patrick_y[PuristSPro Moderator]
28417
Yup, they've been quietly changing their distribution strategy...
Apr 03, 2022,04:20 AM
Now, they've closed multiple retailers in many markets with the plan of creating AP Houses or AP Boutiques in major markets. Some stores are corporate owned, some are partnered with a local distributor. For instance, AP in Dubai is done through the Seddiqi Group of jewelry/watch retailers. But it's all mono-branded stores.
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I’m so disappointed with APs move to officially take out distributors
By: rip9er : April 3rd, 2022-03:45
and my latest boutique visit proves it. Although I would consider myself a loyal AP customer owning a few nice pieces procured over a distributor the boutique does not seem to recognize any of that history. Surely I am not the only one in this situation b...
Wait…what?
By: Esharp : April 3rd, 2022-04:15
This is news to me - must have missed it - do you mean that APs are now only sold in their boutiques? Best E.
Yup, they've been quietly changing their distribution strategy...
By: patrick_y : April 3rd, 2022-04:20
Now, they've closed multiple retailers in many markets with the plan of creating AP Houses or AP Boutiques in major markets. Some stores are corporate owned, some are partnered with a local distributor. For instance, AP in Dubai is done through the Seddiq...
Oh dear.
By: Esharp : April 3rd, 2022-08:51
There is too much business in the watch business these days. Best E.
Yes.
By: patrick_y : April 3rd, 2022-09:09
But it allows the manufacture to capture more of the margin, and it makes the business partner more invested in the brand. If you look at it from the manufacture's perspective, it's mostly a win, it's just there's a lot more cost because you have to hire ...
Indeed
By: Esharp : April 3rd, 2022-10:00
All that is self-evident. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. I am throughly sick of talking about “brands”. I’d rather talk about manufacturers, or watchmakers. Words do matter, and unfortunately the Marketing department has won - the brand is what counts as...
Yes!
By: patrick_y : April 3rd, 2022-10:23
These executives are more focused about how to play the marketing game than about improving the watches! The brands see that it's more important to keep up with marketing spend and marketing influence with other brands. To the point that they care more ab...
Amen! Amen!
By: Esharp : April 3rd, 2022-12:21
Couldn’t agree more. You can really see the cynical effects here. For me it’s very sad, and why so many of the ‘mainstream’ companies are becoming so unattractive…to me at least. Best E.
Look at it this way...
By: patrick_y : April 3rd, 2022-13:09
The executives are paid based on how many units they sell, margins, revenue, profit, and marketshare. Whenever these numbers are bigger, they get bigger bonuses. However, this doesn't mean that the Francois Bennahmias at AP can just tell them to make more...
Well said!
By: patrick_y : April 3rd, 2022-15:43
I agree on every count! And yes! For once Macy's is doing well! It hasn't always done well. But the past year its EBITDA earnings have been great!
Correct.
By: Esharp : April 3rd, 2022-15:48
You’ve got it, that’s how it works. That which gets measured, gets done. Best E.
It’s worst than that
By: sebks : April 3rd, 2022-06:51
They don’t even recognize purchase history from an AP boutique when they open a new AP House. That’s how they’re doing it in Zurich: AP boutique (managed by Bucherer) customers start from scratch at the new AP house. Very irritating to say the least ...
Yes.
By: MichaelC : April 4th, 2022-12:36
AP House should be able to see your history.
+1
By: Mach : April 3rd, 2022-17:38
My New Year’s resolution: Ignore those watch brands that are ignoring me!
I bought my first AP in 2001 from an authorized dealer.
By: MichaelC : April 4th, 2022-13:00
I bought my first watch from an AP boutique in 2006. I acquired a few others after that time from dealers, but worked mostly with one boutique. AP is not the only brand looking to control their own distribution. But the irony is it was many authorized dea...