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Old 12 November 2018, 02:14 PM   #1
seabreeze60
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Rolex Wants Your Feedback

During a recent conversation with a manager at Rolex USA it was confirmed that they monitor this Forum. It comes up in their weekly managers meeting.

So if you want to make a comment here’s your opportunity!
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:15 PM   #2
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I hope they monitor it


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Old 12 November 2018, 02:22 PM   #3
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Icon19

Yeah I knew that. I'm going to ask Rolex if we can get a Platinum Bezel, on the 116506 Daytona instead of the ceramic one.

That ice blue dial is awesome, but some (possibly many) folks would like it paired with another color than brown...

I want some different colors on the 116622 Yachtmaster. I'm not feeling the new basil release colors...

I would like to have a new Day Date clasp designed so that like an easy-link we can get some adjustability! I'm sure your engineers are dying to accommodate...

We should have a Rolex Rep that chimes in occasionally and can chat with us for a few ticks...

And I have more but lets start there... Ask them if they can give us a sign when they are here..

WE love you ROLEX!!
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:27 PM   #4
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Then they should be well up to speed on all the frustration going on about non-commercial buyers not being able to walk into ADs and purchase a watch they've aspired to own for themselves.
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:27 PM   #5
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Nice.

Proves my point that weekly manager meetings produce little to no results.

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Old 12 November 2018, 02:35 PM   #6
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I surely hope they were following that "crown not aligned" thread closely then.
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:39 PM   #7
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Then they should be well up to speed on all the frustration going on about non-commercial buyers not being able to walk into ADs and purchase a watch they've aspired to own for themselves.
Agreed, I will probably just stick with Breitling or maybe try out an Omega. Your strategy of throttling the market whether intentional or not is hurting your reputation. I would think you would want your limited pool of buyers to have a luxury experience and develop a relationship with the brand through your vetted dealers instead of your biggest dealer being some virtual back alley carpetbagger reseller. I like going to the AD and negotiating a fair price and enjoying the experience, not feeling like I am being held hostage or have to wait on a list for the privilege. Fix the problem by temporarily flooding the market to create some equilibrium and make the AD's work for the sale. You could also sell direct on your website for MSRP and probably make more money than you are making now for those that do not want or need the AD experience. Your real customers are watching how you react to this.
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:40 PM   #8
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I'd like to see more variety in chronometer hang tags. I'm tired of collecting red and green. Let's see other colors. Navy blue might be nice for a change.
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:40 PM   #9
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Nice.

Proves my point that weekly manager meetings produce little to no results.

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Old 12 November 2018, 02:41 PM   #10
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Nice.

Proves my point that weekly manager meetings produce little to no results.

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Old 12 November 2018, 02:42 PM   #11
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:43 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by seabreeze60 View Post
During a recent conversation with a manager at Rolex it was confirmed that they monitor this Forum. It comes up in their weekly managers meeting.

So if you want to make a comment here’s your opportunity!
A manager at Rolex? Or a manager at a Rolex AD? If the latter, then They are probably on here bitching about Rolex as much as we are.

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I'd like to see more variety in chronometer hang tags. I'm tired of collecting red and green. Let's see other colors. Navy blue might be nice for a change.
I'd like to see less time spent on hang tags--in fact, no hang tags at all would be fine--and more time spent on figuring out how to deliver desired watches to the customers who desire them.
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Old 12 November 2018, 02:49 PM   #13
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Rolex, if you’re listening....
I have 1 word for you.....just 1 word.......

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Old 12 November 2018, 02:55 PM   #14
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Then they should be well up to speed on all the frustration going on about non-commercial buyers not being able to walk into ADs and purchase a watch they've aspired to own for themselves.
Well, they should be well up to speed on how frustrated a tiny enthusiast community feels about the current retail issues. However, that's going to be largely irrelevant to them. They have their sales figures. If sales are inhibited because people can't buy the watches they want, they'll work to fix the problem. If sales are up because brand prestige and desirability improves with rarity, then they won't change a thing.

