Can I use online prices to bargain on the highstreet?

Can I use online prices to bargain on the highstreet?

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I'm Rick james

Original Poster:

250 posts

152 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all
Hi,
I've set my heart on adding another Omega to my modest collection. It will be brought on the high street from the likes of Ernest Jones/Goldsmiths/Beaverbrooks/whoever offers the best discount.

Just thought I'd ask if anyone has had success using online prices as a bargaining chip? I highly doubt it but thought I'd double check.
If not will shop around and haggle for 10/15%. If that's about the norm? Or obtainable.
Many thanks.
Rj

PJ S

10,842 posts

226 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all
20% is what you should be at least aiming for.
Tell them you're prepared to buy there and then, and you'd rather they benefited from the sale, instead of an EU dealer on the Continent.

toohuge

3,430 posts

215 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all
You may struggle as AD's are not allowed to sell their watches online and any price advertisements (if there were any) would be at the RRP. So the easy response from the dealer would be that these prices are not from an AD.

As above, go in and state your intent and see what happens.

spaximus

4,230 posts

252 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
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I bought a Planet Ocean two weeks ago from Earnest Jones in Bristol after hearing of a deal done for a mate of mine on here.
I went and got 22.5% off the list price and four years interest free after a good haggle.

They told me that 20% was their top deal but after a call to someone they did the 22.5%. I didn't need the intrest free but why not use their money?

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
quotequote all
spaximus said:
I bought a Planet Ocean two weeks ago from Earnest Jones in Bristol after hearing of a deal done for a mate of mine on here.
I went and got 22.5% off the list price and four years interest free after a good haggle.

They told me that 20% was their top deal but after a call to someone they did the 22.5%. I didn't need the intrest free but why not use their money?
Do you think the 20% (22.5% in your case) would apply to all brands or just Omega or even just the PO?

spaximus

4,230 posts

252 months

Monday 2nd February 2015
quotequote all
el stovey said:
Do you think the 20% (22.5% in your case) would apply to all brands or just Omega or even just the PO?
I am not sure on that one. Barry, my mate also bought an Omega, not a PO, so clearly okay on them. Worth asking as for everyone who is like me, there are many who do not ask. There was a man and wife in buying a Speedmaster when we were there, no discount was asked or offered, I tried to get his ear but alas he seemed content to pay full price, which is what he did.

yeti

10,523 posts

274 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2015
quotequote all
PJ S said:
20% is what you should be at least aiming for.
Tell them you're prepared to buy there and then, and you'd rather they benefited from the sale, instead of an EU dealer on the Continent.
Ker-ching. Exactly that ^^

If they know you've done your homework and compared with grey dealer prices, they know what they have to do to make a sale. They offer nothing extra really except a little ease of use.

nick s

1,368 posts

216 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2015
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Can you do this with Rolex? I'm looking to buy a new Sub or Datejust II soon, and was wondering if it's worth trying to haggle, or will I just make myself look stupid?

yeti

10,523 posts

274 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2015
quotequote all
nick s said:
Can you do this with Rolex? I'm looking to buy a new Sub or Datejust II soon, and was wondering if it's worth trying to haggle, or will I just make myself look stupid?
You can try; but they risk losing their franchise if found to be discounting, Omega et al don't have the same rules. You will get a discount on a DJ II but not much on a Sub.

Ask them if they do interest free credit; ask them how much it's worth for you not to take it. Know the prices online (which have just increased BTW as the cheap european Rolex is about to become a thing of the past) and ask them to match.

Dom Hackett will get a you a brand new Rolex at a price you will be unable to negotiate yourself - give him a call (if he's ever not skiing!).

Or just buy what you want from Watchfinder, Blowers, watches.co.uk or somewhere similar.

nick s

1,368 posts

216 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2015
quotequote all
yeti said:
You can try; but they risk losing their franchise if found to be discounting, Omega et al don't have the same rules. You will get a discount on a DJ II but not much on a Sub.

Ask them if they do interest free credit; ask them how much it's worth for you not to take it. Know the prices online (which have just increased BTW as the cheap european Rolex is about to become a thing of the past) and ask them to match.

Dom Hackett will get a you a brand new Rolex at a price you will be unable to negotiate yourself - give him a call (if he's ever not skiing!).

Or just buy what you want from Watchfinder, Blowers, watches.co.uk or somewhere similar.
Thanks for the good advice. How much are the prices being hiked? Is this affecting the UK market?
Been looking a lot on Watchfinder actually, but assumed it was all used models. Will be sure to give him a call then!

CAPP0

19,532 posts

202 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2015
quotequote all
nick s said:
yeti said:
You can try; but they risk losing their franchise if found to be discounting, Omega et al don't have the same rules. You will get a discount on a DJ II but not much on a Sub.

Ask them if they do interest free credit; ask them how much it's worth for you not to take it. Know the prices online (which have just increased BTW as the cheap european Rolex is about to become a thing of the past) and ask them to match.

