The watch business is brutal!

[irate.alien]

Not going to mention names or locations because this is horrible. TLDR: an AD made a vicious comment that a well known pre-owned operation trades in redials.

I went into an AD last week--Wednesday afternoon, it was dead. I was actually curious in seeing a Longines VHP (that's a COOL movement!). Since it was empty I got to chatting with the salesperson. Very knowledgable, friendly, talkative. (Ended up not getting the Longines; sadly they only had the larger one in stock.)

Anyway, I also mentioned I'd been hunting for a pre-owned white dial Milgauss. (That AD doesn't do pre-owned.) I know these are easy to find online but I like to see and hold before I pay. Then I said something about a possible lead in a town nearby. Salesperson said, "I hope you don't mean XXXXXXXX, I've heard that they do redials to get you what you want." Now, XXXXXXXXX is immensely well-respected on this forum. As is the AD I was in.

That's a hell of a thing to say! And purely out of spite, I'd say, since that AD doesn't do pre-owned at all. They were definitely trying to sell me on a new Milgauss (they had 2 in the case). But I was pretty clear that they didn't have what I was looking for, and the sales person had been studying the paint on the wall when I came in.

Anyway, now I'm doubtful of XXXXXXXX, and honestly kind of repulsed by the AD. This is a nasty, nasty, cut throat business for real.

[superdog]

Ummm. What???

[.brian.]

Originally Posted by irate.alien

Not going to mention names or locations because this is horrible.

Not to be an ass, but why bother making this thread?

[The Libertine]

Next time I go to XXXXXXXXX, I’ll be sure to let XXXXXXXXX know about XXXXXXXXX. I never believe anything that XXXXXXXXX tells me anyway.

[irate.alien]

Hey, so I'm new to this forum....is it OK here to name specific sellers? there's another forum where I got dinged by a mod for naming a dealer when describing an unpleasant experience? just curious.

[Rock]

IrateAlien was just relating an experience - some of which was an unsubstantiated allegation - 'hearsay' - so best not to mention names.

[GradyPhilpott]

I don't think it would be right to name names in this particular situation.

Sales staff say this kind of stuff all the time and it can happen in any AD.

I've had a new saleslady in my old AD, whom I respected greatly, start in on a tall tale before the watchmaker overheard the conversation and immediately cut her off and took over the discussion.

This is why doing your own research is so important and also building relationships so that you know who's reliable and who's not.

[rootbeer7]

Redials or swapping dials, black to white for example?

[tudorbaja27]

Very informative, thanks

[steve099]

My local AD told me I would end up with a fake if I bought my smurf online

[superdog]

Okay. I think I get it now.

I’d just like to point out that this is not a watch business issue.

This is a people issue. And people do this kind of shady stuff all the time. We are a shady species.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by The Libertine

Next time I go to XXXXXXXXX, I’ll be sure to let XXXXXXXXX know about XXXXXXXXX. I never believe anything that XXXXXXXXX tells me anyway.

[steve099]

news flash: every business is brutal. Especially towards the top levels and beyond.

[1William]

I get it and sales staff at most AD's vary a great deal with knowledge. I heard form a sales person over the weekend that most watches sold over the internet were fakes. Further inquiry found that this sales person had been working at the AD for less than 6 months on a part-time basis. She said that this is what she was told. Not my AD but funny.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by superdog

Okay. I think I get it now.

I’d just like to point out that this is not a watch business issue.

This is a people issue. And people do this kind of shady stuff all the time. We are a shady species.

This should be a sticky. Well said Seth.

[Psmith]

.

[77T]

Without naming names, disparagement against a competitor is sleazy in the main. Even if it is product based like the “redial” comment made by the AD salestron.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Etschell]

tell me the AD so i can stay away.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by irate.alien

Hey, so I'm new to this forum....is it OK here to name specific sellers? there's another forum where I got dinged by a mod for naming a dealer when describing an unpleasant experience? just curious.

I don't think that I would put much faith in what one Dealer says about another without real proof.

Same for naming names on this Forum. If you have a personal story that does not libel a person or business we are fine with that.

If it is simply bad-mouthing or libelous without proof, you need to be able to back-up your statements.

[Valenciawatchrepair]

Seen plenty of this. We used to live in a small town. Another jeweler in town. But, if a customer complained about our prices we would gladly refer them to him. Or at least mention him if they asked if there was another jeweler in town. He however, didn't return the favor. He didn't repair watches at all. But, when asked by customers if anyone else in town did. He would say he didn't know anything that did. Odd, because he was 2 minutes up the street and we were getting customers over 50 miles away in Panama City.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by 1William

I get it and sales staff at most AD's vary a great deal with knowledge. I heard form a sales person over the weekend that most watches sold over the internet were fakes. Further inquiry found that this sales person had been working at the AD for less than 6 months on a part-time basis. She said that this is what she was told. Not my AD but funny.

She is probably correct that most Rolex sold over the internet are fake. Rolex is the second most faked product in the world. There are only so many that can be sold on Canal Street at 3 AM, the rest are sold on the internet.

We are spoiled here by some good trusted sellers. But are wise to heed her advice elsewhere.

[joli160]

Don't go down this road slandering somebody's business unless you have first hand experience

[tbonesteak]

Originally Posted by The Libertine

Next time I go to XXXXXXXXX, I’ll be sure to let XXXXXXXXX know about XXXXXXXXX. I never believe anything that XXXXXXXXX tells me anyway.

I agree with most of this, except about XXXXXXXXX... They've always been honest with me.

[Syed117]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

x2

[Fat_ninja]

Xxx

[George Ab]

Posting unsubstantiated slander is a brutal way to conduct business on the forum.

[R!$]

Originally Posted by etschell

tell me the ad so i can stay away.

+1