Click and collect, kerbside collection, ecommerce and clienteling have all been rocketing during months when stores have been closed due to covid.
Pre-owned watch specialist Watchfinder has gone one further and added a home collection service to its home delivery offer.
Acquiring watches from customers is more vital to Watchfinder than ever since the post-Brexit free trade agreement stripped the UK of access to the EU margin scheme.
Changes to the way VAT is charged has effectively “trapped” stocks of pre-owned luxury watches either side of the Channel.
A creative PR campaign by Watchfinder aims to encourage people to trade-in watches as well as shop for something new.
“Careering through snow blizzards in sub-zero temperatures, combatting gargantuan ocean swells across the North Sea and descending from helicopters 10,000ft in the air. Come hell or high water, Watchfinder & Co. is coming for your watch… (if you’d like them to),” the company pitches before clarifying that helicopters, speedboats or snowmobiles might not be involved, but a nice chap will turn up so that customers can sell or part exchange their watch without having to leave the comfort of their own home.
The service is now offered in the UK, France and Germany and will be rolled out in Switzerland next month.
Here’s how it works:
- Step one: Those looking to sell or part exchange a watch are invited to get a quick and easy quote online.
- Step two: If the customer is happy with the preliminary quote provided, Watchfinder will then arrange collection of the watch for inspection. The Watchfinder team will send the customer everything they need to package up their watch safely and securely as well as arrange doorstep collection via one of their fully insured couriers – all free of charge.
- Step three: Once Watchfinder has received the watch, it will be fully inspected in their manufacturer accredited service centre. After which, Watchfinder will provide the customer with a final valuation.
- Step four: If the customer is happy with Watchfinder’s final offer, they will receive payment via bank transfer in five working days.
