In this week's blog founder of Vulcan Watch Straps, Lee Scott looks at 10 ways you can beat the Rolex waiting list, from previous experience of buying a Rolex Submariner116610LV AKA Rolex Hulk at retail a couple of years ago.
The 10 ways you can beat the Rolex waiting list include
1. Dress smart when visiting the Rolex authorised dealer
2. Be personable and nice with the Rolex authorised dealer
3. Build a genuine relationship with the Rolex authorised dealer
4. Be knowledgable about Rolex
5. Go into the Rolex authorised dealer wearing a Rolex
6. Let the Rolex authorised dealer know you are serious
7. Don’t keep changing your mind on the Rolex model you want
8. Show your face regularly at the Rolex authorised dealer
9. Try to have a purchase history with the Rolex authorised dealer
10. Make sure the Rolex authorised dealer doesn’t think you are going to flip the watch for profit
If you want to read the ways to beat the Rolex waiting list in more detail carry on reading below....
So although there are no guarantees to beat any Rolex waiting list if you are looking to buy a Rolex and you combine as many of these tips below to help you beat the waiting list as you physically can. You will increase your chances of getting the Rolex you want a hell of a lot quicker than you would by not implementing any of these tips.
I'm pretty sure that if you decided to ignore all of the tips below for beating the Rolex waiting list then you would stand a near ZERO chance of getting that stainless steel Rolex sports mode you have always wanted, so even implementing 1 or 2 of these tips it will greatly increase your chances.
So here are my personal top 10 tips for beating the Rolex waiting list. If you read to the end of the blog post as a thank you there are an additional 2 bonus tips which may just tip the balance for you and get you that Rolex sports model at retail price.
If you are interested in learning more about Rolex to educate yourself before visiting a Rolex authorized dealer please check out this book
1. Dress smart when you go into the Rolex authorised dealer
Although in today’s world you can’t always tell a man (or woman’s for that matter) worth from what he or she is wearing. I think first impressions count, and people still make a judgement on how you look, no matter how shallow you think this is. It’s just the way of the world, unfortunately. No matter how much money you have, the Rolex authorised dealer would rather be selling a watch to a smart-looking person which they would rather see in the store and the kind of person that fits in with the brand image, rather than someone in dirty clothes selling like he has been at a bar all day. I’m not saying you have to wear a tuxedo to go watch shopping, far from it. But the absolute minimum dress down wear I would recommend would be a nice new pair of trainers, some nice jeans (not ripped) and a nice polo shirt. If you have a job where you are already wearing a suit consider popping into the authorised dealer on your lunch break or after work when you are already dressed for the occasion. Business casual is the perfect attire to go watch shopping and gives the right impression. As long as you look smart in terms of dress, clean and wearing your favourite cologne/perfume this will go a long way on the first impressions.
2. Be personable and nice with the Rolex authorised dealer
This goes without saying in life as well as trying to beat the Rolex waiting list, just be nice. You are not going to get to the top of any Rolex waiting list if you are a jerk, that is a fact. The Rolex authorised dealers have the power to give anyone they want that Rolex sports model and they sure as hell aren’t going to give it to someone they don’t like. Would you? On the other hand, they are more likely to want to sell a watch to someone who they like, who they can relate to and in some ways are like themselves. Depending on how desperate you are to get your hands on a new Rolex at retail price you could look into some basic principles on body language and behavior to get people to like you more. Try and choose a Rolex sales representative who you feel you have the most in common with or feel you could build the best relationship with, and this leads us nicely onto tip 3 for beating the Rolex waiting list.
3. Build a relationship with the Rolex authorized dealer
This goes hand in hand with tip 2 about being nice. But make sure you do your best to build a great relationship with one of the sales reps at the Rolex authorized dealer. When you frequent the store make sure you go to the same guy or girl every time, have a coffee with them in the store and talk about different subjects, not just watches. Of course, at first you will only be discussing watches but as time goes by try to discuss other things. Talk about families and hobbies and interests and hopefully, you will have some things in common. Don’t get creepy on this though, let the relationship flourish into discussing these things, don’t jump straight in asking about their family, or they will think you are weird. The more you get to know the sales rep the better friends you will become and the sales rep will then be more inclined to get you the watch you want in a reasonable amount of time. I know a guy who has bought (at retail) a ceramic Daytona, Pepsi GMT and new Yachtmaster in the past 12 months, all because he is good friends with a Rolex authorised dealer. Building a relationship will take some time, but once it’s there and you get your first Rolex from them the others will be a lot faster behind. Rome wasn’t built in a day. So build that relationship with the Rolex dealer and beat the waiting list.
