Allocations to AP Boutique

[rockdrock]

Can someone give me the real skinny on how AP Boutiques get their yearly allocations? Example: if someone is on the “official” 15202 list, new ROO or other hot watch on that boutique but it is explained that the Boutique is waiting for allocations, are they just using stalling tactics to keep the customer interested in the brand? I feel the Boutique is genuinely being truthful but don’t want to keep playing these hopeful games with no results. Others working in the boutique are able to see the client ID and see the watch request. Just trying to manage expectations.

When do Boutiques get allocations and would they already know all the watches they get this year by July?

I appreciate the good insight from all of you and especially those working for AP directly. (You know who you are. ; )

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by rockdrock

Can someone give me the real skinny on how AP Boutiques get their yearly allocations? Example: if someone is on the “official” 15202 list, new ROO or other hot watch on that boutique but it is explained that the Boutique is waiting for allocations, are they just using stalling tactics to keep the customer interested in the brand? I feel the Boutique is genuinely being truthful but don’t want to keep playing these hopeful games with no results. Others working in the boutique are able to see the client ID and see the watch request. Just trying to manage expectations.

When do Boutiques get allocations and would they already know all the watches they get this year by July?

I appreciate the good insight from all of you and especially those working for AP directly. (You know who you are. ; )

Would appreciate *recent* insights as well - folklore used to be that boutiques got their allocations early in the year. They would then distribute until all sold as they saw fit (e.g., first come, first served) for most pieces, with firm commitments (including deposits) only for current-year allocations, and across-year "wish lists". That's what it seemed to work like when I got a 15500 in 2019.

Recently the process seems to involve much more back-and-forth between boutique and HQ for individual pieces, and not much left to distribute from a per-year allocation to walk-ins (and slim chance to get a firm commitment for a piece to be delivered in a fixed time frame).

[youthagainsttt]

I honestly dont think they'd know in advance

[kimwizzzuuu]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Would appreciate *recent* insights as well - folklore used to be that boutiques got their allocations early in the year, and then would distribute until all sold as they saw fit, e.g., first come, first served for most pieces, with only current-year firm commitments (including deposits), and across-year "wish lists". That's what it seemed to work like when I got a 15500 in 2019.

Recently the process seems to involve much more back-and-forth between boutique and HQ for individual pieces, and not much left to distribute from a per-year allocation to walk-ins (and slim chance to get a firm commitment for a piece to be delivered in a fixed time frame).

Past couple of years always JAN FEB they knew their allocation for the year, maybe some extra pieces transferred or trade in between different boutiques.

[rockdrock]

Thanks VogelPhoenix for the comments. Apparently it seems many don’t know and our guess is as good as anyone’s. I’ll keep positive outlook but will not overthinking this. Sometimes things are just outside our control. In the meantime, I am wearing all my watches and enjoying the heck out of them. ; )

[GS93108]

My information is a year out of date but when I last spoke to AP about this I was reliably informed that AP House London knows about what it is due for the year (remember that AP House London is the distributor for the whole of the UK). They know what they are expecting, when they should expect them and where they are going to allocate them (not allocations to customers but to stores). That's the 'plan' that they have well in advance, but that plan changes based on a number of factors, some foreseeable and some that they aren't prepared for.

I also heard from other sources that AP HQ often drops product on their outlets with little warning, or indeed pulls scheduled releases.

So, in summary, AP Houses and distribution points KNOW the schedule for the year, subject to that changing. Equally AP HQ does indeed make dynamic decisions to release products that no one knows about.

There's nothing really that we can rely on as consumers, but when I've had a conversation with AP London about a specific model then they'll more often than not tell me for example that they are due 5 for the year, they've had 2 and that the other 3 are due before a certain date.

Is that helpful with regards to your question, probably not, but it's a little more info.

[rockdrock]

@GS, thanks for the explanation. It does help. I am getting the impression the Boutique is being honest with my requests. I just feel a bit impatient with the “waiting for allocations” statement I keep getting. If I do hear something new, I’ll share.


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[GS93108]

Originally Posted by rockdrock

@GS, thanks for the explanation. It does help. I am getting the impression the Boutique is being honest with my requests. I just feel a bit impatient with the “waiting for allocations” statement I keep getting. If I do hear something new, I’ll share.


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If it's an AP owned boutique I'd be surprised if they were't be truthful. Like I said, they supposedly know what they are getting and when, but HQ does change things up somewhat dynamically if circumstances dictate. For example, once FHB dropped the 15202 discontinued bomb I bet that HQ went into overdrive and had to redirect allocations around the world. Given you are an existing customer I'd rest easy and trust that you are being looked after as best as possible. Good luck.

