get a Hulk at MSRP when I can go pay a gray $3k more for the Hulk and save the $40k not spent on another PM. Like a lot of you who posted on here said, we aren’t going to go in and bow down to try to get a SS for MSRP.

Be serious, I’m bringing a $38k MSRP watch into them....like I won’t go and pay someone else $13k for another. They either want my business or they don’t. It’s not really an indictment of them either way....I’m just curious how realistic some of the stories we’ve been reading on here are....all the incomings, etc. when COVID hit.

[mjr24]

Originally Posted by calebb90

I don’t really understand the logic here. You don’t like that ADs play games, so now you’re going to go play games with the AD?

Sounds like you have a place that you like buying watches from and they’ve given you fair deals. Why not continue to do business with them?


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Not playing games. If they offered me a Hulk there on the spot, I’d buy it. That’s not a game.

At the same time, I also didn’t buy from them because they can’t touch gray pricing on the CHNR. They also haven’t called me on any hot watches I’ve wanted....so at this point they haven’t earned the right for me to want to buy from them yet.

I buy from grays whose prices are good. There is no science to this. It doesn’t mean I’ll be a repeat customer to any of them if the prices aren’t good. I won’t pay someone more because I’ve dealt with them previously if I can get the watch cheaper elsewhere. Again, I’m a big fan of keeping my money.

[calebb90]

Originally Posted by mjr24

Not playing games. If they offered me a Hulk there on the spot, I’d buy it. That’s not a game.

At the same time, I also didn’t buy from them because they can’t touch gray pricing on the CHNR. They also haven’t called me on any hot watches I’ve wanted....so at this point they haven’t earned the right for me to want to buy from them yet.

I buy from grays whose prices are good. There is no science to this. It doesn’t mean I’ll be a repeat customer to any of them if the prices aren’t good. I won’t pay someone more because I’ve dealt with them previously if I can get the watch cheaper elsewhere. Again, I’m a big fan of keeping my money.

Got it. You want your cake and eat it too but it’s not ok for businesses you work with to give preference to loyal customers.


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[Marcjvr]

Originally Posted by calebb90

Got it. You want your cake and eat it too but it’s not ok for businesses you work with to give preference to loyal customers.


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Not sure why the OP is ruffling your feathers so much.

It’s not like ADs are in this noble profession with tight margins where they donate half of their proceeds to the local orphanage. They sell shiny, fancy mass produced watches for ridiculous amounts of money that no one needs but everyone here wants.

ADs play games. OP is going to try a tactic similar to what he has seen ADs use. At worst it is going to be a short polite discussion between a potential customer and a business. No one is going to get hurt.

All is fair in love, war and shiny watch buying.

[MyLord]

Pretty sure you aren’t buying anything.

[BumbleB]

Originally Posted by mjr24

Not playing games. If they offered me a Hulk there on the spot, I’d buy it. That’s not a game.

At the same time, I also didn’t buy from them because they can’t touch gray pricing on the CHNR. They also haven’t called me on any hot watches I’ve wanted....so at this point they haven’t earned the right for me to want to buy from them yet.

I buy from grays whose prices are good. There is no science to this. It doesn’t mean I’ll be a repeat customer to any of them if the prices aren’t good. I won’t pay someone more because I’ve dealt with them previously if I can get the watch cheaper elsewhere. Again, I’m a big fan of keeping my money.

It’s a shame you’re a bit late to the game.

3 years ago, ADs would have 2-3 hulks in the store and couldn’t get rid of them no matter how much they tried to convince you that it was a beautiful watch...

Now you have to get on a ‘waiting list’ for that same watch they couldn’t get people to buy.

Amazing.


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[calebb90]

Originally Posted by Marcjvr

Not sure why the OP is ruffling your feathers so much.

It’s not like ADs are in this noble profession with tight margins where they donate half of their proceeds to the local orphanage. They sell shiny, fancy mass produced watches for ridiculous amounts of money that no one needs but everyone here wants.

ADs play games. OP is going to try a tactic similar to what he has seen ADs use. At worst it is going to be a short polite discussion between a potential customer and a business. No one is going to get hurt.

