Has CW lost it's way??

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GreatScott
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by GreatScott »

Now all Tridents are 50% off, so the value of all those Christmas watches that people just bought is basically nothing.

Great deal, but at the expense of the customer. I think CW should make it right and send a promotional voucher to each customer that purchased one since November 1 in the amount of the difference between what they paid and the current cost, especially since they are within the 60 day period. The voucher should be good for a year, that would win back some loyalty.

By the way, I did not buy one so this is not coming from a personal perspective, just another example of how I believe they have lost their way.

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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Kip »

So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Shadow32 »

Kip wrote:So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?
I think the only alternative would be to have a separate Outlet Store, but I'm not sure they would have enough stock through the year to make this practical.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Shadow32 wrote:
Kip wrote:So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?
I think the only alternative would be to have a separate Outlet Store, but I'm not sure they would have enough stock through the year to make this practical.
.. . . which then leads them back to running something in-house.

Perhaps a clearance section in their website?

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GreatScott
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by GreatScott »

Kip wrote:So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?

First off, I love CW and as my original post stated I think the constant rebranding and throwing everything up against the wall to see what sticks has got to stop. If so, there wouldn't be the need for such large discounts all the time.

I also understand why there needs to be sales from time to time, but geez the poor folks who paid more recently have got to be feeling a little chafed in he rear right about now.

But, for the moment, lets assume I am full of it (just for the moment :D ) and all these sales are here to stay because it is good for the long term business. Here are some options:

1. Keep them for parts and warranty issues
2. Gut them and put the movements in new watches, especially the SH21's, use the rest for parts. The movement is the most expensive part after all.
3. How about just lowering the cost to begin with. It would be interesting to take a line and see what the average selling cost ended up being. I bet on the c60 it would be around $700. If that is the magic number, just sell it for $700 and watch them move themselves. Otherwise they become part of the Invicta principle.
4. Give them to charity and get the tax write off.
5. Fix the planning department, why are so many left over unless way too many purchased to begin with. CW must pre-make way too many as many watches are the same except with a different face color. They could pretty much be made to order, just change the face and bezel color to the more popular ones.
6. If all else fails we can bury them in the desert like Atari did with the E.T. game.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by fishman »

GreatScott wrote:Now all Tridents are 50% off, so the value of all those Christmas watches that people just bought is basically nothing.

Great deal, but at the expense of the customer. I think CW should make it right and send a promotional voucher to each customer that purchased one since November 1 in the amount of the difference between what they paid and the current cost, especially since they are within the 60 day period. The voucher should be good for a year, that would win back some loyalty.

By the way, I did not buy one so this is not coming from a personal perspective, just another example of how I believe they have lost their way.

A word to the wise: Never forget who took you to the dance.
Well the Christmas watches were mostly purchased as gifts presumably. The recipients received a fantastic watch,are appreciative of the gift and I doubt give two hoots that there's a 50% off sale going on. I would respectfully suggest that it's time to stop beating this dead horse.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by asqwerth »

This is YET another issue that comes up whenever CW has a big sale to clear stock.

There will be posts saying "but I just bought [the same model] without this big discount! Just because I bought it [x] days/weeks before the sale was announced! That's not fair!".

I don't know. Sometimes a person's timing is just not right. But is a seller obligated to tell you not to buy now because there is a sale coming up soon?

Also, maybe it was hoped that the initial clearance sale would clear all stock but it didn't and so you now have a final, bigger-discount sale for Tridents. Maybe if everything cleared the first round this 2nd round wouldn't have happened? But if a person waited and waited in the hope that a bigger sale would be triggered, maybe the model they wanted would be sold out by then?
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by BerlinCW »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote:
Shadow32 wrote:
Kip wrote:So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?
I think the only alternative would be to have a separate Outlet Store, but I'm not sure they would have enough stock through the year to make this practical.
.. . . which then leads them back to running something in-house.

Perhaps a clearance section in their website?