Dom Hackett will get a you a brand new Rolex at a price you will be unable to negotiate yourself - give him a call (if he's ever not skiing!).

Or just buy what you want from Watchfinder, Blowers, watches.co.uk or somewhere similar.
Thanks for the good advice. How much are the prices being hiked? Is this affecting the UK market?
Been looking a lot on Watchfinder actually, but assumed it was all used models. Will be sure to give him a call then!
Dominic is back in the UK this week at least, I collected a watch from him yesterday evening wink

I'm Rick james

Original Poster:

250 posts

152 months

Thursday 5th February 2015
quotequote all
An interesting post with regards to the PO discount, am off to Bluewater at the weekend so hopefully will come away with a new timepiece!
Thanks everyone for the response.
Rj

Speed Badger

2,667 posts

116 months

Friday 6th February 2015
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Just before Christmas I had the intention of treating myself to an Omega Speedmaster moonwatch (the new one with the presentation box).

I visited Beaverbrooks and had the whole sit down, white gloves treatment and I tried it on and it looked and felt superb. Then it came to the haggle, which I enjoy and am pretty good at getting a bargain, however they would not budge. It was up for £3340 and they were offering 4 years interest free, but I could have bought it outright (not rich or showing off, just car sale money), so this was a bargaining chip for me, but not even £1 off. I was there for nearly 2 hours trying to haggle, got the manager out & everything, all they kept saying was it's just come out and won't have any trouble selling it at full price. Fair enough but I was standing there ready to pay right here right now.

Anyway I left and found it £1000 cheaper through an online dealer. Yes £1000 cheaper!

However, my circumstances quickly changed and I spent the money on a car instead, so my Omega dream continues smile

Chris200

591 posts

236 months

Friday 6th February 2015
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A friend of mine works for a major brand watch maker and sells / account manages to the trade, Earnest Jones and Beaverbrooks etc.

He has said that just about every watch is marked up by a minimum 80%. Generally speaking the price you see in store is double what it has actually cost the retailer to purchase, so there is always plenty of haggle room.

He works for Bulova by the way and gets me some good deals smile

yeti

10,523 posts

274 months

Friday 6th February 2015
quotequote all
nick s said:
Been looking a lot on Watchfinder actually, but assumed it was all used models. Will be sure to give him a call then!
Yes, they sell second hand watches. Although some are 'as new' and sourced through the grey market.

Dom Hackett will get a you a brand new one if that's what you want.

CAPP0

19,532 posts

202 months

Friday 6th February 2015
quotequote all
Chris200 said:
A friend of mine works for a major brand watch maker and sells / account manages to the trade, Earnest Jones and Beaverbrooks etc.

He has said that just about every watch is marked up by a minimum 80%. Generally speaking the price you see in store is double what it has actually cost the retailer to purchase, so there is always plenty of haggle room.

He works for Bulova by the way and gets me some good deals smile
To back that up, I know of someone who works for a (very) major watch brand and I'm told that provided they aren't greedy and they don't sell on, for friends and family they can purchase (a presumably limited number of) watches at 50% of retail.

I'm Rick james

Original Poster:

250 posts

152 months

Friday 6th February 2015
quotequote all
Hi,
Could someone clairfy something for me, I recall somehwere reading that shops could not discriminate with regards to payment method. I.e if you haggle a discount then hit them with the interest free then thats hard life for them but I called in off the cuff today to a highstreet jeweller after work, sat down tried the particular omega on etc spent almost an hour in there got myself a discount after a while of haggleing then mentioned the credit and the whole deal was wiped off the table.

I was told discount was for cash purchase and credit was fixed. As it happens I can buy it outright but have no inention of it with interest free credit knocking about.
Was this right?
Thanks and sorry for the lengthy post.
Rj

PJ S

10,842 posts

226 months

Friday 6th February 2015
quotequote all
Up until the point where money has been exchanged or credit agreement signed, the seller is quite within their rights to remove any offer of an invitation to treat.
There is a cost to them in providing interest free credit, which may be as much or more than the cost of the discount you negotiated.
The same thing could've happened if you said you'd buy it tomorrow or next week – they're not obliged to honour a discount offered, but may do so as a matter of goodwill and to retain your custom in the future.
The more astute salesperson will already head off this situation early in the discussion, so as you know where they stand – letting you get to this stage is inexperience or ineptitude, as there's every chance the customer simply walks away and the time spent has been effectively wasted.

You could use the situation to your advantage though, and see if you can get a bit more off or the rubber strap thrown in, as you like to make the time they've spent no go to waste and business to an online entity or competing retailer nearby.
But only do so, if you're actually prepared to commit right there and then – save having to go lift the cash out.

bordseye

1,975 posts

191 months

Sunday 8th February 2015
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yeti said:
You can try; but they risk losing their franchise if found to be discounting,
You can alsways point out to them that Omega are breaking the law ( resale price maintenance) if they threaten that action, and you are inclined to report what they have said to the OFT.

Dont know if it will get you far but it is the legal position.