All is fair in love, war and shiny watch buying.

I just believe in the golden rule. Treat others as you want to be treated. I like to believe that this approach helps me get what I want out of life without having to deploy tactical warfare when I go shopping.

Feathers aren’t ruffled and I wish OP the best. To each his own.


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[Xenon]

Originally Posted by BumbleB

It’s a shame you’re a bit late to the game.

3 years ago, ADs would have 2-3 hulks in the store and couldn’t get rid of them no matter how much they tried to convince you that it was a beautiful watch...

Now you have to get on a ‘waiting list’ for that same watch they couldn’t get people to buy.

Amazing.


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This^^^

[Pongster]

Originally Posted by horseShu

There are other fashion brands that have these same tactics (waitlist, bundling) in their boutique stores.
Hermes, LV, Chanel.

Maybe talk to your wife/mistress and ask for tips?

Per my wife, easier to get an Hermes from resellers. It took me two years to get her a Birkin from our local Hermes boutique. At least i got it at retail. Resellers sell at a premium. Just not sure how much.

Although my wife been “lucky” in our recent trips last year and “scored” bags on her own at the boutiques in Seoul, Sydney, Prague and Hong Kong.

LV and Chanel easy to get.

[RJG]

My manager at work - who has several Rolexes, and drives one of two Porsches - has an established rapport with Ben Bridge Jewellers in Seattle.

His wait list was in a strange chronology - his Explorer II was 6 months. His hulk - the AD called him in two weeks. Two ...weeks... wait list. ( Yeah, you read that right. )

I'd just be as forthcoming and honest as you can be.
They've seen and heard it all by now.

[garyk]

I think the reverse idea is brilliant!

[j-watch]

I live in WI, and have had a very good relationship with three of the 4 AD's here. One I've purchased over 20 watches from over a 20 year period, including some small jewelry, pens, etc. I've bought 10 pieces from another, and 3 from the third. All three are still giving me the cold shoulder on a White Daytona or BLRO. One won't even return my emails or calls anymore (the one I bought over 20 pieces from) and the one I've purchased 10 pieces from wants to play the, "buy some nice jewelry from the wife, or add a Daydate, and I'll see what I can do" game.

Freaking BS, really. So, I bit the bullet and went Gray on the BLRO. Still holding out hope that one of them comes through with the White Daytona, then I'm done. I have too many watches to wear now anyway.

Good luck to you, but as I know most of those WI dealers, I doubt they'll care what you think. It's a pure money grab at the moment, Covid-19 be damned.

[Father and Son]

I understand your logic. But let me play devils advocate.

Instead of being somewhat adversarial- why not just hit the reset button... Start over with them.

Thank them for sizing your PM piece. If/when they ask you why you didn't buy it from them let them know that you have been trying to develop a strong relationship with an AD and have visited several, bought from a few. And ask them if they would assist you in your efforts to acquire <insert preferred SS models here>....

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by calebb90

Got it. You want your cake and eat it too but it’s not ok for businesses you work with to give preference to loyal customers.


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The way I see it, the OP is being loyal to himself instead of to the AD

And there is nothing wrong with that.


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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Marcjvr

Not sure why the OP is ruffling your feathers so much.

It’s not like ADs are in this noble profession with tight margins where they donate half of their proceeds to the local orphanage. They sell shiny, fancy mass produced watches for ridiculous amounts of money that no one needs but everyone here wants.

ADs play games. OP is going to try a tactic similar to what he has seen ADs use. At worst it is going to be a short polite discussion between a potential customer and a business. No one is going to get hurt.

All is fair in love, war and shiny watch buying.

Agree


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[djyolky]

Originally Posted by mjr24

Not playing games. If they offered me a Hulk there on the spot, I’d buy it. That’s not a game.



At the same time, I also didn’t buy from them because they can’t touch gray pricing on the CHNR. They also haven’t called me on any hot watches I’ve wanted....so at this point they haven’t earned the right for me to want to buy from them yet.



