More new ADs "rules" for sports and limited editions

[adg31]

Originally Posted by Raza_actual

Yeah, but are they going to sell the hammers?

Good point; if Rolex launch them at Basel there will almost certainly be a shortage of hammers with AD's placed on allocation thereby lengthening the queues as buyers anxiously wait to have their new watches trashed :)
Back to the drawing board...


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[Raza_actual]

Originally Posted by brucethemanlee

Or how about letting ADs (not just Asia ) sell above MSRP ?
ADs can sell at market and update as needed and no incentive for them to sell to Grey's. Flippers won't flip because they're buying at market . Sucks for the normal buyers but now you only deal with ADs with proper warranty with ur name on it and from a market standpoint you are buying at "market”
Or have Rolex set msrp to correct levels. Instead of Daytona in SS be $12,400 set it at $19,400 (or whatever the market currrntly is)

Just some thoughts to ponder


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Rolex slows supply to a trickle and then lets authorized dealers jack up the price? That sounds awful. Dealer markups have killed many cars in the past--the Pontiac GTO, the Sky and Solstice, I know the Nissan GT-R had some trouble when it first came out but managed to succeed despite early anger over the markups. Though I've seen cars sitting on lots for months with massive markups--Shelby Cobras with 50% markups, a Ford GT (the first model from like 15 years ago) with a 100% markup, a GT-R with a 100% markup. Don't know if they ever had to lower the markups, but I remember that GT became something of an embarrassment for the dealership. They needed space to move more volume, so they kept moving the GT around the dealership. Last time I saw it, it was sitting, roped off, on their Hyundai showroom floor.

Give the dealers the opportunity to charge more money and they will, even to their own detriment and to the detriment of the customers and to the detriment to the brand. The only reason there is a supply shortage is because Rolex chooses for there to be one. Should they then allow dealers to put their customers over a barrel because of their supply line control, I would be disgusted and turn away from the brand. And at some of the prices. The Daytona price you quoted is utterly insane. I'm sure some people would pay that, but I'd rather spend a little more and get a Royal Oak Chronograph for around $25K. Rolex has what no other luxury watch brand has--undeniable mass appeal. If the watches become unattainable for the vast majority of people, they will turn away from Rolex.

In short, if you pay a markup, you're contributing to awful business practices. Sure, you can give me the tired old economic argument, but that's not what's going on when a company sets a price and then doesn't allow supply to ever meet that demand. It's false demand--it's market manipulation.

[Raza_actual]

Originally Posted by adg31

Good point; if Rolex launch them at Basel there will almost certainly be a shortage of hammers with AD's placed on allocation thereby lengthening the queues as buyers anxiously wait to have their new watches trashed :)
Back to the drawing board...


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Then there's a worry of people buying the hammers and selling them on the gray market.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by ostatedchi

Wouldn't this entire Grey Market vs. AD be solved if Rolex allowed AD's to simply price their watches according to market demand?

It would be helpfull but not conclusive.
Perhaps the recommended price should be the minimum new price with no upper limit imposed upon the ADs. Of course ADs can be free to still discount to their trusted customers as they see fit.

One other complication is that greys are selling online and shipping all over the world. It's impossible for an AD to compete on an equal footing with that being the case.
With Rolex taking a more proactive roll in monitoring who is buying and selling their watches, I should imagine it will become more difficult for greys to get their hands on the most profitable models as time rolls on.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Raza_actual

Then there's a worry of people buying the hammers and selling them on the gray market.

It would depend upon whether the hammers were any good.
Besides not many people know how to make good use of a good hammer these days.

Anothr question surrounds what type of hamner should they make?
A Claw hammer or Ball pien or Lump hammer, with a Sledge hammer reserved for a DSSD.
Perhaps they could make a range of hammers to better suit the model of watch much like the different size of the boxes.

[BNABOD]

Really don’t get Rolex. Anyone here actually working for the company for some insight? Not that hard to be anonymous on the internet these days but frankly this whole remove stickers, engrave you purchase date or whatever else on the case back , promise to never sell, turns me off it is not even funny. The whole Daytona craze w the 2 to 5 year wait list wasn’t enough already, the “relationship with ad” nonsense for the privilege to be worthy, the sign ur name in blood crap , seriously do they really think they are that relevant??? Get a blancpain , JLC, Zenith, Omega .... but I will not put up w any of this nonsense for a brand which is frankly not that special. They make nice watches that are well made last forever but for f@@@ sake enough is enough. You know there is something wrong when you can get a Lange more easily ....


