Dishonest Dealer confronted. Now the fun part...

be.norm · Mar 3, 2017

Larry S
It is. Lesson learned. He served his purpose. Almost tagged you as I figured you'd weigh in! 😁 Seriously I was in there on a Saturday waiting to pick up a very old watch he'd just overhauled. Customer came in ogling my Tri Compax started asking my opinions about how to get into vintage and the owner had me out of the place in a jiffy. I'd been needling him about his redial business. Familiarity breeds contempt.

Hmm I'm in Chicago and a bit worried I may have been going to this guy... any names or anyone want to PM me a warning? 👍

Hijak · Mar 3, 2017

be.norm
Hmm I'm in Chicago and a bit worried I may have been going to this guy... any names or anyone want to PM me a warning? 👍

I'll say this, he's on Belmont west of Ashland. Does this help?

be.norm · Mar 3, 2017

Hijak
I'll say this, he's on Belmont west of Ashland. Does this help?

Haha yes. Yes it does.

Anyone better that you can recommend?

be.norm · Mar 3, 2017

But back to the question at hand - I do love those Seamaster 321's, but agree with previous comments on polish/price unfortunately.

Davidt · Mar 3, 2017

If your $1400 in at this point, it would be a mistake to pay more to 'upgrade' to the Seamaster imo. You're adding significant sums of money to be left with a large deficit.

If he won't offer a refund and there's nothing else for the same price, I'd cut my losses, sell that for what you can get for it (probably in a no reserve, honestly described ebay auction) and buy another watch elsewhere.

Taddyangle · Mar 3, 2017

Here is an idea.

I will share that 35+ years ago our family actually did this...I was in high school. It worked.

I get it is not for everybody and frankly I would be hard pressed to ever do it again. But I will say, I would do it in this situation. Of course I would need to know there was enough walk in traffic and that I could be visible enough to share the story.

Maybe some members here can come up with some crafty signs you can carry.

Darlinboy · Mar 3, 2017

I guess the OP will have to decide how much time, energy, more $$, and emotion this is worth to pursue vs. moving on.

Maybe the best way to invest those things at this point is to give the wife a big hug and kiss, tell her what a jerk the guy is, sell the watch (even at a loss) and enjoy some quality time with her browsing for another.

Or, you could chuck a brick through the store window and call it a day. Not that I would condone that type of behaviour of course. 😒

Larry S · Mar 3, 2017

be.norm
Haha yes. Yes it does.

Anyone better that you can recommend?

PM sent

Dre · Mar 3, 2017

OP sorry this happened to you, I'd cut my losses and try to get most of the money back if I were you. I'm sure heaps of people here will help you out on finding the right watch somewhere else.

be.norm
Anyone better that you can recommend?

Omega Forums sales section 😉

Mouse_at_Large · Mar 3, 2017

This seems to be one of these unfortunate instances when enthusiasm and best intentions comes up against hard commercial reality. If the seller in any way misdescribed or misrepresented the watch to the seller, then I'm all for coming down on him with the full force of the law and in my opinion, a full refund is due.

On the other hand, if there was no misrepresentation, the only recourse is the goodwill of the seller and how far he'll go to protect his reputation by trying to make things right with an unhappy customer.

Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between?

What I don't quite see is how some people here can claim he is overpricing his goods. None of us are privy to his debt/loan financing, business expenses, overheads or other business or living costs. Nobody knows what he paid for his stock or his profit margins. The prices he charges are entirely up to him. What's up to the customer is whether he or she is prepared to pay those prices.

glownyc · Mar 3, 2017

Mouse_at_Large
What I don't quite see is how some people here can claim he is overpricing his goods. None of us are privy to his debt/loan financing, business expenses, overheads or other business or living costs. Nobody knows what he paid for his stock or his profit margins. The prices he charges are entirely up to him. What's up to the customer is whether he or she is prepared to pay those prices.

He is allowed to charge whatever he wants. However when the same items can be regularly found for much lower prices then he is overpriced. His expenses or what an uniformed buyer might pay doesn't change that.

adi4 · Mar 3, 2017

glownyc
He is allowed to charge whatever he wants. However when the same items can be regularly found for much lower prices then he is overpriced. His expenses or what an uniformed buyer might pay doesn't change that.

