I was one of the 30 that missed out on a PRS 29A yesterday. Given my confirmation email was timed at 1402 I suspect I very nearly made the cut. I’ve got over it! Eddie has explained the issue he is facing: the shopping cart doesn’t deplete stock until payment has been made. This means that as long as at least one item is in stock, anybody can add that to the shopping cart and once it’s in the cart, you are allowed to complete the order, even if there is no longer any stock.
On the wider issue of demand exceeding capacity to pack and ship, given the current constraints I can only come up with one solution - but it will not be popular here. Do not advertise shop opening in any way whatsoever, simply reopen when capacity exists. This will smooth the spike in demand, at least initially. Close the shop immediately a spike is apparent. Rinse and repeat.
makes sense!
that sounds like more work for Eddie. I suspect the current system enables Eddie to manage the intake a lot easier. Your suggestion would mean 24/7 monitoring. Unless of course there is a system where it automatically closes after a total sale of X number of watches across all models - a feature I have not seen offered anywhere else (so maybe no-one's made this feature?).
“that sounds like more work for Eddie. I suspect the current system enables Eddie to manage the intake a lot easier. Your suggestion would mean 24/7 monitoring. Unless of course there is a system where it automatically closes after a total sale of X number of watches across all models - a feature I have not seen offered anywhere else (so maybe no-one's made this feature?).“
Or he could monitor orders when he chooses to (for example whilst packing orders) and close the shop when not.
Some perspective would help - I waited nine months in 2005 for my Dornbluth to arrive and we all have a feeling how long the wait is for a sports Rolex (actually I dont really know given nobody is really saying). I was planning to buy a Rolex explorer and used models are in the £5k range (same price or more than new) but then I re-looked at the PRS-25 and decided that was a more than adequate substitute. I tried to order a 40mm only to be met by the message about opening on Sunday at 14.00 etc I missed that first opening two weeks back and tried again this Sunday - the watch is now with my missus ready to give me for my birthday tomorrow. So for me it took a tiny amount of patience, maybe a bit of luck and good timing - it may be frustrating to some people but its hardly the end of the world to wait a little bit for something that you really want.
Keith
It seems the Everest, Expedition and PRS29-A are sold out. Hopefully, Eddie will be getting some more of the PRS. Really hoping I can get one at some point.
Happy these watches are getting the attention they deserve!
The PRS-29a is sold out but the PRS-29am is still in stock. If you want one you better be there on the 28th of June at 1400 because there probably aren't to many of them still in stock. I wouldn't hold my breath for a new batch of the 29a because I am not sure which route Eddie will take on them since the ETA movements are almost non-existent. We will just have to wait and see.
You are right that Eddie makes fantastic watches and the popularity keeps growing.
I think many of you have missed the point. You all seem to be telling people why it’s worth waiting and getting in there earlier for these fantastic watches. Great... now everyone will be in on it. Never mind agreeing with people and saying it’s too hard or not worth the bother thus affording myself the opportunity to grab another watch. Smart... really smart.
WTB forum is only available to view at the same point as SC, or at least that's what I recently found upon hitting 50 posts.
Yes I think I found that now I think back
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Well bday time and the Prs-25 lives up to the expectation, what a fantastic piece...40mm has the perception of much larger, quite surprising.
Well worth being patient guys
keith
That’s very true, I’d prefer it for Eddie to reap the rewards of his hard work. Guess I lost sight of that slightly since I was planning for it to be a birthday gift - perfect excuse to pick up another watch though! I’m looking at the Navigator too - fingers crossed on ordering day whenever that day comes.
Thank you all for your help in figuring out the WTB issue anyway - I’ll be (impatiently) waiting for Eddie restock instead!
Another way to look at it is this.
Eddie clearly has a skill in designing, specifying, commisioning and offering great designs.
That is a real skill and of genuine value.
How badly utilised is that skill when a mere 4 minutes of frenetic online buying condemns that skilled person to 2 weeks of hard labour, packaging and posting?
I grant you, getting something valuable packed up right and sent to the right place is also a skill, but it is not the same, nor is it anything like as valuable as Eddie's primary skill set.
The tail seems to be wagging the dog, with 2 weeks of (relatively simple) work occupying a mind that could be on other things.
Dave
Yeah, but employing other people is a pain. It creates logistical problems - does Eddie keep all the watches under his bed; or does this new person hold on to them?
It's a big overhead that you then also have to cover.
I can quite understand why he doesn't want to do that.
I could see that allowing some new watches to be 'Pre-Ordered' might at least avoid the potential issue of running out of stock, because you'll know how many you need to order, could help solve some issues - but the main 'problem' he has is that he makes exceedingly good watches which loads of people want to buy.
Yes, but if one extra person (full time) allows Eddie to make one more production run of watches, say 200 watches at a conservatively small £300 each - that's £60k of turnover, which would pay for that person, no bother.
Personally, I think one person could allow Eddie to create 3 or 4 more production runs.
There would be no need to change the purchase model at all if the watches were in stock and able to be ordered all the time.