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[doboy007]

Originally Posted by BNABOD

Really don’t get Rolex. Anyone here actually working for the company for some insight? Not that hard to be anonymous on the internet these days but frankly this whole remove stickers, engrave you purchase date or whatever else on the case back , promise to never sell, turns me off it is not even funny. The whole Daytona craze w the 2 to 5 year wait list wasn’t enough already, the “relationship with ad” nonsense for the privilege to be worthy, the sign ur name in blood crap , seriously do they really think they are that relevant??? Get a blancpain , JLC, Zenith, Omega .... but I will not put up w any of this nonsense for a brand which is frankly not that special. They make nice watches that are well made last forever but for f@@@ sake enough is enough. You know there is something wrong when you can get a Lange more easily ....


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Totally agree, but scarcity fuels the fire and I guess Rolex likes playing with fire

[EDL7]

Sometimes "solutions" to "problems"..are worse than the original issues...

[Zedder]

I was chatting with an AD today. He said they were told that they will be getting fewer pro model watches this year and will be receiving new trays for their display cases that will be the same size as the current trays, but with fewer spots for watches. They must remove stickers and fill in warranty cards and buyer info is sent to Rolex. They are being discouraged from selling to buyers outside of their territory and Rolex is trying to minimize grey market sales. The AD also has a black list for known resellers. For what it is worth...

[CrazyMD]

Great time to get into selling of case back business


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[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by jaySL350

then asked if it was ok to take a picture of the watch and my Reciept for payment which of course has all the watches info,,,

That's the point at which you say "no." The watch is purchased. I am giving the store nothing further.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by JM0127

I bought a 116600LV today. They now are required to engrave the back with something to combat grey market and secondary sales.

with a copy of your license for the warranty.

Rep said if I sold it, the warranty transferred so long as the name on the card matched the name on the Rolex warranty.

They are engraving the watch. They are copying your drivers license.

But then they assure you that the warranty will transfer?

All buyers need to start saying no to ridiculous AD demands.

[T-Bag]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

That's the point at which you say "no." The watch is purchased. I am giving the store nothing further.

They are causing a lot of animosity between ADs and customers

[EDL7]

They are being discouraged from selling to buyers outside of their territory and Rolex is trying to minimize grey market sales.

I wonder what trusted sellers..think of this..?

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by Sprta

Thanks look forward to you teceiving the watch. Not sure how the engraving will affect the greys as it would be easy for them to add engraving.

Can't a buyer of an engraved case just ask RSC for a new caseback for not a ton of money?

[ronricks]

Supply is already starting to trickle into AD’s across the US. I expect by time April gets here it will be business as usual. This hysteria is overblown anyway. Prices will come down when supply picks up and it already has in some places.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by JM0127

I opted for yesterday's date.

I would have gone with "F.U. Rolex" or "F.U. AD's name".....although I would never buy a watch from an AD that demanded that so I would never deface my watch like that.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by adg31

You've just hit on the perfect way to prevent private buyers from unreasonably reselling their watches into the grey market for a profit.
Now, once you've paid, the AD will smash your new watch to pieces in front of you with a specially designed, Rolex branded, hammer before you leave the store.
This way you get the pleasure of having made it to the front of the queue, the watch never fails to live up to your hopes and dreams, the AD makes their sale and Rolex deprive the market of new sports models. The only real flaw I can see is that it would damage the future income stream from servicing watches but that is surely a small price to pay for solving the wider problem.
Perfect


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DY
ING

THANK YOU!

[scarlet knight]

No one is engraving the back of a watch that I intend to buy or I ain’t buying it. Love Rolex, but there are other brands.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by bdex75

now they do this, at a price well below what they market would bear. And Rolex is smart enough to know what the market will bear.

I'm not sure about the price being well below what the market would bear.

SS models have not been out that long, and white and black dial versions are already down to selling just 10-15% above MSRP on the forum.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by Polarbears

I love the new rules get rid of the greys please.

What exactly is it you don't like about the greys?

[jh225]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

Can't a buyer of an engraved case just ask RSC for a new caseback for not a ton of money?

Why should he have to?

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

I would have gone with "F.U. Rolex"

[No SUBctitute]

Ah, I figured out what Rolex is doing!

