Stories from the Sales Frontlines

Kirstie_H

I am continually amazed at how important a brand name or status symbol name is to some people.

Recently, my best friend (and passenger in the recent wreck) bought his girlfriend a Coach purse for her birthday. I'm not a purse-person, but it was pretty - lovely black leather, and I'm sure it cost over $300 (I don't believe in buying a purse that's worth more than the contents, and they are theft targets too). His girlfriend HATED the purse. Why? Because it didn't have the "C" all over it, so no one would know she was walking around with a Coach purse. Blah.

driver100

jewelry probably has the largest mark-up, along with furniture from what I've heard.

That is true GG, I once actually sold jewellery and I was particularly good with selling watches...at least they are a bit mechanical so are more interesting to me than say a ring. If a salesperson wanted a watch the manufacturer (Seiko, Bulova, Omega etc) would sell us a watch for real cost price which was ...take 50% off the MSRP and then take off another 25%. That shows the real cost of the watch. Of course, they wanted us to buy their brand as customers would think that must be a good brand if a jewellery store person has one. Also, watches are pretty much the same as far as the mechanicals go, you are paying for the exterior and the name.

One car related sales story from those days about 40 years ago. A fellow wanted to buy a watch for his some who was graduating. It came down to the %70 Seiko or a $110 Omega. The father was a German chap...not that I make note of those things that much. But, my award winning sales pitch went something like this: "Both watches are excellent and your son will be pleased with either one. I think of the Seiko as the Cadillac of watches, very fine, very well made, beautiful watch he will be proud to wear, but the Omega is like the Mercedes of watches, Swiss made, classic lines, will always be in style."

He took the Omega, how could he not after that classic award winning sales pitch.

snakeweasel

I have said it before and I will say it again, there is a multi billion dollar industry that is solely for the purpose of creating a brand image.

houdini1

Richard, I am pretty sure that she was actually hitting on you. Good looking older guys like us have to be very careful these days lest we fall "victim" to one of these fine looking young ladies who are so obviously smitten with us !!

Be careful out there and keep your guard up !!

Kirstie_H

Watches are one thing, but with jewelry you're really paying for peace of mind:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1543292789?bctid=3130509001&ref=- - nfue

The amount you pay can be directly correlated with forgiveness you receive, or the "credit" you receive against any future wrongdoings.

snakeweasel

lovely black leather, and I'm sure it cost over $300

Several years ago I started a small leather goods company with some people I know. I learned a lot of things, you would be surprised at the source that many designer leather goods. Many of them use horse or pig hide for the leather. Plus it costs maybe $20-25 to make. So basically the exact same purse without the brand name might cost $50 or a bit more. Talk about shelling out for a name.

driver100

His girlfriend HATED the purse. Why? Because it didn't have the "C" all over it,

Not much point in walking around with a knockoff unless people think it is the real thing....and the big "Cs" would help.

My $15 Rolex bought from a guy on the beach with a suitcase full of watches in Egypt is still keeping perfect time 3 months later.

Mine is just for fun, you can tell it is a knock off right away...it is so clunky looking with a cheap leather band.

Wanting to trick people into thinking it is real makes about as much sense as getting the body from a Mercedes at the wreckers and putting a Lada engine in it.

snakeweasel

but the Omega is like the Mercedes of watches

So does that mean that after a couple of years of ownership I will have to start taking it to some guy with an attitude named gunther for expensive repairs?

driver100

Watches are one thing, but with jewelry you're really paying for peace of mind:

That was hilarious! I did learn early in life not to give my wife any present with an electric chord. But, although I doubt I would do it, I will keep in mind not to give gym equipment or a gym membership.

That link should be shown to every new groom.

Kirstie_H

It WASN'T a knock-off. It was the real thing. It just happened to be the leather style - only the cloth exteriors have the Cs all over them.

Snake - not necessarily, as long as you fill it with ultra-premium gas. I don't even want to talk about how you might accomplish this.

isellhondas

Oh, I agree. Richard, she wants you.

Leaving your keychain with the "Cadillac" facing upward was a shrewd move on your part.

