Quick way to diminish your company's reputation?

Boscoe's reply in another thread got me thinking.

What if your favorite brand started selling on the Shop? Let's say for instance Shop started selling Hamilton watches. Do you think it would diminsih the brand's image?

its not an issue, only an issue when you dump the price down and it devalues the product......DOnt get me wrong, I like a discount, but it does kill the respect for aproduct when it becomes bargain basement...I remember back when Mink would say that they would NEVER discount their watches.....LOL now all of them are less expensive then what new ones were just a year ago..

Hmmm...interesting question Noob. Mentally it might drop the street credibility slightly. Most would admit there is a stigma associated with TV brands. I would probably be able to get past that as long as they didn't start unrealistacllty inflating their MSRP's and selling on daily deal sites for next to nothing. As long as quality and CS is there, I'd give em a chance. Have to admit it would be a red flag.

Same question for Invicta fans:

Does Invicta contracting with Wal-Mart to sell watches in their stores decrease their reputation?

I got pretty upset when MetroWatch started flooding Ebay with STUPID LOW prices on Zodiacs, I REALLY think it hurt the brand name for a while...

I think ANY watch sold on TV automatically loses some reputation points...

I think that I would buy...as long as the sales pitch was different (less hype) and the prices remained stable for a reasonable period.

Anomaly wrote:

I got pretty upset when MetroWatch started flooding Ebay with STUPID LOW prices on Zodiacs, I REALLY think it hurt the brand name for a while...

I think ANY watch sold on TV automatically loses some reputation points...

Do they? Or is it the fault of what TV shopping has become that is the issue and not the brands? Has the internet shopping experience cheapened Hamilton because you can buy on line now instead of just Brick & Mortar?

WatchNoob wrote:

Anomaly wrote:

I got pretty upset when MetroWatch started flooding Ebay with STUPID LOW prices on Zodiacs, I REALLY think it hurt the brand name for a while...

I think ANY watch sold on TV automatically loses some reputation points...

Do they? Or is it the fault of what TV shopping has become that is the issue and not the brands? Has the internet shopping experience cheapened Hamilton because you can buy on line now instead of just Brick & Mortar?

Show me a brand on TV that comes close to Hamilton in quality...

And typically you don't see a Hamilton with an MSRP in January at 60% off that MSRP in March, even online.

Check the re-sale on Hamilton vs any brand on TV...

C'mon Noob, you're smarter than that...

andrema wrote:

I think that I would buy...as long as the sales pitch was different (less hype) and the prices remained stable for a reasonable period.

Yes perhaps they can wear white gloves when handling the watches on tv......wait that already happened and I laughed my ass off that time.....

I don't think selling watches on the internet instead of B&M stores hurts a companies reutation. I also think at one time it might have been possible to sell on TV without damaging a companies reputation. It's all about how it has been done. The pressure sales tactics and low end companies taking advantage of people by deceptive advertising in an attempt to scratch and claw it's way to make a buck.

Think of it this way. When you here the term "used car salesman", at least for most people it has a negative conotation. Are there no honest used car salesman out there? Of course there is. Are the cars they selling all lemons? Of course there not. Same way with TV watches.

. . . it's the persona selling the item that red flags me. Given that the manufacturer doesn't torpedo their quality for the sake of volume, as in the case of Invicta and Croton and Renato for sure.

I can decide ( right,wrong,tastefully or not ) if I am a buyer. I bought wrong once for a period, I may do it again. I sincerely hope not, but the crystal broke years ago . . . .

invicta is twice the watch that hamilton is just ask the shop!!! Yes it cheapens the brands and you're only going to find a few styles that hamilton couldnt sell so good old lior picked up for penny's on the dollar!! Bad business, send them to a grey market dealer at least they have some scrupples!!

Ditchdoc wrote:

Think of it this way. When you here the term "used car salesman", at least for most people it has a negative conotation. Are there no honest used car salesman out there? Of course there is. Are the cars they selling all lemons? Of course there not. Same way with TV watches.

