Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
jtc
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 4110
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:50 pm
CW-watches: 2
Location: Hampshire, UK

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by jtc »

Kip wrote:Unless the CW Mantra changes, and I don't see that happening, CW will not end up in regular retail stores.

Will they get to big for for online only.............Amazon certainly isn't!
Perhaps a bad example, Amazon have started trialling bricks and mortar stores (Black Friday popup, Amazon Go) ...

Agree CW will likely always be online only though.
Jon

Trusted Seller Feedback

CW | Tudor | Tag Heuer | Omega | Longines | Bremont | Rolex
User avatar
golfjunky
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 6842
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2010 7:32 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by golfjunky »

Most things of high value on amazon can be looked physically at in other places so I’m not really buying that comparison
Current collection = Omega Seamaster 2225.80.00, Omega Speedmaster 'Moonphase' 3576.50.00, Breitling Aerospace Evo, Vintage Azur, Vintage Seiko Sprtsman, Grand Seiko SBGX059, Omega SMP NTTD 210.92.42.20.01.001, Casioak Milkyway, Casioak Tiffany Sky.
User avatar
smegwina
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 11771
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 10:04 am
CW-watches: 11

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by smegwina »

I think the short lived US showroom shows that CW are not really anxious to expanded from their current business model.

Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk
User avatar
nigelb001
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 1135
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2015 6:47 pm
CW-watches: 1
Location: South Wales

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by nigelb001 »

I can't understand why anyone thought that a single showroom in a country the size of the US could possibly work. A distribution centre maybe but a showroom no way. I bet only a very tiny proportion of CW owners ever get to No.1, nobody (or very, very few) is going to travel 100's of miles to try on a watch. Just order it and send it back if you don't like it - oh yes, that pretty much sums up their online strategy.
CW C7 Rapide / Breitling Top Time + Superocean / Laco Memmingen
Tissot PRS516 Auto + PRS516 Chrono / Seiko Padi Turtle
Lavaine
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3918
Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 5:45 pm
CW-watches: 5
Location: Alberta, Canada (The Great White North, eh!)

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by Lavaine »

I don't believe that there is any clearly defined size at which a company becomes "too big" for a specific sales model, so no, they will not become too big to be online only.
2017 CW Forum "Darwin Award" winner.
User avatar
DEV.Woulf
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2257
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:53 pm
CW-watches: 10
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by DEV.Woulf »

jtc wrote:Perhaps a bad example, Amazon have started trialling bricks and mortar stores (Black Friday popup, Amazon Go) ...
One of my long-time nearby retail stores (Kmart, owned by almost bankrupt Sears) is closing down. It feels pretty weird, but over the years I've stopped going there; alongside all my other stores. The convenience and cheapness of buying online is just too damn good for anything otherwise. Most of my shopping is done at Amazon.

I don't see CW changing. It works for them, and it works for us. In fact, I see them doubling down on their online marketplace as competition gets younger and stronger.
Christopher Ward | LORIER | MONTA | SEIKO

Joseph.
User avatar
golfjunky
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 6842
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2010 7:32 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by golfjunky »

Who would be happy buying a £3000 and upward watch without seeing in the metal. If said watch was hugely sentimental would you be happy giving it to the postman anytime it needed a fix or service.
Current collection = Omega Seamaster 2225.80.00, Omega Speedmaster 'Moonphase' 3576.50.00, Breitling Aerospace Evo, Vintage Azur, Vintage Seiko Sprtsman, Grand Seiko SBGX059, Omega SMP NTTD 210.92.42.20.01.001, Casioak Milkyway, Casioak Tiffany Sky.
User avatar
jrpippen
Senior Guru
Senior Guru
Posts: 418
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:17 pm
CW-watches: 0

Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by jrpippen »

You can visit the shop in Maidenhead though right?

And there is a money back return guarantee system, so there are options.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
User avatar
Richard B
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2860
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 1:20 am
CW-watches: 4
Location: Stirling, Scotland

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by Richard B »

rcherryuk wrote:No and......Yes,
I think CW would benefit from a ‘Pop Up Boutique’ on occasion, but not like Tag at Goodwood or Bremont at Fairford.
Interesting - "pop-up boutiques" are very powerful in acquiring new customers. Watches and Gin are two products that come to mind - both where micro-brands are achieving amazing growth at the moment. CW span both motorsport and aviation (as well as dive/marine) so there are many venues/opportunities to reach new customers.
So I wish I was James Bond, just for the day.
Kissing all the girls, blow the bad guys away.
User avatar
Caller
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2124
Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:44 pm
CW-watches: 2
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by Caller »

Richard B wrote:CW span both motorsport and aviation (as well as dive/marine) so there are many venues/opportunities to reach new customers.
But that will come at a cost that might not be cost-effective for CW, as they really do that on the cheap.

Let's be honest, they have been very successful at getting the brand name out there, to do any more than they currently do would require a massive investment in their marketing and PR budget, or whatever they call it and that will simply add to the cost of the watches. Unless they are able to find themselves a whole new market, I'm not sure it would be worth their while. In some respects, they are a prisoner of their own success in the on-line market.
'Tis me
User avatar
PhilipJI
Junior
Junior
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:10 pm
CW-watches: 1
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by PhilipJI »

golfjunky wrote:Who would be happy buying a £3000 and upward watch without seeing in the metal. If said watch was hugely sentimental would you be happy giving it to the postman anytime it needed a fix or service.
My CW was the first ever watch I've bought unseen. But nothing can beat going into a store and looking a watch over and trying it on before you buy. I'd have a price point that I wouldn't go over buying online, for something I'd never seen. The 60 day return is good, but seeing first is better.

P
User avatar
Richard B
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2860
Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 1:20 am
CW-watches: 4
Location: Stirling, Scotland

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by Richard B »

Caller wrote:
Richard B wrote:CW span both motorsport and aviation (as well as dive/marine) so there are many venues/opportunities to reach new customers.
But that will come at a cost that might not be cost-effective for CW, as they really do that on the cheap.

Let's be honest, they have been very successful at getting the brand name out there, to do any more than they currently do would require a massive investment in their marketing and PR budget, or whatever they call it and that will simply add to the cost of the watches. Unless they are able to find themselves a whole new market, I'm not sure it would be worth their while. In some respects, they are a prisoner of their own success in the on-line market.
A pop-up shop would probably be cheaper than the magazine advertising they're doing at the moment. To take the example of Gin, that's having terrific success with pop-up shops as they can reach new customers with tasting - with watches it provides an opportunity for potential new customers to handle the goods. More impact and more memorable than an advert.
So I wish I was James Bond, just for the day.
Kissing all the girls, blow the bad guys away.
User avatar
Caller
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2124
Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:44 pm
CW-watches: 2
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand

Re: Will CW ever get too big to just be online?

Post by Caller »

Richard B wrote:
Caller wrote:
Richard B wrote:A pop-up shop would probably be cheaper than the magazine advertising they're doing at the moment. To take the example of Gin, that's having terrific success with pop-up shops as they can reach new customers with tasting - with watches it provides an opportunity for potential new customers to handle the goods. More impact and more memorable than an advert.
But reaches fewer people.

Let's see if CW do it.
'Tis me
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post