Trusty Time Loyalist, now an Ex-Patriot. TRY ELSEWHERE.

[spencerswagu]

Hi Folks -

I've been a big fan and advocate of Trusty Time for a long time. In the last year alone, I believe I've spent (wayyyy) more than any reasonable person would with them. For the most part, the experience has been good, but my last three orders, my experience went from A- to D+.

I'm not hear to moan, but to basically say that I'd suggest finding another TD.

The issues that I've experienced with Trusty that are causing me to churn off their customer list:
1. They take a very long time to fulfill orders (longer than Geektime, Hont, etc)
2. They do no QC work in-advance. Some TD's will do a quick spot-check on their own (basically make sure the watch isn't totally off). Basically RL things with the factory before showing to client. This isn't the case with Trusty. Often the watches are clearly bad, but QC pics are sent anyway.
3. When you RL a watch, Andrew responds in a retaliatory way. Basically they will do two things:
-- (a) they'll try to send the same QC photos for the rejected watch, hoping you don't notice it's the same one
-- or (b) they'll penalize you by literally taking months to replace it.

Yes, at first I thought it was coincidence. Sometimes it's quick to get a watch in initially (3-5 days), then if you RL it, they take literally 2-3 months before bothering to find a replacement. I believe this is to disincentivize people from rejecting watches -- sometimes however merited.

Finally
4. the Form email responses. Of course, it's painfully obvious that these are not thoughtful responses. They're just copied and pasted. Generic, "Let me check" and "Can you send me a photo of the issue?" And of course, once you do, a different person responds to the thread, seemingly with no context from the prior conversation.

Suffice to say. I was a true believer, but now I'd strongly DISRECOMMEND using Trusty Time.

Thanks,
- SS

 

[mech500]

To be fair everyone is taking loooooong nowerdays. Factory stocks are low - watches are like gold dust and therefore its hard for dealers to return or reject factory watches when they are within factory tolerance/specification (but outside member expectation).

QC isn’t the best these days across the board....but when stocks are low the factory tells the dealers : beggars can’t be choosers..take it or leave it...we’ll just sell to other dealer for higher price if you’re gonna be picky.

Not a good time right now but you’ll notice that it’s probably the same QC issue all over, of your buy enough pieces.

Someone different always picks up emails with other big dealers also (e.g. Puretime)....it is what it is.


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[spencerswagu]

To be fair everyone is taking loooooong nowerdays. Factory stocks are low - watches are like gold dust and therefore its hard for dealers to return or reject factory watches when they are within factory tolerance/specification (but outside member expectation).

QC isn’t the best these days across the board....but when stocks are low the factory tells the dealers : beggars can’t be choosers..take it or leave it...we’ll just sell to other dealer for higher price if you’re gonna be picky.

Not a good time right now but you’ll notice that it’s probably the same QC issue all over, of your buy enough pieces.

Someone different always picks up emails with other big dealers also (e.g. Puretime)....it is what it is.


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Yeah I can totally understand that.

But I'd RL-ed watches from Eric from Geektime too, and he was pretty cooperative when it was justified.

Andrew / Trusty - by contrast - they'll actually just re-send the same watch photos, and pretend it's a new QC. That feels wrong to me. Shrug. I know this ain't amazon. But I'm just sharing I've been having a very very rough time with last 3 orders after a dozen better ones.

 

[repreg123]

Let's not turn this into a TD-Fanboy-cuckfest please. I hear what OP is saying and feel the same way about chazing.. but I vote with my feet and took my business elsewhere.

 

[mech500]

Let's not turn this into a TD-Fanboy-cuckfest please. I hear what OP is saying and feel the same way about chazing.. but I vote with my feet and took my business elsewhere.

That’s my point. If you buy enough, you’d prolly learn that it’s basically the same story across the board. Your moaning about chazing, OP is moaning about Trusty, I’m moaning about Puretime...no fan boys here. Just try someone else but after 10pcs you’re probably gonna realise it’s the same story there


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[greenbeans]

2. They do no QC work in-advance. Some TD's will do a quick spot-check on their own (basically make sure the watch isn't totally off). Basically RL things with the factory before showing to client. This isn't the case with Trusty. Often the watches are clearly bad, but QC pics are sent anyway.
3. When you RL a watch, Andrew responds in a retaliatory way. Basically they will do two things:
-- (a) they'll try to send the same QC photos for the rejected watch, hoping you don't notice it's the same one
-- or (b) they'll penalize you by literally taking months to replace it.

That's been my experience too, with Andy. Tried palming off a watch with OBVIOUSLY misprinted bezel markers.

