After reading many posts here I still don't have a clear answer why there seem to be many new Omega watches for sale here and other places well under retail pricing. I'm not in any way criticizing any sellers or the watchs just curious how they can offer a new watch that retails for $5000 USD for $4000 or less. Do some AD dealers offer the same discounts? Many sellers here have great reputation the watches offered are clearly popular.
If this question has been asked often I apologize.

 

Hi,
I guess it depends on where you live but in Sweden it is well known that you can talk down the price at AD. Also, you expect to sell for less than AD when you sell as a private person, for different reasons.

So I guess it is allways about supply and demand, and for a many Omegas, the supply of new watches is higher then the demand. This also goes for many brands, PP and Rolex being a few exeptions.

 

ADs pay far less than retail for their watches. It varies by brand, but there is still a margin for a good profit if they offer a discount of 20-30% over the suggested retail price. And they also have to sell a certain amount aim an AD. This means they may have to buy more watches than they can sell at full price, so have to discount to clear inventory.

I bought two Omega watches — a Seamaster Pro Ceramic and a ladies quartz Aqua Terra — from an AD last Christmas Eve for 30% off retail. The total came to less than the full retail price for the Seamaster. The watches were still in their protective wrap. The dealer told me his manager had directed them to sell as many Omegas before the end of the year as they could because they were the newest AD in the area and wanted to be the top seller for the year in order to get more access to the pricier limited editions.

 

It's the same reason that the gray market is so strong. Because swiss watch companies manufacture FAR more watches than they could ever sell at retail, so often ADs cut their losses and just sell in bulk, almost at cost to places like Jomashop. Of course if they go that route it's a bit more under the table, so to speak... which is why you won't get an AD stamp on the warranty card in most cases.

 

This is somewhat like high end audio. There are situations one can buy new items at a huge discount. Thank you Kmart.
If I were to buy a new watch from an individual with an unsigned warranty card would the warranty be valid for me? I would like to save money but at the same time don't want to do anything unethical.

 

There are several well-documented and respected sellers around these parts that offer watches at the prices you've seen AND include a stamped dealer warranty card. It's legit and not unethical. The watch companies don't think it's unethical to try and sell you watches that cost peanuts (relatively) to make for thousands and thousands of dollars at MSRP. So I don't think it's unethical for me to save as much of my hard-earned money as possible.

 

Unsigned warranty cards usually imply no warranty (the price of buying watches cheaper on the grey market). With regards to ethics : I wouldn’t sweat it, they are still making money (as they are in business)

 

Unsigned cards or no cards at all is most definitely not the price of buying grey market. There are a lot of reputable sellers that provide legit stamped warranty cards.

Even if that wasn’t the case (but it is), I see a LOT of people twisting their hands over this on these forums. It makes no sense. Compare the grey market prices to the best price you can get from an AD or a boutique. Even with no warranty if you buy grey from a crap seller, on the off chance you get a defective watch, the price of getting it serviced by the manufacturer still means you come out ahead in terms of dollars spent.

It depends on whether or not the watch you want is available from a reputable seller or not, but if it is, then going another route is flat stupid. Just my opinion.

 

Hopefully I never have to go through another audio upgrade like the last one I just did but in the case that I do, please tell me how I can buy high end audio equipment at Kmart, or how to leverage Kmart to get discounts from my regular audio pusher? Enquiring minds want to know...

 

Upgrades Archer? Oh yea..... I feel your pain. Cables anyone?
Seriously, I've done well twice now buying new in the box audio items sold as used by dealers needing to get one or two more sales for quota. Kmart blue light special NOS matched quads Gelalex KT88's?

 

I wish it was only cables, but all those were changed as well...anyway thanks for the clarification on the Kmart reference.

 

SOrry Archer, no coffee yet... Audiogon is the place I was able to buy those items.

 

Our equivalent here is Canuck Audio Mart...

 

For cables I love monoprice.com

 

I suspect they are referring to cables that are in a different league...