Negotiating with Grand Seiko AD
WC wisdom appreciated in advance of first-ever visit to an AD. I am in the US. Looking at SBGX347, which is at lower end of GS price scale. I’m a local but a new customer. Comfortable negotiating. In your collective experience, how much wiggle room is reasonable to expect?
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US
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19.05 cm
There is definitely wiggle room on most GS, especially less-demand ones (anything that has been on the shelf a month or more). This one is a beaut and you should be able to get a couple of hundred bucks off. Note, there are some chains that are taking a hard no negotiating stance on brands like GS and Omega. In which case, go to a different AD. I got $300 of a similarly priced GS not long ago, plus all the swag I could carry out.
I think 10% is reasonable, but as mentioned above depends on the AD. I find for new customers, that ADs are sometimes willing to give a better discount in order to form that relationship with the customer. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
First of all, I must say you have excellent taste. The SBGX347 is a very underrated and exquisite watch. I wish I could get one myself! You’re going to love the 9F quartz movement.
As for negotiating, the best negotiation is a better offer. Japanese dealers are selling these new, in the box on Chrono24 for 20% off due to the USD-JPY conversion rate. I took advantage of this with my SBGX261 and love it!
It depends if you want to build that relationship with your AD or just get the watch you want for as cheap as possible. $2700 from Japan vs $3300 in the US…
I personally don’t care enough about the relationship with the AD to spend an extra $600, especially on a rock-solid quartz watch. On a watch that could be more finicky and may need to be sent back to the manufacturer, maybe. With a 9F Grand Seiko, I like my odds of not getting a lemon.
My AD has a magic number of 8% that he usually won't eclipse...only a couple times has the take it or leave it approach worked in excess of that number
If something is new and hot you won't get anything
He will also usually always do an extra 3% if you pay cash...but you will obviously be forfeiting any cc rebate perks by doing that