Can You Order A Watch Directly From Rolex Online?
In 2022, almost anything is possible to order online. Food, clothes, households, different type of services, and even watches can be ordered online and delivered directly to your doorstep. However, the question remains if you are able to order a watch online directly from Rolex’s own website.
Once visiting Rolex’s own website, you are able to discover the world of watches that Rolex present. Furthermore, you are able to configure your watch and try different configurations such as a different bracelet for those models that have the options, different dials, and even different bezel configurations.
But this is not all, Rolex is more or less a Wikipedia for information about the brand itself, but also its different models. From the Rolex website you are able to read everything about a model, such as its history, its importance to the watch world, but also about the different materials, how the watch works, which type of movement it is, and also the different functions of the movement.
Although you are able to configure your dream watch, unfortunately, Rolex has not yet made it possible to order a Rolex watch that you configure on their website online. There are a few different reasons why Rolex doesn’t make it possible, and we’ll explain the most common ones.
Rolex Retail Strategy
Rolex more or less solely rely on their authorized retailers to distribute their watches.
Rolex does in fact only have one physical store, which is located in Geneva and is called Chrono-time. Otherwise, Rolex sells their watches directly from the factory to authorized retailers, which are certified by Rolex and are licensed to sell Rolex watches, for recommended retail prices in their stores.
Judging by the above facts, it’s safe to say that Rolex mainly focuses on manufacturing the watches, and relies on their authorized retailers to retail their watches to the final end customers. In other words, it is not a direct-to-consumer company, but instead almost solely a business-to-business company.
On the Rolex website in their terms of use, they explicitly state the following:
“To ensure authenticity, genuine Rolex products are sold exclusively through Official Rolex Retailers. Rolex does not sell watches directly from the Website and cannot ensure the authenticity of watches sold online. Rolex invites you to visit your nearest Official Rolex Retailer.”
Supply & Demand
As of now, the Rolex shortage is a common thing, and unfortunately, almost any AD can’t meet their client’s demand with the supply their receive. Although Rolex is a multi-billionaire company, they have all the capacity in the world to increase their production by expanding their factories or even building new ones, but as of now, Rolex has only given the public the explanation that Rolex is not interested in producing more watches, as each watch takes dedication and time to build, and that compromising on the quality of any form, not is of interest to them.
It is also safe to say that Rolex occurs to be in a very comfortable position, where almost any watch they produce, is sold immediately once it is received by the authorized retailer. Many Rolex retailers do in fact request more watches than they receive directly to Rolex, in order to try to meet their clients’ demand, but instead is in a position where delivery time for almost any professional watch, but also classical watches, because of the Rolex shortage, makes the supply much lower than the supply. It is because of the Rolex shortage that almost any Rolex cannot be purchased directly from a store if you walk into an authorized retailer, but instead get on their interest list so that you might in the future have to chance to be allocated the watch.
Rolex Conservative Market Strategy
The brand is also known for being very conservative in almost any aspect, except for pushing the boundaries and exploring new scientific areas and explorations.
Rolex is known for very seldom developing a new model to the collection lineup, or evolving an already existing model so much that it creates a new identity for the watch. No matter if you own the first Rolex Explorer II first released in 1972, reference 1655, or the latest version of the Explorer II, reference 226570, the DNA and design elements are very similar, and it is very easy to understand, that both watches are the same model, just that one is older than the other.
Because of Rolex attitude to evolution, but rather sits comfortable and evolute, it is also a valid reason, combined with the above-written arguments, to why they decide to not open an online shop where they sell Rolex watches online directly to end customers.
Conclusion
With the above arguments and facts, it’s easy to say that Rolex does in fact sell out almost all of their watches in physical stores, and is therefore not missing out on any sales, despite not having an online shop.
However, one could argue that Rolex is missing out on profit, as they use a middleman to sell their watches, to authorized retailers.
Regarding this, it is good to know that Rolex is no ordinary company, but a foundation, which in theory not is interested in making the most profit from each product, although this could be questioned.