" The older the violin, the sweeter the music"

verdugo

His girlfriend HATED the purse. Why? Because it didn't have the "C" all over it, so no one would know she was walking around with a Coach purse. Blah.

If she had been my girlfriend, she would now be my ex-girlfriend.

jmonroe

She was also greatly impressed with my good looks and masterful charm.

If you say so. Just don’t let her watch you trying to undo the monitor connection on the back of your computer. (Put an emotorcon here for yourself. I couldn’t find one that “impressed” me).

jmonroe

Kirstie_H

Oddly enough, she *is* now his ex-girlfriend. Good riddance. She hated me almost as much as she hated the purse.

roadburner

I'm no watch connoisseur, but I do love the Heuer Black Coral watch my wife gave me for my wedding present:



She also has given me a cool Triumph Motorcycle watch

sterlingdog

The rings that I looked at were between $3K and $4k. I wanted an emerald because that is her birth stone. I have a trusted jeweler here in Pinehurst. It dawned on me that I could save money by purchasing the stones separately. We found a nice emerald and surrounded it with smaller diamonds. I had an antique setting from an old family ring. The finished product is unique and ended up at $2,500. I received an insurance certificate on the ring valued at $4K. All in all, I think that it was a good deal. Just like cars, you have to plan, research, and negotiate.

Richard

jipster

What's with the spent shell casings? "Shotgun wedding"? :-)

sterlingdog

There IS something about that little blue box with the white ribbon.

Richard

sterlingdog

"Good looking older guys like us have to be very careful..."

I likie the way that you think.

Richard

isellhondas

" She hated me almost as much as she hated the purse"

After seeing your photo, I'm not surprised.

sterlingdog

"The older the violin, the sweeter the music."

I love that one! Actually, before she handed me the key chain, she held it to her breast and smiled as she talked. Some of us have it and some of us don't. (Grin)

Richard

sterlingdog

LMAO! You are correct. That would not have been an impressive sight.

Richard

snakeweasel

Hate to tell you this but that Heuer looks a lot like the watch I got from International many years ago as an "award" that everyone got one year a long time ago.

Also whats with the spent shells?

graphicguy

http://www.orientwatchusa.com/fet0h002b-p-493_files/FET0H002B-stock.jpg

You guys hit on one of my hobbies (weaknesses).....watches. Watches are the only jewelry I wear. And, I also appreciate some of the fine craftmanship it takes to make a good watch. I know Craig's a watch guy too.

But, at one point I always lusted after those expensive Swiss time pieces....figuring companies like Omega, Rolex, etc made the best watches in the world. You paid for that marketing, too.

Now, I take more pride in finding real bargains, like the one above. Orient is a Japanese watch company. They make mechanical watches, which I prefer (vs battery/quartz). The one in the pic is one I really like and wear a lot. It's made every bit as well as the Swiss brands. Keeps good time (for an automatic). And has high quality components (cabon fiber dial and sapphire crystal).

The big difference between it and say an Omega? A multi-complication automatic Swiss Omega would run about $3K. The Orient above? About $160 after the discounts they offer all the time.

EDIT....apparently the new format isn't letting me post images with normal formatting so I just put in the link above.

imidazol97

>" The older the violin, the sweeter the music"

I always prefer, "Snow on the roof means fire in the furnace."

imidazol97

Picture of Orient watch



It worked for me. My Edmunds dues are paid up for next year.

graphicguy

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gMxXP-VIL._SL160_.jpg

And, another favorite (less than $150 discounted).

imid...I must be doing something wrong. It's [img]image location[\img] right?

gogiboy

""Do these fit that SRX out there?" When I told her that they did, she said, "That is one beautiful car." It rather made my day."

Richard--

I was parked in a lot next to the building where I'm getting some physical therapy for my neck--perhaps as a result of the accident back in January (keep that in mind, Kirstie).

In any event, I was getting into my car when I noticed this gleaming SUV (I thought) next to me. Turns out it was a Cadillac SRX. Very Nice. It was white and had chrome trim pieces on the front doors affixed the edge of the door adjacent to the front quarter panel. Does your SRX have those, Richard? Are they merely decorative or do they serve another purpose? The white looked damn good next to my white Mazda and I had just used the insulator wax recommended by jmonroe so that's about as good as my car will ever look.