[gretch6364]

Can someone please point me to how I find the AP dealers? Are they only selling through boutiques now? When I search their site, closest I can find to Aspen is Las Vegas. Is that accurate?

Thanks.

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Can someone please point me to how I find the AP dealers? Are they only selling through boutiques now? When I search their site, closest I can find to Aspen is Las Vegas. Is that accurate?

Thanks.

Sounds about right. Yes.

They closed a lot of ADs in the US.

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Can someone please point me to how I find the AP dealers? Are they only selling through boutiques now? When I search their site, closest I can find to Aspen is Las Vegas. Is that accurate?

Thanks.

Don’t bother with dealers, only boutiques. The only AD’s that will be left with be in the form of JV partnerships that look on the retail side as full boutiques. See MG or Bucherer.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by macrowatch

Don’t bother with dealers, only boutiques. The only AD’s that will be left with be in the form of JV partnerships that look on the retail side as full boutiques. See MG or Bucherer.

also be aware that westime (at least in vegas) will lose the AP account and corporate is taking over - seems like a mess to be honest but at least the CRM will be updated and AP corporate will actually know you bought a watch from them.

[gretch6364]

Excuse my stupidity, but if I am in Colorado and a first time AP buyer, how the heck do I get in line to buy a 15500? I understand if I have to wait a couple years, but I am not willing to buy watches I don't want or pay grey market prices.

If the answer is to just buy a different brand, so be it...but is calling the Vegas boutique to try and get in line stupid?

[CoveWatch]

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Excuse my stupidity, but if I am in Colorado and a first time AP buyer, how the heck do I get in line to buy a 15500? I understand if I have to wait a couple years, but I am not willing to buy watches I don't want or pay grey market prices.

If the answer is to just buy a different brand, so be it...but is calling the Vegas boutique to try and get in line stupid?

Stupid? No. Waste of time? Possibly. Doesn't hurt to try but just temper expectations.

[kimwizzzuuu]

Originally Posted by dauster

also be aware that westime (at least in vegas) will lose the AP account and corporate is taking over - seems like a mess to be honest but at least the CRM will be updated and AP corporate will actually know you bought a watch from them.

If that’s the case, that would be a great news for AP buyers in the West.

[911AP]

Originally Posted by kimwizzzuuu

If that’s the case, that would be a great news for AP buyers in the West.

Not really. California is keeping their account. I think vegas will be as well. There was some rumblings that they will lose their account, but it didn't happen.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Excuse my stupidity, but if I am in Colorado and a first time AP buyer, how the heck do I get in line to buy a 15500? I understand if I have to wait a couple years, but I am not willing to buy watches I don't want or pay grey market prices.

If the answer is to just buy a different brand, so be it...but is calling the Vegas boutique to try and get in line stupid?

welcome to watch buying in 2021... I'd go to a grey dealer like david SW or on 47th st in NYC and try a bunch of watches you want on and take pics. afterwards you can try and work with a boutique. I recommend a corporate one like bal harbour or NYC. but unless you are willing to follow up and play games I'd just move on frankly.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by 911AP

Not really. California is keeping their account. I think vegas will be as well. There was some rumblings that they will lose their account, but it didn't happen.

interesting... I will buy 3m worth of watches from the RM boutique in Vegas (also westime) then so I get a 15500 allocated. after an additional 3m spend Im sure I can get a 15407

edit: vegas boutique confirmed corporate is still taking over

[gretch6364]

Originally Posted by dauster

welcome to watch buying in 2021... I'd go to a grey dealer like david SW or on 47th st in NYC and try a bunch of watches you want on and take pics. afterwards you can try and work with a boutique. I recommend a corporate one like bal harbour or NYC. but unless you are willing to follow up and play games I'd just move on frankly.

I am not really interested in leaving the valley and dealing with all the BS of NYC or Vegas. I will just move on to Cartier or someone else that we have locally here. Thanks for the response.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by gretch6364

I am not really interested in leaving the valley and dealing with all the BS of NYC or Vegas. I will just move on to Cartier or someone else that we have locally here. Thanks for the response.

smart choice - btw cartier has been growing on me more and more since my wife always drags me into the store. that openworked santos looks fantastic.

[Reign]

Originally Posted by dauster

smart choice - btw cartier has been growing on me more and more since my wife always drags me into the store. that openworked santos looks fantastic.

