$1,000 difference between AD and Trusted Seller

[Spartacus]

Originally Posted by sensui

Think carefully about trying to "establish" a relationship with the AD....usually this takes time and a good amount of $$ spent for an AD to really "care about you." Buying one or 2 stainless watches isn't going to magically make you a VIP. $1k is $1k, if you're not looking to pick up a lot of watches in near future, I'd go with the trusted seller assuming everything is equivalent (open warranty card of ~5 years, everything included).

This is solid advice.

[WJGESQ]

Originally Posted by Bello_nyc

Ts I'd rather have the 1000 in my pocket.

Easy choice.

[AJM914]

Trusted seller!

[Bladeshot]

Definitely the TS. No value for me in a long distance relationship with an AD that's not local. I have bought from many TS here and always had a great experience. Read who's who, look at them on the web and do a little homework. Keep the $1000.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Danny83]

Ad but if any more then 1k trusted seller

[tng11]

I went with the AD in the case of my BLNR. Could have gotten one for cheaper online, but then there would be shipping risks, wire costs, etc. With this purchase I was unable to unlock a huge signup bonus on one of my cards which required a high minimum spend - bagged close to 90,000 miles after this transaction, and just enough to get the 220,000 miles I needed for a round-trip to Asia in first class.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by juniorlawrence

If you had your eye on a watch and a Trusted Seller on here had it fore $1,000 less than an AD; would you (1) Buy from the TS or (2) Buy from the AD?

What would you do?

[jon_jon]

Originally Posted by juniorlawrence

Devil is always in the details, I forgot the details.

AD: New, price is wire price, AD is in another state (my state:area doesn't or didn't offer any discount.) So I doubt I will really "establish" a relationship with them and this purchase could probably be a 1 and done. Maybe 1 for the wife down the road. Fully warranty, my name on card

TS: New, $1,000 savings is wire price, roughly 4 years and about 1/2 left on the warranty, my name on card.

I always worry about Franken watches/parts/aftermarket etc

If the watch has 4.5 years warranty left and you can get your name on it, this means the watch was sold 6 months ago with a blank warranty card. I would verify that the warranty card has the AD stamp and date of sale written on it.

The term "trusted seller" is used commonly here and some people use the term very loosely for anyone re-selling here in TRF. Do you trust this re-seller to trust that the AD swiped the warranty card during the sale and activated the warranty? Is the re-seller willing to give you an original bill of sale that he purchased from the AD, in case there is a question of warranty later on?

The $1000 price difference is probably what you would pay for a service if anything is wrong with the watch within the next few years and the original warranty card is not valid. The service price would vary depending on the exact watch you have and may be less than $1000.

A lot of good advice here on the thread. But go with the decision that makes you sleep better at night, whether it is knowing you saved $1000 on a watch or you bought a watch directly from an AD and there is no question to its authenticity and warranty. You can also take the pre-owned watch to an independent watchmaker to open up the watch and check authenticity for a small fee.

[Dr.Brian]

The answer to this question is too individual.
Everyone draws their line in different places. $500, 1000, 2000?
It also depends on your income and likelihood of wanting an uncommon watch in the future. Though they all are available any time if you're willing to pay the premium.
And of course the value of the watch in question. There's a big difference between $1000 off of a 7500 watch and a 37000 watch.

[Stx]

Here's what I did recently - purchased from a small AD in a nearby state that I frequently visit (no tax as he mailed it to me). I received a good discount. I charged and got two additional years warranty (per the extended warranty). I enrolled in Citi Price Rewind and so far am getting a few hundred more back. The dealer installed a RubberB for me and fitted the bracelet. For me - a clean warranty, longer warranty, and service all ended up less than a gray watch. I'd pay something more for these things, how much is an individual call. Perhaps you can get the $1000 to an easier choice.

[jazznpool]

Originally Posted by juniorlawrence

If you had your eye on a watch and a Trusted Seller on here had it fore $1,000 less than an AD; would you (1) Buy from the TS or (2) Buy from the AD?

BNIB, trusted seller.

[btinl]

Originally Posted by Stx

Here's what I did recently - purchased from a small AD in a nearby state that I frequently visit (no tax as he mailed it to me). I received a good discount. I charged and got two additional years warranty (per the extended warranty). I enrolled in Citi Price Rewind and so far am getting a few hundred more back. The dealer installed a RubberB for me and fitted the bracelet. For me - a clean warranty, longer warranty, and service all ended up less than a gray watch. I'd pay something more for these things, how much is an individual call. Perhaps you can get the $1000 to an easier choice.

The CC extended warranty is a good benefit. I had to use this through AMEX with a Rolex purchase a few years ago.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

So, you would rather pay $12,000 to an AD with a credit card than $11,000 cash to a trusted seller?