Gogiboy

fezo

What the heck is the model number on that Timex? (Not that I'm not looking at the Oriental, too....)

I'm somewhat of a sucker for watches - none of them expensive. Some days I wear a nice old Mickey Mouse watch that keeps great time.

gogiboy

"I'm gathering some information on a RAV4. What's the deal with the 3rd row seat? Can you get it with the 4cyl & the V6? Across all trim lines? Is it possible to get a RAV4 Sport 4 wheel drive with the V6 & 3rd row seat? Limited?"

NYC--

My wife and I looked at them last year and we saw the third row seat option on more than one trim line. It looked awfully tiny and useless for anyone but kids or pets, but it folded away. I think the ones we saw were a mix of 4 cylinder and V6, but don't quote me. You can definitely get the 4-wheel drive on the base and sport. We almost bought a base, 4-wheel drive with a V6 (no third row seat, however).

Gogiboy

gogiboy

"She was also greatly impressed with my good looks and masterful charm. I am sure that the purchase of that emerald and diamond ring for my wife's Christmas gift had nothing to do with her positive attitude regarding the car or me."

Richard--

Nah, she's just 17 and buttering you up to buy her cigarettes after school and before work (emotorcon needed).

That doesn't explain why I just complimented the SRX in a previous response since I'm too old and tobacco averse to start bumming cigarettes from you and too far away to hope for any cash handouts.

Gogiboy

ps. Sometimes people really do speak their mind so I think that saleswoman was impressed with your car...and maybe with your taste as well.

gogiboy

"Wanting to trick people into thinking it is real makes about as much sense as getting the body from a Mercedes at the wreckers and putting a Lada engine in it."

Driver--

Back in the mid-80s Miami Vice era, Hammacher Schlemmer or one of those mail order companies, was selling fake car phones for about $40-$50. I had a good laugh about that. I guess some folks will go to any length to impress. I kept thinking that some crook would see it in the car and smash the window to steal it. The crook absconds with a cheap and useless facsimile while the owner is left to pay a much bigger expense to repair his broken window or ripped convertible top.

There is a company based in my hometown called Stillwater Designs and they make Kicker speakers. For a while you would see cars emblazoned with big KICKER decals advertising the expensive and extensive audio content inside. I'm not seeing that anymore--except with the company's car show demo vehicles.

Gogiboy

gogiboy

"But, at one point I always lusted after those expensive Swiss time pieces....figuring companies like Omega, Rolex, etc made the best watches in the world. You paid for that marketing, too."

GG--

I had you pegged as one of those Patek Philippe or Audemars Piguet owners. Rolex is so declasse (I'm just kidding).

By the way, your deal on the 3D plasma flatscreen really impressed my colleague. I recounted your story while I helped him load a plasma set into a truck last week. No similar luck with Best Buy. Maybe if he had let the set sit in back until closer to Christmas they might have sold it out from under him.

Gogiboy

graphicguy

fezo...that Timex is an SL series. Don't know more than that. My son got it for me. Good watch.

Orient has a sale going on (allegedly, just today). You type in "24hours" to get 49% off of any watch on the orientwatchusa.com site.

snakeweasel

Watches are a weakness of mine too, but pocket watches. I have a nice collection of antique pocket watches. One thing about those, you don't want swiss made you want American made. Back then Swiss watches were knock offs of the better American watches.

Times do change.

fezo

I have to go through a few pocket watches with my brothers. Dad left us four of them. There are 5 of us but one brother took a ring of dad's he liked. The one I'd like if possible was given to my grandfather (mom's father) by his mother for turning 21. That would have been 1913. It's engraved fr the occasion but doesn't run at the moment.

driver100

Hammacher Schlemmer or one of those mail order companies, was selling fake car phones for about $40-$50.

Reminds me of my high school days. On a hot summer day we drove around in our parents Hillmans with all the windows up....so other people would think we had air conditioning. We were sweating our butts off, but we looked really cool, so to speak.

cdnpinhead

. . .it didn't have the "C" all over it. . .

