Your First Breitling -From Authorised Dist. or the Internet!

Driver8 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:18 am

Jim3 wrote:

In the US it is not hard to find an AD that will beat Internet prices. You get all the papers, fittings and an even better discount on the next watch.

In the UK it's usually hard to get anything more than 5% off the RRP at an AD.

Jim3 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:42 am

Would it be cheaper to catch a cheap flight to NY and buy at US prices and discount from an AD?

Breitling Bloke · **Posted:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:35 pm

As long as you don't get caught on your way back!

:lol:

When I got my 1st Breitling on my way back from Switzerland a few years ago I had to go through the green channel with a huge arrow pointing at my head! I got through OK despite this! Result - £600 saving.

RJRJRJ · **Posted:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:38 pm

Just wear it and mail yourself the box.

Jim3 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:40 pm

green channel?

Flynbyu · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:27 am

When I've purchased out of the country, I've kept the new piece in my carry on, and my carry on has never been inspected.

As for going outside the dealer network, that is fine. Especially when we're talking about saving over a thousand. I saved well over a thousand buying my last piece online.

~Brian

jnelson3097 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:30 am

Quote:

Is this the same guy that initially said that he BOUGHT the watch from Tourneau? I recall someone saying that they actually bought a watch from Tourneau and it turned out to be fake... unless the guy was lying.

http://www.breitlingsource.com/phpBB2/v ... .php?t=743

Here is the thread for a guy who bought one from ebay and it went back and forth on whether or not it was real.

Justin

Breitling Bloke · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:37 am

Jim3 wrote:

green channel?

The Customs "Nothing to Declare" exit.

I wore the watch but couldn't post the box as I had bought in the airport on the way home - got an extra 10% off as airline staff so it was worth the risk.

That said, the 41mm diameter felt like a grandfather clock on the end of my arm! I'm sure the big yellow box in my hand luggage was sort of glowing and emmitting some sort of waves that could be detected quite easily.

Driver8 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:12 pm

Breitling Bloke wrote:

That said, the 41mm diameter felt like a grandfather clock on the end of my arm! I'm sure the big yellow box in my hand luggage was sort of glowing and emmitting some sort of waves that could be detected quite easily.

Yeah I bet you felt very, VERY nervous! :lol:

peezie · **Posted:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:53 pm

Driver8 wrote:

A full service and clean of my Bentley is costing me £300, so I'd be more than happy to take the gamble warranty wise if I was saving 40 to 50% over UK list in the first place.

You know, I'm jumping in late on this discussion, but I think (even amongst this crowd) that the lure of low price is blinding common sense here. 40-50% off list is basically dealer cost. I've sold high-end audio for years, and I see similar arguments pop up all the time. And on the surface, it sounds logical to purchase at a great initial cost, knowing what the worst-case scenario is if a non-fake fails. Thing is though, nobody can afford over time to sell new product for that amount, so it stands to reason that it is in fact grey-market or refurb, which can be had for typically 20% off dealer (in my industry).

Quote:

Maybe I'll change my mind depending on the level of service I get when I finally buy an on-line piece, but for now I am seriously considering it.

What did your AD do to lose your business?

dgleeds · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 5:21 am

I agree when I went shopping for my first (and only) BLING I was tempted to take the discount but what's the point, you could end up with a watch that BUSA won't even touch. When I left my AD I felt great knowing that I got a genuine Breitling. Some of these internet sites actually charge more than an AD would. I would never buy from anyone that is not listed on Breitling's site as and AD.

peezie · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 7:09 am

dgleeds wrote:

I agree when I went shopping for my first (and only) BLING I was tempted to take the discount but what's the point, you could end up with a watch that BUSA won't even touch. When I left my AD I felt great knowing that I got a genuine Breitling. Some of these internet sites actually charge more than an AD would. I would never buy from anyone that is not listed on Breitling's site as and AD.

That's the other thing. If the product is 100% percent authentic, surely even grey-marketeers realize the demand for these products. Why then would the discount be THAT much, when it could be 20-30% and still be competitive.

Jim3 wrote:

In the US it is not hard to find an AD that will beat Internet prices. You get all the papers, fittings and an even better discount on the next watch.

Right, but the question the AD should ask is, what is the internet dealer doing for you on the service side? You and I both know that the AD will be involved in any service issues down the road, so the thought of asking them to lose most of their profit to match some unauthorized source is disturbing. You need to examine the totality of the relationship, not just the price.

If I were an AD, I'd keep a bunch of refurbs on hand for folks with this mentality--just to make sure our offerings were the same as the net's.

If you want the guarantee and service, pay the price or don't.

Maybe I'm beating this to death, but the whole counterfeit/grey-market shadiness thing has a sore spot with me. :wink:

Also, it needs to be clear that I have no issue with those attempting to get the best deal, but sometimes the "best deal" isn't inclusive of "lowest price." Be fair to the AD if you respect their abilities post-sale.

Connoisseur · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:42 am

Driver8 wrote:

The UK is a ridiculously expensive place to live at the moment and it's just started to annoy me a little when you speak to AD's about their "best price" and they suck in a breath in true builder style and say "I just can't do anything for you". Then you look on on-line and see the same piece for up to 50% less.

When I was at London Heathrow Airport last month, the AD there said they do not discount below retail (at all) for anything under 5,000 pounds (at the time, that was damn near $10 grand)! Ridiculous. Considering how slow things are at the moment, you'd think they would be willing to negotiate. In the US, it's completely different. I completely understand you folks from the UK buying online. I wouldn't deal with that over there either.

peezie · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:04 pm

Driver8 wrote:

The UK is a ridiculously expensive place to live at the moment and it's just started to annoy me a little when you speak to AD's about their "best price" and they suck in a breath in true builder style and say "I just can't do anything for you". Then you look on on-line and see the same piece for up to 50% less.

Well, it's easy for an online dealer to offer those prices they have no overhead or employees to pay. One guy in his boxers shipping out watches with questionable histories = better discount.

Still, one wonders at 50% off how they make money. Again (and the ADs here can chime in) the only way I can see it after shipping and insurance is that the stuff is B-stock. Really, mathematically, how else could this work?

Driver8 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 12:19 pm

peezie wrote:

Driver8 wrote:

The UK is a ridiculously expensive place to live at the moment and it's just started to annoy me a little when you speak to AD's about their "best price" and they suck in a breath in true builder style and say "I just can't do anything for you". Then you look on on-line and see the same piece for up to 50% less.

Well, it's easy for an online dealer to offer those prices they have no overhead or employees to pay. One guy in his boxers shipping out watches with questionable histories = better discount.

Still, one wonders at 50% off how they make money. Again (and the ADs here can chime in) the only way I can see it after shipping and insurance is that the stuff is B-stock. Really, mathematically, how else could this work?

Yes online dealers have fewer overheads and will always be cheaper than someone with a High St store, but my point was that here in the UK, AD's basically will not discount AT ALL (or very very little). Maybe the on-line comparison is a little unfair, but when you compare the UK to the US (as has been discussed at length in other threads recently) there is a very big disparity between the two regions in terms of pricing, and their attitudes to discounting.

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