TERRIBLE AD experience! AG Jeweler, Bellevue, WA

[schoolboy]

You should’ve said “I’ve been kicked out of better places”

Lmao

Jk

In all honesty, that is BS

Talk to his superiors


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[schoolboy]

“Screw this place, I’ll stick to Patek, you can keep your overpriced blocks of steel”

Or

“I’ll let Ricky Mille take my money instead”



Seriously though, just because Rolex is super hot right now, some sales have become very condescending and snobby


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[77T]

I know my nearby AD would never treat a customer as you have described. I don’t think you were out of line asking about any flexibility in the final price.

But it sounds like he reacted strongly about the tax avoidance issue - a red hot poker up the wazoo methinks.

Oddly one thing you mentioned may be a cue for why he reacted badly.

You said that under the current environment ADs should be more customer focused. Nothing wrong in that.

At the same time, Washington State is has a tax shortfall of epic proportions, the budget gap will cause many State employees to lose their jobs, and the shop owner may be a strong proponent of collecting the tax. https://crosscut.com/2020/06/was-com...reat-recession




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[OttawaSteve]

There seems to be a lot of people offering opinions on this situation without reading the OP's documentation of the experience. Sales tax issue??? He did what I do whenever I buy a car; I offer a price all-in, the dealer can calculate the tax and decide if it works for him. Flipper concerns? - come on people, the problem with flippers isn't people walking into a dealer and buying an available watch and then reselling it, it's AD's dealing directly with flippers for a cut of the profits. What the hell does this AD care if the OP resells this watch?

I cannot imagine being treated this shabbily by any retailer no matter what the excuse. In this case, when a customer walks in ready to spend a lot of money and gets hoofed out, it almost seems unbelievable. I would love to hear the AD's side, just to complete the discussion.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by usmc_k9_vet

This was way too egregious to warrant a second chance. I was made to feel so incredibly bad and was kicked out of the store. I should give him a second chance to have my money? No thanks. I'm not a prideful person, but that would be too much.

Egregious is a strong term. Im just suggesting a grudge doesn’t get you what you want. You want that product and due to their behavior you may have a good chance to get it from them. Give em a chance to rectify their mistake.

[Atone]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Wow, a store owner didn’t like it when you hinted that he help you avoid paying sales tax? The nerve of these guys.

i do this all the time. i've been offered to ship the watch out of state by many AD's to avoid the tax. whats the issue?

[Atone]

Originally Posted by OttawaSteve

There seems to be a lot of people offering opinions on this situation without reading the OP's documentation of the experience. Sales tax issue??? He did what I do whenever I buy a car; I offer a price all-in, the dealer can calculate the tax and decide if it works for him. Flipper concerns? - come on people, the problem with flippers isn't people walking into a dealer and buying an available watch and then reselling it, it's AD's dealing directly with flippers for a cut of the profits. What the hell does this AD care if the OP resells this watch?

I cannot imagine being treated this shabbily by any retailer no matter what the excuse. In this case, when a customer walks in ready to spend a lot of money and gets hoofed out, it almost seems unbelievable. I would love to hear the AD's side, just to complete the discussion.

exactly.

[schoolboy]

Also, i know this is a watch forum, but remember man, it is just a watch

The whole world is dying and going through things, here in America we have protests and rights and huge loss of jobs...

Then some of us are still begging an AD to please please sell me the Pepsi GMT

Come on

For me personally, all the crap that has been going on in the world has made me appreciate what I have, instead of dreaming about more and more

I’ve learned to appreciate my Datejust so much, that I learned how to size it myself

Here soon I will remove the bracelet to give it an ultrasonic bath


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[996marty]

The guy was obviously rude and doesn’t deserve your business or anyone else’s but like others have mentioned if you don’t pay the asking price someone else will if you know the price and have the money buy it I say.

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by Atone

i do this all the time. i've been offered to ship the watch out of state by many AD's to avoid the tax. whats the issue?