Exactly. He can charge $100k for all of his watches if he wants, but the market will say otherwise. Don't see why we need to hold back on saying something is overpriced when it obviously is. I for one could care less if a dealer chose the most expensive piece of real estate downtown to headquarter in (or whatever other expenses he may have), I'm not paying above market to finance his business. And this goes double for someone who's been in the business for so long and so easily sells redials to unsuspecting customers.

gemini4 · Mar 3, 2017

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but what's the story with the

BS manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) tags???

I think the MSRP on the 321 Seamaster is approx $75.

FullyWound · Mar 3, 2017

Mouse_at_Large
This seems to be one of these unfortunate instances when enthusiasm and best intentions comes up against hard commercial reality. If the seller in any way misdescribed or misrepresented the watch to the seller, then I'm all for coming down on him with the full force of the law and in my opinion, a full refund is due.

On the other hand, if there was no misrepresentation, the only recourse is the goodwill of the seller and how far he'll go to protect his reputation by trying to make things right with an unhappy customer.

Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between?

What I don't quite see is how some people here can claim he is overpricing his goods. None of us are privy to his debt/loan financing, business expenses, overheads or other business or living costs. Nobody knows what he paid for his stock or his profit margins. The prices he charges are entirely up to him. What's up to the customer is whether he or she is prepared to pay those prices.

Finally some sense! the man can charge £100,000 for a casio if he wants your wife bought it and presumably never asked he was not necessarily misrepresenting unless he specifically told her "THIS IS NOT A REDIAL"

its IS down to his own proffeshional and moral code of conduct to choose whether or not he will accept returns as the buyer DID see and inspect the item in person physically prior to purchase..

I personally believe all sellers should offer a no questions asked returns policy "even if you dont like it" for a set period of time but only because we do. not everyone does.. And that too in this situation IS fair..

Did she ask "can i return it later? what is your returns policy? IS IT A REDIAL?" i dont think anyone has been "done or had" persay

It comes down to you dont like what your wife liked the look of..

If it was a market stall box of chocolates for her at $40 and you didn't know the chocolatier had an offer on the same box for $30. but neither box was the best tasting chocolate you ever had! .. its kinda the same thing... im sorry you didnt like it care to exchange?

but yea..

Fine cut your losses sell the watch bad experience we all have bad experiences..

and i dont think his prices are that high! Its not cheap but its not way out there..

Tubber · Mar 4, 2017

tyrantlizardrex
Where do you stand on the matter of ball punching?

Anybody that punches a bloke in the bollocks is lower than a Snakes belly. It might be allowed if you are 3 foot tall or a woman. Bitch slap or do as DB suggested on page 3, post 7.

tyrantlizardrex · Mar 4, 2017

Tubber
Anybody that punches a bloke in the bollocks is lower than a Snakes belly. It might be allowed if you are 3 foot tall or a woman. Bitch slap or do as DB suggested on page 3, post 7.

Passing off those watches as legit?

That's a smack in the bollocks.

Tubber · Mar 4, 2017

Those watches ain't legit. What I was saying was no matter what the problem was you don't smack a bloke in the bollocks.

dsio · Mar 4, 2017

Tubber
Anybody that punches a bloke in the bollocks is lower than a Snakes belly. It might be allowed if you are 3 foot tall or a woman. Bitch slap or do as DB suggested on page 3, post 7.

Its a matter of context, back in '12 or so when I worked for a finance company I remember being out on the piss with some mates from the office and someone goes to another "mate you're so soft you could punch me in the nuts and I wouldn't feel it". You can probably imagine the contest that evolved out of that statement, after a few rounds our entire office was walking like Yosemite Sam the next morning.

The finance industry, never again...

tyrantlizardrex · Mar 4, 2017

Tubber
Those watches ain't legit. What I was saying was no matter what the problem was you don't smack a bloke in the bollocks.

Why on earth not?

None of this Queensbury rules honour amongst men nonsense - put them on the ground as fast as possible, with as little impact on yourself.

A knee is generally considered easier, but in my mind this watch seller is perched on one of those high stools, looking smug at the people eying up his over priced, and utterly shit wares.

Tubber · Mar 4, 2017

If you do that your a low down ratty little bastard!