AP AD requesting to cancel my order after deposit and 13 month wait

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

you continued to check in with them...but didn't buy any more watches from them?

Seriously... It's this kind of attitude that ruins the market as well. Buying stuff you don't want or need.

''yeah but it's the name of the game''.

Perhaps there weren't any other watches.

[steeevvvooo]

Isn't the blue ROC boutique exclusive? If so, then would and AD have no business tasking a deposit for one? Not sure, but perhaps that's what the OP was told in his manager call?

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[amateurcollector]

Originally Posted by steeevvvooo

Isn't the blue ROC boutique exclusive? If so, then would and AD have no business tasking a deposit for one? Not sure, but perhaps that's what the OP was told in his manager call?

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Bingo - the story doesn’t makes sense. How could an AD sell a boutique exclusive?

[ap1]

Get your back with 30% interest, what they made using your funds

[blada4life]

Originally Posted by amateurcollector

Bingo - the story doesn’t makes sense. How could an AD sell a boutique exclusive?

guys relax there is no conspiracy here. it is NOT a boutique exclusive. read my first post again, it is the 26331 blue dial CHRONO in 41mm. Only the 38mm ROCs are the boutique exclusives is my understanding.

[blada4life]

Originally Posted by steeevvvooo

Isn't the blue ROC boutique exclusive? If so, then would and AD have no business tasking a deposit for one? Not sure, but perhaps that's what the OP was told in his manager call?

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it is NOT a boutique exclusive. read my first post again, it is the 26331 blue dial CHRONO in 41mm. Only the 38mm ROCs are the boutique exclusives is my understanding.

[steeevvvooo]

Originally Posted by blada4life

it is NOT a boutique exclusive. read my first post again, it is the 26331 blue dial CHRONO in 41mm. Only the 38mm ROCs are the boutique exclusives is my understanding.

I read your post, and ALL the replies. You won't get much help on this forum being confrontational, but I'll put it down to tone not coming across over text... :)

I understood blue dials to be boutique only. If this is incorrect then fair enough and my bad.

My point was, the AD seems to have made a mistake taking the deposit. The manager suggesting the SAs were lying to you also leaves it open that they took your deposit in error. A manager even suggesting their staff lied to you, and not backing their SAs, suggests they themselves are either scrambling to cover their a$$es, or are a truly woeful manager.

It would be an obvious error for them to take a deposit on a watch they had no hope of being able to get, hence my line of thinking.

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[IBDOC]

Originally Posted by steeevvvooo

I understood blue dials to be boutique only. If this is incorrect then fair enough and my bad.

No blue dial ref is specifically boutique only other than for the 15500ST.

26331ST, 15450ST, 15400ST, 26574ST, all of them are/were sold with blue dials through third party ADs. They may or may not be rarer/less frequently allocated than other colors, though.

[steeevvvooo]

Originally Posted by IBDOC

No blue dial ref is specifically boutique only other than for the 15500ST.



26331ST, 15450ST, 15400ST, 26574ST, all of them are/were sold with blue dials through third party ADs. They may or may not be rarer/less frequently allocated than other colors, though.

OK cool. My theory has to what caused the AD to mess up has gone out of the window then :)

Carry on all...

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[dauster]

Originally Posted by amateurcollector

Bingo - the story doesn’t makes sense. How could an AD sell a boutique exclusive?

because the boutique exclusive stuff is a bunch of BS. I know for a fact that 15500 blue dials were sold by ADs this year. I assume the same goes for 26331 blue dial.

[AshAP]

I’m pretty sure my AD received an allocation of 1 blue dial Royal Oak per year (I’m certain that the manager told me this) and I know for sure that there was a scenario in which AP in London had a client for a particular watch that the AD had in stock that London didn’t have and the AD was rewarded for supplying the watch with a replacement watch that was regarded as more exclusive.

It’s worth pointing out that some of you guys on this forum need to come up with a consistent narrative, one day you’re saying there’s no AP stock in any boutiques or ADs and then the next you’re saying that boutique exclusive watches are actually also being sold in authorised dealers as well.


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[blada4life]

Originally Posted by steeevvvooo

I read your post, and ALL the replies. You won't get much help on this forum being confrontational, but I'll put it down to tone not coming across over text... :)

I understood blue dials to be boutique only. If this is incorrect then fair enough and my bad.

My point was, the AD seems to have made a mistake taking the deposit. The manager suggesting the SAs were lying to you also leaves it open that they took your deposit in error. A manager even suggesting their staff lied to you, and not backing their SAs, suggests they themselves are either scrambling to cover their a$$es, or are a truly woeful manager.

