Horological Meandering

Tim_M
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They Have a Place

Hi,

With respect to the brand boutiques, I believe they play a few important roles for their respective brands and customers.

1.)  The boutique should, in theory, offer the standard of customer service, courtesy, and product support that the manufacturer considers the gold standard for its points of sale.  In markets like NYC, London, Geneve where there are many ADs and grey marketeers, a factory-owned boutique offers manufacturers and opportunity to set the standard and force the resellers to raise their games.  Of course, this assumes that the factory spares no measure to make its boutique the local standard for customer service, but I have found that the NYC brand boutiques generally uphold this model compared to mass-retailers like Wempe, Tourneau, and others.  The level of product knowledge at a single-marque boutique will exceed the multi-brand vendors almost every time.

2.) The boutiques generally offer a better opportunity for customers to view a large selection of a given brand's products.  Non-boutiques rarely keep inventories of extreme complications, esoteric models, limited run models, and unpopular models.  Boutiques are a great way for potential buyers to see these watches in person without having to put down a deposit or commit to a purchase beforehand.  Even if one were to examine a watch in the boutique and then buy it through another channel, the manufacturer still benefits from the sale.  That's not a business model that works for ADs.  If I visit Tourneau to see a watch and place an order with Wempe, Tourneau gets no benefit.  From a customer's perspective, the boutique gives me a chance to see pieces I would not be able to examine anywhere else.

3. Boutiques generally offer better access to discontinued models.  Due to their relationships with their respective factories, boutiques tend to be the best way to source new-old-stock watches that have been out of production for a year or more.  If you want a watch that is not listed in any AD's inventory and hasn't been in production for some time, I've found that your best option may be to contact a factory store.

4.) Brand boutiques, when run in ideal fashion, are a great way for manufacturers to build positive relationships with customers, engage with owners, and maintain brand loyalty.  This is a two-way street that benefits both parties.  The manufacturer encourages customers to identify with the brand, build worthwhile working relationships with boutique personnel, and creates the potential for repeat sales.  The customer enjoys a higher standard of service, value-added events like exclusive viewings, dinners, and cocktails, and access to occasional boutique special editions.

If a boutique is run poorly and becomes little more than a single-brand overpriced AD, then the system breaks down, but a great boutique experience can be of mutual advantage to customers and manufacturers alike.

-Tim