I buy from grays whose prices are good. There is no science to this. It doesn’t mean I’ll be a repeat customer to any of them if the prices aren’t good. I won’t pay someone more because I’ve dealt with them previously if I can get the watch cheaper elsewhere. Again, I’m a big fan of keeping my money.

God bless you brotha MJR. I'd buy you a beer if I could.

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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by calebb90

I just believe in the golden rule. Treat others as you want to be treated. I like to believe that this approach helps me get what I want out of life without having to deploy tactical warfare when I go shopping.

Feathers aren’t ruffled and I wish OP the best. To each his own.


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What!?

I read a book that said the golden rule is:

“The guy with the gold makes the rules!”

Hahaha

[dxbtousa]

I don't really know why people focus so much of their efforts into this.

Until dealers have a hard time offloading watches, "taking my $$x amount elsewhere" doesn't mean anything.

[djyolky]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

The way I see it, the OP is being loyal to himself instead of to the AD

And there is nothing wrong with that.


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Nothing wrong with that at all. If an AD cannot get you your watch for less than msrp, he's not doing you any favors anyway. All this relationship talk is a big joke. People feeling indebted to ADs and acting like sycophants makes me want to puke.

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[dpj17]

Originally Posted by mjr24

So a local AD (have never bought from them but have had a few watches sized and polished there over the years) is reopening now that the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the stay at home ban enacted by our governor.

I need to get my 126715CHNR sized that I just got and am going to do that there. I'm pretty sure they are going to ask why I didn't buy such a piece from them. I'm going to tell them that until they offer me a good SS piece at MSRP that I won't be buying PM models (which have much higher margins for dealers) from them. Basically, the reverse of their "buy a ton of stuff and then maybe we will sell you a SS at MSRP." Probably should wait to say that until AFTER they have sized the watch.

I'm curious to see what they say.....or if they can suddenly come up with a Hulk.

Maybe just buy a screw set and do it yourself rather than jerk people around.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by djyolky

Nothing wrong with that at all. If an AD cannot get you your watch for less than msrp, he's not doing you any favors anyway. All this relationship talk is a big joke. People feeling indebted to ADs and acting like sycophants makes me want to puke.

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Agree.

I’m blown away by these dudes with super deep pockets, probably a result of hard work and discipline, bowing their head to an AD

Maybe we’ve been brainwashed by ADs and AD fanatics to believe in this “relationship” thing

[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by mjr24

And I’d leave the biggest, fattest, deserved one star rating on their social media and then take it to the next AD and have it sized.

I will say that I emailed them about sizing the watch maybe a week and a half ago because I wasn’t sure if they might still be doing some sort of curbside pickup for stuff like that. They emailed back and said they were closed and weren’t doing that. They actually called and left me a VM on Tuesday saying they were now open and to come in....which I wasn’t expecting (especially since we had only talked via email). I don’t think I told them what type of watch it was in my email.

When I say some are missing the point....I mean that I’m not doing a bundle. I’m also not buying another PM right now, whether I’m offered the Hulk or not. I simply am assuming they will ask where I got that CHNR and likely will ask why I didn’t purchase from them. They certainly may not say a word and that would be fine....I won’t even bring up the Hulk then. No harm done. Again, this is a smaller AD in an area that isn’t a hotbed for Rolex likely....so they might rarely see the CHNR. I might be underestimating, too.

I, like a lot of us, am just kind of curious how many dealers had watches in the safe. I am also curious how bad the current economy is for them or whether that was all speculation on our parts....maybe they aren’t hurting.

Like I also said, I’m not a sucker. I’m not bundling a PM to get a Hulk at MSRP when I can go pay a gray $3k more for the Hulk and save the $40k not spent on another PM. Like a lot of you who posted on here said, we aren’t going to go in and bow down to try to get a SS for MSRP.

Be serious, I’m bringing a $38k MSRP watch into them....like I won’t go and pay someone else $13k for another. They either want my business or they don’t. It’s not really an indictment of them either way....I’m just curious how realistic some of the stories we’ve been reading on here are....all the incomings, etc. when COVID hit.

You raise interesting and valid points. I too would like to know what the ADs have been hoarding from us in their safes. Please keep us posted what you find b