It would be an obvious error for them to take a deposit on a watch they had no hope of being able to get, hence my line of thinking.

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definitely not trying to be confrontational. just came off that way. glad you didnt take offense. all good.

[blada4life]

Originally Posted by dauster

because the boutique exclusive stuff is a bunch of BS. I know for a fact that 15500 blue dials were sold by ADs this year. I assume the same goes for 26331 blue dial.

interesting i heard this as well before that they may randomly get rewarded with a random boutique watch. oddly enough this was from the same SA when i first ordered.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by AshAP

I’m pretty sure my AD received an allocation of 1 blue dial Royal Oak per year (I’m certain that the manager told me this) and I know for sure that there was a scenario in which AP in London had a client for a particular watch that the AD had in stock that London didn’t have and the AD was rewarded for supplying the watch with a replacement watch that was regarded as more exclusive.

It’s worth pointing out that some of you guys on this forum need to come up with a consistent narrative, one day you’re saying there’s no AP stock in any boutiques or ADs and then the next you’re saying that boutique exclusive watches are actually also being sold in authorised dealers as well.


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not super hard to fathom that ADs may get rewarded a blue dial boutique exclusive for their best clients - as a matter of fact I know so. I don't think this needs to fit into any narrative and doesn't change the fact that the shelves are empty in most ADs or boutiques.
The narrative is inconsistent because is AP is inconsistent - no CRM database that tracks all their clients purchases and boutiques exclusive stuff gets sold at Ads too.

[dchang81]

i swear AP's site used to label pieces that were boutique exclusives, like the beast reissue and lime green diver chrono.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by dchang81

i swear AP's site used to label pieces that were boutique exclusives, like the beast reissue and lime green diver chrono.

Yes true but yet you could still get them elsewhere but I don’t know if that’s true for a models. Only know about blue ROC and RO 15500

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by cascavel

Oh, good one and a new twist. After you get on the list and place your deposit you're supposed to improve your credit score (with AP) buy making other purchases. I like it.
No resting on your laurels.

For sure. From what I've seen the big spenders and VIP don't leave deposits or any of that baloney, they just get called to get the watch...sometimes without even asking for it...just offered to them, to keep THEM engaged and interested.

Spending SOLVES all the availability concerns...

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by blada4life

Update, and i will try to answer other questions here:

1. yes it is an AD
2. before speaking to the manager i reached out to AP to get their guidance:
- i got some interesting information. Since it is an AD they have no control over anything. Had it been a boutique, more specifically the corporate one and not a partnership, they would have a lot of say in what happened next.
- the rep at AP was very nice and professional and tried to help, asked me to try and deal with the manager to my satisfaction BUT if we cant work anything out and they force a refund only, to reach out back to him and he would put me in touch with a corp boutique and have me "pitch my case" to them. It was definitely appreciated knowing i can go to them for help.
3. i spoke to the manager. the reps wouldnt even give me the name of the manager... sounds like they are all running these games with customers. I had a really productive, honest and frank convo with the manager and she gave me more insight into how i was approved in the first place, which i appreciated. She also made it clear the reps have been lying to me and never speaking to her about my status or place in line. She offered to help obtain something else for me in the next few months if she can, but no guarantee what it will be, although it would be a more special watch (i.e. ranging from sub to AP). If she is unable to get anything for me due to allocation and small deliveries, she will reach out to me and we will take it further. I explained to her my passion for watches and my reasons for this watch and what it meant to us for 2020/2021. she seemed receptive, but still no guarantee.

At this point, i will not reach back out to AP and will allow the AD to try and make it right. i am glad i spoke to the manager because the reps were clearly lying and trying to push me out not to get in trouble. hope this situation can help others. I will try to update this post if i hear back in the next 1-2 months from the AD, or sooner.

oh and interesting tidbit, the AD did have a recent meeting with AP and sounds like there is nothing about them losing their status at this time.... they were submitting their orders for next year. Moral of the story... do what you can to be customer of corporate AP location (not the partnership boutques by westime etc), but AP owned ones.... AP corporate apparently has full control over how they operate their lists etc and it sounded like he wouldve made sure i got my watch.

I still think this AD is not being truthful with you.

That watch came and went to a VIP.

If they really wanted or were truly concerned about your business, then they would supply something faster and more definitively.

It's really, really tough to compete with high spend individuals who buy their watches organically....and get rewarded for it. They WANT the references that others see as "for suckers" because they are high dollar complications..etc, but those individuals REALLY want those references...so their purchase history racks up up up.

