Reply With QuoteSounds like "the guy" deserves a raise.
We were in Leeds yesterday on our monthly shopping trip and had to pick up a gift for our newborn nephew. As we were heading up to Mamas and Papas in the Trinity Centre I noticed on the doors of a jewellers (Rox I think it was called) that they sold watches by Ulysse Nardin, Parmigiani and a couple of other brands whose wares I'd like to have checked out in the metal. Being the good lady she is, my wife had no objections to me having a little look around (after all it is why I go to Leeds in any case and well she knows it). Anyway we made our purchase in Mamas then came back down the escalators and had a quick look in the window of the jewellers. Nothing much more than a cursory glance to see where the watches were in the shop. I am talking a quick glance here, nothing more than a second or two but enough time to see there were no watches in there! We decided to move on but within seconds a Sales chap appeared asking what I was looking for. It seems he had clocked my AP RO from inside the shop and leapt out of the place to grab a sale! He told me he could get hold of any AP if there were any I was interested in but I politely declined. I did ask him about the Ulysse Nardin and he said I could come into the shop and look at them on his iPad and he could order them in for me to look at the following day. Now, like most of you guys I have probably looked at more watches online than this chap has had hot dinners so I really did not see the point and eventually moved on. I just found it a bizarre experience that the guy had clocked my watch and come out of the shop to sell me something he never had in the shop. It felt good to know that for once somebody had noticed my watch I suppose but it seems crazy that the guy could think he could make a sale by me looking at an iPad with a glass of champagne or cup of coffee.
Sounds like "the guy" deserves a raise.
No chance, he didn't get a sale!
That sounds bizarre, and awkward, you did the right thing.
He surely cannot think that was going to go well, how is he in business with acts like that...
Bizarre indeed. They won't be in business for much longer. I really do question the value of some shops when all you get from them is a 'sorry sir, not in stock but you can order it from our website' response. The only reason for jewellery/clothes shops to exist is to allow you to try stuff on!
Last time this happened to me in John Lewis, they ordered it online for me on the spot at the till, so still made the sale.
Salesman isn't an AP fan either it would seem. He was just doing his duty
Respect the past, live the present, protect the future
Can't blame him for trying!
Almost a bit of an Argos moment then, I don't see the point in catalogue shopping in a b and m store
Why would you advertise such premium and niche brands if you don't even stock any watches at all, not even a Seiko?
The salesman must have been a Manc.
In all fairness he did try but not being able to see and try any watches is a major failing. I ended up gazing at the Rolex BLNR in Goldsmiths and in spite of the offer from my wife to buy it for me then and there I declined and said I'd wait for my birthday early next year. How was that for truly bizarre? I like to test my patience once in a while.
Not bizarre at all. You just don't want to be beholden to her, she's only your missus afterall
Respect the past, live the present, protect the future
I have had a similar experience in Nottingham the last two times I have paused to look at the Tudor display in Goldsmiths. Within 5 seconds a sales person is outside asking what they can flog you. The last time I asked to look at a watch that, as an Approved Dealer, they didn't even know existed.
Now that IS bizarre !Originally Posted by Puntsdog
I have had one experience of a sales person coming out of the shop to talk to me...I was looking at the Maurice Lacroix in the window of their AD in Cardiff (no idea why to be honest)...she immediately came out and told me they were willing to give a discount on any of them I liked the look of...I felt that rather detracted from the brand.
I am regularly accosted by sales assistants outside Goldsmiths in York - it seems to be a new Goldsmiths staff policy I think.
It also happens to me outside Fraser Hart in York, but that's more because they all know me so well that we're practically on first name terms!
Anything for a breath of fresh air. It probably reminds them of their time selling Charity Donations in the street.
Gray
I've only had this with second hand dealers.
I asked one guy if the stuff he had on display was all of his stock and got a "tell me what you want to buy, and I can get hold of one for you" type response.
I get it, but that's not how most people buy a watch.
I'd be put right off by that; I like to be able to look in a window without feeling someone's eyes on me. It's a bit like walking onto a clothes shop and being accosted immediately; puts me right off
Reminds me of the bars and restaurants you come across with your mates when you are about 23yrs old and in Greece or Spain with the pictures of the menu outside !
Is there any British person alive today who would actually welcome a salesperson rushing outside to accost them whilst they window shop?
Seriously, assuming the salesperson too is British, musn't they too realise it's just the most awful, awful thing?
#BritishProblems
Completely the opposite of Argos. I spent 10 minutes standing at the watch counter and had to wave a member of staff over before I could buy a G Shock for 80 quid...no coffee or champers
Definitely so. Everytime I've window-browsed in Oxford they come zooming out to accost me.
Seems a bit desperate, but maybe that's a good indicator that some discount negotiation may be forthcoming.
I'd really like an SDc but haven't the heart to tell them I'd never buy it from Goldsmiths, while loitering outside and blagging the catalogues.
I never get accosted by sales staff from posh watch shops.......maybe I don`t look rich enough
Paul
I definitely don't look rich enough for most watches (you can't hide poor) but I frequently get approached by sales staff when i do my occasional lunch time window browse of the local Jewellers arcade. It's normally attractive females that come out to do the "enticing" so I like to tell myself it's simply because i am ridiculously good looking rather than looking like I could afford even the cheapest watches in the windows.
It would feel like being hassled but he is a 'proper' salesman, trying to 'sell' you something, he may have been a double glazing/used car salesman previously. Sometimes if he's dealing with a weak person he may get a sale, to the rest of us it's just annoying hassle.
Was it the new Watchfinder store? Selling watches using I-pads and t'internet seems to be in vogue.
Yep, Goldsmiths collared me when I was loitering, waiting for the Mrs. An attractive "older" lady engaged me in conversation, then the wife appeared from nowhere........never fails
Also happened to me on a couple of occasions at Goldsmiths in York.I am regularly accosted by sales assistants outside Goldsmiths in York - it seems to be a new Goldsmiths staff policy I think.
It also happens to me outside Fraser Hart in York, but that's more because they all know me so well that we're practically on first name terms!
As soon as I started reading this thread I thought of goldsmiths York! I was looking in the window as I couldn't face yet another clothes shop with the gf. They were outside pretty bloody quickly inviting me in, telling me they could order what I wanted etc etc.
All this makes me think it's a buyer's market currently. Is everyone buying from Iconic etc. and avoiding the high street?
The slump in China seems to have hit the luxury watch market. After reading this
http://www.watchesbysjx.com/2015/10/...to-luxury.html
I'd be inclined to agree with you. Has anyone tried putting a watch in their basket on amazon and leaving it there for a week to see if the price dropped to try get you to pull the trigger?
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