Also this whole white knight attitude a lot of members have on here, defending the TDs at any whiff of negative feedback is ridiculous. Insinuating we have to put up with obvious flaws. Then literally what is the point of QC? These are not toys on DHGate, they're still pricy bits of kit. The point of reviews is so members can get a FULL picture of the dealer, the good and bad. It's counterproductive to members to shut down any whiff of a slight negative comment

It's a business for these TDs, nothing more nothing less. Once we start accepting lower QC standards and they realise they can get away with it for the same money, what do you think will happen? It will only go one way, quality will drop. I'm not talking small nitpicking under a macro lens, but to quote OP and also my personal experience from Andy 'Totally off' & 'Clearly bad' is not acceptable. We're still paying the same money.

Let's have an open mind, give praise where it's warranted but hold them accountable without bias.

 

[spencerswagu]

That's been my experience too, with Andy. Tried palming off a watch with OBVIOUSLY misprinted bezel markers.

Also this whole white knight attitude a lot of members have on here, defending the TDs at any whiff of negative feedback is ridiculous. Insinuating we have to put up with obvious flaws. Then literally what is the point of QC? These are not toys on DHGate, they're still pricy bits of kit. The point of reviews is so members can get a FULL picture of the dealer, the good and bad. It's counterproductive to members to shut down any whiff of a slight negative comment

It's a business for these TDs, nothing more nothing less. Once we start accepting lower QC standards and they realise they can get away with it for the same money, what do you think will happen? It will only go one way, quality will drop. I'm not talking small nitpicking under a macro lens, but to quote OP and also my personal experience from Andy 'Totally off' & 'Clearly bad' is not acceptable. We're still paying the same money.

Let's have an open mind, give praise where it's warranted but hold them accountable without bias.

Totally agree...

Even then folks make the argument "the profits are razor thin" - so maybe they don't have the time or wherewithal to inspect every watch before sending QC pics.

HOWEVER, it's pretty frustrating when they try resending QC pics for the same exact watch with the same exact flaws. And either hope you QC approve, or don't respond for 24 hours -- at which point you've default GLed.


Specifically with Trusty Time, has anyone else noticed that if you reject RL a watch, they basically put your order on pause for 3 months?

With Eric from Geektime, I once RL'ed a watched, and he got a replacement. No guff. With Andrew, when you RL a watch, it's like you're being punished "oh we'll get you a replacement.... but you'll have to sit for 3 months muah ha hah!"

 

[All_Heart]

I think this has a lot to do with how we communicate, I was unlucky to have faulty watch from Trusty, but I understand that they have thin margins and the last thing I wanted is to act all bratty and get them to shoulder all the costs to rectify. They have a long way to go with regards to understanding the western market and me coming from an Asian background, I understand the culture enough that I have to be respectful or I wont get any help.

What do I mean, exactly? In Western culture, the transaction is like an equation, buyers technically pay and the sellers draw value (profit) hence the saying ‘customer is always right’, In some asian cultures, a customer is a business partner, and if the partner is likely to buy again, the relationship is maintained, but if there is a hint of aggression or insinuation, disrespect, this is an indication that the business partner is not viable to maintain or already lost hence they are less likely to help, I mean why waste time on a lost customer, right? So I choose my words carefully and I always send business their way if I am asking for a favor or reporting issues.

There is also a prevailing sense of ‘Bringing the world Value’ in Eastern markets particularly in the areas that infringe intellectual properties. This is anchored on ‘production costs + margin’ vs the genuine alternative that costs tens of thousands. In asian culture there is also a philosophy of bringing down margin to yield more sales volume. So this should give me enough to estimate the profit they have for each sale is around 20%. That’s not enough to cover repairs and maintenance. They have a very different philosophy from us in the Western World where we calculate total cost of sales, cost of ownership, cost of customer acquisition and include them all in deciding the price of our services. They are far simpler and they aim for volume sales as the indicator of a successful business.

To the eyes of Eastern producers of fake goods, especially of the quality we are seeing with the Fake rolex movement crunching Elabore to Chronometer grade numbers on the timegraph, we are perceived to be getting more value than what we would normally pay for if we are to buy from gen/western sources so they probably feel we are getting more out of the transaction than them.

I had a really bad RF Sub from Andrew this week and so far he is helping me sort it out because I cover the other and greater costs of getting the faulty parts installed. This is akin more to being a business partner rather than a typical customer in Western prism.

And yes in token of good will, I bought more watches from him to cushion the blow on the meager margins they make from these items and to avoid costing him on postage. Sounds absurd or even ironic, I know, but I try to see him as a business partner I want to keep in business so I can buy more from him.

I will update everyone how he goes but I did try to explain to him the mentality of customers in Western Setting and I try to meet him half way and make it less difficult for him to help me.


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