Mayors USA New Strategy from Sept 2021

[inadeje]

An AD friend who works at the aforementioned informed me that Mayors are embarrassed by the empty Rolex cases. A corporate decision has been made to not sell a specific sports watch, instead keep it in the case until they have another to replace it with. The concept is that you enter the store and see/try each variant to allow a waiting list to be generated. As soon as another piece arrives to replace the one in the case the piece is sold to the next on the list.

[vh2k]

Yes, but this is a Rolex-driven effort. Some U.S. ADs are receiving exhibition models (display only) and other ADs appear to be receiving actual working models that they have to keep on display for a certain period of time (or perhaps until a new model comes in to replace it). WOS and Tourneau are participating in the rollout of this program. Interesting developments. Thanks for sharing.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=811704

[jon_jon]

Having display models for potential customers to see in person sounds like a good idea. These days, the place to go see a SS Rolex is at a B&M pre-owned watch re-seller, rather than and AD.

[GMT Aviator]

Quite frankly I astonished this hasn’t been Rolex AD policy for years already.

A welcome policy.

Now you can even try on a watch you won’t be able to buy!

[TheVTCGuy]

A policy that actually makes sense. One thing I have to know, how did you get that cool avatar?

[dannyp]

For customers' sake, I hope that in practical terms this means that they are in fact selling the new one, and leaving the display one out. Seems better than ensuring each customer receives a watch 6,000 other people have been handling/trying/dinging against jewelry.

[turkeysub93]

The only thing this will surely ensue are longer waitlists

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by vh2k

Yes, but this is a Rolex-driven effort. Some U.S. ADs are receiving exhibition models (display only) and other ADs appear to be receiving actual working models that they have to keep on display for a certain period of time (or perhaps until a new model comes in to replace it). WOS and Tourneau are participating in the rollout of this program. Interesting developments. Thanks for sharing.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=811704

The OP, if accurate (by which I mean: if the AD gave an accurate account), seems to suggest that the working ones are part of dealers' allocation, while the non-working ones are Rolex-owned.

[DC116710LN]

Rolex should just supply exhibition models

[ZOOK]

Originally Posted by turkeysub93

The only thing this will surely ensue are longer waitlists

Exactly! Just means the local ADs will find more people they deem more worthy to sell a watch to rather than me.

[Rrpdc]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

Having display models for potential customers to see in person sounds like a good idea. These days, the place to go see a SS Rolex is at a B&M pre-owned watch re-seller, rather than and AD.

+1.

Crazy having to go down to the pushy diamond district on 47th just to see a watch.

[TimepieceRPP]

Originally Posted by dannyp

For customers' sake, I hope that in practical terms this means that they are in fact selling the new one, and leaving the display one out. Seems better than ensuring each customer receives a watch 6,000 other people have been handling/trying/dinging against jewelry.

Agree

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

Quite frankly I astonished this hasn’t been Rolex AD policy for years already.

A welcome policy.

Now you can even try on a watch you won’t be able to buy!

X2. That said, we will see Mr, Wallet-flexer come in, try one on fall in love and offer a obscene amount of $$ above msrp to walk out with it and that is when we will see what the store manger really does. I can see reasoning being the floor model has been handled too much and needs to be "rotated out" much like a dealers demo car.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by inadeje

An AD friend who works at the aforementioned informed me that Mayors are embarrassed by the empty Rolex cases. A corporate decision has been made to not sell a specific sports watch, instead keep it in the case until they have another to replace it with. The concept is that you enter the store and see/try each variant to allow a waiting list to be generated. As soon as another piece arrives to replace the one in the case the piece is sold to the next on the list.

So a customer walks in, tries on a watch and then is told it cannot be sold to him. He will now have to wait but thanks for stopping by.

This will not end well if it ever starts. Not to mention that a piece that gets handled dozens of times will not be in such great shape.

Who bears the cost of these sample non-sellable watches? When an AD finds out they have to fill showcases with product they cannot sell?