Unless you live in a state with no sales tax, then you don’t get to avoid sales tax (legally). That’s the issue.

If a store helps you do that that’s their business, but it shouldn’t be held against anyone that isn’t willing to be an accomplice.

[cvera]

I haven't had an experience like that, but thank you for sharing. Words to avoid and shops to avoid noted.

[Spectre38]

Originally Posted by JSolution

I think some “Man up” juice is needed here.

There seems to be a lot of need for that in the last few years.

[usmc_k9_vet]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Unless you live in a state with no sales tax, then you don’t get to avoid sales tax (legally). That’s the issue.

If a store helps you do that that’s their business, but it shouldn’t be held against anyone that isn’t willing to be an accomplice.

It’s not avoiding sales tax. It’s seeing if they’ll lower the MSRP so your out the door price is the same as if you paid only MSRP. So MSRP Sea-Dweller is $11700. Lower it to $10800 so when I pay sales tax we are basically back at $11700 (actually $11880). There is nothing wrong or illegal about this. $1080 in tax would be paid by me instead of $1170.


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[Parapraxis]

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

This is the game. If you want to be a player, learn from today and be better at the next AD you try to work with.

This was good exposure to how rough this pursuit can be.

[watchmaker]

Originally Posted by usmc_k9_vet

It’s not avoiding sales tax. It’s seeing if they’ll lower the MSRP so your out the door price is the same as if you paid only MSRP. So MSRP Sea-Dweller is $11700. Lower it to $10800 so when I pay sales tax we are basically back at $11700 (actually $11880). There is nothing wrong or illegal about this. $1080 in tax would be paid by me instead of $1170.


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That’s not the arrangement the post I quoted was discussing.

But I understand what you mean better now in relation to your situation.

[Jona]

I often ask about a discount covering the sales tax. I used to get it regularly but not any longer. But when they tell me no they are courteous about it. There is no reason to mistreat a serious customer.

[DG123]

Originally Posted by usmc_k9_vet

Sort of. I was willing to pay MSRP plus tax, but I figured first I’d see if a discount was even within the realm of possibility. Apparently it is sacrilege and the highest offense around to even suggest this to an AD as you are attempting to purchase the oh-so-holy Rolex! If he had just been polite and countered, even to tell me he can’t do a discount at all, that would have been fine, but when I attempted to have a discussion, he literally got so upset that he forced me out of the store. So did I have a chance to buy a Sea-Dweller at MSRP plus tax? I dunno. Kind of. I guess I could have if I was ok doing it while being made to feel like absolute shite.

If the Sea Dweller is not readily available at AD's, and he had one in his store for you, and you like the model, you probably should have just said "I've been wanting a Sea Dweller and am glad you have this watch for me, thank you".

[Theoffice]

Yah doesn’t sound like you were serious or ready to buy,
Lost your chance, but I guess you can get on a wait list somewhere else,

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by DG123

If the Sea Dweller is not readily available at AD's, and he had one in his store for you, and you like the model, you probably should have just said "I've been wanting a Sea Dweller and am glad you have this watch for me, thank you".

+1. Sorry for the douse of cold water. More research would have indicated the above was the best course of action rather than the negotiation gambits you chose to pursue.

[Jesterful]

I purchased a Breitling from AG about 14 years ago and pop into the store every time I'm over visiting family. They always remember me and are genuinely the nicest AD I have ever visited, they couldn't be more helpful.

I guess you caught them on a bad day?

[healer]

to much drama on both sides...lol.. I mean it in a nice way:)

[AF_Rob]

My brother and I were treated like crap once at an AD in Florida. Told him he was an a-hole, never went back.

If anyone was cutting me off like you said, I would have ended the conversation. May have to eat a year waiting but I wouldn’t want an a-hole getting my money.

Honestly, I didn’t read your whole post. It read a bit ranty.

I wouldn’t have outed them on the forum, though. If he tried to rip me off, that would be different.