Guy

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Greetings,

Correct!

CW are an online concern and this is the only way they can shift old stock.

It is a January sale and we are still in January. We have no idea how much old stock they have to shift.

I can only assume that the majority of forum members have, at some stage, taken advantage of a sale or offer?
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by STodd »

BerlinCW wrote: Greetings,

Correct!

CW are an online concern and this is the only way they can shift old stock.

It is a January sale and we are still in January. We have no idea how much old stock they have to shift.

I can only assume that the majority of forum members have, at some stage, taken advantage of a sale or offer?
I think we can all say we've used the sale or a voucher surely?

I know I have for both of my CWs...doesn't diminish the brand (for me), but obviously seems to for others.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Molan »

I can understand the frustration when something you've bought is subsequently up for sale at a lower price but surely this is the way all sales have been managed by retail outlets (both bricks and mortar and online) for a very long time.

It's entirely normal to go into a shop and see something first reduced, often post Xmas, and then reduced again as a sale nears its end date. Pretty much every major sale has such a staged approach with big 'further reduction' messages.

The risk is always whether to buy at the start of a sale when prices are higher or wait until they, inevitably, drop but run the chance of not getting the item you wanted.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Shadow32 »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote:
Shadow32 wrote:
Kip wrote:So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?
I think the only alternative would be to have a separate Outlet Store, but I'm not sure they would have enough stock through the year to make this practical.
.. . . which then leads them back to running something in-house.

Perhaps a clearance section in their website?

Guy

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Sorry, showing my age, I meant 'a separate outlet website'. Just to keep the reduced, end of line models, away from the full price new stuff.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Kip »

Would a separate website really be that much different than a separate sale/clearance section now being used on the existing website?

I can now hear people complaining they were unaware of the "Outlet" site and they feel they are getting ripped off because they didn't find out about it. :problem:
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Renton »

Molan wrote:I can understand the frustration when something you've bought is subsequently up for sale at a lower price but surely this is the way all sales have been managed by retail outlets (both bricks and mortar and online) for a very long time.

It's entirely normal to go into a shop and see something first reduced, often post Xmas, and then reduced again as a sale nears its end date. Pretty much every major sale has such a staged approach with big 'further reduction' messages.

The risk is always whether to buy at the start of a sale when prices are higher or wait until they, inevitably, drop but run the chance of not getting the item you wanted.
That reality seems lost on some.

I used to do all my shopping at Harrods, but then they started doing sales so the brand has lost its way for me :lol: :lol:

My misses treated herself to a new winter coat at 300 quid in November. Last week she saw the same coat was 200 in the sale. Yes, it's a roll-eyes moment, but it doesn't mean the shop in question has lost its way or somehow shafted its customers.
She didn't go up to the counter and ask for a 100 discount voucher/refund and she certainly didn't bother moaning about it on an internet chat forum!
GreatScott wrote:Now all Tridents are 50% off, so the value of all those Christmas watches that people just bought is basically nothing.
What utter utter rubbish! :lol:
Yes, a select few Tridents were 50% off for a brief moment (literally minutes/hours in most cases) and for a brief moment the perceived value of a couple of watches bought at 30% over Christmas may have dropped in a couple of people's minds. But in reality, anyone who bought at 30% will never lose a penny.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by Oseberg »

Kip wrote:So what would be your suggestion for how CW should dispose of and sell off discontinued and/or returned items?
Works for good products and for brands with a not too small following.

Do what many brands do : phase out production of previous model, advertise the arrival of a new model, inform the public it will be more expensive (but better) and that the current range can still be ordered for a limited time. Nothing like the perception of scarcity to have buyers line up with credit card in hand.
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Re: Has CW lost it's way??

Post by fishman »

So Renton's wife acted like an adult and didn't throw a temper tantrum at the counter or in a chat forum? In other words, she behaved properly, my compliments. She also got the coat she wanted, at an acceptable price, and was able to wear and enjoy her new coat starting in November rather than January.
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