Sitting on Shelves
It's a long one....
My local AD stocks a variety of brands from premium, to mid priced, to fashion brands. I passed by the other weekend and although I was only browsing I couldn't help but wonder...
They have so many watches that have sat for as long I can remember, the displays never change, nothing is switched out, I don't think they allow them to appear dusty, but if they did, they'd be inch thick.
Nothing is ever reduced, nothing is on offer, they just sit there, every day under blazing shop lights, for year after year on the off chance someone will buy them.
The prices have continued to slowly inflate especially in the last couple of years, even on watches that clearly nobody is interested in.
Unless you're Rolex with 'exhibition pieces' ie. watches with their movements removed, all the stock you can see, is for sale.
Of course bigger brands with higher demand and regular new releases like Tudor and Omega are likely to see a higher stock turnover, but it doesn't make them immune to sitting, especially the less desirable colours/models.
My question is, does this harm the movements in any way? Do they dry up and need servicing if the watch has sat not moving in a warm display case under lights for four or five years? Does it theoretically temporarily devalue the watch by neglect or lack of use?
How does a five year warranty work if the watch is already 2 years old? Does it start at point of sale?
Is the salesman/woman likely to have any idea how old the battery is that's in a quartz piece they are selling?
If it's an online retailer shipping from a warehouse, are they going to disclose any of that information or just bung your watch box into the post and let you find out yourself?
If so, how can retailers get away with selling it as new full price and happily let you walk off with a watch which has been on their shelves for so long it's left a sun bleached shadow on the watch pillow?
You wouldn't pay full price for a car that was sat in the lot and hadn't had a service in years with four flat spotted tyres?
P.S obviously you can do deals and some money can be taken off the price, but the small discounts that most AD's can get away with are unlikely to cover the servicing costs of a premium watch.
Alternatively you might be able to ask for a new, non display model, but the whole idea of buying the watch in person is to see the actual thing you're buying and take it home?
Does anyone have any sales/AD knowledge regarding how they deal with this? Especially at the moment when people are spending less, surely there's got to be a lot of stock sitting around?
TL:DR Watches sit on shop shelves and displays for years sometimes, does this affect them internally? If so, why do we still presumably still end up paying full price for them?
Tool watches and watches that can take a bit of punishment are my thing! Current collection: G Shock 5610, 6900, GA900, G-LIDE, Victorinox INOX, Luminox ICE SAR 1001, Christopher Ward Trident 65, Paga...
Great question.
I work in retail, & often wholesalers offer a buy-back scheme for unsold stock from a franchise, or with bigger companies with multiple outlets stock can be swapped between stores.
Doesn't answer your question, but I'm interested in seeing other folks answers.
Yes, good question 👍🏻👍🏻
Warranties are engaged after a watch is sold. In the past when I was buying a model of watch that has been on display for an extended period I ask for a better courtesy discount if the ad cannot I insist on a new watch to be ordered in. If the answer is still no, I go somewhere else with my money or my credit card. It has never been a problem. I always start negotiations from the point of your mechandise my money, hopefully they can arrive at an amicable place to meet.
The watches that are out for you to see and interact with are usually discounted and sold cheaper as 'ex-display model'. I'd assume this is more about small scratches that probably result from being repeatedly handled but you raise a point about internal wear and tear. Essentially, no one should be paying full whack for display models.
Got one initial comment. The Rolex Exhibition Only models are complete including movement. I asked about it and was told this by the AD. The reasonoing is Rolex wants a potential buyer to experience the compelete watch including its weight which is why they include a non running movement in them. They are locked and it would take Rolex to unlock them. Surprised me quite a bit.
Buyer beware!
Watches just sitting in a case do not deteriorate in any significant way. Warranties typically begin on the purchase date.
Don’t know the answers to all your questions, but I do know if a watch sits too long, ADs can send to the manufacturer for servicing. I know an AD who had a JLC sitting on the shelves for a couple years. They sent it back for a full service, came back new and it was sold for a discount. The buyer was still entitled to the full warranty. If a watch sits for a few years, I would hope the salesperson informs them of this. The warranty goes in effect when it is purchased by a consumer.
On your item #3, I have a brief story to tell. years ago, I had taken an old Seiko automatic to a guy to repair. He ended up moving his place a few times and thought he had lost the watch. We mounted an effort to come through his stuff and found the piece. He offered me to pick through a case of watches that he used to sell and I settled on this very handsome Citizen EcoDrive tool watch:
I didn't know anything about it, had it in a clear plastic case with my Seiko and on my way home, the thing started to move, only slightly and with several seconds between ticks. I did some searching on the interwebs and learned that a few hours of sunshine and this baby should hold a charge for weeks. I have no idea how old this watch is and I can only guess that he'd had it for years in that cabinet but that was last year and this thing is working flawlessly for me since then. I really like this watch and its technology and maybe I got really lucky that this one works well.
Seems like bad retail practice to me. If you have stock for more than a year, discount it until it sells, then use the money to buy (hopefully) faster moving stock. That's how the motorcycle trade works anyway.
Seems like bad retail practice to me. If you have stock for more than a year, discount it until it sells, then use the money to buy (hopefully) faster moving stock. That's how the motorcycle trade works anyway.
That's what I thought, this particular AD I'm referring to is part of a large chain throughout the UK, they could afford to soak up a few losses if it meant moving on a few watches and getting fresh stock but they don't seem interested, on the rare occasions that they do have a sale it's predominately jewellery or the fashion watches that get discounted. This is probably because they have the most margin on these and can still make somewhat of a profit even at half price or whatever.
I think this post comes out of frustration in as much as I see these watches sitting there year after year, if they were priced to sell I'd happily take one or two off their hands, I have even asked the manager and she said they can't, the price is the price albeit with a 20% discount it still makes them pretty pricey! So they sit.
Ah, a large chain will be different I guess. The person making the rules is just looking at numbers in a big corner office somewhere. People on the shop floor just following orders.
When you own your own shop, it's easier to see the problem and sort it out. Sometimes the problem is just sitting there looking at you every morning and eventually you just have to do something for your own sanity!