zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

Derek,

Excellent advice. I bought a Seamaster Ref. 2531.80 recently. Before visiting the local dealers, I created a chart that included about the names, phone numbers, and prices from about 5 reputable internet venders.

I set this chart on the counter when I visited my local authorized dealers. Every single authorized dealer I visited (4 of them near my apartment) was willing to offer a comparable price to the internet dealers. I bought my watch at a 30% discount from a highly reputable authorized dealer. It pays to shop smart!

Regards,
Mike

: Therein lies the great dillema. While there are
: a number of advantages to buying from an
: authorized dealer, it gets hard to say that
: those advantages are worth $450. That's
: where Omega and the authorized dealers need
: to ante up to the bar and offer some REAL
: and TANGIBLE differences for the premium you
: pay over the unauthorized dealers that Omega
: is unable or unwilling to shut down.

: But there is still hope for going through the
: authorized dealer channel! Try this, print
: out the Ashford.com listing with the price
: and take that to the authorized dealer. Tell
: them this is their competition. Ask them
: what they can do to win your business away
: from this large, publicly traded, nationally
: advertised watch dealer who offers a
: warranty that far exceeds the Omega
: manufacturer's warranty. If the salesman
: does not give you a satisfactory answer,
: speak to the store manager.

: Ultimately, either they will offer a deal you
: find worthwhile, or they lose your business
: to Ashford. Its that simple.

: While I do not endorse unauthorized dealers,
: neither can I deny the realities of the
: current state of the watch industry.
: Manufacturers like Omega have three choices
: to handle the survival of the authorized
: dealer network in the current environment:
: 1. kill the gray market by aggressively
: cutting off their sources, 2. kill the gray
: market by offering REAL and TANGIBLE
: benefits to buying from authorized dealers
: that the unauthorized dealers cannot
: reproduce or match, 3. or simply fall victim
: to their failure to do either #1 or #2.

: I would very much like to see Omega come out on
: top by doing #2. This way, the value of the
: premium watch brands, the prestige of
: ownership of a finer watch, the confidence
: of the watch buying public, and the
: stability of the luxury watch industry will
: all be protected. And that benefits all
: concerned -- Omega and all current and
: future Omega watch owners.