NEW ROLEX: PURCHASING PROBLEMS
The purchase of a new SS Rolex Sports Model is, in my opinion, at an all time low. There are virtually no new sports models in any AD in the country and the AD's are happy to pass on all their incoming stock to "preferred" customers who hoover them up and pass them into the grey market at vast profits.
As can be seen from the new Rolex sales on SC, guys get offered list watches that they neither want or can necessarily afford and then sell them on to retain their preferred customer status and the cycle continues. No wonder ordinary folks can't purchase a new Sports model for themselves.
Rolex need to stop the practice of only selling to preferred customers and indirectly feeding the grey market, how many new Rolex can one guy buy?
When I bought my first GMT in 1981 I remember multiple Daytonas in the window of the shop for months and the salesman trying to get me to take one instead of the GMT, for a few hundred quid more - hindsight, a wonderful thing!
Anyway, rant over and I still believe most folks are decent enough not to rip profit from others. Besides, it's only what Porsche have been doing for years; I tried to pre-order a 911R and was almost laughed out of the dealership as I was not a preferred customer!!!
:mad-new:
NEW ROLEX: PURCHASING PROBLEMS
Quote:
Originally Posted by
learningtofly
Yes, it does get boring. That said, Rolex and their pet AD's are behaving poorly at best and unethically at worst.
I agree with you regarding the ADs but I don’t hold Rolex in any way responsible. They have a preferred product mix (possibly but not necessarily to maximise profits) which is the same as any other manufacturer; they’re doing nothing underhand or unethical.
That a member of the general public can’t just walk into any AD and buy the exact watch of their choice is down to high demand worldwide for certain “halo” watches. It’s not that there isn’t any other choice, the chances are that there’s a TT or PM version in the window albeit at a higher price than the SS version.
To quote The Rolling Stones, “You can’t always get what you want!” and to be fair non of us have the right to expect to!
NEW ROLEX: PURCHASING PROBLEMS
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dave+63
I don’t see it as deliberate undersupply...
Oh, I think it absolutely is, Dave. If it’s not then it suggests that Rolex don’t know what they’re doing, and I believe they know exactly what they’re doing. Keeping halo models in short supply adds to the mystique and the brand value, helps justify high prices and creates a demand that they partially satisfy with supply of other models in the range which are in plentiful supply.
Cars are no different - creating hard-to-get halo models boosts demand for more bread-and-butter models.
As others have said here, you don’t have to like the Rolex business model (and I don’t), but you do have to admire the deliberate way they use market levers to strengthen their core business.
Incidentally, the Rolex business model also (and inevitably) tows along the pricing strategy of the likes of Omega and Breitling behind them, since would-be Rolex Sports customers who don’t want non-sports alternatives are likely to turn to them instead. So the fact is that to some extent at least, Rolex are actually manipulating the whole market, not just their own...
Simon