"WWW Watches" CNBC Europe Business Article

[Ras44]

I thought this would be of interest:

In its World Watch Report 2005, IC-Agency discovered that the most web searches for watches were for Rolex – 41.1% of the total. Next was Tag Heuer (16%) and then Omega (15%). Next in line were Cartier, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Longines, Bulgari, Ebel and Jaeger-LeCoultre. IC-Agency found that a staggering 83% of all worldwide searches for Rolex concerned copies, while in the US nearly 100% of searches for Cartier were diverted to sites selling copies.

Here is the link: http://cnbceb.com/2006/11/05/wwwwatches/

Two things interested me. First, Tag Heuer's marketing campaign is clearly paid off in 2005, as they generated 1% more web searches than Omega. If someone could post Tag's advertising dollars in comparison to Omega's (which, if I'm not mistaken, appeared in a recent WatchTime). Second is the incredible demand for fake watches.

[Joe K.]

I thought this would be of interest:

In its World Watch Report 2005, IC-Agency discovered that the most web searches for watches were for Rolex – 41.1% of the total. Next was Tag Heuer (16%) and then Omega (15%). Next in line were Cartier, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Longines, Bulgari, Ebel and Jaeger-LeCoultre. IC-Agency found that a staggering 83% of all worldwide searches for Rolex concerned copies, while in the US nearly 100% of searches for Cartier were diverted to sites selling copies.

Here is the link: http://cnbceb.com/2006/11/05/wwwwatches/

Two things interested me. First, Tag Heuer's marketing campaign is clearly paid off in 2005, as they generated 1% more web searches than Omega. If someone could post Tag's advertising dollars in comparison to Omega's (which, if I'm not mistaken, appeared in a recent WatchTime). Second is the incredible demand for fake watches.

I think the assumption that the demand for fakes/replicas is incredible is not necessarly warranted...
We know of how people search the web. The vast majority will search using an engine such as Google and terms such as "Omega AND watch". Then they will likely follow the first few links that are presented (I can't recall the article that presented this, but most people will not move beyond the 2nd page of search results). So it might not be the case that people are specifically looking for fakes, but rather that the proximal search results at links to sites selling fakes...... This is where it would be helpful to know what the exact nature of the data presented in the article

[Ras44]

True, but do a search on Rolex. Using google the first two links, on the first page, leads to the official sites. Breitling, first link, first page. Tag Heuer, first link, first page. Omega, second link, first page (and the first link is not a fake site, it's an engineering firm). Yet the article states that the persons reach the official brand site only 10-15% of the time.

I think the assumption that the demand for fakes/replicas is incredible is not necessarly warranted...
We know of how people search the web. The vast majority will search using an engine such as Google and terms such as "Omega AND watch". Then they will likely follow the first few links that are presented (I can't recall the article that presented this, but most people will not move beyond the 2nd page of search results). So it might not be the case that people are specifically looking for fakes, but rather that the proximal search results at links to sites selling fakes...... This is where it would be helpful to know what the exact nature of the data presented in the article

[Joe K.]

True - but also have a look at the sponsored links on the right of the page. Also, try search terms such as "buy omega watch"....

Regardless of what it says in the article, it just seems very strange to me that people would purposely search for a fake first....
Wouldn't it seem more likely that people would first look for a genuine items and perhaps after seeing the price would then go look for a fake? I might be wrong....

True, but do a search on Rolex. Using google the first two links, on the first page, leads to the official sites. Breitling, first link, first page. Tag Heuer, first link, first page. Omega, second link, first page (and the first link is not a fake site, it's an engineering firm). Yet the article states that the persons reach the official brand site only 10-15% of the time.

[IAMsterdam]

This made me think of the article I read in Time Magazine a couple of weeks ago. You can also find it on the web at http://www.time.com/time/specials/20...659187,00.html

They have done a survey with affluent buyers in some emerging markets (China, Rusia and India). Rolex is doing pretty well, but Omega is realy standing it's ground even as a general "luxury brand".

[Ras44]

You are right. Actually... I had never realized there were sponsored results at the right of the page.

Anyone has more data on the issue?
Anyone has the data on advertising spending of Omega/Tag/Rolex?

True - but also have a look at the sponsored links on the right of the page. Also, try search terms such as "buy omega watch"....

Regardless of what it says in the article, it just seems very strange to me that people would purposely search for a fake first....
Wouldn't it seem more likely that people would first look for a genuine items and perhaps after seeing the price would then go look for a fake? I might be wrong....