www.watchfinder.co.uk
Discussion
Dear All,
As this is one of my favourite and most frequently visited corners of PistonHeads, I thought it would be appropriate for me to be the one to introduce one of our new commercial partners, the chaps at www.watchfinder.co.uk
We've been talking to them for a couple of months now because they noticed how knowledgeable and broad in taste the denizens of this little forum are, and saw it as a potential outlet for some appropriate commercial activity. As a result we list almost all their stock on our classified pages, and the next step, coming in a few minutes, is a sticky thread with some useful advice for anyone thinking of buying watches (the information will be more useful to those wandering in here occasionally than some of the hardcore serial owners, but I don't think you'll find anything in there to disagree with) and the watchfinder team will be responding to any questions on the thread as and when they are posted.
We all have retailers we like to buy from I'm sure, but having met the guys from watchfinder I can confirm that they are all very knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. They hold all the stock you can see on their site, and nestled in there are plenty of interesting and esoteric pieces amongst the things you'd expect to see. In short, they are like us, but just get to do it for a living, the lucky buggers...
I would really appreciate it if you'd give them a warm watch forum welcome, and hope that you'll see it as an appropriate and useful bit of commercial activity with is in (rather than against) the spirit of this forum.
Thanks,
Stuart
As this is one of my favourite and most frequently visited corners of PistonHeads, I thought it would be appropriate for me to be the one to introduce one of our new commercial partners, the chaps at www.watchfinder.co.uk
We've been talking to them for a couple of months now because they noticed how knowledgeable and broad in taste the denizens of this little forum are, and saw it as a potential outlet for some appropriate commercial activity. As a result we list almost all their stock on our classified pages, and the next step, coming in a few minutes, is a sticky thread with some useful advice for anyone thinking of buying watches (the information will be more useful to those wandering in here occasionally than some of the hardcore serial owners, but I don't think you'll find anything in there to disagree with) and the watchfinder team will be responding to any questions on the thread as and when they are posted.
We all have retailers we like to buy from I'm sure, but having met the guys from watchfinder I can confirm that they are all very knowledgeable and very enthusiastic. They hold all the stock you can see on their site, and nestled in there are plenty of interesting and esoteric pieces amongst the things you'd expect to see. In short, they are like us, but just get to do it for a living, the lucky buggers...
I would really appreciate it if you'd give them a warm watch forum welcome, and hope that you'll see it as an appropriate and useful bit of commercial activity with is in (rather than against) the spirit of this forum.
Thanks,
Stuart
Hi Adrian,
This is no different to other parts of PistonHeads. This particular thread isn't meant to turn into an ad for watchfinder, but you'll find plenty of other areas of the site where advertisers pay for sticky threads, some static with no further contributions (such as the Adrian Flux insurance threads) and some updated regularly with contributions (such as the Opie Oils thread). We've operated like this for some time, it's just that this is the first time that anyone has wanted to do it in here.
Can other dealers advertise openly? They could do similar things to this, yes. Do we permit them to advertise blatantly on forum threads? No, just as they are not permitted to do everywhere else on the forum. Are those dealers who contribute advice informally (such as Dom) free to continue to do so? Yes, of course. Just as well known Porsche dealers such as Henry from 911virgin do elsewhere on the forum.
Watchfinder aren't going to be openly advertising their stock on every thread asking about watches, far from it in fact.
Hope that this makes the position clear.
Thanks,
Stuart
This is no different to other parts of PistonHeads. This particular thread isn't meant to turn into an ad for watchfinder, but you'll find plenty of other areas of the site where advertisers pay for sticky threads, some static with no further contributions (such as the Adrian Flux insurance threads) and some updated regularly with contributions (such as the Opie Oils thread). We've operated like this for some time, it's just that this is the first time that anyone has wanted to do it in here.
