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The TAG Heuer Enthusiast blog.
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Aquagraph
·31 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox Dato 45 Green by Time & Tide
29 JAN 2024 - FEATURE: The Problem With Grey Market Sellers
28 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: Heuer Carrera 'Montreal' Heuer 02 by Khrono Kraze
26 JAN 2024 - FEATURE: My Top 5 Two-Tone TAG Heuer Watches
25 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Quartz Alarm by Random Rob
23 JAN 2024 - HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera (Part Two: 2013-2016)
22 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: Heuer Carrera 1964 Re-Edition by Time Driven
20 JAN 2024 - FEATURE: TAG Heuer is Finally Cool Again. So What?
19 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: The Perfect Carrera bY Shah Lusso
17 JAN 2024 - ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 200 Pro Solid Gold TH31-00
16 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Link Chronometer by Birth Year Watches
14 JAN 2024 - HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera (Part One: 1996-2012)
13 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: Heuer Carrera CS3111 Re-Issue by TwoSeconds Watch
11 JAN 2024 - ON THE WRIST: Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 'Racing Blue' Limited Edition
10 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Knocked it Out of the Park in 2023 by Time & Tide
29 JAN 2024 - FEATURE: The Problem With Grey Market Sellers
28 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: Heuer Carrera 'Montreal' Heuer 02 by Khrono Kraze
26 JAN 2024 - FEATURE: My Top 5 Two-Tone TAG Heuer Watches
25 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Aquaracer Quartz Alarm by Random Rob
23 JAN 2024 - HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera (Part Two: 2013-2016)
22 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: Heuer Carrera 1964 Re-Edition by Time Driven
20 JAN 2024 - FEATURE: TAG Heuer is Finally Cool Again. So What?
19 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: The Perfect Carrera bY Shah Lusso
17 JAN 2024 - ON THE WRIST: TAG Heuer Aquaracer 200 Pro Solid Gold TH31-00
16 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Link Chronometer by Birth Year Watches
14 JAN 2024 - HISTORY: TAG Heuer Carrera (Part One: 1996-2012)
13 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: Heuer Carrera CS3111 Re-Issue by TwoSeconds Watch
11 JAN 2024 - ON THE WRIST: Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 'Racing Blue' Limited Edition
10 JAN 2024 - VIDEO: TAG Heuer Knocked it Out of the Park in 2023 by Time & Tide
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dtf
·Very interesting story in the grey market seller, seems very dubious. I got the impression that grey market sellers were more an interface to buy from a number of ADs across a region (Europe, USA) rather than a single shop like then guys you talked to.
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Jim Dollares
·Very interesting story in the grey market seller, seems very dubious. I got the impression that grey market sellers were more an interface to buy from a number of ADs across a region (Europe, USA) rather than a single shop like then guys you talked to.
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Aquagraph
·I presume that grey market dealers often buy what they can get their hands on and some probably dont look too carefully into the origin of the goods
It seems to me that their whole business model is by it's very nature 'shady', and there's so many different ways they could knowingly or unknowingly end up with fakes in their stocks. To be honest, once any watch has left the authorised supply chain I can't see how you can ever be sure. There's always a way it could be fake. We only buy from ADs... but do you know for sure that what they are selling you is legit? How come they have 20 blue Formula1s in the first place - you know what I mean.
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dtf
·It seems to me that their whole business model is by it's very nature 'shady'
That’s definitely how the Swiss watch industry portrays the grey market, but the sheer scale of it and the massive grey stock availability implies grey vendors must have tighter links with manufacturers than the manufacturers admit.
I’ve long suspected manufacturers have a percentage of their stock assigned to the grey market, while simultaneously telling buyers to go to an AD because they grey market is risky.
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bpsmith
·Grey Dealers are just AD clones it seems. 😉
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abrod520
·So the reason grey dealers exist is because authorized dealers have quotas to buy from the manufacturer. Kind of like how you have to buy X number of diamond and gold Datejusts if you want a Daytona, if you want to be able to sell the in-demand models from TAG or Omega or whoever you need to buy and stock a number of the slower-selling watches. So dealers will often unload those at wholesale prices to grey dealers instead of having them take up valuable space in display cases or stockrooms where they’re most likely gonna sit for way too long
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dtf
·So the reason grey dealers exist is because authorized dealers have quotas to buy from the manufacturer. Kind of like how you have to buy X number of diamond and gold Datejusts if you want a Daytona, if you want to be able to sell the in-demand models from TAG or Omega or whoever you need to buy and stock a number of the slower-selling watches. So dealers will often unload those at wholesale prices to grey dealers instead of having them take up valuable space in display cases or stockrooms where they’re most likely gonna sit for way too long
That makes sense. Easy way to shift large volumes of stock.
