Pricing for servicing multiple watches at one time

Canuck · Jun 25, 2022

unxsr
I'm sure every watchmaker have different ways to price their services but if I bring in multiple watches at one time, is it ok to ask for a discount? Asking here before I ask my watchmaker this so I don't make a fool out of myself.

Better you should have made a fool of yourself when only the watchmaker was involved. This, rather than to make a fool of yourself in an on-line forum with countless people involved! What would your reaction be if someone asked you to work for less?

unxsr · Jun 26, 2022

Canuck
Better you should have made a fool of yourself when only the watchmaker was involved. This, rather than to make a fool of yourself in an on-line forum with countless people involved! What would your reaction be if someone asked you to work for less?

As a freelance designer this happens all the time. Not saying this should be for everyone but telling you where my thoughts are coming from.
If a potential client ask for multiple days of work, I tend to give them a discount. Not because I'm worth less, but to build a relationship.

I'm learning that watchmaker's pricing is a lot different and I respect that. By no means am I saying their time is less valuable than mine. I was genuinely curious if bringing multiple work at once would be ok to ask for a small discount and now I know.

I'm thankful for a lot of helpful answers on this thread but yours is unnecessary. I'm sure you were new to this hobby at one point.

STANDY · Jun 26, 2022

I make knives and for multiple knives, I don’t give a discount as they are all set prices.
But I’m happy to give a discount and supply you the last 400-600-1000 grit sandpaper

krogerfoot · Jun 26, 2022

unxsr
As a freelance designer this happens all the time. Not saying this should be for everyone but telling you where my thoughts are coming from.
If a potential client ask for multiple days of work, I tend to give them a discount. Not because I'm worth less, but to build a relationship.

I'm learning that watchmaker's pricing is a lot different and I respect that. By no means am I saying their time is less valuable than mine. I was genuinely curious if bringing multiple work at once would be ok to ask for a small discount and now I know.

I'm thankful for a lot of helpful answers on this thread but yours is unnecessary. I'm sure you were new to this hobby at one point.

You haven’t made a fool of yourself. I’m in your line of work too and can confirm that clients expect volume discounts. These expectations need to be managed. I pay my watchmaker what he asks and both of us seem to be happy. (Please don’t tell anyone I call him “my” watchmaker.)

TimeODanaos · Jun 26, 2022

unxsr
As a freelance designer this happens all the time. Not saying this should be for everyone but telling you where my thoughts are coming from.
If a potential client ask for multiple days of work, I tend to give them a discount. Not because I'm worth less, but to build a relationship.

As a newcomer, you did right to ask. The learning point is that, with any business, supply and demand regulates the balance of forces between supplier and customer, and really good watchmakers are rare like hen's teeth. They can - indeed, sometimes need to - turn away work. The last thing you needed was to blow a relationship with a WM on day one because you weren't armed with the facts of life about this highly specialised market. I hope it all works out for you!

perks713 · Jun 26, 2022

“Any discount if I bring in a few watches?” - a perfectly fine question to ask in my opinion, if asked politely.

“nope, 3 watches = 3x the work” - also a perfectly reasonable response from a watch maker.

I don’t know how watchmakers get access to parts, maybe there’s some savings that can be passed along by paying shipping for all the parts at once instead of 3 separate orders.

140dave · Jun 26, 2022

I ship my watches to my watchmaker so the "discount" is combined shipping, plus he tends to do them a bit faster (or maybe at the same time?) when I send multiples vs one at a time. So instead of 3 watches each taking 4-8 weeks to get back, I get 3 watches back in 5-10 weeks and save a couple hundred with combined shipping both ways. For me, getting them back quicker is better than a discount.

bmpennington · Jun 26, 2022

I don't see why not. However, the most important thing to realize is the individual price of a service is dictated by the movement of each watch.

Pricing for servicing multiple watches at one time

Canuck

unxsr

STANDY

krogerfoot

TimeODanaos

perks713

140dave

bmpennington

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