So what you are saying is that the shop is going to start selling cars...AWESOME!!!

Anomaly wrote:

Show me a brand on TV that comes close to Hamilton in quality...

And typically you don't see a Hamilton with an MSRP in January at 60% off that MSRP in March, even online.

Check the re-sale on Hamilton vs any brand on TV...

C'mon Noob, you're smarter than that...

Actually I elicited the response I was aiming for.

Do you feel beter now Alan?

WatchNoob wrote:

Anomaly wrote:

Show me a brand on TV that comes close to Hamilton in quality...

And typically you don't see a Hamilton with an MSRP in January at 60% off that MSRP in March, even online.

Check the re-sale on Hamilton vs any brand on TV...

C'mon Noob, you're smarter than that...

Actually I elicited the response I was aiming for.

Do you feel beter now Alan?

Yeah and I was dumb enough to bite...

andrema wrote:

Ditchdoc wrote:

Think of it this way. When you here the term "used car salesman", at least for most people it has a negative conotation. Are there no honest used car salesman out there? Of course there is. Are the cars they selling all lemons? Of course there not. Same way with TV watches.

So what you are saying is that the shop is going to start selling cars...AWESOME!!!

Yes. With value pays and free shipping

ericf4 wrote:

its not an issue, only an issue when you dump the price down and it devalues the product......DOnt get me wrong, I like a discount, but it does kill the respect for aproduct when it becomes bargain basement...I remember back when Mink would say that they would NEVER discount their watches.....LOL now all of them are less expensive then what new ones were just a year ago..

100% agreement. I have seen Corum, Breitling, Concord, TAG, Bedat, Clerc, Seiko and others sold on TV. It has not harmed my view of the brands since the offerings are generally gray market.

boscoe wrote:

ericf4 wrote:

its not an issue, only an issue when you dump the price down and it devalues the product......DOnt get me wrong, I like a discount, but it does kill the respect for aproduct when it becomes bargain basement...I remember back when Mink would say that they would NEVER discount their watches.....LOL now all of them are less expensive then what new ones were just a year ago..

100% agreement. I have seen Corum, Breitling, Concord, TAG, Bedat, Clerc, Seiko and others sold on TV. It has not harmed my view of the brands since the offerings are generally gray market.

And far and VERY few inbetween...

When SNBC does ,on rare occasion, get a respescted brand it's usually a disco'ed item that also shows up at Costco,BJ's and any number of other "Gray" venues.
They are almost always provided by Lior and don't carry a Mfg. warranty.
I doubt the day will ever come when a "real" brand will enter into any agreement to sell on TV.

Whatever happened with Seiko???
Wasn't SNBC supposed to have been an AD at one point.?
That went over like a lead balloon!

foghorn wrote:

When SNBC does ,on rare occasion, get a respescted brand it's usually a disco'ed item that also shows up at Costco,BJ's and any number of other "Gray" venues.
They are almost always provided by Lior and don't carry a Mfg. warranty.
I doubt the day will ever come when a "real" brand will enter into any agreement to sell on TV.

Whatever happened with Seiko???
Wasn't SNBC supposed to have been an AD at one point.?
That went over like a lead balloon!

ShopNBC is still authorized to sell Seiko WALL CLOCKS! So Mr. Skelton was not lying when he revealed his employer is an authorized dealer.
The way you guys keep bashing is really starting to get up my nose!

Anomaly wrote:

boscoe wrote:

ericf4 wrote:

its not an issue, only an issue when you dump the price down and it devalues the product......DOnt get me wrong, I like a discount, but it does kill the respect for aproduct when it becomes bargain basement...I remember back when Mink would say that they would NEVER discount their watches.....LOL now all of them are less expensive then what new ones were just a year ago..

100% agreement. I have seen Corum, Breitling, Concord, TAG, Bedat, Clerc, Seiko and others sold on TV. It has not harmed my view of the brands since the offerings are generally gray market.

