💰💸 Watch Shopping Habits 💲💳

I’ve had only poor experiences shopping in a store for watches unless it was a department store. I swear every AD I’ve visited have either been like sketchy used car salesmen or complete snobs. The only exception has been female salespeople who are much kinder and nicer but unfortunately are few and far between.

5 out of 5 online so far. The next one on my list is a JDM model, so unless anyone sponsors my trip to Tokyo it's going to go on just the same.

I like to try the watches I want or feel like exploring in a shop / AD. If the price and service is right I will eventually buy the watch in the shop. Otherwise I look for a better price online and buy the watch there (it still isn't an inexpensive hobby haha)

Brick and mortar placed have to tack on high fixed costs that online sellers do not have unless they are called Costco or walmart

Try on in store; purchase online

My favorite AD is in a different state. If they were within a two hour drive, I’d be buying in person.

Try it in store. Buy it online

For those who say "try on a watch in person and buy online" don't you find that practice dishonest? You are using a businesses time and resources but giving them zero chance at your business. It's a form of stealing.

I know which watch I consider buying and go to the actual brand's boutique to try it on before finding the best deal online.

You are still using somebody's time and that location is not getting the sale.

The watches I have , are not for sale in stores.

I ain't paying full retail for a Seiko

8 of 10 of main main watches were purchased in store. I need to get hands on and it usually takes more than once before I know it works. I've never been treated poorly and I've almost always gotten a significant discount (aside from Rolex of course).

I had no choice but to buy my micros online, but I do prefer a retail experience. Some of the online sites, such as Farer, with its virtual on the wrist shot capability, are excellent though.

Very true.

I work in retail and it's part of it, guess it always will be. It can be very frustrating! But unless you are on commission it doesn't matter as wages stay the same..

I buy exclusively online, mainly because there's no AD nearby & also ,maybe because I sell for a living I don't enjoy the in-store experience. I really wouldn't want the "schmooze", champagne etc, that's just not me - I'd rather experience my new watch alone so I can savour it.

I agree. I usually bake in some premium for brick and mortar sales—a certain fair percentage over the online price. I will happily pay 10 pct more in an AD for the time, effort, and relationship down the line (warranty help, new models, etc). At some point though—list vs 25 pct online discount, it gets to be too much.

Depends on how you define "shopping".

If you define that as buying, them most of that is in store.

If you define shopping as looking at products though not necessarily buy, that is mainly on-line.

For the most part, buying on-line is limited to watches I cannot find in a store. Such as an Islander Watch.

With how secluded my third-world country can be, I have to buy most of my watches online

Can't think of the last watch I bought either on store or able to get on before I bought it. Might be 0 actually.