4. Be knowledgable about Rolex
If you are knowledgable about Rolex it will stand you in good stead to beat the Rolex waiting list. I’m not saying you have to be an absolute expert but having some knowledge about the brand, it’s history, the core models and a bit of technical knowledge will not only give you a lot to talk about with your dealer but will also show that you are serious about Rolex the brand and its values. This will put you in a better position to be chosen to get one of the next Rolex sports models on their next delivery. Also on this point, try to find out when the deliveries are and time your visits in the store to coincide with them this way you may get lucky and they may have just taken delivery of that model you have had your name on, the sales rep is in a good mood and likes you and all the stars align and you walk out with that Rolex Daytona you have always wanted.
5. Go into the Rolex authorised dealer wearing a Rolex
This is obviously not for everyone, if you are looking to buy your first Rolex then you won’t have a Rolex to go into the store with. But if you currently have a Rolex wear it every time you go into the authorised dealer to discuss getting your new model. Not only will it be a great talking point for you with the Rolex authorised dealer but it will also show that you have a previous purchase history with Rolex and that you may have a high net worth. And if you continue to frequent the store wearing the same watch it will give the Rolex authorised dealer a level of confidence that you are not just after that Submariner or Daytona to flip for a profit. If you don’t own a Rolex currently then, by all means, wear any other luxury watch you own, this shows you are serious about watches and are serious about dropping the cash on that new Rolex, and actually getting s Rolex sports model at the retail price.
6. Let them know you are serious
Let the Rolex authorised dealer know you are serious and that when you get the call you will come in within 24 hours and pay for the watch and you have the means to do so. Make it known that you will leave your wife’s birthday party, anniversary meal or birth of your first child to come and collect it, well maybe don’t go that far or your wife may break the arm you were planning on wearing that lovely new Rolex on :) But keep making it known to the Rolex authorised dealer that you are serious and come with a card ready to swipe as soon as that call comes in. There are many people who put their name on the Rolex waiting list who either can’t really afford the piece or are not serious about buying it for one reason or another. The authorised dealers can see these people from a mile off and if you come across in any way which makes them believe you are not serious, they probably won’t have even put you on the Rolex waiting list you think you are on. The dealers keep a list of people that they know they can call on and they are reliable and within 24 hours they will come with the cash to make the purchase. It’s also a good idea to inform the dealer of any holidays you have planned so they know you are genuinely out of town if anything comes in and you cannot get to the store. Obviously you can probably pay by card over the phone but it’s good to go in with your card as you buy it there and then to examine the watch etc before you hand over the cash. Not that there will be anything wrong with it, it is a Rolex after all, but this is the normal process when buying. So it’s good to just keep the AD informed and again shows just how serious you are about the purchase.
7. Don’t keep changing your mind
Don’t keep changing your mind on which Rolex sports model you want. Choose the one you really want and stick to it until you buy it. So make sure you do your homework on the Rolex you want, there are plenty of blogs and YouTube videos to help you decide on which Rolex is right for you, ours included. So make sure you decide on the one which is right for you and stay with it. Don’t keep changing your mind, one week you want a Submariner the next week you want a GMT Master II. If you do this the authorised dealer will not take you seriously. Also with this said I would refrain from putting your name down for multiple Rolex models. Ie don’t put your name down for a Submariner, a Daytona and a GMT for example, this just says I’m ready to flip any watch I get. Have a story about why you want a particular watch what it means to you and why it would be so special for you to get this watch you have always wanted. I tell you now this will shoot you right up the list and make the authorised dealer want to make your dream come true and complete the story for you.