I had one before I got my 15407. It was a nice bridge up until that point. The anglage is machine finished but does the trick.

The black one is very nice

[dauster]

Originally Posted by Reign

I had one before I got my 15407. It was a nice bridge up until that point. The anglage is machine finished but does the trick.

The black one is very nice

yes indeed love the black one...

[CAWatchLove]

Boutique managers will know how many of each model they are getting for the year in advance. But they trickle in randomly and so they have a general idea in advance (I think it’s around April) but they do not know exactly when they arrive.

So for example in April a list of inventory will be given with all models and number of models they can expect to get in the year period. But that’s all they know well in advance, they them begin to trickle in through the year in shipments. I’d venture to say the higher up at the boutique has an idea of what’s in a shipment right before it comes.

[17noir]

From what I've heard with my AP SA, they don't exactly know what they have been allocated. They submit a request to HQ to for certain "hot" pieces based on purchase history or if they deem you to be a good client.

I was a walk in customer, never purchased an AP before. I had a great conversation with the SA about the history of AP, and different models they offered. They asked about my background, family, career and even which part of the city I lived in. Gave them my business card, and the model that I was interested in (chrono), and after 10 days they gave me a call to try it out. Initially I thought they got this for another client, and asked me to try it out - they said this one was requested for me, so I took it home.

This has been one of the best watch purchase experience for me. I wish to continue the relationship with my SA and the brand, and support them as much as I could.

[shkure]

I expressed interest in one of the upcoming RO steel Chrono’s (new movement) from my SA a few weeks back. To my surprise, she messaged me the other day asking which color dial i wanted. She mentioned they were putting together the “plan” for next year. I suppose all boutiques put in their requests now for the 2022 models.


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[MrBigSmiles]

Seems like some folks have already received their 43mm ROs on the forum. Did your AD say whether it was sold out already for 2021?


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[shkure]

Originally Posted by MrBigSmiles

Seems like some folks have already received their 43mm ROs on the forum. Did your AD say whether it was sold out already for 2021?


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I was speaking about the 41mm RO to be released in 2022 and not the 43mm ROO.

[h.to]

Just curious, was this a recent AP purchase? Or a couple years ago?

Originally Posted by 17noir

From what I've heard with my AP SA, they don't exactly know what they have been allocated. They submit a request to HQ to for certain "hot" pieces based on purchase history or if they deem you to be a good client.

I was a walk in customer, never purchased an AP before. I had a great conversation with the SA about the history of AP, and different models they offered. They asked about my background, family, career and even which part of the city I lived in. Gave them my business card, and the model that I was interested in (chrono), and after 10 days they gave me a call to try it out. Initially I thought they got this for another client, and asked me to try it out - they said this one was requested for me, so I took it home.

This has been one of the best watch purchase experience for me. I wish to continue the relationship with my SA and the brand, and support them as much as I could.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by 17noir

From what I've heard with my AP SA, they don't exactly know what they have been allocated. They submit a request to HQ to for certain "hot" pieces based on purchase history or if they deem you to be a good client.

I was a walk in customer, never purchased an AP before. I had a great conversation with the SA about the history of AP, and different models they offered. They asked about my background, family, career and even which part of the city I lived in. Gave them my business card, and the model that I was interested in (chrono), and after 10 days they gave me a call to try it out. Initially I thought they got this for another client, and asked me to try it out - they said this one was requested for me, so I took it home.

This has been one of the best watch purchase experience for me. I wish to continue the relationship with my SA and the brand, and support them as much as I could.

congrats and I am glad you had such a great experience but in HK in general all brands seem to go a bit over the top in analyzing your background in my humble European/ US opinion.

[rockdrock]

Originally Posted by CAWatchLove

Boutique managers will know how many of each model they are getting for the year in advance. But they trickle in randomly and so they have a general idea in advance (I think it’s around April) but they do not know exactly when they arrive.

So for example in April a list of inventory will be given with all models and number of models they can expect to get in the year period. But that’s all they know well in advance, they them begin to trickle in through the year in shipments. I’d venture to say the higher up at the boutique has an idea of what’s in a shipment right before it comes.

CA, this is great info! Thank you. I really appreciate this. I have been learning to tamper down expectations and go with the flow but where I can re-spark the conversation with the AD on my request, I’d like to do it.

I recognize the supply is limited to the demand and there is no right answer to get one. All I keep trying to do is stay honest and be transparent with the boutique.


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