AD out-of-state shipping?

[Eastie]

Hey all!

I know ADs used to ship to out-of-state clients pre-2020. Does anyone know if they still do so? Anyone buy a watch recently from an AD and receive it as a shipped package?

Context here: I'm an established client at a Rolex AD (3 watches purchased) but moved to a different state recently. Obviously, I'd like to continue purchasing from my old AD instead of restarting w/ a new local one

[Snowballs]

A Rolex AD in Canada told me they were prohibited by Rolex to sell and ship a timepiece out of their province.

They would sell a timepiece at their location but the buyer had to be present, take delivery personally and pay all applicable provincial taxes.

The AD owner advised it was to protect the territory of other AD's.

He suggested I visit my local AD and express interest of the reference I wanted.

[jb335]

What did your AD you bought three watches from say when you asked them?


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[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by Eastie

Hey all!

I know ADs used to ship to out-of-state clients pre-2020. Does anyone know if they still do so? Anyone buy a watch recently from an AD and receive it as a shipped package?

Context here: I'm an established client at a Rolex AD (3 watches purchased) but moved to a different state recently. Obviously, I'd like to continue purchasing from my old AD instead of restarting w/ a new local one

Call your AD and ask. I know I read on another thread, quite recently, where a member moved out of state, and was told by his old AD that they could no longer sell to him, even if he showed up in person, because he was no longer a local resident. I believe it’s Rolex policy.

Kat


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[rmwill]

If you have an established relationship and still are a "local" customer, but away for the winter etc, i was told that would be fine. Expect to pay for insured shipping though. If you have moved, probably not.

[L_S_SHOE]

Would just ask the AD. I recently moved and was told that if the watch I wanted came in there would be no issues mailing it to me.

[ltmgeller]

Depends on the AD. I've had a friends AD ship me a watch from out of state.

[DC116710LN]

I've had multiple AD's ship out of state to me. I would contact your AD and ask

[SLWoodster]

There are the select few that will still ship. Starting 2019, most have stopped shipping, stopped discounting, or said they won't be selling to out-of-state customers starting like 2019 or so. I have one that told me they won't sell a daytona to me because i'm not a contributing member of the local community. LOL. the snobbery. whatever.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Snowballs

A Rolex AD in Canada told me they were prohibited by Rolex to sell and ship a timepiece out of their province.

They would sell a timepiece at their location but the buyer had to be present, take delivery personally and pay all applicable provincial taxes.

The AD owner advised it was to protect the territory of other AD's.

He suggested I visit my local AD and express interest of the reference I wanted.

I’m glad that Omega doesn’t have such a policy




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[KMalone]

I've had an AD ship to me out of state.

I called and was able to get a Submariner in August 2020. It was just before the release of the 41mm so that's why it was available. I think most were waiting on the new release.

[Easy E]

The AD I have used the most is out of state from me. They have since told me that I have to come into their store to make any purchases. A few years ago that was a non-issue because I was in the area often for work. Not so much these days. For all intents and purposes I am a man without an AD these days.

[Tools]

Rolex Dealers are usually jewelry stores and ship product out of state all of the time, there is no special category as "Rolex watch", nor can Rolex dictate interstate commerce to business. It may be an AD policy, but that is a whole different discussion.

What used to go on is an exclusion of sales tax when shipping out of state. The laws have changed, just like Internet purchases. Dealers are expected to collect sales tax for the state to where it is shipped.

[Lawman77]

I’m in Oregon where we have no sales tax. My AD told me that it will not sell a Rolex to anyone out of state. Not sure I really believe the SA, though.

[BlondesNwatches]

Just as someone else stated, most ADs are also jeweler stores and do out of state selling all of the time. Hence, they created their own fake rule to not deal with out of state customers that want Rolex only. They basically want locals who are willing to buy other stuff but can’t really explicitly say that.

[ArtNouveau]

When I moved out of state almost three years ago, both my longtime SA and the store manager both told me “you’re still our customer.”
I have had two watches shipped to me since moving. I do keep in touch with my SA and stop into the store a couple times a year when I’m down.

