"For Display Only" Rolex Watches

[Oceanklassik]

Just want to see some opinions here. Lately, I have observed few Rolex ADs displaying some of the Rolex sports models in their shops. And no, these watches were real, not specimens, and they were NOT FOR SALE. The first time I came across this was at the Cortina-Rolex boutique at Raffles City. I was unpleasantly surprised.

The Cortina staff explained the purpose was to show these popular models to customers only, and if customers were keen to buy, they could leave their names in their "interest list". According to the staff, a lot of customers had been complaining that they did not even have the chance to see some of the sports models, let alone buy them. And hence, this initiative was to 'satisfy' these customers.

I was dumbfounded.

To me, this means:

1. The Rolex ADs have ready stocks of these models (maybe not in large quantities) but they prefer to display samples out to show people; not to sell them.
(mind you, the list for some of the models on display is super long)
2. As if the current situation isn't bad enough, the ADs are relentless creating more interest of these already damn popular watch models, which they have
serious problems fulfilling sales.
3. Will these "For Display Only" models be put up for sale eventually? And if so, will these watches still be as new?
(do consider how many people would've touched the watches and tried them on for weeks, maybe months)
4. While this initiative may appease some customers, will it also anger some others (especially those who had been religiously waiting)?

I just wonder if this was a sanction from Rolex HQ or some local AD policies? We have a Rolex Service Centre (RSC) that displays a variety of Rolex watches, don't we? If there is a dire need to view, feel and 'molest' watches, can it be done at RSC instead?

To me, it was downright frustrating!

[triton]

There is another AD at people's park complex that is doing this also.

apparently it is not display in the main area but in a public room, so may have to ask permission to view it. whether or not they allow you inside the room is another matter

[Oceanklassik]

There is another AD at people's park complex that is doing this also.

apparently it is not display in the main area but in a public room, so may have to ask permission to view it. whether or not they allow you inside the room is another matter

At PPC there is only one Rolex AD left, that is, KHH. Another AD in PPC, that is THH, the dealership had been withdrawn/ceased for reasons unknown.

If you guys want to get a 'taste' of hard-to-come-by Rolex sports watches, other than the Cortina outlet in Raffles City, there's also Emperor at Wisma Atria. And again no, they are 'FOR DISPLAY ONLY'.

[Sgro123]

At PPC there is only one Rolex AD left, that is, KHH. Another AD in PPC, that is THH, the dealership had been withdrawn/ceased for reasons unknown.

If you guys want to get a 'taste' of hard-to-come-by Rolex sports watches, other than the Cortina outlet in Raffles City, there's also Emperor at Wisma Atria. And again no, they are 'FOR DISPLAY ONLY'.

THH withdrawn from Rolex as a AD? I remember I got my Black Ss Daytona from them in 2010 for 15k and is readily available.. Sad..

[Anfield2009]

Gone are the days you can buy direct from ADs. A lots of bull****ting now...

[ac_wong75]

I do agree it can be frustrating and it is a pointless exercise when they are folks who have registered interest regardless of whether they tried the watch or not. With such a long waiting list in the first place it is obvious that this is a just a marketing gimmick to draw people in and maybe try to sell you the other not so popular models in my opinion. The idea of making you wait and hang around is so they can try to push the not so popular ones to you by making so call recommendations... just my 2 cents worth...

[Anfield2009]

Just to share about this Rolex waiting list......

https://youtu.be/Hso2JGjslwg

[Oceanklassik]

Just to share about this Rolex waiting list......

https://youtu.be/Hso2JGjslwg

It's a joke, what the ADs are doing now... they practiced "BLACKLISTING" customers whom they found out to have flipped / re-sell watches. Then, with the customers' records in their database as being "BLAKCLISTED" (not sure what exact term they used), the ADs would not sell the more popular ROLEX watch models to these customers. For how long, I'm not sure. But it sucks big time.

[clementtan]

It's a joke, what the ADs are doing now... they practiced "BLACKLISTING" customers whom they found out to have flipped / re-sell watches. Then, with the customers' records in their database as being "BLAKCLISTED" (not sure what exact term they used), the ADs would not sell the more popular ROLEX watch models to these customers. For how long, I'm not sure. But it sucks big time.

Why isn’t this ideal?

[Oceanklassik]

Why isn’t this ideal?

Ideal?! Are you a 'spy' from an AD? What makes you feel/think what the ADs are doing is "IDEAL"? Ideal or not depends which side you're on. I'm a consumer so my views are from a consumer standpoint.