No, but she has "C" written all over her.

crkyolfrt

"If she had been my girlfriend, she would now be my ex-girlfriend."

Same here..

Kirstie, get her a T shirt for Xmas that says:

It's a Coach

isellhondas

Yep, I'm "watch guy" too for all of the reasons you mentioned.

My most expensive one is an Omega that my wife bought totally reconditioned from our local mom and pop jewelry store. I had admired it when I was in there one day and I made the mistake of mentioning it to her. It's from around 1964 and it is just beautiful. She paid less than 400.00 for it and I've been told it's worth twice that.

Sadly, my Rolex has stopped running after only seven years. It is a Submariner that looks so real that a watch expert customer of mine said it was the best fake he had ever seen after examining it for at least ten minutes. I always told people it was a knock off and for 65.00 in Puerto Vallerta I got my money's worth.

Never heard of an Orient before but that is a great looking watch.

Invicta makes great watches too that aren't expensive.

crkyolfrt

lol, interesting marketing photo though eh?

crkyolfrt

LOL, many years ago an old friend and his GF used to do that in their 75 Firebird!
I told him..."But Mike, they can see it doesn't have tinted glass". He always regretted not springing for the air..I didn't feel sorry for him tho. It was new car and was very cool at the time..err... hot..

roadburner

I have a couple of antique pocket watches I inherited from my father. One of them was always referred to as a railroad watch. He also left me an antique watch holder that looks like a table or mantle clock.

crkyolfrt

Motorists stranded in Sarnia ON for 3 DAYS at the beginning of the week in whiteout conditions on one of three of THE most major highways in ON. The 401/402. (The other two are 400 and 11).

It's been 2 deg F at night and up to 12 thru the day all week up here. With 20 and 30 mph winds.

Some of the ones interviewed had some impressive supplies on hand. Most still went hungry tho, few had water and many didn't ration their gas very well and ran out for heat. Hence why candles were on the list...

Paranoia or preparedness? You tell me..

Those who live in the south likely have a harder time relating.

sterlingdog

No, ours doesn't have the chrome edge on the door panel. I have not seen those on the SRX. Perhaps it was a custom piece added by the owner. I say this because the order sheet in our glove box is completely checked. The banker ordered every possible option. I think that he did this because the bank was buying the car. The total came to $56,500 in 2008. If you recall, I paid $24,500 and it had 15K miles.

The white that you saw is called "White Diamond". That color was my preference, but my wife preferred the black. It was fine with me.

Richard

sterlingdog

"Nah, she's just 17..."

Actually, I think that 35 is closer to her age. Remember. Cash handouts can be mailed. Unfortunately, you need to stand in line behind Fezo. (Grin)

Thanks for complimenting the SRX. I really do like it.

Richard

sterlingdog

Though I can't relate, I can certainly appreciate it and understand it. I think that the candles are a good idea. Those roads must have been a very bad experience for people.

Richard

driver100

Motorists stranded in Sarnia ON for 3 DAYS at the beginning of the week in whiteout conditions

Over 200 cars were stranded, one guy was in his car for 32 hours and many for 24 hours. Police came in helicopters and many volunteers came on snowmobiles. Many people stayed in churches for 2 or 3 days. Volunteers made meals.

We are going to see my MIL on Saturday and we go on that exact highway.
Hopefully, it will be cleared up by then, and there won't be more blowing snow off Georgian Bay.

A few tips the TV stations gave. If you are caught in such a storm;
* Run the car for 10 minutes out of every hour to save gas.
Be sure the tailpipe is clear of snow.
* Don't wander away from your car unless you can see the place you want to get to, such as a house. It is too easy to get disoriented.

fezo

Actually, I think that 35 is closer to her age. Remember. Cash handouts can be mailed. Unfortunately, you need to stand in line behind Fezo. (Grin)

Good thing. I hate having people horn in on my territory.... I really need an emotorcon here. Not sure which one but definitely one of them....

crkyolfrt

I think CTV said 3 days. 32 hours sounds more realistic. Still a long time.

They found a guy dead today, 41 years old, exposure...only 150 feet from his car.

Serious stuff.