What kind of miles/points are you accumulating on a $12,000 charge and how are you spending them such that its worth $1,000?

well i took a first class trip with my wife to LA from London a while back. After paying the taxes and fees of the award ticket i still saved in excess of $25k vs if i had paid for the tickets outright. Its about putting ALL possible purchases on a CC not just one thing here and there.

I go AD not to pay more, I go AD because i have a good enough relationship where I can ask for a 5712 and 9 days later i pick it up. It took a while to develop that, but once i did it makes no sense shopping around for discounts. So paying 1k more for a SS Rolex would be worth it in that case as well. Still deciding on a SS sky dweller but I'm not bothered by what grey dealer prices are doing at the moment as ill get it at retail if i decide to pull the trigger and probably with minimal wait.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

well i took a first class trip with my wife to LA from London a while back. After paying the taxes and fees of the award ticket i still saved in excess of $25k vs if i had paid for the tickets outright. Its about putting ALL possible purchases on a CC not just one thing here and there.

I go AD not to pay more, I go AD because i have a good enough relationship where I can ask for a 5712 and 9 days later i pick it up. So paying 1k more for a SS Rolex would be worth it in that case as well.

Okay, if you are counting an intangible like AD goodwill then I can see why you would pay more.

If you were solely spending $1000 extra just to earn 12,000 miles then the numbers don't add up. If you redeem the miles on international first class tickets, the miles are worth about 6 cents per mile on average, or about $720.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

Okay, if you are counting an intangible like AD goodwill then I can see why you would pay more.

If you were solely spending $1000 extra just to earn 12,000 miles then the numbers don't add up. If you redeem the miles on international first class tickets, the miles are worth about 6 cents per mile on average, or about $720.

yep AD relationship is the driving factor. I don't pay more just to earn miles though. If it makes sense mathematically i would. IE a cash discount is often less than points value.

[Gaijin]

Trusted seller. No question.

[juniorlawrence]

Originally Posted by Speed

What would you do?

AD, that's what I'm gonna do. Thanks for feedback everyone.

[ncsub]

Some ADs will knock off $1,000 after you have a relationship with them.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

yep AD relationship is the driving factor. I don't pay more just to earn miles though. If it makes sense mathematically i would. IE a cash discount is often less than points value.

thanks for clarifying

[soundserious]

Really depends on the watch. A ceramic Daytona I'd go AD. A date-just I'd pocket the $1000 and put it to work elsewhere.

A thousand dollars is not an insignificant amount of money.

[Hairdude1]

Trusted seller

[padi56]

Originally Posted by WJGESQ

Easy choice.

Agree and if anyone was not sixpence short of a shilling a saving of $1000 over any AD price they would jump at it.Give me a saving with a trusted seller any day over the so called AD experience, what experience perhaps a diet coke.Some talk about AD relationship what relationship, most what you spent thousands to perhaps get you a so called hard to get model thats not relationship thats bribery.

[Audguy]

AD get watches at around 40% of mark up price so i would try to get the AD down first

[KBM]

Originally Posted by Duey

Why not just walk in to the AD and hand him $1000 in cash and then say "be my friend and let me buy stuff from you please".

Then go to the trusted seller here and buy your watch and start building a relationship

* This way you can build 2 relationships and you still get to burn you $1000 too !

Touché!

[Abdullah71601]

My tipping point is about $500. For that, I'm going to the AD.

I have given my AD the opportunity to match TS pricing. He did once and didn't twice. But at least he had the opportunity to make the sale. Which most businesses count as loyalty points for a customer.

[MariettaMike]

Originally Posted by Corsair66

If the watches are BNIB from either source, I wouldn't pay any premium to buy from an AD. If the product is equivalent and the TS is truly trusted (thereby eliminating "peace of mind" rationalizations), why would anyone pay even $1 more to an AD?!?

I contend that it's always about the $$. If there is a $1,000 difference in price, I'd make darn sure that the trusted seller can be trusted. I also like to purchase my Rolex watches in person in a brick-and-morter shop where I can try the watch on and get them to adjust the watch if needed before I leave with the watch. Most times, trusted sales are done over the Internet. If you don't mind doing business over the 'net and the trusted seller can be truly trusted, then go for the savings.

Just my two cents.

[uzona]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

you and me both.
Most people don't "get" the points/miles advantage of CC and seem to prefer to walk around with stacks of cash. My miles pay out more than any cash discount ever could, by a large margin. Plus its safer.

Every reseller I have used takes my freq flyer cc and still gives a much better price then AD. Look around there are several of them that quote cc price only
expecting it as means of payment

[PerioBear]

I buy only from my Trusted AD!

[landroverking]

Depends on the watch. We talking 3k or 30k?

[htrap2294]

Trusted seller for me.