Newbie's First Steps

Long time listener, first time caller here.

I was introduced to the rep world by a guy with a backpack in a HK hotel room. A friend of a friend knew “a guy” and I bought a bag of $50 junk. One by one as the stems pulled out and the crystals fogged on rainy days they went into the trash. Digging deeper into this game, I found this and other support group websites.

I spent the hours reading the reviews, figuring out which website Andrew or Trevor went to. I do business in China so I know about EMS and I read the fantastic reviews available here. I still want to know who has the best XXXX, but no one is talking. More about that later.

Meanwhile, I’ve got deals launched on three watches with three different vendors, both from the “approved” list and also from one of the black sheep. Nothing I ordered cost more than a good (OK… a REALLY good round of golf) so if the deals blow up in my face I’ll make up for the loss by mowing my own lawn. Here are some impressions from an impressionable newbie.

1. Suppliers seem to have a budget of two or three e-mails before they lose interest. This is fair enough as they must blow through a lot of lookie-loo buyers, but when your message is “send me your payment details” I would think that would cut to the head of the line.
2. If you are queasy about using your credit card like I was, get started on a prepaid card now. They take several days to get so come to the party prepared. I don’t like the idea of running my card around for the same reason that websites are hacked and PP accounts are closed. I stumbled through the confirmation process at Moneybookers only to find that I could not transfer funds from the U.S. to an email account a la Paypal. My first purchase with one of the big names here was more drawn out than I liked – I knew I was wasting time and goodwill while I dithered around. Ultimately I arranged a wire transfer but it took 5 days for the supplier to confirm an overnight transfer. Patience is a virtue in this game.
3. This first purchase was for a TAG chrono and I requested that the watch be serviced and waterproofed before it was shipped. I was a little surprised that I would not be provided with the squiggly paper showing the regulation results since there has been a little bone of contention in the past about service work actually being done. The wire payment was confirmed 6 days ago and I have not heard any update re shipping. Again, this is with one of the big names here so I am not distressed but patience is a virtue.
4. The wire transfer thing was kind of a hassle so I wanted another supplier who accepted PP for the second watch. Another one of the top names here takes payment that way and confirmed he could supply a TAG Carrera that the first supplier indicated was dried up in the market. We went back and forth for three days to confirm availability/inspection/price/shipping and then he went dead for four days after I asked for PP instructions. Not wanting to be a pest, I waited those days before resending the request. I then received a near instant response and funds are now on the way. Perhaps I was too patient in waiting those four days, but patience is a virtue in this game.
5. I went rogue on my third purchase and ordered a quartz rep Porsche Design chrono on an impulse from a “Not on the Approved List” supplier. It was a two day exchange of all pertinent information and payment. He was also more forthcoming with info for my next planned purchases than either of the “approved” vendors.
6. For all the teasing that goes on with the freshmen here asking who has the best “whatever”, the suppliers have to (IMHO) loosen up a bit with their info. I understand that there is the language thing – I have had Chinese businessmen in my home. But if they are offering product for sale, there has got to be an expectation of product inquiries. Next on my shopping list is either a ubiquitous IWC or a SMP. I looked at four websites of both “List” and non list suppliers and they show two different versions of the blue SMP. Two show a model with the red “Seamaster” script immediately below the incorrect O-M-E-G-A and two show a version with the red Seamaster script on the lower half of the dial. Maybe this is where the joke about repping a quartz watch comes in, but repping a quartz Omega with a Swiss automatic movement seems silly. The suppliers should be willing to address a question like this or provide a photo to confirm the goods they are shipping.

Enough for my first post. I’ll wait for the EMS confirms and then watch for the mail.

JB