Re: Finished with the Seiko factory store


Bo Williams wrote:
Well, it's now clear to me that Seiko factory stores are not for me. We
went to Gulf Shores in my beautiful home state of Alabama this past
weekend, and just north of Gulf Shores is Foley, and in Foley there's an
outlet mall, and in that outlet mall there is a Seiko store. I go in
there every time we make the trip; usually annually.

"25% off lowest marked price!" trumpeted signs everywhere. OK, cool.
Go to pokin' around. There are the orange and black monsters, marked
$300 apiece. Not a deal even with the discount. Got 'em at home
already anyway. There's an auto with a Pepsi bezel marked a little less
that looks interesting, but I've just about sworn off 7S26-and-related
Seiko autos, owing to the fact that I already have eight or nine of them.

Looked around some more. Huge piles of standard battery quartz watches,
of course--probably three-quarters of the stock. Not interested.
Looked briefly for my four-year-old son, who wants a watch that glows in
the dark like Daddy's watches do. No kid watches in the joint, and
didn't see any ladies' watches that would work for the purpose.

Then I spotted the Sportura chrono I've always wondered about but never
seen in the metal in the "almost perfect" rack. This watch:

http://www.bluedial.com/SNL015.htm

Usually available new on eBay from SGIS for a hair under $500 delivered.
This one is marked $449.

I ask him to open the case, and I'm already running the numbers on and
realizing I could get it for $360 out the door if it isn't hurt too
badly...and it isn't. I see a tiny ding on the left side of the case,
and some surface scratching that will polish out easily. The sort of
thing the watch will have in a month or two anyway, in other words. I
put it on. Pleasingly hefty, yet not quite the visual chunk on my wrist
I feared it might be. Checking glare under the shop lights. Checking
clasp adjustment to see if I needed to remove a link. Taking mental
ownership, you know. Screw the watch moratorium of 2006; behold the
$360 SNL015.

"Sir, the Sporturas aren't included in the 25% off sale."

Arrrrggggggh. The assistant manager, the guy I've been talking to and
who I remember from previous visits to this store told me they were, and
the manager steps in and drops that on me, then tells me a rehearsed
story about premium merchandise lines and Seiko doesn't want to cut off
its nose to spite its face and blah blah blah, and leaves.

I started trying to talk about eBay, but he told me a story about a guy
he heard from who bought one and had a problem, and "eBay wouldn't take
it back." So that ignorant comment tells me I shouldn't go down this
road unless I'm prepared to invest 15 MORE minutes in the guy, and I'm
already pissed off about the scratch-and-dent Sportura that now costs
the same as what I can buy a new one for, and plus they're selling pints
of beer just across the way there, and my blue-dial Seiko 5 Superior has
kept magnificent time on the trip and man does it look good on my wrist
again after removing the $449 +tax interloper, and the 2006 watch
moratorium is intact, and KISS MY ASS, Seiko factory stores.

I suppose they're fine places to do business for people who don't know
there are considerably less expensive alternatives. As of now I can't
see setting foot in another one myself.

Disgustedly, but with $360 in my pocket,
--
Bo Williams - williams@xxxxxxxxxx
http://NewDietDewIsYucky.com/

Very nice narrative.

You sure have other hobbies, occupation and enjoyments: I was just
thinking that life cannot be neither that hectic nor that dull in
beautiful Alabama country that you should need sooooo many Seikos to
keep time or play with :-)

.

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