Please allow me to reply ...
I have not used all of Kelly's reply here. Just the bits that I want to comment on.
Antiquorum has made it clear that the amounts are really Swiss Francs even though AUD is shown. Not a big deal IMO.
This is NOT propogating the quality image that Omega is trying to cultivate. (IMHO)
Partnering with eBay may be a good move for Antiquorum, and not just because of the potential for bigger hammer prices.
They are direct competitors, both are auction houses... so (again IMHO ) it's like saying "hey our competitor gets more hits/interest/publicity than we do, lets advertise it with them. We can't generate the publicity that they do !"
It cheapens the entire auction/good work done till now.
Antiquorum is gaining exposure to many buyers that have never heard of them.
Too right they are.... I have NEVER even opened the Antiquorum website... I have an eBay feed rating of over 600
I agree that Omegamania is a marketing event for Omega. It's about escalating Omega's brand image and spreading its name recognition, and any profit made selling the watches is secondary.
Omega do NOT sell watches via the internet. Their website states this & I hear that AD's can loose their AD status if they are caught selling over the internet.
But selling second hand ( albeit vintage , restored & guaranteed by Omega themselves ) watches via eBay IS OK ? Not in my book.
This is absolutely hypocritical.
However, I think that Omega is hoping that the publicity will attract new customers in addition to the traditional collectors that will be attending the live auction. What is a better way of reaching out to new customers than accepting absentee bids on eBay?
Now lemme see if I understand this. You want to buy a vintage watch, owned, restored, guaranteed & sold (indirectly) by Omega - Good you can do this via the internet.
You want to buy a new Omega - you can't buy it via the internet.
The people who use eBay are the kind of people who ARE prepared ( & want ) to buy over the internet. So having "atracted" them, you then tell them they have to visit ( or call ) an AD to buy a new watch ?
After all, eBay is the de facto auction site on the internet, while most budding collectors have probably never heard of Antiquorum.
ABSOLUTELY .... so why not use them from the beginning ? Either they are good enough or not. & since the watches are now listed there, they seem to be good enough for the job.
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I think it is hyprocitical of Antiquorum to use a competitor to advertise their auctions, especially when a post containing anything more than the word eBay on the Anitquorum owned forums will cause that post to get pulled/Censored.
Obviously this reply is stuffed full of my opinions/views.
Please feel free to disagree.