Recall the "Confirmed" thread that asserted Rolex would be greatly cutting back on both SS and PM sports models.

There have also been many threads on Rolex trying to combat flipping popular watches for a profit.

Thus, Rolex has decided to stop producing and selling its most popular and scare watches (sports models) so that flippers are unable to purchase them at MSRP and flip them for a profit.

Rolex is brilliant!

[Polarbears]

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

What exactly is it you don't like about the greys?

Everything

[fagan]

Originally Posted by NorthernPike

Wow. Never in a million years would I agree to having the new watch I just bought, retained for days so that it could be defaced. I would say forget it. The deal's off. I'm outta here.

^^

[Ichiran]

I wish Rolex has done this earlier, so that I can buy my favorite Rolex sooner at MSRP.

I don't mind the removal of stickers, retaining of the warranty and even the engraving if this means I can get my Rolex at MSRP.

Thumbs up to Rolex!

[kaiserphoenix]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

I wish Rolex has done this earlier, so that I can buy my favorite Rolex sooner at MSRP.



I don't mind the removal of stickers, retaining of the warranty and even the engraving if this means I can get my Rolex at MSRP.



Thumbs up to Rolex!

Problem is that it won’t happen. We will just have “non engraved” daytona’s at even higher premiums and “engraved” daytona’s still above retail too just not as high.


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[Devildog]

Originally Posted by jh225

But in the real world, what buyer in their right mind would agree to and sign such a contract?

Anyone who wants the watch and isn’t going to flip. I’d have happily signed such a contract when I picked up my SD43 (UK market) if it was a condition of purchase.

In any event there contract could not be unreasonable and would have to include fair provisions in the event you had to sell to be enforceable.

Originally Posted by jh225

That very well may be, BUT, how is that the customers problem? The dealer defaces my brand new $10K watch because he is in trouble with the mothership? Sorry, but I am not playing that game.

We forget that a retailer isn’t obligated to sell you something. That have an absolute right to dictate the terms of sale, as long as we know what those are before payment.

No one is forcing you to play this game. You don’t want to, fine. There are 50 people queuing up behind you who don’t care and and will happily buy the watch under those terms. Ultimately it’s your loss, not Rolex’s or the AD’s.

We might not like it, but that’s the way it is

Originally Posted by jh225

Heck, let's take it a step further............... What happens when the guy that paid for his watch and was told he can't walk out of the store with it goes to pick it up a week later, and there is a scratch (other than an engraving) or other damage to his watch? Who's responsible then? Does the purchaser refuse the watch? Does he then have to open a dispute with the AD with his credit card company? What if he paid cash? What if he bought it while on vacation and can't come back in a week?

There's just a whole bunch of idiocy going on with this "new & improved" grey market protection policy Rolex has set forth.

Tags being removed, stickers being removed, no coffin, license copy, engraving some BS onto my brand new watch, etc. I would again have to say........... Someone at Rolex has done lost their mind.

Agreed

[optimaladdicted]

From Thailand. Local ADs internal rule to get hot ROLEX items is to buy them as a pair. For example, if you want to get SS Sub date you will have to buy another Rolex watch as well in order to get Sub date at MSRP. If you disagree to do so, they will not give you a chance to get Rolex hot items. This regulation does not comply with SS Daytona though.

To get SS Ceramic Daytona at MSRP on that day you will have to purchase any ROLEX watches (except hot items) altogether THB 1,500,000.00 then you can get your Daytona at MSRP. Totally on that day you will have to spend about THB 2,000,000.00

Does any places else acrosss country has this rule?

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Devildog

Anyone who wants the watch and isn’t going to flip. I’d have happily signed such a contract when I picked up my SD43 (UK market) if it was a condition of purchase.

In any event there contract could not be unreasonable and would have to include fair provisions in the event you had to sell to be enforceable.

How do you see such a contract being enforced in the event of a breach? Assuming we are talking about normal customers who purchased a watch at MSRP, what damages could Rolex claim they have suffered if a customer sells the watch before the end of the non-permissible term? Would the potential recovery be worth the legal costs to get it?

That's not even getting into the PR nightmare Rolex would have on its hands if it were to start suing its customers for failing to honor a contract of adhesion it foist upon them as a condition of the sale. Such a move would make all this other nonsense look positively sane.