[Watchflair]

OP any update? Did you decide the course of action you want to take?

[uniqueMR]

Walk away from them and never do business with them.
The one who cannot commit or stand on words, walk away :)

[7sins]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

For sure. From what I've seen the big spenders and VIP don't leave deposits or any of that baloney, they just get called to get the watch...sometimes without even asking for it...just offered to them, to keep THEM engaged and interested.

Spending SOLVES all the availability concerns...

I think this is geographically dependent to be a VIP here in Los Angeles is a very different spend level than Hong Kong that is different than Miami ETC. Albeit your underlying premise is true, the higher the spend the more access you have but even those that have a VERY high spend, $500k+ aren't being offered every watch, they get less than a handful of exclusive allocations each year. Also there tends to be a nod to longer term customers.

Not to be overly direct but for those who are interested, ultimately you need to build a relationship with your SA, I don't fit the above spend level but bring my AP team food, coffee tequila etc and just be a normal person who takes interest in them. For those not as social, simply ask where they are going on vacation, their kids names and remember to ask how they are or where they went when you are back in the store. They get asked 100x a day if they have any Royal Oak in stock from those on the street. Build a sincere relationship, show passion in the brand and be unique from everyone else coming in off the street wanting an allocation. You aren't going to initially get a skeleton but I promise, take the above into account, you will get a RO over time. My spend is under the aforementioned VIP level but have excellent relationships and usually get 1 or 2 watches I want a year. Same exact thing with RM, long waiting list, took time to build a relationship and was offered a RM030 brand new from the boutique recently.

Be social, genuine and treat the SA like a normal human being who has relationships, interests, hobbies etc. If the right people like you, this can sometimes be much more valuable than what you are willing to spend. Will go a long way getting what you want in life.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by 7sins

I think this is geographically dependent to be a VIP here in Los Angeles is a very different spend level than Hong Kong that is different than Miami ETC.

Curious what you think the sign is, LA > HK or HK > LA?

Agree with the rest of your post

[GS93108]

Originally Posted by 7sins

...Not to be overly direct but for those who are interested, ultimately you need to build a relationship with your SA, I don't fit the above spend level but bring my AP team food, coffee tequila etc and just be a normal person who takes interest in them. For those not as social, simply ask where they are going on vacation, their kids names and remember to ask how they are or where they went when you are back in the store. They get asked 100x a day if they have any Royal Oak in stock from those on the street. Build a sincere relationship, show passion in the brand and be unique from everyone else coming in off the street wanting an allocation. You aren't going to initially get a skeleton but I promise, take the above into account, you will get a RO over time. My spend is under the aforementioned VIP level but have excellent relationships and usually get 1 or 2 watches I want a year. Same exact thing with RM, long waiting list, took time to build a relationship and was offered a RM030 brand new from the boutique recently.

Be social, genuine and treat the SA like a normal human being who has relationships, interests, hobbies etc. If the right people like you, this can sometimes be much more valuable than what you are willing to spend. Will go a long way getting what you want in life.

Nothing more needs saying!

[sokoloka]

Originally Posted by 7sins

I think this is geographically dependent to be a VIP here in Los Angeles is a very different spend level than Hong Kong that is different than Miami ETC. Albeit your underlying premise is true, the higher the spend the more access you have but even those that have a VERY high spend, $500k+ aren't being offered every watch, they get less than a handful of exclusive allocations each year. Also there tends to be a nod to longer term customers.

Not to be overly direct but for those who are interested, ultimately you need to build a relationship with your SA, I don't fit the above spend level but bring my AP team food, coffee tequila etc and just be a normal person who takes interest in them. For those not as social, simply ask where they are going on vacation, their kids names and remember to ask how they are or where they went when you are back in the store. They get asked 100x a day if they have any Royal Oak in stock from those on the street. Build a sincere relationship, show passion in the brand and be unique from everyone else coming in off the street wanting an allocation. You aren't going to initially get a skeleton but I promise, take the above into account, you will get a RO over time. My spend is under the aforementioned VIP level but have excellent relationships and usually get 1 or 2 watches I want a year. Same exact thing with RM, long waiting list, took time to build a relationship and was offered a RM030 brand new from the boutique recently.

Be social, genuine and treat the SA like a normal human being who has relationships, interests, hobbies etc. If the right people like you, this can sometimes be much more valuable than what you are willing to spend. Will go a long way getting what you want in life.

Last time I asked my SA what their children's names were and where they went to school all it got me was a restraining order :(



LOL.

