Few people can argue that the internet has been anything but a revelation over the last ten years or so. It has completely changed the way we book travel arrangements, pay bills, control our finances and shop. The vast majority of times, the change has been for the better but con-men lurk around every corner and the anonymity afforded to them has made the internet a very dangerous place to make expensive transactions.
Famous brands as we have discussed in previous articles are often copied and the differences between the real and the fake are very hard to tell from a grainy picture on a computer. We have had a lot of people approach David M. Robinson to verify the authenticity of watches purchased from various web sites. The majority of the watches we see are fakes and the buyer then has the difficult task of trying to obtain a refund from a website or a PO Box number!
Patek Philippe, Breitling, TAG Heuer, IWC, Audemars Piguet, Cartier, Omega and Panerai are all targeted by the fraudsters because of their high quality and desirability.
Virtually all of the best known Swiss watch houses forbid authorised agents from selling their products on the web. This is for a few very good reasons. They want customers to have full reassurance should anything go wrong with their watch . They want customers to touch and feel happy with their purchase prior to walking out of the store. They want customers to choose from a full range and be informed by well trained sales staff about their prospective purchase. Most of all they want the customer to be sure that they are buying a genuine product that should last a lifetime not a cheap copy that will fall about soon after walking out of the shop.
Before spending your hard earned cash on what appears to be the deal of the century, just ask the following questions:
1) Is the retailer an authorised agent for the brand?
2) Is the watch case and movement genuine?
3) Does the watch come with a full manufacturers guarantee? (Most will not touch a watch if not stamped by an authorised agent)
4) What happens if there is a problem with my watch?
5) Where are the company based and is their address bona fide?
6) Can I handle the watch prior to purchase and ensure it is the one for me?
7) Who will fit the bracelet for me? (Many authorised agents charge for this if not bought from a authorised agent)
8) Is the watch second hand or does the guarantee contain the name of a previous purchaser? (Your name may not be the one in the guarantee)
9) Will the site still be trading in a few months?
10) Why are this site allowed to sell the watch when authorised agents are forbidden?
11) Is the watch definitely in stock? (Certain web sites source watches only after receiving your order, only to find that the watch is unavailable)
12) Does the web site offer extended guarantees or finance packages?
We all like to get a bargain but that bargain can often be a very expensive mistake and can often work out far more expensive in the long term.
If you have any points or questions raised in this article, please feel free to contact me via karl@davidmrobinson.co.uk and I will be delighted to help in any way possible.