And far and VERY few inbetween...

I actually bought my Hamilton QNE from ShopNBC, pricing have been steady for that model anywhere I look since then...I think respectable brand will draw a line on discounts and will protect their product as well as their consumer based line regarless if they sale on line, TV or B&M....

boscoe wrote:

ericf4 wrote:

its not an issue, only an issue when you dump the price down and it devalues the product......DOnt get me wrong, I like a discount, but it does kill the respect for aproduct when it becomes bargain basement...I remember back when Mink would say that they would NEVER discount their watches.....LOL now all of them are less expensive then what new ones were just a year ago..

100% agreement. I have seen Corum, Breitling, Concord, TAG, Bedat, Clerc, Seiko and others sold on TV. It has not harmed my view of the brands since the offerings are generally gray market.

I didn't realize these brands have been sold on TV before. Interesting. Each of them still have a solid reputation today, so what's different? Is it becasue they stopped selling on TV?

I take that back, I remember Lior big pimpin some of them that under his umbrella.

ericf4 wrote:

andrema wrote:

I think that I would buy...as long as the sales pitch was different (less hype) and the prices remained stable for a reasonable period.

Yes perhaps they can wear white gloves when handling the watches on tv......wait that already happened and I laughed my ass off that time.....

My local AD sells the same ML watches that were shown on snbc that night with the white gloves. I would be pissed if I was ML or the AD.

It doesnt knock the quality down but it opened my eyes...

Swiss Watch International is just another gray market dealer.
I have bought many luxury brands from the company, including an IWC

boscoe wrote:

Swiss Watch International is just another gray market dealer.
I have bought many luxury brands from the company, including an IWC

True.

Lior must have noticed the high volume Swiss Legend is more profitable than the gray watches he was bringing in.

His shows dont even have JL, a brand he is authorized to sell.

Customer base for TV is geared toward watches $300 and lower IMO.

Sounds to me like some here need to find something better to watch on TV. Or maybe less time spent watching.

Wisconsin Proud wrote:

boscoe wrote:

Swiss Watch International is just another gray market dealer.
I have bought many luxury brands from the company, including an IWC

True.

Lior must have noticed the high volume Swiss Legend is more profitable than the gray watches he was bringing in.

His shows dont even have JL, a brand he is authorized to sell.

Customer base for TV is geared toward watches $300 and lower IMO.

From the horse's mouth: Yes, Swiss Legend has good profit margins. But the push to SL was dictated by the relative scarcity of the major Swiss brands SWI used to trade in. This is due, in part, to the ETA movement drought driving up prices and the economic slump slashing production.

boscoe wrote:

The way you guys keep bashing is really starting to get up my nose!

And since Pugs have very small noses...

I don't think selling on the Shop cheapens the product reputation. Looking at the line up of watch companies they deal with only a very few are what would be considered more respected brands (TAG, Movado, Seiko etc.) and the selection is limited compared to the big guns of their shows. The bulk of their market is TV brands which already have a less than favorable image in a lot of industry and customers eyes.


The used car salesman analogy is perfect; hard and fast, get them NOW before there ain't no more...

This is a great topic. I really think it depends on WHO is hawking the wares and legitimate
pricing. The devalued pricing and the over priced msrp's make TV shopping a joke. This is a
$10,000 watch, but today only you can buy it here at $200.00. I have always believed that you get what
you pay for and.....buyer beware!

I don't base my watch purchasing decisions on where the watch is sold....I base them on the watch and reputation of said watch. So if they sell them on ShopNBC, and it's the best price then I would buy it. There are other factors besides price, but Shop won't win on those. Sorry for the serious answer.

I don't know what you guys are talking about????????

You STILL CAN BUY HAMILTON on ShopNBC right now!!!

http://www.shopnbc.com/PRODUCT/?track=-20301;&familyid=U102865&cm_re=Search-_-family-_-N