Matthew Bain has a watch I'm interested in, it's marked as "price upon request" so I expected it to be outrageous but I inquired anyway. It stretches my limit but the condition is perfect and I read he is greatly respected and trusted. I'm curious, why is this done? Just to not advertise the price?

Also, if I really do get this I'll have to stay away from this forum for at least a couple of months so you guys don't give me any more ideas.

 

POA is generally a way for an arrogant seller to drum up potential interest in an outrageously priced piece.

 

There is I think some degree of similar consensus at the chronocentric forums - that sellers should indicate a price, and buyers not shoot PMs/emails asking for what the "best price" is. I agree with both points.

 

Maybe it's because I'm not a seller/dealer, but I really do not get the Price Upon Request. Is it because comparing prices across the internet is so readily available they don't want their item outed as being over priced? I understand paying a premium when purchasing from a dealer vs private sale/forum/auction, but if they have priced the item appropriately (even including the dealer premium), why not list it?

 

The things I'm pretty sure (unfortunately I didn't save pictures to prove it) that they had the exact same watch listed at 20% more two weeks ago.

 

I always read it as: "No tire kickers, please. This watch is very expensive. Contact me ONLY if you have money and you must have this watch"

 

This is something I find particularly annoying. So much so that it actually prevents me ever wanting to transact with such a seller. MB is a web site that I don't even bother to look at any more, there are many more people I'd rather give my money to.

 

Not familiar with the seller, but I agree that if I have to ask for a price, I'm not bothering with your sale. Another annoying one is the "photos on request" that is common on some sites (talking about forums now), and honestly I simply pass by any advert that says this.

If you can't be bothered to post photos, I'm not going to the trouble of asking for them.

Cheers, Al

 

Try asking for a movement pic

 

How many of the people who object to POA are actual potential customers?

While I too find it irksome, to be honest I have no problem calling to find out a price of a watch I am genuinely interested in.

I doubt a dealer has lost a sale to one of us who, in a fit of pique, says "how dare they - I'm not buying that now!"

My acquisitiveness would out weigh my selfrightiousness!

 

I'm actually far more annoyed by the latter. POA is a long-standing approach taken by some dealers, and if I like a watch enough, it isn't too big of a hurdle. Also, in some cases it allows the seller to expound on whatever information has already been presented.

The lack of any photos, however, is pretty much an automatic disqualifier in my case.

Oh, and I'm also outraged that the auto-correct function on this site doesn't recognize "disqualifier" as a word.

 

Never paid much attention to it. Everything is negotiable... or not. The only time it annoys me is when my request for the asking price is ignored, or the response is very slow. Then I'm no longer interested... usually.

 

If there is no price, I assume it is full retail and look somewhere else.

 

I think full retail on this one was $39

 

It's fairly annoying to me as well, but if I'm interested enough in the watch, I'll inquire. But if there's any other hurdles past that I'm not going to try "too" hard, as there will always be another chance to buy elsewhere.

 

I skip over POR's. Spending time listening to a sales pitch is not enjoyable for me.

 

I am ( or rather 'was' ) a potential customer...( my depleted bank balance is the proof!) And an interesting correlation is that not one of the POAs I had to ask for turned out to be what I considered a good or fair price. May be I'm just unlucky ...

 

Ditto. So I doubt it's luck.

 

Good point! They'd be customers at a bargain price..... maybe..... but we all know by now that there's a reason for the phrase "If you have to ask you can't afford it".

 

"If you have to ask you can't afford it"

You beat me to it!