[AshAP]

Originally Posted by sokoloka

Last time I asked my SA what their children's names were and where they went to school all it got me was a restraining order :(



LOL.

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[subtona]

Sounds like bs.

One option ...

Talk with the manager. Record the conversation/explanation and put it on social media.

Your business is meaningless to them, educate as many potential customers as you can.

[HMHM]

With Rolex and PP ADs, developing relationship with a decent purchase history is possible because Rolex and PP send watches to the AD and give ADs the freedom to decide who gets the watches. So essentially it’s a local competition rather than a worldwide one. With brands like AP and RM moving solely towards boutique/house only system, a boutique in London can see the client’s complete purchase history irrespective where they are from. So as an example, if I register my interest for an RM67-02 in Malaysia, the RM boutique may never allocate one to the local boutique because there’ are simply more established customers worldwide who also want the same exact watch. That’s my understanding of the boutique/house system for really special watches like the QP ceramic/Skelton, RM67-02 etc.

[uniqueMR]

Originally Posted by HMHM

With Rolex and PP ADs, developing relationship with a decent purchase history is possible because Rolex and PP send watches to the AD and give ADs the freedom to decide who gets the watches.

100% correct. 100%!

[Token74]

Originally Posted by 7sins

I think this is geographically dependent to be a VIP here in Los Angeles is a very different spend level than Hong Kong that is different than Miami ETC. Albeit your underlying premise is true, the higher the spend the more access you have but even those that have a VERY high spend, $500k+ aren't being offered every watch, they get less than a handful of exclusive allocations each year. Also there tends to be a nod to longer term customers.

Not to be overly direct but for those who are interested, ultimately you need to build a relationship with your SA, I don't fit the above spend level but bring my AP team food, coffee tequila etc and just be a normal person who takes interest in them. For those not as social, simply ask where they are going on vacation, their kids names and remember to ask how they are or where they went when you are back in the store. They get asked 100x a day if they have any Royal Oak in stock from those on the street. Build a sincere relationship, show passion in the brand and be unique from everyone else coming in off the street wanting an allocation. You aren't going to initially get a skeleton but I promise, take the above into account, you will get a RO over time. My spend is under the aforementioned VIP level but have excellent relationships and usually get 1 or 2 watches I want a year. Same exact thing with RM, long waiting list, took time to build a relationship and was offered a RM030 brand new from the boutique recently.

Be social, genuine and treat the SA like a normal human being who has relationships, interests, hobbies etc. If the right people like you, this can sometimes be much more valuable than what you are willing to spend. Will go a long way getting what you want in life.

Agree with this entirely. I bought Rolex watches from my AD when they weren’t ‘hot’ and it was cheaper to go grey. I regularly visited my AD to talk watches even though i couldn’t afford to buy any more. Then the landscape changed and they’ve looked after me very well. If the market crashes and it’s cheaper to buy grey again, I will continue to buy from my AD as I always have done. I winder how many of the current ‘complainers’ will do the same??

Btw, not a dig at the OP, I wouldn’t complain about not being able to get a watch, but I would have a (small) gripe about the deposit situation.


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[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by 7sins

I think this is geographically dependent to be a VIP here in Los Angeles is a very different spend level than Hong Kong that is different than Miami ETC. Albeit your underlying premise is true, the higher the spend the more access you have but even those that have a VERY high spend, $500k+ aren't being offered every watch, they get less than a handful of exclusive allocations each year. Also there tends to be a nod to longer term customers.

Not to be overly direct but for those who are interested, ultimately you need to build a relationship with your SA, I don't fit the above spend level but bring my AP team food, coffee tequila etc and just be a normal person who takes interest in them. For those not as social, simply ask where they are going on vacation, their kids names and remember to ask how they are or where they went when you are back in the store. They get asked 100x a day if they have any Royal Oak in stock from those on the street. Build a sincere relationship, show passion in the brand and be unique from everyone else coming in off the street wanting an allocation. You aren't going to initially get a skeleton but I promise, take the above into account, you will get a RO over time. My spend is under the aforementioned VIP level but have excellent relationships and usually get 1 or 2 watches I want a year. Same exact thing with RM, long waiting list, took time to build a relationship and was offered a RM030 brand new from the boutique recently.

Be social, genuine and treat the SA like a normal human being who has relationships, interests, hobbies etc. If the right people like you, this can sometimes be much more valuable than what you are willing to spend. Will go a long way getting what you want in life.

Can you imagine having 20 people like this every day, talking to you about all this. Would get boring and weird really fast.