Rolex S/S Production, Waitlists.. and Fiction

[Gentlepig]

Hi folks :)

Recently went to Seoul, where one of the AD's in a big Duty Free Dept. Store had the following (translated.. and in order of the sheet):

"Pieces we do not have stock of:

116500LN (White)
116500LN (Black)
116610LN
116610LV
114060
116710BLNR
126600"

Essentially to stop people like me going into even enquire! Some interesting things I've heard from friends whom are Rolex customers are..

1) ADs get S/S stock (i.e. the above) depending on how well they do on PM sales.
2) ADs sometimes have this stock on hand - they simply do not place this in display cases. A friend of a friend walked into his local AD and picked up a PM Daytona and also a PM Day Date for his wife... was offered a S/S Hulk on the spot, which was casually sitting in the safe.

So, this made me curious. What claims have you AD spouted on the above? Any one know what their AD receives in numbers for the above models per year?

Cheers,
G

[henrylee]

It makes sense, they want to sell the SS pieces to their repeat buyers. It's just business, not necessarily good business though.

[bracer028]

The waitlist is fake.

[AK797]

These watches are now just used as bait and rewards, I'm sure Rolex must be so delighted as the debate over whether these are tool watches is now at an end, they certainly are tools now.

[watchwatcher]

Originally Posted by Gentlepig

Some interesting things I've heard from friends whom are Rolex customers are..

Totally unfounded rumors.

[RHIII]

The 2 ADs I deal with will show me anything they have in the case and tell me what else they have in the 'back' or the 'safe' or anywhere else they have watches in the store.

Actually, when they get something in I might be interested in, sometimes I will get a text or an email.

The whole buy a PM model (or 2 or 3) and I'll sell you a hard to get 'whatever' they may have in the safe is basically extortion.

[Alimamy]

I listened to an episode of Planet Money on NPR, #672 Bagging the Birkin. The author of the podcast discovered, after much frustration, that there is a trick to actually finding one of these bags in stock.

One of the guests on the Podcast discovered by accident that if he went into the store, purchased a lot merchandise, and then casually asked for the Birkin bag, one would magically appear from the back of the store for purchase. However, if anyone just walked in looking for one, it would be unavailable.

For the Birkin bag, this is a luxury goods marketing strategy to create an image that the product is exclusive and unattainable.

I hope Rolex just underproduced for the year, but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

Wild theory time - is it possible that Rolex instructs ADs on sales strategy as part of marketing?

Also, hi everyone, this is my first post! Long time reader, first time commenting.

[JR16]

Originally Posted by Alimamy

I listened to an episode of Planet Money on NPR, #672 Bagging the Birkin. The author of the podcast discovered, after much frustration, that there is a trick to actually finding one of these bags in stock.

One of the guests on the Podcast discovered by accident that if he went into the store, purchased a lot merchandise, and then casually asked for the Birkin bag, one would magically appear from the back of the store for purchase. However, if anyone just walked in looking for one, it would be unavailable.

For the Birkin bag, this is a luxury goods marketing strategy to create an image that the product is exclusive and unattainable.

I hope Rolex just underproduced for the year, but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

Wild theory time - is it possible that Rolex instructs ADs on sales strategy as part of marketing?

Also, hi everyone, this is my first post! Long time reader, first time commenting.

Welcome to TRF! I’ve heard so much about this “Birkin bag” thing but just googled it to see what it actually was and thought to myself “that’s it???” . I wonder if some people think of Rolex watches that way ... “it’s $9,000 and that’s it??”.

Anyway, excuse my digression ! I think in many ways people on this forum overthink Rolex’s strategy or intentions in 2017/18... my opinion is they simply underproduced product for 2017 and all the increase in disposable income in the US and many countries in the world fueled the gray market “crisis”. I think it is wrong to assume all ADs operate with the same behavior or all ADs have fake lists or all ADs will pull a DaytonaC out of a magic hat if you buy a platona and Daydate in the same visit . There are probably a few bad actors amongst a lot of honest dealerships. If you have a good relationship with your AD and you trust them, they probably are going to be honest with you. If you are a repeat customer they are probably going to give you more attention than a random person on their first visit. That’s business. It’s about $ but also about relationships for a lot of ADs.


