SO...... going forward.

[benlee]

They will continue to do well in future. Becoming more exclusive perhaps.

[texasmade]

Originally Posted by PJ S

I'd expect that to be reversed, now that Bucherer has acquired Tourneau this past week.

Tourneau went under in Houston a couple of years ago and the new Patek AD is in a brand new much nicer shopping center. I doubt they’re losing their AD status. They pretty much have exclusive rights to Dallas and Houston.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

and every time i think this strategy cant be sustainable another brand does it. Its like they all know something we won't admit. We just want the watch by whatever means necessary.

Im sure they sent some intern out to do a case study on crack dealers... Well here it is

I guess it comes down to this, get busy living (like Patek) or get busy dying (like Hublot). It's the AP Redemption.

[Hairdude1]

Originally Posted by AshAP

“.....fall apart”?

f*ck me what’s wrong with people on this forum today?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hahaha

[Watcheroo]

Originally Posted by dpj17

I do not agree with the direction and ultimately think it will kill the brand. You do not see Patek doing something like this.

You’re obviously free to have any opinion you want. I’m interested, though. What analysis or thought process lead you to the conclusion that AP will die as a brand?

And what exactly do you see Patek not doing?

Cheers

[texasmade]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

And what exactly do you see Patek not doing?

One thing Patek doesn’t do is pull AD status to open up their own boutiques. They have a a handful of salons and everything else is independently owned.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

You’re obviously free to have any opinion you want. I’m interested, though. What analysis or thought process lead you to the conclusion that AP will die as a brand?

And what exactly do you see Patek not doing?

Cheers

i dont think they will die either. But i agree with the above statement in a mainstream sense, not a literal sense. Less mainstream name recognition isnt the same thing as dying. Maybe its for the best, but just based on geography people are already hundreds or thousands of miles from an AD in a lot of places in the US. Eliminating AD's will double or triple that distance for many. Out of sight, out of mind.

Does not mean they still won't sell 40k watches a year, i just dont think as many people will know what an AP is. People who dont own AP today still have some awareness of the brand, maybe not a ton. That can't increase with this though.

Like it or not AP is more of a pop culture brand than Patek which is why it confuses me so much to reduce the brand footprint, which objectively this does.

[Watcheroo]

Originally Posted by texasmade

One thing Patek doesn’t do is pull AD status to open up their own boutiques. They have a a handful of salons and everything else is independently owned.

I guess I’m failing to see how wanting to directly open boutiques is a bad decision

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

I guess I’m failing to see how wanting to directly open boutiques is a bad decision

on the surface, it's not a problem. However what boutique openings are planned? I haven't heard of a single actual boutique. The AD reduction strategy has been going on at least a year now, possibly longer. I dont think they are opening boutiques, shifting sales to existing boutiques instead. A bunch of new AP retail outlets, thats great.

I think that might be the disconnect here?

[Watcheroo]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

Like it or not AP is more of a pop culture brand than Patek which is why it confuses me so much to reduce the brand footprint, which objectively this does.

My read on what’s going on is that there are corrective measures being implemented to move away from the “pop culture brand” image that some people perceive.

Regarding the reduction in footprint, you may be right in the short term. I don’t think AP is making moves for the short term though.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

My read on what’s going on is that there are corrective measures being implemented to move away from the “pop culture brand” image that some people perceive.

Regarding the reduction in footprint, you may be right in the short term. I don’t think AP is making moves for the short term though.

im all for that actually. Having Lebron roll out the new ROO reissue gave me some pause though. Its the celebrity ambassador thing. Rolex does it too. Patek does magazines with a slogan and no famous people. I kind of like the non famous person approach.

[Watcheroo]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

im all for that actually. Having Lebron roll out the new ROO reissue gave me some pause though. Its the celebrity ambassador thing. Rolex does it too. Patek does magazines with a slogan and no famous people. I kind of like the non famous person approach.

I like the non famous person approach too

[multimedia]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

Patek does magazines with a slogan and no famous people. I kind of like the non famous person approach.

“You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.”

No pop culture there.

I also think these measures taken by AP can move the brand away from what now looks to be a bit of a circus = what is it really their marketing team wants to tell us? What feeling is it that they want us to buy into (that sense of "feeling" is probably the most important ingredient when it comes to selling luxury goods).

Cheers,
Joe

[iceman1118]

From what I have heard from my AD they are just trying to control pricing and in the long run control their own destiny. AP basically just wants to cut out the middle man, completely control pricing, and eventually control the secondary pricing market when they begin to do their trade in program. This in turn will lead to more profits. I do not think this will kill AP. Other independent brands like FPJ, Voutilainen, etc. all have extreme limited production and make money. And they are extremely exclusive. In the end I am sure that is AP's ultimate goal - exclusivity.

Over time, this should make the brand and the watches more exclusive. But as most have said, it is the personal relationship with my AD that suffers. I will continue to buy other brands from him, but having that relationship no longer ensures that I will get the exact AP I want from him, or if he loses AP then I may not get the exact AP I want ever. I understand paying full retail because down the road that will lead to value retention, but having no relationship with the salesperson in the boutique and just being some person off the street will make things very difficult for the consumer. Just my 2 cents.