Firstly, consumers are paying full price for a watch. Some (few) lucky ones may get a bit of discount, I'm not sure. But in current climate, for most Rolex watch models, there can hardly be any discount. Why then are consumers bearing the brunt of potentially being "BLACKLISTED", when they re-sell / "flip" watches?

Secondly, there are varying reasons why most consumers re-sell or trade-in their watches. It's a vicious cycle. Not only are most of the popular watches unavailable in the ADs, the irony is, these watches can be found selling in the grey market/watch shops. So when a consumer wants a particular model that only the grey dealer has, where the AD could not fulfill for months (even years), what do you think the consumer would do? Trade-in his/her watches to get the ones he/she wants, correct?

An example - Consumer wants a Daytona and has been on Wait List for 1 year. AD calls Consumer asking if he wants a GMT-Master II (batman) instead, which AD has stock. Consumer knows he will never get the Daytona from AD and he bought the batman. Consumer knows batman is selling at a premium price in grey market. So, Consumer walks to a grey dealer who has a Daytona for sale and trades in his batman for the Daytona. Next thing, AD finds out and "BLACKLIST" the Consumer. Fair or not fair?

Thirdly, everyone knows there's no such thing as "Wait List". Whether a Consumer gets his/her watch or not and how soon or late he/she gets it depends a lot on the ADs. I have personally seen how a local AD sells a few ROLEX steel sports models to walk-ins who have very little/no purchase record with that particular outlet. I was really dumbfounded. And I'm very sure there is a Wait List for those few models, even until now.

Do you still believe you're in queue for your Submariner?

[clementtan]

I am a consumer too.

While I am not totally against buying from grey dealers, have myself paid $9k+ over RRP to buy from grey dealer in this current climate, I also don’t fully condone having to pay premiums and still not have your own name on the warranty card as well.

Your own statement is the answer to why some ADs are blacklisting:

Not only are most of the popular watches unavailable in the ADs, the irony is, these watches can be found selling in the grey market/watch shops.

Why are these watches “moving” from ADs to grey dealers instead of consumers like you and I who truly wants to buy and use them?

Because a privileged few gets to flip them for a profit (whether the profit is then used to fund/offset the premium on his or her grail watch is secondary), he or she did in fact profited through their AD despite the AD giving them the privilege to purchase a popular model.

And this why the AD may then choose to blacklist. Makes total sense to me.

Will you enjoy someone taking a benefit/privilege from you to make a profit out of it?

[Oceanklassik]

I am a consumer too.

While I am not totally against buying from grey dealers, have myself paid $9k+ over RRP to buy from grey dealer in this current climate, I also don’t fully condone having to pay premiums and still not have your own name on the warranty card as well.

Your own statement is the answer to why some ADs are blacklisting:



Why are these watches “moving” from ADs to grey dealers instead of consumers like you and I who truly wants to buy and use them?

Because a privileged few gets to flip them for a profit (whether the profit is then used to fund/offset the premium on his or her grail watch is secondary), he or she did in fact profited through their AD despite the AD giving them the privilege to purchase a popular model.

And this why the AD may then choose to blacklist. Makes total sense to me.

Will you enjoy someone taking a benefit/privilege from you to make a profit out of it?

And precisely, "BLACKLISTING" consumers, whether these consumers re-sell for whatever reason(s), is evidently futile. These (popular) watches continue to spring up everywhere in the grey market. And obviously, it did not help when ADs are selling these (popular) watches to whoever they fancy (more). And not because they strictly follow any "WAIT LIST".

To me, any consumer, as long as he/she makes a full payment purchase is genuine. And like you mentioned, what he/she eventually does to the watch is secondary. I feel, the consumer should not be "BLACKLISTED" because of this. Anyway, for us paying customers, I just feel we should not be "LABELED" like this.

In fact, just off my mind, if selling highly popular models are so controversial, why not the ADs main office/headquarters (HQ) take over to sell these models exclusively? I don't think there are that many models out there. Let their retail stores sell other models. The main office/HQ can then better manage a "WAIT LIST" and start to screen each individual customer for their personal background and determine the customer's TRUE intention of wanting to buy the watch.

[limlsm]

I guess the display only set is now super popular. Saw at airport and hour glass taka. I guess they want to keep registering as much names on the wait list as possible.
anyway. I dont think putting a name will get you a sport model

I guesd they want to do something more of purchasing 1 rolex normal. For a chance at a sport after sport model.

[Dino123]

waitlist or dreamlist? hmmm