[77T]

An Official Jeweler of Rolex is expected to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract with their Rolex Distributor, here in USA that is Rolex Watch USA Inc. In EU, it is

That contract is fairly unilateral on certain points - from wearing gloves to show a watch, to the methods and procedures of marketing it. Price, Promotion and Place are governed by the contract.

Layer on top of that the retailer's own local policies and you get the picture. Some things can be different between retailer 1 and retailer 2 and between USA and EU.

I think the personal experiences expressed in the thread gives you some idea of how that works in real life.

Then there's the current concern of retailers that direct sales could be right around the corner with the announced purchase of Bucherer last August.



WOS is suffering in the UK despite its dominance there.



So I believe some ADs will toe the line moreso than ever before.


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[1William]

It depends on who you are and what your spend history is. Spend enough money and get the items you want, shipped where you want, when you want. I have seen it happen.

[Roger Lococco]

I had an AD ship out of state in the past 18 months.


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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by 1William

It depends on who you are and what your spend history is. Spend enough money and get the items you want, shipped where you want, when you want. I have seen it happen.

I tend to agree

[Norbert]

Back in the day, my dealer would ship the box to my brothers address out of state and save me the tax. I believe Amazon ruined that for everybody?

[Benzsiam]

If you are good customer and you're willing to pay the local tax and shipping fee, they will do it for you.

[RichM]

I know this is not comparing apples to apples but on a recent trip to NC I stopped in Finks Jewelers just outside Charlotte.

They had a Tudor Ranger and I really liked the watch. The SA said “should I wrap it up”. I said thanks but no thanks I really don’t want to pay the sales tax since I live in De. I was going home in two days and would look for it there.

The SA told me to go to Finks online and order the watch. They offer free overnight shipping. She also told me that she would make sure I got the watch I saw in the store. She gave me the serial number. The order could not be completed in the store. It had to be online.

I went online and ordered the watch and it arrived the day I got home. So there you have an AD shipping out of state.

[Eastie]

Thanks everyone!

Sounds like Rolex Corporate discourages it, but some ADs are still willing to do it for established clients. I'll try my luck.

And this isn't a tax thing - happy to pay the sales tax, I just don't want to get on a multi-hour flight there and back just to pick up a watch

[BlondesNwatches]

Originally Posted by RichM

I know this is not comparing apples to apples but on a recent trip to NC I stopped in Finks Jewelers just outside Charlotte.

They had a Tudor Ranger and I really liked the watch. The SA said “should I wrap it up”. I said thanks but no thanks I really don’t want to pay the sales tax since I live in De. I was going home in two days and would look for it there.

The SA told me to go to Finks online and order the watch. They offer free overnight shipping. She also told me that she would make sure I got the watch I saw in the store. She gave me the serial number. The order could not be completed in the store. It had to be online.

I went online and ordered the watch and it arrived the day I got home. So there you have an AD shipping out of state.

The Tudor should have come with a fat discount or if it didn’t, a Rolex to buy with. Or else you should have called various Tudor dealers and negotiated if a Rolex waitlist wasn’t top priority.

[zengineer]

Nothing matters except what your AD is willing to do any they, and only they, can give you an answer that means anything.

[Calatrava r]

I too think it is AD dependent. I have had a large AD tell me they no longer ship per Rolex policy.

[BillA]

A few years ago an AD in Utah told me no more out of state sales. I was really pissed. He had shipped me a Rolex prior and gave him 2 Cartier sales of friends. What goes around comes around, one day this will all change and Rolex will be collecting dust in their display cases. I remember they could not give away the Hulk.

[Texex]

I think it's case by case. My AD would shop PM watches but not SS. Now that won't ship any.

[BroncoOne]

I had no problem with it but I did need to make a visit to the store in person. That’s what I understand the Rolex policy to be, at least per this AD.

I tried on a few watches and had two shipped to me after the visit .