What’s the point of an AD?

[Innocenti]

If most Rolex sports watches are available to simply buy from grey dealers today.
Then what is the point of an authorised dealer who often hasn’t got stock to show or sell to the end customer without a purchase history or qualifying relationship?

Obviously the AD is supplying the grey dealer with enough stock to supply the market. This is authorised by Rolex?

[CharlesN]

Of course it is NOT authorised or approved by Rolex.

The point of an AD is to look after customers of the brand and to represent the brand.

Without an AD where would we go to see the models ?

I know where some grey dealers get their watches ... There is a well known grey dealer in the village where i live, He gets his watches NOT from AD's but from individuals who have bought a watch knowing they can make a profit within the hour on sought after models.

NOT all AD's are bad guys.

[brandrea]

AD’s provide us with Rolex at a discount from gray dealers I guess

[Innocenti]

Which would explain why ADs are careful who they sell too I guess.
Out of interest do ADs often have steel sports watches available to view?

[CharlesN]

I currently have 2 SS rolex watches.
Both were bought at an AD.
I was NOT on a waiting list at the AD.
One was on the showcase window the other was not on show yet .. It would have been going there though.
So the answer has to be ... Sometimes, Yes.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Innocenti

Which would explain why ADs are careful who they sell too I guess.
Out of interest do ADs often have steel sports watches available to view?

Some do, but most just don’t display them.

Our AD usually has the new releases in the form of display models and they are usually market “for display only not for sale”

[Francist]

Even Rolex has no answer to the current situation
Suppose an average Joe wants to spend $10k on a decent watch to celebrate a milestone in life. Also, on another hand a crazy grey market dealer from mainland China comes in and willing to splash $500k on Rolexes & other watches in his boutique. You tell me which of the two men will get served first?

[Mystro]

The Rolex buying experience will be its down fall. Normal affluent people looking to buy a nice watch won’t put up with the Rolex games or wait years to buy a watch. They will buy other luxury brands in stock they can try on.

[zhqiang]

The AD sells the sports watches to you while(after) you buy something you don’t want


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[Innocenti]

Originally Posted by CharlesN

I currently have 2 SS rolex watches.
Both were bought at an AD.
I was NOT on a waiting list at the AD.
One was on the showcase window the other was not on show yet .. It would have been going there though.
So the answer has to be ... Sometimes, Yes.

That’s great was this recently ?

[CharlesN]

Originally Posted by Innocenti

That’s great was this recently ?

My last Sub date was bought in September 2020.

[thenewrick]

AD products are new and genuine and Grey market vendors can be anything from fake, broken, Frankenstein, missing parts, damaged, used.

Many people prefer new and genuine.

[CharlesN]

Originally Posted by zhqiang

The AD sells the sports watches to you while(after) you buy something you don’t want
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I have NEVER bought a watch or anything else to enable me to buy what i want.

If a store did that to me i would turn on my heels and walk out.

I hasten to add, NO store has ever suggested a "Bundle" to me.

[Goin2drt]

Originally Posted by Innocenti

If most Rolex sports watches are available to simply buy from grey dealers today.
Then what is the point of an authorised dealer who often hasn’t got stock to show or sell to the end customer without a purchase history or qualifying relationship?

Obviously the AD is supplying the grey dealer with enough stock to supply the market. This is authorised by Rolex?

As answered certainly not authorized by Rolex but I also in of the opinion they absolutely know it goes on and honestly they do not care one bit.

My answer to your first question would be this. AD's sell watches. If you think the only thing they sell and people want are Rolex sport models I think you would be mistaken. Many Rolex AD's sell other brands. Sure the Rolex logo and huge marketing machine bring folks in the front door. Plenty are leaving with a watch or piece of jewelry. Just because they don't have the hard to find SS versions, does not mean they are not selling and making money. If this was not the case then they would all close their doors.

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by zhqiang

The AD sells the sports watches to you while(after) you buy something you don’t want


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Why cant people understand this......if you want anything other than milgauss or datejust you are going to wait or pay or both

[Innocenti]

Originally Posted by Francist

Even Rolex has no answer to the current situation
Suppose an average Joe wants to spend $10k on a decent watch to celebrate a milestone in life. Also, on another hand a crazy grey market dealer from mainland China comes in and willing to splash $500k on Rolexes & other watches in his boutique. You tell me which of the two men will get served first?

With the current situation wouldn’t the dealer sell all of their watches anyway?
Imagine if the same thing happened with BMW or Mercedes. Do you think ultimately it does damage to the brand.