[sssteel]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

i dont think they will die either. But i agree with the above statement in a mainstream sense, not a literal sense. Less mainstream name recognition isnt the same thing as dying. Maybe its for the best, but just based on geography people are already hundreds or thousands of miles from an AD in a lot of places in the US. Eliminating AD's will double or triple that distance for many. Out of sight, out of mind.

Does not mean they still won't sell 40k watches a year, i just dont think as many people will know what an AP is. People who dont own AP today still have some awareness of the brand, maybe not a ton. That can't increase with this though.

Like it or not AP is more of a pop culture brand than Patek which is why it confuses me so much to reduce the brand footprint, which objectively this does.

I do agree with you here on all!
Like you said, I agree they will still sell their targeted goal of watches, those who want and love APs will seek them out - but I can't personally see the brand GROWING more, with less recognition.

[sssteel]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

on the surface, it's not a problem. However what boutique openings are planned? I haven't heard of a single actual boutique. The AD reduction strategy has been going on at least a year now, possibly longer. I dont think they are opening boutiques, shifting sales to existing boutiques instead. A bunch of new AP retail outlets, thats great.

I think that might be the disconnect here?

I agree. I've heard about reductions, but nothing new opening? Shifting to existing boutiques!
It seems all US customers will have to travel to MIA, NYC, or BHills. LOL.

[texasmade]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

I guess I’m failing to see how wanting to directly open boutiques is a bad decision

Living in Houston, if I want to go look at Patek's I can go to de Boulle or Tiffany's. That's a short 15 minute drive for me.

If AP pulls the AD status in Houston, then I'd have to drive to Dallas or fly to NYC, BH, LV, or Miami. That pretty much kills the brand for me since I can't see anything in the metal or get local support for any issues.

[ezinhk]

e-commerce to replace AD

[texasmade]

Originally Posted by ezinhk

e-commerce to replace AD

E-commerce is great if people can actually buy the watches they want. If the only things offered are unwanted watches then it's useless.

[iceman1118]

Originally Posted by texasmade

E-commerce is great if people can actually buy the watches they want. If the only things offered are unwanted watches then it's useless.

Interesting to see what would happen if SS 15202 or 15407 becomes "available" via AP's e-commerce.

[dpj17]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

You’re obviously free to have any opinion you want. I’m interested, though. What analysis or thought process lead you to the conclusion that AP will die as a brand?

And what exactly do you see Patek not doing?

Cheers

Maybe kill the brand is too harsh of a term, I would say diminish the brand in the eyes of the collector - which, by the way, they have been doing a pretty damn good job of on their own. The new products are weak and take offs of existing models - no new movements, nothing innovative that matters, just exploiting the golden goose Royal Oak. I still think this could all just be positioning to sell the brand as well, think about everything they are doing. It just does not make sense to remove every AD from nearly every major metropolitan area and keep only a few Boutiques in Huge cities. Why alienate such a large swath of customers who will never purchase online?

For the Patek question, that one is very simple. How about everything completely the opposite of what AP is doing? Not closing down every dealer they have dealt with for years? How about acutally making really genuine high complication pieces? How about not making 9 million different Nautilus models and completely whoring out the line? I can go in depth on the marketing of them too but will stop here.

[Watcheroo]

Originally Posted by dpj17

Maybe kill the brand is too harsh of a term, I would say diminish the brand in the eyes of the collector - which, by the way, they have been doing a pretty damn good job of on their own. The new products are weak and take offs of existing models - no new movements, nothing innovative that matters, just exploiting the golden goose Royal Oak. I still think this could all just be positioning to sell the brand as well, think about everything they are doing. It just does not make sense to remove every AD from nearly every major metropolitan area and keep only a few Boutiques in Huge cities. Why alienate such a large swath of customers who will never purchase online?

I think you’re reacting to short term potential outcomes.

Originally Posted by dpj17

For the Patek question, that one is very simple. How about everything completely the opposite of what AP is doing? Not closing down every dealer they have dealt with for years? How about acutally making really genuine high complication pieces? How about not making 9 million different Nautilus models and completely whoring out the line? I can go in depth on the marketing of them too but will stop here.

They’re different companies. I’d be surprised if they acted in exactly the same ways.

[SMD]

Originally Posted by dpj17

How about not making 9 million different Nautilus models and completely whoring out the line? I can go in depth on the marketing of them too but will stop here.

PP is pretty bad too.

https://www.patek.com/en/collection/nautilus

[dpj17]

Originally Posted by SMD

PP is pretty bad too.

https://www.patek.com/en/collection/nautilus

LOL, 7 SS Ref #'s, 4 Different models

[mickyd329]

Originally Posted by Watcheroo

My read on what’s going on is that there are corrective measures being implemented to move away from the “pop culture brand” image that some people perceive.

Regarding the reduction in footprint, you may be right in the short term. I don’t think AP is making moves for the short term though.

I'm not so sure. If they are trying to move away from the pop culture brand image, what's with the crazy color divers and camo 44 ROO? I personally think they are a bit lost.. This years SIHH showing kind of solidified my opinion.