Again, this is laughable

[enjoythemusic]

Wonder what the investment is to stock all WoS / Mayors store locations with 'display versions'? When you have many locations, am sure that can really add up... versus keeping 'active' stock and rotating it (plus it's not a 'sunken expenditure' as models change). Thus it seems like optimizing their financials to me, which in turn keeps operating costs down, which in turn can be invested into customer service, which in turn........

[McinRolex]

I honestly don't know how this will work out.

My experience at Rolex Boutique at South Coast Plaza (Run by Tourneau) was that they had all "hot" dummy pieces with exhibition only. I stopped in to try on one of the dummy Day Date with diamond they had on display and asked if they could let me know when one comes in.

SA said "We already have 6 people requesting this exact piece and we are looking at least 6 months per each which makes it 3 years wait". And she did not even bother.

What a poor experience.

[whiskyrolex]

This will result in an even worse experience than empty cases. Just keep them in the safe.

[AMulls]

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. When I picked up my DJ41 the other day, my AD mentioned something that sounds like this policy. He said they had just been advised by Rolex that they needed to keep a certain number of watches in stock and in the cases. He said he thought it was 24, but wasn't certain. He wasn't sure how it was going to work as it was a brand new thing.

I didn't press him for more info, but I got the impression it was more of an inventory thing to help reduce waitlists, rather be a tease. More like, hey we have these in inventory and you can get one. When one goes out the door, they'd have to get another in. Not necessarily exhibition only pieces.

But again, I didn't press for details and it sounded like it was a very recent thing, so I'm guessing Rolex and the ADs are still trying to figure out what it means and how it will work.

[vh2k]

Originally Posted by beshannon

So a customer walks in, tries on a watch and then is told it cannot be sold to him. He will now have to wait but thanks for stopping by.

This will not end well if it ever starts. Not to mention that a piece that gets handled dozens of times will not be in such great shape.

The program has been up and running for several weeks and has been very well received. Customers are told up front the watches are NOT for sale... but they can look at them and see what they look like on the wrist.

[214270Explorer]

All this ongoing crud with Rolex watch supply is a hot mess.
Not to mention AD-embarrassing, frustrating and confusing for everyone.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by vh2k

The program has been up and running for several weeks and has been very well received. Customers are told up front the watches are NOT for sale... but they can look at them and see what they look like on the wrist.

Which is fine, though as scratches happen, if tried on many times, etc, ... you know where that discussion is going. I'd prefer they just keep the display model until that model is phased out. Then send it to RSC for refurb and thus 'new' again to sell as the last one.

[ap1]

This is all so laughable. Sounds like they can’t keep up with demand, lol. No duh

[ap1]

Also, thought the dealers run the cards and that triggers Rolex to send another. So will they run the card on this overly fondled not for sale piece.me then what, the guy lucky enough to buy the beat up, no longer new one, gets 4.5 year warranty.

[Ensign]

That’s just going to upset folks; can you see all the customers begging to buy the display model?

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by ap1

Also, thought the dealers run the cards and that triggers Rolex to send another. So will they run the card on this overly fondled not for sale piece.me then what, the guy lucky enough to buy the beat up, no longer new one, gets 4.5 year warranty.

Or they’ll sell the new ones, then sell these as used, at whatever the going rate is.

[NachoNeal]

Originally Posted by DC116710LN

Rolex should just supply exhibition models

How is that not already the policy? Fill the cases with exhibition watches. Is that so hard?

[kinggiamma]

I think is a clever move. Till now the only option to try a sport model was to go to a reseller. I think Rolex would like their customers see their products in their stores and not at grey sellers’ ones.

[McinRolex]

Originally Posted by Ensign

That’s just going to upset folks; can you see all the customers begging to buy the display model?

That's what I'm saying. Customers lined up to see the display model and bother to be on the list and ADs keep repeating themselves (Purchase history, buy this buy that and such).

[ks58]

Interesting. I wouldn’t be embarrassed. They are in high demand. People can see them online.

[HiBoost]

Personally I would hope that they'd just stick to exhibition pieces with no internals or something short of a "real watch". A) that prevents any chance of "just sell it to me for $$$$$$$" confrontations with whales and B) when we do someday get the call for our own watch it won't have been tried on previously by 10,000 boobs that just came in to take a quick wrist pic for the 'gram.