: As Steve pointed out, very nicely I might add, that my blanket
: statement of doubling their costs just isn't correct---all the
: time. I'm sure in some cases it is correct. And this may be one
: of them as Steve said. But, you get the idea that if they took
: 6oo off the cost of my watch, they still made enough profit to
: justify having it in the display case and they won't lose their
: status as an AD. So, I'd be willing to bet my Tag that if you
: buy it a Jareds they'll automatically take 600 off the price for
: you. I bet that's company wide. (I bought mine in Pittsburgh,
: PA.)
: And Steve thanks for the info. It made me start looking on the net
: for more info. I found one article and you might be interested
: in it. See the link I've added. It's an older article, but
: seemed to be on target for today also. It's titled "The
: Death of Retail" by Ed Zimmer, 1999, The Entrepreneur
: Network. I don't know where he got his numbers, but I'm guessing
: it's from his experience. I checked the author out and he's well
: educated and been around the block. You might find it
: interesting reading. Of course, it's not as interesting as
: wearing an Omega Speedmaster on your wrist! Thanks again for the
: info. These forums are great, huh?!
: Chris
An absolutely fascinating article Chris! Thanks for the link! Mr. Zimmer's prognostications do appear to be right on target, I'm afraid. Personally, when it comes to a new watch, I want to be able to personally hold and touch it before buying which I can only do at a local authorized retailer. Conversely, when it comes to vintage watches, I love viewing pictures on e-bay and then bidding. I run the risk of being disapppointed if flaws aren't noted or visible in the description but so far that hasn't curtailed my e-bay activity yet! The internet has certainly changed the world we live in. This forum, for example, has been a joy to visit and learn from.
Getting back to watch discounts, I too am nearly always quoted a 15%-17% discount on major Swiss brands at local authorized dealers/jewelry stores. Discontinued models or models sitting under glass a long, long time are often discounted a bit more (20%-25%). I'll bet you are right that Swiss watches are retailed (MSRP) at 50% GM which does allow room for discounts. Too bad my audio and video accounts cannot enjoy similar margins! LOL
Thanks for the nice post and the link!
Steve
