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butterfly777

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I have looked into it, you would benefit from more research. You will find mark-ups vary significantly from item to item. For instance a diamond may be something like 300%, other items may be in the single digits. Also, you may pay a 100% markup to buy a single item, but only 15% per item if you buy ten of them (the bulk discount effect). Often in such bulk purchase there is a discount from the wholesaler that is passed on to the consumer. Your broad initial statement missed many of these differences.

Comparing to retail AD is not a good analogy. Not only do they have enormous brick-and-mortar costs, but they also sell on a completely different model. I don’t have the actual numbers on jewelers, but I am guessing they sell only one watch every five years or so to a repeat customer, compared to many buyers here who purchase 5-20+ a year. The point being they are closer to a costume jewelry store where people make many, smaller purchases than a single, large-purchase jewelry store. I am not saying 50% markup is not reasonable (and I am quite aware that many dealers sell watches here at much higher markups). My point is that it is in no way standard for all goods. There are many, many factors that pull both ways on any item and sale – enough to discourage such a broad sweeping statement.

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I have looked into it, you would benefit from more research. You will find mark-ups vary significantly from item to item. For instance a diamond may be something like 300%, other items may be in the single digits. Also, you may pay a 100% markup to buy a single item, but only 15% per item if you buy ten of them (the bulk discount effect). Often in such bulk purchase there is a discount from the wholesaler that is passed on to the consumer. Your broad initial statement missed many of these differences.

Um ... so my example of Rolex's markup wasn't a close enough analogue to MBW wholesale, so you use diamonds as an example? :blink:

Go to a wholesale shop, like a retail supplier for stationery or games/toys or anything that's not large, big ticket items and you'll see the range I'm talking about.

Hang on, why are we arguing over this again? You disagree that my initial statement of the markup the OP quoted was surprisingly low, especially seeing as the Rolex models they stock are sold at 50% of what dealers sell them for? Or do you just disagree that the retail business generally uses a 40%-60% off retail wholesale figure?

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this rep hunting thing makes me dream...it is soo nice to have this opportunity..pity that CN and Thailand are on the other side of the world...cause i'd def would wanna go there...it is not the fact that i could get reps for less $ that i pay in here...it is just that feeling of searching for them...bargaining with dealers...having them in my hands for inspection and so on...oh man!...maybe one day...i really hope it happens before Panerai releases the 4 numbered models! :thumbsupsmileyanim:

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I'd love to have Angelina Jolies lips fastened on th ened of my ole JT......t'aint gonna happen....so I need it done by proxy sprinkled with a little imagination....if you wanna MBW.....fly Thai Air.......or TTK Air......TTK Air is cheaper......!

.it is just that feeling of searching for them...bargaining with dealers...having them in my hands for inspection and so on.

Believe me......after a few days wandering round Patpong / MBK / Chatuchak and WTC.....all of those 'chaming' aspects will disappear quicker than a valley girl's hymen in the presence of Colin Farrell.....!

Edited by TTK
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Believe me......after a few days wandering round Patpong / MBK / Chatuchak and WTC.....all of those 'chaming' aspects will disappear quicker than a valley girl's hymen in the presence of Colin Farrell.....!

I can vouch for this. The Thailand part, not the Colin Farrell part, that is.

After another dealer showing you his best wares, with the GMT Master II with the uni-directional bezel and the awful faux-faux-chronos on the Breitling Tourbillon, and another crappy, crappy cross between a deep one and an aquatimer that looks nothing like the picture in his catalogue you pointed at. Oh, and Panerais with crown guards so thin you'll cut yourself, often.

The fun wears off fairly quickly, and I found myself turning to bargain-hunting a Seiko diver and ogling gens in the fancy shops instead.

However, sure, get an MBW-alike, but don't imagine you'll get loads of bargains everywhere.

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Um ... so my example of Rolex's markup wasn't a close enough analogue to MBW wholesale, so you use diamonds as an example? :blink:

Go to a wholesale shop, like a retail supplier for stationery or games/toys or anything that's not large, big ticket items and you'll see the range I'm talking about.