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[DoctorA]

It’s all about the relationship ie; how much you bought from they AD!!

[Wimpydailo]

I’ve seen ADs only sell customers SS watches if they buy either all gold watch or diamonds from them. That customer did leave the store with a daytona c though

[faaaaaaaasterrrrr]

Originally Posted by Alimamy

I listened to an episode of Planet Money on NPR, #672 Bagging the Birkin. The author of the podcast discovered, after much frustration, that there is a trick to actually finding one of these bags in stock.

Also, hi everyone, this is my first post! Long time reader, first time commenting.

That was such a good listen, and welcome to the forums!

[Magwitch]

Originally Posted by DoctorA

It’s all about the relationship ie; how much you bought from they AD!!

I have found this to be correct! I was offered an SS Daytona C and wasn't even on the list!

[faaaaaaaasterrrrr]

Originally Posted by DoctorA

It’s all about the relationship ie; how much you bought from they AD!!

The AD nearest me flat out said this is how it works with them. It was during a pretty light-hearted conversation about popular Rolex models. At least she was honest!

[10klakes]

Originally Posted by Wimpydailo

I’ve seen ADs only sell customers SS watches if they buy either all gold watch or diamonds from them. That customer did leave the store with a daytona c though

A behavior is likely to reoccur if it is positively reinforced. This applies to the dealer as well as the customer.


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[polaris72]

Originally Posted by Alimamy

I listened to an episode of Planet Money on NPR, #672 Bagging the Birkin. The author of the podcast discovered, after much frustration, that there is a trick to actually finding one of these bags in stock.

One of the guests on the Podcast discovered by accident that if he went into the store, purchased a lot merchandise, and then casually asked for the Birkin bag, one would magically appear from the back of the store for purchase. However, if anyone just walked in looking for one, it would be unavailable.

For the Birkin bag, this is a luxury goods marketing strategy to create an image that the product is exclusive and unattainable.

I hope Rolex just underproduced for the year, but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

Wild theory time - is it possible that Rolex instructs ADs on sales strategy as part of marketing?

Also, hi everyone, this is my first post! Long time reader, first time commenting.

Birkin bag is basically Hermes bag owned by many Hollywood celebrities showing off their wealth, a status symbol. Garbage.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Wimpydailo

I’ve seen ADs only sell customers SS watches if they buy either all gold watch or diamonds from them. That customer did leave the store with a daytona c though

This practice could invert the typical paradigm of the prestige of PM versus SS. If the only way to get SS is to buy PM first, that could give SS pieces more elitist appeal than PM. I suppose grey market availability might prevent that from happening completely, but in the current market, getting SS means paying above MSRP for new, versus nice discounts on PM. Odd that PM could actually seem like a value proposition.

[Sprta]

You will not ever see a Hulk, Sky Dweller, or Daytona SS in the display cases. They are definitely held aside for various reasons determined by the individual ADs.

[JacksonStone]

^^Is that your own statement, or a myth you've heard?

[DoctorA]

Originally Posted by faaaaaaaasterrrrr

The AD nearest me flat out said this is how it works with them. It was during a pretty light-hearted conversation about popular Rolex models. At least she was honest!

ADs now have the nerve to say it out loud!!
I guess I will start taking care of patients who come to me more frequent or refer more patients

[Xerxes77]

I believe in some case are a extra bussines from AD. They sell the watches to a grey dealer or to persons who are cover grey re-sellers and make 50-50 the profit!
If we think 10 Daytona Ceramic with 5k more then price list he earn 25k easy!

[Gentlepig]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

This practice could invert the typical paradigm of the prestige of PM versus SS. If the only way to get SS is to buy PM first, that could give SS pieces more elitist appeal than PM. I suppose grey market availability might prevent that from happening completely, but in the current market, getting SS means paying above MSRP for new, versus nice discounts on PM. Odd that PM could actually seem like a value proposition.

I've been thinking exactly this recently. At the going rate for a SS Daytona, why not save up for a little while longer for a PM Daytona on a Oysterflex? PM is PM after all...

Does anyone have any idea of having many Daytonas/Submariners/SD43's/Sky Dwellers their AD's receive per year?