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[usmc_k9_vet]

Originally Posted by healer

to much drama on both sides...lol.. I mean it in a nice way:)

I agree

Originally Posted by Theoffice

Yah doesn’t sound like you were serious or ready to buy,
Lost your chance, but I guess you can get on a wait list somewhere else,

Was and am fully ready to buy, but yes, that particular chance is gone.

Originally Posted by macrowatch

+1. Sorry for the douse of cold water. More research would have indicated the above was the best course of action rather than the negotiation gambits you chose to pursue.

I’ve done plenty of research. I wouldn’t have minded a polite “I’m sorry but we can’t accommodate that request”, but instead I was literally ushered out of the store.

Originally Posted by Parapraxis

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

This is the game. If you want to be a player, learn from today and be better at the next AD you try to work with.

This was good exposure to how rough this pursuit can be.

Love the quote! I get it, and am willing to play the game, to a certain extent, I’d just like to not be made to feel like shite whilst playing said game. I guess if you’re ok with ADs just treating people like this because “that’s the game” then ok, but that doesn’t make it right.

Originally Posted by Jesterful

I purchased a Breitling from AG about 14 years ago and pop into the store every time I'm over visiting family. They always remember me and are genuinely the nicest AD I have ever visited, they couldn't be more helpful.



I guess you caught them on a bad day?

I am genuinely glad you have had good experiences with them.


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[Ravager135]

I don’t expect to get a discount on Rolex at this time, but it never hurts to ask. There are tactful ways of going about it. I don’t think you did anything wrong about asking to avoid tax. Multiple ADs across multiple states have offered to work around taxes with me in the past; whether they would eat it as a discount, ship from another branch, or ship to another location. Regardless, even if you straight up asked for an absurd, unreasonable discount, you shouldn’t have been treated poorly. It’s very easy to politely refuse someone.

If I take your story at your word, it seems as if the owner had a chip on his shoulder and you got off on the wrong foot. I wouldn’t go back, especially if there is another AD nearby. This is just my opinion on the matter. It doesn’t take much customer service to get me to separate some cash from my wallet if I am hunting for something.

[N2theCAPE]

The current AD situation is such that they want you to be even privalaged to be purchasing a watch from them... You're correct in your statement that these AD wouldn't even be around if they didn't have the line.

I'm interested to know who exactly contacted you to come into the store and look at their watches...? It seems to me his reaction was such that he was almost surprised you were even there to look at them.

I would leave them 1* reviews on all platforms stating exactly what you stated here and watch how quickly they'll contact you...

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[aw9nineteen]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. As a business owner he should know this and live by it on a daily basis. Once an owner starts acting like he doesn’t need a customer’s business he will soon not have any customers business.

Amen


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[Boothroyd]

I would like to hear from the AD, but unlikely he knows about this posting.

[usmc_k9_vet]

Originally Posted by Boothroyd

I would like to hear from the AD, but unlikely he knows about this posting.

Originally Posted by Boothroyd

I would like to hear from the AD, but of course, he won't get that chance.

He’s got the same opportunity as I do and could come on this very thread and post if he wants to.


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[Boothroyd]

Originally Posted by usmc_k9_vet

He’s got the same opportunity as I do and could come on this very thread and post if he wants to.


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Does he know you posted this? Maybe give them a head's up? Not all AD's monitor TRF.

[gerobak]

Goldfarb also treated me like garbage. I was looking for the Sea-Dweller or Submariner. Went into the store, locked, but a saleswoman opened the door for me. Checking my entire attire from top to bottom. Granted I was very noobie in term of watch jewelry, and just tried to ask around about the sub and sea-d. The only info I got from her was those models are only for our customers with the fakest and most sarcastic smile ever. Hahaha. I couldn't stand it and left the store within 3 minutes.

I ended up stopping by Ben Bridge on Downtown Seattle. Striked a conversation with Dan, and he started to educate me about the whole SS watch game without being snobbish. He recommended me to look for Sub-C instead, and sure enough he got it for me within 6 weeks. Be like Dan, he's a great Rolex salesman.