Can other dealers advertise openly? They could do similar things to this, yes. Do we permit them to advertise blatantly on forum threads? No, just as they are not permitted to do everywhere else on the forum. Are those dealers who contribute advice informally (such as Dom) free to continue to do so? Yes, of course. Just as well known Porsche dealers such as Henry from 911virgin do elsewhere on the forum.
Watchfinder aren't going to be openly advertising their stock on every thread asking about watches, far from it in fact.
Hope that this makes the position clear.
Thanks,
Stuart
Surely this cannot be correct, you dont allow private sales in the forum but you push companies who are already advertising in the sales department, surely that should be enough, something smells fishy actually, seeing that you are working for PH as well, its not all adding up to me.....
Hi Phumy, I'm not sure I understand the question. Do you think that I work for watchfinder?
To be clear:
- Watchfinder are an advertiser. They pay to list their stock in our classified section. They have bought a sponsored thread in the watch forum. They won't be listing stock in the watches forum at all, just offering advice to anyone who would like it within their sponsored thread.
- Whilst we have plenty of sponsored threads elsewhere on PistonHeads, this is the first one in here. Since this is an area which has so far not seen any commercial activity (not by design, just because nobody has shown an interest or approached us) I have posted to try to offset any questions about them or what their sponsored thread is about.
- In all other respects this forum operates and will continue to operate to the same rules that the rest of PistonHeads does. Namely, no overt advertising by firms (outside of any sponsored threads) and using the classifieds to sell things, rather than the forums.
Also worth pointing out that whilst we charge to list cars on PH if your account duration isn't long enough to qualify for a free ad, we don't charge anyone anything in the other categories. So whilst we don't want you to sell your watch in this forum, we won't charge you anything for doing so in the place where you can advertise it.
I'm genuinely mystified if anyone thinks there's a hidden agenda or anything dodgy going on here, so if you still believe that to be the case, please air your concerns.
ETA: I've never bought or sold anything using them. I'm wearing my Speedie Pro today, but that was supplied 4 years ago by Dom. It was as pleasant an experience as it has been for everyone else who has bought from him.
To be clear:
- Watchfinder are an advertiser. They pay to list their stock in our classified section. They have bought a sponsored thread in the watch forum. They won't be listing stock in the watches forum at all, just offering advice to anyone who would like it within their sponsored thread.
- Whilst we have plenty of sponsored threads elsewhere on PistonHeads, this is the first one in here. Since this is an area which has so far not seen any commercial activity (not by design, just because nobody has shown an interest or approached us) I have posted to try to offset any questions about them or what their sponsored thread is about.
- In all other respects this forum operates and will continue to operate to the same rules that the rest of PistonHeads does. Namely, no overt advertising by firms (outside of any sponsored threads) and using the classifieds to sell things, rather than the forums.
Also worth pointing out that whilst we charge to list cars on PH if your account duration isn't long enough to qualify for a free ad, we don't charge anyone anything in the other categories. So whilst we don't want you to sell your watch in this forum, we won't charge you anything for doing so in the place where you can advertise it.
I'm genuinely mystified if anyone thinks there's a hidden agenda or anything dodgy going on here, so if you still believe that to be the case, please air your concerns.
ETA: I've never bought or sold anything using them. I'm wearing my Speedie Pro today, but that was supplied 4 years ago by Dom. It was as pleasant an experience as it has been for everyone else who has bought from him.
Ikemi said:
Sounds good! Any chance of a 'PHer discount' when buying through Watch Finder, à la Adrian Flux? 
Nothing formalised. However I'd never recommend paying RRP for anything from anyone (that's my personal shout, nothing to do with my job!) and I would imagine that the negotiable margin on some watches would be very different and therefore very difficult to formalise.Stuart said:
Nothing formalised. However I'd never recommend paying RRP for anything from anyone (that's my personal shout, nothing to do with my job!) and I would imagine that the negotiable margin on some watches would be very different and therefore very difficult to formalise.
Our purchasing manager, Jon, is a bit like you - he reckons he haggles at the checkout in Sainsbury's 
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