8. Show your face regularly
It’s a good idea to show your face as regular as possible to your authorised dealer so they know you are serious about the watch. I would recommend turning up in-store at an absolute minimum of at least every 2 weeks. A couple of times a month is just enough to show that you are serious about the purchase you are going to make. If you put your name on the Rolex waiting list then never show your face again then the likelihood is that you are not going to be the first person on the mind of the dealer when the watch comes in. If you are in the Rolex store every Friday after work without fail, guess who is going to be at the forefront of the authorised dealer's mind when the watch you have your name down for comes in, that’s right YOU. So popping into the Rolex store every week or every other week (minimum) will massively increase the chances of you getting the watch you want quickly. Plus how else are you going to build a relationship with the authorised dealer and beat the Rolex waiting list if you are not in the store every week working on implementing all of these tips?
9. Try to have some purchase history
It always helps if you have a purchase history with a Rolex authorised dealer it doesn’t have to be massive, and doesn’t have to be on Rolex, it doesn’t even have to be on watches if the authorised dealer is part of jewellers who sell other jewellery such as rings or bracelets etc. It does help if you have a history of purchasing less desirable Rolex models like many of the bi-metal 2 tone models such as the Datejust for example, there are rumours going around that you will not be able to get your hands on any stainless steel sports model unless you have previously bought a Rolex Datejust, but I don’t believe this is entirely true, but I do believe it would help in a big way. But many people only want one watch and for that matter can only afford 1 luxury watch in their lifetime so buying a number of other Rolex watches to get to the stainless steel version they want is just not a viable option, and I think the Rolex authorised dealers know this is the case, so I don’t think it’s wholly true. But having previously spent some sort of cash with the authorised dealer definitely helps in combination with all of these other tips.
10. Make sure they don’t think you are going to flip the watch
This goes hand in hand with tip number 5, anything you can do to make sure the Rolex authorised dealer doesn’t think you are going to flip the watch for a profit. Rolex authorised dealers put people to the top of the Rolex waiting list who they think is going to keep the watch for a long time, so if you have a great story about why you want a watch as in tip 7 this will put you in good form for getting a Rolex at retail. I am not condoning manufacturing any story to get yourself bumped up the waiting list but for example, I know a couple of people who have inherited money from their father and want to buy a Rolex with the money. In this case, the Rolex authorised dealer knows that you are never going to sell this watch because it means too much to you. So if you have a story like this make sure you tell the authorised dealer about it so that they know you aren’t just going to flip the watch to make a quick profit. As a thank you for reading this far here are a couple of bonus tips which you can also try beat the Rolex waiting list.
11. Leverage a social media following
Ok here is a bonus tip for you, when you are building a relationship with your Rolex authorised dealer and trying to beat the Rolex waiting list. If you have a great social media following with great engagement then leverage this. I mean every time you go into Your Rolex authorised dealer to write a post about it on Instagram and Facebook and do stories on these platforms too, tag the Rolex authorised dealer in these posts. It’s the law of reciprocation, if you help someone they will feel the need to help you back. So if you are getting them more engagement on their socials and more customers into the store they will want to thank you for it and will bump you up the list. Talk about your social media following to the AD and this can only help the situation, it certainly won’t do you any harm.
12. Go to the Rolex authorised dealer just after Baselworld
Rolex announces all of their new watches at the Baselworld fair in Switzerland every year. People go mad on these watches and people may transfer their names from one waiting list to another because of a new model that has been announced, and when new movements are announced for a watch the watches with the old movements may not be as desirable as the new ones and Rolex may want to move the old movement watches out of the door a bit quicker. This making it easier for you to get the Rolex you want. And that’s it guys and girls, if you use any of these tips and manage to beat the Rolex waiting list then please let me know. But please guys don’t just use these tips to jump the Rolex waiting list then flip the watch you get. Doing this creates a false price bubble and means that collectors and watch enthusiasts like me and so many others have to pay over the odds for watches we just can’t wait for. Many collectors buy these watches and wear them every day with pride, we don’t keep them locked in our safes for years to flip at a later date for a profit, we wear them with pride and give them the life they were meant to have. Watches are meant to be worn and enjoyed, they are meant to be talked about and compared, they are meant to start a conversation with a stranger and are meant to tell a story. As the Rolex strapline goes “every Rolex tells a story” and it’s not a great story to say “I just bought this Rolex to flip it for profit” now is it :)
Thanks for reading everyone, I really appreciate your support, please feel free to reach out if there is anything I can help you with via email or social through the brand.
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All the best and see you next time
Lee Scott Founder
Vulcan Watch Straps