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Jim Dollares
·So the reason grey dealers exist is because authorized dealers have quotas to buy from the manufacturer. Kind of like how you have to buy X number of diamond and gold Datejusts if you want a Daytona, if you want to be able to sell the in-demand models from TAG or Omega or whoever you need to buy and stock a number of the slower-selling watches. So dealers will often unload those at wholesale prices to grey dealers instead of having them take up valuable space in display cases or stockrooms where they’re most likely gonna sit for way too long
At least your theory confirms what Doug was saying, the manufacturers themselves are actively pushing stock into the grey market.
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bpsmith
·Big brands hate discount as they feel it damages the brand image. They probably sell current stock to the AD for x and can sell for the same price to the Grey’s. AD’s sell for full price and profit, after paying higher costs for staff and rent, etc. Grey’s can sell lower as have lower costs, but can potentially make more profit overall. AD’s don’t like that, so will offer to buy more as they have more cash to splash and so get a more favourable purchase price. Grey’s can’t compete but are happy to pick up any slack in remaining old or difficult to sell stock, by purchasing at a discount. AD’s who find themselves overstocked are happy to sell some of that stock at cost to the Grey’s too.
Brand happy as they have sold loads and image not tarnished. AD’s happy as made their share on new stock and flipped surplus. Grey’s happy as they’ve profited handsomely too. Person in the street happy as enjoyed the AD experience and/or don’t know any different. Person at home happy as they feel they’ve had a great deal. Then we start again…
Brand happy as they have sold loads and image not tarnished. AD’s happy as made their share on new stock and flipped surplus. Grey’s happy as they’ve profited handsomely too. Person in the street happy as enjoyed the AD experience and/or don’t know any different. Person at home happy as they feel they’ve had a great deal. Then we start again…
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bpsmith
·Let’s not begin with Rolex. 😉
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abrod520
·the manufacturers themselves are actively pushing stock into the grey market
Not quite, but their practices definitely create the market for the greys for sure.
They probably sell current stock to the AD for x and can sell for the same price to the Grey’s. AD’s sell for full price and profit
Well no. ADs sell to the greys at or just above wholesale, so yes they do make money (or at the very least they certainly do not lose money).
Greys then sell at a lower price than retail price, but higher than wholesale. So everyone makes money and the ADs don’t sit on stock.
Manufacturers “hate” the grey market but they still insist on their business model, so it continues.
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Aquagraph
·I'm sure there are reputable 'grey' dealers, but how is the public supposed to know which ones are reputable and which ones are willing to take 'unwanted stock' from other sources. The problem is that surely they would sell to each other too, so there must be endless opportunities to introduce rogue stock. Especially since they all use the get out that your watch doesn't have the manufacturer's warranty but we will give you our warranty. So you send it back to them, what are the chances it actually goes back to TAG Heuer? Most likely they have a 'guy' who can fix most things with no questions asked. It sucks for the honest ones, but I would tend to err on the side of guilty til proven innocent.
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dtf
·I'm sure there are reputable 'grey' dealers, but how is the public supposed to know which ones are reputable and which ones are willing to take 'unwanted stock' from other sources. The problem is that surely they would sell to each other too, so there must be endless opportunities to introduce rogue stock. Especially since they all use the get out that your watch doesn't have the manufacturer's warranty but we will give you our warranty. So you send it back to them, what are the chances it actually goes back to TAG Heuer? Most likely they have a 'guy' who can fix most things with no questions asked. It sucks for the honest ones, but I would tend to err on the side of guilty til proven innocent.
I definitely wouldn’t buy a watch that only included a grey market warranty, as you say way too risky that it’s a fake. I had no issues warrantying my way211 that I bought from Montredo (at around 2/3 the price of UK AD), but maybe that just means the WAY fakes are so good, TH warranty department can’t tell either? I definitely wouldn’t have bought a WAY from a grey once I saw how good the fakes are.
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Jim Dollares
·LOL
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bpsmith
·Nicely handled!
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