Rolex isn't stupid -- they recognize that the enthusiast community is a drop in the bucket of their sales. I'm sure they sometimes do find the feedback on this forum useful, but they know better than to think we represent their usual buyer.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:07 PM   #15
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Well, they should be well up to speed on how frustrated a tiny enthusiast community feels about the current retail issues. However, that's going to be largely irrelevant to them. They have their sales figures. If sales are inhibited because people can't buy the watches they want, they'll work to fix the problem. If sales are up because brand prestige and desirability improves with rarity, then they won't change a thing.

Rolex isn't stupid -- they recognize that the enthusiast community is a drop in the bucket of their sales. I'm sure they sometimes do find the feedback on this forum useful, but they know better than to think we represent their usual buyer.
I don't presume to know more than Rolex. However, up to a year ago, most sports models were easily available at ADs for retail or less, and now they can't be found without getting on a waitlist or paying a major premium at a gray dealer. This is a worldwide situation. That shows the demand-to-supply mismatch for sports models goes well beyond the enthusiast community.

It wouldn't appear to affect overall sales, not only because the average, undiscerning customer may be perfectly happy to buy a Datejust, but also because grays clearly have plenty of stock on hand. That means, as far as Rolex is concerned, they're still selling plenty of sports models; a sale is a sale. It remains to be seen if the situation eventually turns off customers and has a negative effect over the longer term.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:11 PM   #16
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I'd like to see less time spent on hang tags--in fact, no hang tags at all would be fine--and more time spent on figuring out how to deliver desired watches to the customers who desire them.
If they're going to deliver more watches then we need more stickers.

Sarcasm is also a lost art. Is this really a serious thread?
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:15 PM   #17
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I don't presume to know more than Rolex. However, up to a year ago, most sports models were easily available at ADs for retail or less, and now they can't be found without getting on a waitlist or paying a major premium at a gray dealer. This is a worldwide situation. That shows the demand-to-supply mismatch for sports models goes well beyond the enthusiast community.

It wouldn't appear to affect overall sales, not only because the average, undiscerning customer may be perfectly happy to buy a Datejust, but also because grays clearly have plenty of stock on hand. That means, as far as Rolex is concerned, they're still selling plenty of sports models; a sale is a sale. It remains to be seen if the situation eventually turns off customers and has a negative effect over the longer term.
Oh, I agree with all of that. But you'll notice that none of it is informed by anything we say on this forum.

Rolex already has much better data than we can provide anecdotally, and our frustrations are distinct enough from the potential frustrations of "regular" watch buyers as to be irrelevant. It's entirely possible that non-enthusiast watch buyers are actually pleased that the prestige of the datejust or two-tone sports model they easily bought at their local AD has gone up. Or, those people might be just as frustrated as the enthusiasts are. But nothing Rolex reads here will tell them how 99% of their buyers are feeling about the current retail situation.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:24 PM   #18
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It's entirely possible that non-enthusiast watch buyers are actually pleased that the prestige of the datejust or two-tone sports model they easily bought at their local AD has gone up. Or, those people might be just as frustrated as the enthusiasts are. But nothing Rolex reads here will tell them how 99% of their buyers are feeling about the current retail situation.
Thinking back to before I joined the watch-enthusiast community, my general concept was that if you wanted a watch, you'd go to a dealer and buy one, or maybe order one and wait a brief period for it to arrive. The real challenge, I thought, was simply having enough money to buy one, but with the money in hand, dealers should be happy to take it. I can't say for certain my view then is representative of how most non-enthusiast watch buyers feel, but I have to think enthusiasts aren't the only ones who find it perplexing they can't find a mainstay like a Sub or a GMT at a local AD. But as you say, Rolex won't discover that in any meaningful way here.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:25 PM   #19
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The current issues (stock / grey market / etc ...) have snowballed out of control fast.
It will take combine efforts from Rolex to ADs, Grey, flippers, genuine end users to work together in order to solve the problems.

