About watch retailers

Retail

THE WATCH FILES

Retail

Founded as a trade magazine, Europa Star has always remained close to watch retailers on the ground. This selection of articles focuses on the “arteries” of the watch business all over the world.

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Brick-and-Click Watch Retailing

Brick-and-Click Watch Retailing

EDITORIAL

Once upon a time, things were simpler. A watchmaker would find an agent for each country. That agent had representatives who would pack their watch samples (...)

“A garden of tranquillity in contrast with the digital jungle”

“A garden of tranquillity in contrast with the digital jungle”

BRICK & CLICK / GERMANY

“Faced with chains, supermarkets and mono- brand boutiques, a good number of traditional family boutiques have closed. And this concentration of the market (...)

“We are a service company, not a supermarket”

“We are a service company, not a supermarket”

BRICK & CLICK

A testimonial by Pablo Fuster, Relojería Alemana, in Mallorca (Spain).

“Reinventing yourself as a concept watch store”

“Reinventing yourself as a concept watch store”

BRICK & CLICK / SWITZERLAND

“We’ve been a family business for fifty years. Besides the boutique, 35 years ago we took over a vintage watch shop called Au Vieil (...)

“Necessity is the mother of invention!”

“Necessity is the mother of invention!”

BRICK & CLICK / BELGIUM

"We’re two associates and we launched our multi-brand boutique fairly recently, in 2009. And in the summer of 2017, we also opened the Rolex boutique in (...)

“We believe in the strength of omnichannel”

“We believe in the strength of omnichannel”

BRICK & CLICK / NETHERLANDS

“We come from the diamond sector, where our father already worked. And even today, our turnover is still fairly evenly balanced between jewellery and (...)

“Why would the customer want to buy this product from me?”

“Why would the customer want to buy this product from me?”

BRICK & CLICK / SWITZERLAND

"2017 started quite well in comparison to last year. We have many more guests from abroad back in Lucerne."

“Seeing with their own eyes”

“Seeing with their own eyes”

BRICK & CLICK / JAPAN

"2016 was a difficult year. In reaction, we increased our appeal to new customers by launching a website dedicated to watchmaking."

“Brands must limit production, control supply and stabilise pricing”

“Brands must limit production, control supply and stabilise pricing”

BRICK & CLICK / AUSTRALIA

“2016 was certainly a challenging year for retail. The increase in grey market activity and the aggressive pricing stemming from product dumping resulting (...)

“Consumers are looking for an experience, online or offline”

“Consumers are looking for an experience, online or offline”

BRICK & CLICK / PORTUGAL

“The Portuguese market still outperforms the global current trend."

“A more direct distribution structure needs to happen”

“A more direct distribution structure needs to happen”

BRICK & CLICK

“We set up an online shop-front for each brand on Skolorr, once they have been vetted and approved as a partner (to ensure trust, credibility, quality, (...)

Points of sales online engagement in 2017

Points of sales online engagement in 2017

BRICK & CLICK

Digital media are playing an increasingly important role in the purchasing process for luxury products in general, and watchmaking and jewellery in (...)

Business climate, competition and the digital future

Business climate, competition and the digital future

THE HOUR GLASS

The Hour Glass is present in the markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. In 2016, in most of these markets, the watch (...)

“Retailers must transform themselves into showrooms”

“Retailers must transform themselves into showrooms”

BRICK & CLICK

“Today, retailers are coming under enormous pressure. Consumer behaviour is changing rapidly."

The last of the Mohicans: the outrage of a small retailer

The last of the Mohicans: the outrage of a small retailer

PORTRAIT

As part of our wide-ranging survey on the state of watch retail worldwide, we spoke with many retailers, both multi-brand and independent, as well as (...)

“We’re multi-brand and we still firmly believe in that model”

BRICK & CLICK / ITALY

“We have a main Flagship Store in Milan, still run by the founding family. We also operate the Rolex and the renewed Patek Philippe boutiques (...)

Of bricks and paper, clicks and storms

Of bricks and paper, clicks and storms

EDITORIAL

As a reading of this issue’s substantial “Brick & Click” dossier will reveal, watch retail is truly in the doldrums – or, more accurately, in total (...)

“Retailers need to turn into gallery owners”

“Retailers need to turn into gallery owners”

OPINION

“Retailers need to turn into gallery owners”: François-Xavier Mousin and Caroline Buechler (who worked for Swiss retailer Les Ambassadeurs and now head up (...)

“I wanted to sell watches, not prices”

“I wanted to sell watches, not prices”

DENIS ASCH

Comments by Denis Asch, watch expert and former retailer who closed his shop rather than change profession.

A paradigm shift for distribution

A paradigm shift for distribution

MARKETS

Wildly fluctuating exchange rates, the price slump, volatile customers, accumulating stocks, discount, competition from smartwatches, the grey market, the (...)