My disappointment with Watchfinder & Co.

Thanks for the post, Velomax. 
It's good that we have a forum like this where people can share discoveries and information about merchants, both good and bad.
The pictured watches do look slightly different to me, but I'm confident that that's probably just due to lighting differences in the photographs. 
I'm sure you're prepared to defend your assertions if you're challenged about this public post by Watchfinder.com.
In any case, I wish you the best of luck getting that beautiful Longines chronograph at the greatest possible value, and building your collection based on unique complications, that'll be interesting to see.
 

I don’t even know how Watchfinder manages to sell even a single watch at their prices.  I can’t afford to burn my money so I must not be their target market. 

Tbh I think it's that their price match policy are with their largest competitors. I have a grocer store near me that price matches, however with select brands. If I come in with a deal on tomatoes from a small market for a much cheaper price they won't match it, and I understand. This policy could be taken advantage of. 

That's my 2 cents. 

Their youtube channel is all about macro watch porn and a pair of microphones. They are only one player in a big group of gray market venders so shop around. They will be looking for you too.

I’m a little confused by your post.  You said:

I liked a preowned 2019 discontinued model Longines Chronograph they had advertised but I could buy a brand new one for less than the $2600.00 they had it priced at.

If you could buy a brand new one for less than they had advertised, why didn’t you just buy the brand new one for less?

I think I’m unclear on what’s going on?

I’m a little unclear on that point too. If you could have bough it brand new, why didn’t you? Unless it’s like Rolex where if you want to pay retail, you have to go onto a waiting list…

Likewise if you’re seeing it on Chrono24 for less and they represent a better deal for you, why wouldn’t you just purchase it for that better deal?

Claiming to price match on used goods is in my opinion a marketing scam. I would bet the only time they actually lower the price is if the price match is on a new version of the product (as they did in your case). With used goods they can play its not the same thing card every time and well they aren't lying as with used items when you consider individual use and wear it would be highly unlikely they are exactly the same.

Anyway long story short it's an easy statement to throw up on their site because it's an impossible scenario they will always have an out and they would be dumb not to use that out without in person appraisal of the other item.

These kind of marketing techniques drive me nuts but they are everywhere in our society. It's like how my wife (ok and me from time to time) will spend 50 dollars on stuff we don't want to save 10 dollars shipping.

I have no doubt that watchfinder is overpriced (and I personally would not have ever considered buying from there), but part of the price is an element of peace of mind - otherwise why don't you just buy at chronos24?  I am not so sure watchfinder's business model is actually all that different from chronos24. I suspect that watchfinder does not even own those watches, but instead acts as a middleman for concrete brick&mortar dealers, so their ability to be flexible with the price is limited. A bit like the difference between an "antique dealer" and an "antique centre".

One thing you may have too easily dismissed is the "not the same warranty box and paperwork" thing, as it's "the same watch". I have seen on chronos24 watches drop signicantly in price when it's "just the watch" and the paperwork is mssing.

Having said all that, price-match on second-hand items is a strange promise, because it is never really like for like.

You want to know a dirty little secret about "price matching"?   

• It's illegal to collude with your competitors - just ask the former Chairman of Sotheby's who got in a limo with the head of Christie's to fix fees, etc., and ended up in jail
• But, it's perfectly legal to engage in "industry pricing conduct improvement" - all you do is signal to your competitors how not to compete with one another, and instead cooperate
• Price matching is one of the key techniques.  We all think that Safeway put up that huge banner reading, "We will match any competitor's lowest price" for our sakes.  No, they put up that giant banner because Albertson's super market is across the parking lot, and the audience for that message is Albertson's.  Safeway is simply saying, "Yo, dude, don't lower your prices.  Because if you do, we'll match it, and then we both lose out on revenues and profits.  Instead, if you raise your prices,  we'll raise our prices too, both of us will have matched high prices, and we'll get rich"
• The most famous examples of really, really smart "industry pricing conduct improvement" are the Big 3 TV networks in their heyday from the late 40's until the advent of the Internet.  Those guys were geniuses, and they never did anything illegal!

In my real life, I help companies do "industry pricing conduct improvement."  😜

You’re not the first person that I’ve seen report that they have had issues with them. Don’t let it bother you. Purchase from elsewhere and do exactly what you did and post the experience.

I appreciate someone who takes the time to post about good AND bad experiences so that others can benefit. 

100% agree on Watchfinder. Wouldn't touch them with someone else's bargepole.

Call it what it is…”grey market” is actually Greedy Flippers

On a positive I love there YouTube content….

Same here. Doesn't make a lick of sense to me. 

I think anyone who sells anything for any amount of money is an evil, greedy, money-grubbing flipping flipper. In my utopia, there will be no such thing as profits. My utopia’s motto shall be, “From each according to ability; to each according to need.” We will do away with private property, and all shall work together in harmony for the glory of humankind. 

It’s such a simple idea. I don’t know why nobody has ever tried it before?

Yeah, but no.  Watchfinder is owned by Richemont and runs it's own boutiques. 

https://www.richemont.com/en/home/media/press-releases-and-news/richemont-acquires-watchfinder-co-uk-limited/

My friend, do I have a book for you

What i can say it that I've been to watchfinder in Geneva and what shocked me more than the high prices was the fact that they just wanted to buy my watch for a ridiculously low price and the sales staff really did not know much about the watches. Very unprofessiona and not a space for watch lovers / fans. The Richmont groupe own some of the coolest watch brands but i don't know what they are doing with Watchfinder. 

I have never personally dealt with Watchfinder. I can say that I like their Youtube channel, thanks to that I have a Nomos today, and I appreciate that they introduced me to that brand. I also really enjoy their new podcast style videos.
As other WatchCrunchers have said, every company is always looking for a profit, otherwise they wouldn't be able to continue to exist. My opinion is that if you don't like the Watchfinder prices, go look for other deals at Chrono24, Ebay, etc. If you really want that watch, you will find the right piece for the right price, I'm sure. 

Same here.  If you believe it's the same watch at Chrono24 for $1400, why not buy it from them?  Why do you want the one at watchfinder instead? Maybe it's not the same watch?

What have I just read? Are you intending to have a war of words with Watchfinder on here? As funny as I think that would be, they aren’t going to engage. Does this look like the watch-buyers ombudsman (and would you like to set it up whilst you are at it)? Chrono24 is also a marketplace with no real price regulation, you might as well use eBay as a guide. 

Sadly if one thinks about it it’s not a great secret …  sadly obvious lol. 

Sorry that I haven't  been on in a bit.  I would like to clarify some of the confusion I caused. When I said that I can get a brand new one for less.  I am referring to (NOS) new old stock also from grey market dealers for $2300 to $2400.  By the time I decided to buy the watch from the seller in Japan for $1400. it was gone but he had another with less scratches on the case but it did not have the gold trim around the date window which leads me to believe it either fell off or someone has had the watch apart.  

So before I pulled the trigger on that watch, a Holy grail watch came up on auction.  The SBGA421 Grand Seiko Snow White was listed and I put in the first bid at $6250.00 and it did not meet reserve.  I went all in at $7600.00 and I was outbid by the eventual winner at $8750.00. That is just too much for me to justify paying for a $5000.00 new watch with some red accents and a limited edition claim. 

So back to the Longines Crono, I started wondering if the chronograph in my collection should be a more Iconic model like a Omega Speedmaster or a more important movement like the Zenith El Primero but I think I like the look of the Longines better.  A lot to decide, so I am going out of town next week and I have some watch shopping planned.  Thanks to everyone who commented.