Horological Meandering

I'm trying to find 1 thing why I would have to answer 'I  love the brand boutiques'

 

But I'm afraid I can't

2 years ago I went to the PP boutique on Place Vendôme. I wished they could show me some nice chronographs which I could never see at any AD. I think a boutique should at least be able to show you these watches... Seems I was wrong they could not show me one single chrono. Only some Calatravas which you find at every AD

In another boutiqe, won't name the brand the staff was not  what you should expect. Their knowledge was poor and they were not very kind.

More sought after pieces are more available at a boutique  and harder to get at your AD. When you happen to know your Ad for several years and you do have a good relationship that sucks big time. At a boutique you're a newbie or just a number.

Forget about a good price these boutiques seem not to make a difference between an new or a good client

And most off all they screw the AD. Best pieces go mainly to boutiques and they put the AD's mark up in their own pocket.

 

So it's all about money ?? Selling via a boutique is better than selling via an AD

 

I DO NOT like al those boutiques

I had different experiences, with the Boutiques.

They are good days, and bad days, in every Boutique.

As well as at some ADs.

I can tell you a story wich happened to me more than once, where the salesmen, at some ADs, didn't make the difference between a Lange, a VC, and a JLC... Strange, but True.

A judgement can be based on an experience you repeated maybe 10 times, as there are indeed good days and bad days, like you, like me on our respective job.

Yolu took the example of the PP Paris Boutique...

I can tell you that there, I had mixed experiences, from the bad to the excellent, and that their window shop is not always lacking of the pieces you mentionned, as I recently saw, and for some several weeks, perpetual calendars, Chronographs etc...

So, the pieces you didn't see, I saw them ... Good Days, Bad Days.

I can even tell you that for a long time, I did have a bad feeling about a repsectable dealer in Paris, till recently, and we even became friends.

So you see...

I think it is very difficult and not fair to generalize.

As for prices, what did you expect from the Boutiques?

To heavily discount their watches, which will allow you to think that their watches are worth nothing, because even a Boutique, which is the Flagship of a brand, doesn't have any confidence on the product they sell, or to defend their watches, and show some heavy confidence on them?

Therefore, at the Boutiques, if you can't get any discount, or a very light one, you are offered other things, like an impeccable service, which is not always the case with all the ADs, I said ... NOT ALWAYS.

Let's be very prudent, here...

Best,

Nicolas

there are good and bad days ... I'm having a bad one today ... could be part of the reason why this posts sounds not so nice ;-)

 

But there will almost always be a problem with being a less important client unless you're rich enough to buy a lot of watches from the same brand.  Most of us probably have more than one watch but it wil be from different brands. When I would buy for example 1 Patek, 1 Lange, 1 IWC, 1 Panerai, 1 JLC, 1 Zenith  in 2  or 3 years at my AD  I would be a better than the average client. If I had to buy these every time at a Boutique that would mean that I went only  once per 3 years in that Patek/Lange/Panerai ... boutique and that would make me a nobody. That makes it difficult to creat a good realtionship. and when you need or better want a special sought after watch , a good relationship is VERY important

 

you know sometimes disappointment let us drift bit my dear. long ago i used to think so of some AD or boutiques but once they got what i wished to buy or see that thought would get washed off .

 

 Faisal

I go to the boutiques quite often, and find them to offer knowledgeable & attentive service.  I've spent hours at Patek Philippe (at Tiffany), GP, FP Journe, Panerai, Blancpain, Breguet and AP.  I frequently make a Saturday afternoon out of it, and it's like hanging out with friends...along with too many espressos.

If you're ever in NY, Bruno, perhaps you'll find a more satisfactory experience.  As for the pricing, well...the chocolates are pretty darn good.

due to their pricing and their intimidating (at least to me back then) aura. 

However, I have gotten to know the staff at the Boutiques thru the GTGs and various events and  I can totally see the boutique concept working for a brand.  The service is great and though the pricing is firm, the swags that you get are pretty sweet and more often than not, you become friends after a deal. 

I tend to think as one becomes more appreciative of a brand, the Boutique will serve as the go to source for updated information and exclusive pieces that the typical "non-WIS" watch buyer don't appreciate/understand. 

...and the line - first and foremost. It should be the best presentation a brand can do, and staffed by passionate people.
It was sad to see the Omega Boutique in Beverly Hills get canned because it didn't bring in the sales and because they treated it like any commission-driven store. That's not what a manufacturer boutique should be about. Wow us in the best location so that we buy your watch, no matter the AD - it's not unlike the money Omega pays George Clooney, Nicole Kidman et al to promote their brand because they feel it will bring in customers.

Otherwise, leave the sales to the ADs and leave it be. This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2010-08-27 18:51:59

Each of us has his or her price. I can see paying a bit more in a boutique in order to secure the perquisites (if there actually are any) of being a boutique customer. For Rolex or Patek, where I would expect only a nominal discount from an AD or even the gray market, it might make sense. However, when a brand's posted retail prices bear no resemblance to market reality, a boutique simply cannot make sales. This should be obvious to anyone; I don't know what Omega was thinking. The Swatch group seems to think they can sell anything at any price with enough marketing, but at some point the market just says "forget it."

the Omega boutique is shutting down?

which is owned by Swatch Group.

- AT

I agree that the intent is to try and sell you something at full retail and to keep prices artificially high.  I like to visit them (like AP in NYC) since they have a great selection and to use them to drop off things for repair (like Panerai in Beverly  Hills) but otherwise, they don't serve any pruprose to me since I find no market support for selling these expensive watches at full retail..just my opinion.  So I don't love or hate them---I just seem them as marketing vehicles for the watch houses.  

I don't hate them.  In my limited experience, they are nice places to view a brand's watches.  Their staff is generally knowledgeable.  If one needs service, they can be convenient.  But, I don't see myself ever buying a watch at a boutique.  I do not think I have ever paid full retail price for a watch.  And the concept that a hat or some such logo gear is an adequate substitute for a discount doesn't play well in my world.  But to each his own.

Glenn

   

At least at the JLC boutique in Kuala Lumpur.

The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, and service focused.  The inventory is very good including the more complicated stuff and they are quick to bring out some of the rarer pieces (repeaters) to handle.

I was fortunate to have bought a Duometre there last year which had some problems in the first month.  They exchanged immediately for a new piece.

They also double the warranty from 2 to 4 years.

The discounts are decent, but I would agree I could get 5% more at other AD's, but I've found the care and add ons superb.

 

Dave