When someone can make easy $5K+ on flipping a watch ... everyone will want a piece of that $5K. There is no easy solution and I hope Rolex will at least keep it under control, not let it get worse.

There are possible solutions. Hope Rolex will fix before it's too late.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:26 PM   #20
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Why don't they just skip ADs and sell directly to grays.

I was dead set om getting a BLRO, even phoned my AD as soon as it was announced (as in seconds after it was announced). As every watch takes a lot of saving, I can't buy two or three other models just to get a SS sports model.
So their allocation goes to the big spenders.

At this stage I have shifted my focus to a 5 digit GMT, coke or pepsi. Having recently acquired a 90's Tudor sub, I have fallen in love with the dimensions and the tin can bracelet actually makes it more comfortable on the wrist. Who knew
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:33 PM   #21
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Why don't they just skip ADs and sell directly to grays.

I was dead set om getting a BLRO, even phoned my AD as soon as it was announced (as in seconds after it was announced). As every watch takes a lot of saving, I can't buy two or three other models just to get a SS sports model.
So their allocation goes to the big spenders.

At this stage I have shifted my focus to a 5 digit GMT, coke or pepsi. Having recently acquired a 90's Tudor sub, I have fallen in love with the dimensions and the tin can bracelet actually makes it more comfortable on the wrist. Who knew

Because Rolex wants strict control over the prices of their watches.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:37 PM   #22
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Because Rolex wants strict control over the prices of their watches.
Either that's not true, or they're really bad at exercising it.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:39 PM   #23
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Because Rolex wants strict control over the prices of their watches.
Really, you think an AD provides this? Ha. They would have complete control if they sold direct on the web. This would give them total control and probably better margins. The value of the AD is gone in my mind as the AD's are not really adding any value when all they do is put you on a list. Right now, for several of their top sellers, some grey market back alley website is their biggest seller. I am sure Rolex loves this. Not.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:41 PM   #24
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I surely hope they were following that "crown not aligned" thread closely then.
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:43 PM   #25
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Nice.

Proves my point that weekly manager meetings produce little to no results.
This
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:44 PM   #26
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Old 12 November 2018, 03:58 PM   #27
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Really, you think an AD provides this? Ha. They would have complete control if they sold direct on the web. This would give them total control and probably better margins. The value of the AD is gone in my mind as the AD's are not really adding any value when all they do is put you on a list. Right now, for several of their top sellers, some grey market back alley website is their biggest seller. I am sure Rolex loves this. Not.
I'm responding to the reason of why they don't sell directly to grays. The grays are basically the wild wild west as far as pricing goes. Sure, an AD can sell for whatever price they want, but they won't because they don't want to lose there account.

As for selling direct, would imagine it's a combination of not wanting to be in the business of dealing with the end user, and they probably believe there is a lot of value in the whole "experience". We aren't the normal bunch here; where many of us won't think twice about dropping 10k+ online to add another watch to the collection.
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Old 12 November 2018, 04:12 PM   #28
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I'm responding to the reason of why they don't sell directly to grays. The grays are basically the wild wild west as far as pricing goes. Sure, an AD can sell for whatever price they want, but they won't because they don't want to lose there account.
That's a good point, but if ADs are simply selling out the back door to grays above MSRP, then the ADs are in Jesse James's gang, to extend your metaphor. If they aren't, then a whole lot of customers are doing a whole lot of flipping to be keeping the grays flush with stock, in which case, Rolex still isn't in control of pricing.
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Old 12 November 2018, 04:13 PM   #29
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I don't believe it.

I have no doubt that some people at Rokex read the forum and that some may even participate, but I reject the idea that the forum influences business decisions.



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Old 12 November 2018, 04:17 PM   #30
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I have 1 word for you.....just 1 word.......

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Technically...wouldn't that be TWO words? Lug holes.
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