Hang on, why are we arguing over this again? You disagree that my initial statement of the markup the OP quoted was surprisingly low, especially seeing as the Rolex models they stock are sold at 50% of what dealers sell them for? Or do you just disagree that the retail business generally uses a 40%-60% off retail wholesale figure?

Yes diamonds as one extreme, single digits as another. The point is there is a very high variance in markeup. Your initial statement

"Yup, it's practically nothing. In business, you want to be buying at 40%-60% of the price you're selling, plus delivery. That's standard markup in most retail industries."

Is simply too broad. I believe that has become clear by now; it is not a "rule" and markup is going to vary, at least somewhat, not only from item to item but from sale to sale usually.

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"Yup, it's practically nothing. In business, you want to be buying at 40%-60% of the price you're selling, plus delivery. That's standard markup in most retail industries."

Is simply too broad. I believe that has become clear by now; it is not a "rule" and markup is going to vary, at least somewhat, not only from item to item but from sale to sale usually.

Of course it's not a set-in-stone rule. :blink:

I think you may merely be arguing for the sake of arguing, as I'm obviously talking in vague generalities and you're trying to pin me on absolutes. In over 90% of the cases out there, I'm right and you're taking me to task over the few cases that don't fit? Sure, you win, whatever. :thumbsupsmileyanim:

I'm becoming a lightning rod for arguments, and it's not fun.

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I'm not arguing for argument's sake. See ken's point - it is not a fact that 50% markup is a good markup for consumers. The problem is here, and perhaps elsewhere where you are drawing arguments, you have made a factual assertion about something that is very subjective.

Obviously you had to expect to be a lightning rod on some issues after sticking your neck out there with the little white lies thread ;)

The best markup for consumers is marginal (just enough for seller to get by). This will happen if entry barriers to the market are near non-existant and... but I am off topic there is no need to get into all of that.

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I'd love to have Angelina Jolies lips fastened on th ened of my ole JT......t'aint gonna happen....so I need it done by proxy sprinkled with a little imagination....if you wanna MBW.....fly Thai Air.......or TTK Air......TTK Air is cheaper......!

but it takes its time to arrive, might differ from 10-30 days ;):winkiss:

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I'm headed for Bankok in a couple of weeks and will surely head for MBK...question: Is the store a watch shop specializing in replicas? Do they have other stock along with the "MBW" stuff?

It's a stall in a shopping mall, not a shop.

It's best if you banish all images of western shops from your mind when you go there as the culture shock can be debilitating otherwise. Most stalls won't try to sell you what you want, they'll try to sell you what they want. They can also ignore you for quite some time if they're chatting with the stall next to them. If they are having difficulty with language, they deny everything, hoping you'll just go away. There are other things that can be wildly confusing and illogical, but I'll leave you to discover them yourself. :D

If you've never been to BKK before, I'd advise getting your MBW fairly near the beginning of your trip in case you have to go back again and again. Oh, and once you've bought something from a stall, look back and if realise you were just haggling over a 20c price difference like your life depended on it and you walked away thinking it wasn't worth it otherwise, then you know you're embroiled in their game.

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i really dont know what this is all about .......

sure watches are cheaper in asia - but im a happy camper getting my Asia or Whatever Best for 300 Euro safe and sound in Europe without any worries .

but thats just me ;)

why nobody cares that the chronos in asia less than 150 $ - and some dealer sell them for the double price ?

same to me - but the dealer do riscy illegal business - im mostly enjoying my watch :)

Frank

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I have a friend in Bangkok who can go there and buy me a watch.. but what's so special about them to ask him a favour?

I have no idea about Rolex and I don;t see any difference than the normal ETA versions.. Is the best part that they accept genuine stuff?

Can someone enlighten us Panerai freaks? :p

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I have a friend in Bangkok who can go there and buy me a watch.. but what's so special about them to ask him a favour?

I have no idea about Rolex and I don;t see any difference than the normal ETA versions.. Is the best part that they accept genuine stuff?

Can someone enlighten us Panerai freaks? :p

u dont know the MBW-Panerais they have there ?

:rolleyes:

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