[thenewrick]

I want a Milgauss

[AG23]

Originally Posted by CharlesN

I currently have 2 SS rolex watches.
Both were bought at an AD.
I was NOT on a waiting list at the AD.
One was on the showcase window the other was not on show yet .. It would have been going there though.
So the answer has to be ... Sometimes, Yes.

Which watches are they?

ETA- sorry- I see one is a sub date

[Tavli3]

Originally Posted by Mystro

The Rolex buying experience will be its down fall. Normal affluent people looking to buy a nice watch won’t put up with the Rolex games or wait years to buy a watch. They will buy other luxury brands in stock they can try on.

The Rolex buying experience is the same as the PP AP & RM buying experience. As there are no watches to see or try on or to buy unless you’re a VIP.

The shopping and buying experience we knew and were accustomed too went extinct 3 years ago and maybe like the dinosaurs it ain’t coming back.


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[Giangos]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

I want a Milgauss

Me too!
The black dial


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[CharlesN]

Originally Posted by AG23

Which watches are they?

ETA- sorry- I see one is a sub date

BOTH are Sub-dates.
A 116610LN
and
a 126610LN

I suppose i have to admit ... I bought the secondd one on a whim and i will trade it in. I dont need 2 and I am NOT feeding the grey market.

[whited3]

Because ADs are better customers than we are. Full stop.

[1William]

Interesting points. The AD's also sell other brands and typically jewelry so they are involved with other merchandise. The situation is not good but out of our hands.

[whited3]

LOL and then it would seem gray dealers, in turn, are also better customers than we are.

[vh2k]

1. ADs don’t directly supply grey dealers. The global demand for Rolex is so huge... more AD customers are choosing to flip their watches to the secondary market. That said, flippers still represent a small percentage of customers. 95% of all watches sold are with end user customers who wear and enjoy their watches. The notion that grey dealers have hundreds of thousands of watches in vaults is a myth — in part perpetuated by all the phony listings on watch marketplaces like C24.

2. ADs have watches. They receive and sell plenty of watches every month. They don’t stock display cases with desirable models for obvious reasons.

3. ADs are businesses and they do their best to balance the need to satisfy VIP customers and attract and please new customers. Last year, I was a prospective customer with zero purchase history. I now have five very nice pieces (Root Beer, Bluesy, Daytona, SD43, Pepsi) purchased at MSRP from ADs and I had ZERO purchase history with any of them. I have NEVER been asked to buy a piece I don’t want. Do many/most ADs want to sell you jewelry and other (slow moving) brands (Breitling, IWC, JLC, tons of others) with fat margins? Sure. Can’t blame them for trying. But, ADs know Rolex wants watches sold to end user customers. That is why prospects need to be vetted and qualified. That’s why it seems difficult. ADs try their best to make sure the people who get the watches are those that deserve them.

So, to summarize my response to your questions...

- ADs have watches.

- ADs sell to plenty of new customers (with no purchase histories).

- ADs do their best to sell to real end user customers.

- Rolex wants their watches in hands of real customers who will wear and love them.

[rambo99]

Originally Posted by vh2k

1. ADs don’t directly supply grey dealers. The global demand for Rolex is so huge... more AD customers are choosing to flip their watches to the secondary market. That said, flippers still represent a small percentage of customers. 95% of all watches sold are with end user customers who wear and enjoy their watches.

2. ADs have watches. They receive and sell plenty of watches every month. They don’t stock display cases with desirable models for obvious reasons.

3. ADs are businesses and they do their best to balance the need to satisfy VIP customers and attract and please new customers. Last year, I was a prospective customer with zero purchase history. I now have five very nice pieces (Root Beer, Bluesy, Daytona, SD43, Pepsi) purchased at MSRP from ADs and I had ZERO purchase history with any of them. I have NEVER been asked to buy a piece I don’t want. Do many/most ADs want to sell you jewelry and other (slow moving) brands (Breitling, IWC, JLC, tons of others) with fat margins? Sure. Can’t blame them for trying.

got so many sougjt after sport models within one year with zero purchase history, that's an incredible achievement!

[joli160]

That’s a very good question Innocenti. I don’t think AD’s have any use at all, at least not in my country.
They don’t take orders and you cannot get on a non existent list.

[ROLEX*]

Rolex can switch to online business

[Marcjvr]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

AD products are new and genuine and Grey market vendors can be anything from fake, broken, Frankenstein, missing parts, damaged, used.

Many people prefer new and genuine.

AD products are mythical, invisible and intangible

Trusted Sellers have physical, genuine watches they can sell right now and you don’t even have to suck up to them

[Goin2drt]

Originally Posted by vh2k

1. ADs don’t directly supply grey dealers.

Right!!!! You tell yourself that.