Luxury watch companies have, perhaps unsurprisingly, been slow to adapt to the internet, with an overall lack of e-commerce being a particularly annoying quirk. Historically, many high-end watch brands only sell through authorized dealers and boutiques, either making travel an unavoidable part of the watch-buying experience or forcing consumers to buy watches via online gray market dealers. Fortunately, it seems tides are (very slowly) turning, and more high-end watch brands are offering online purchasing and delivery directly from their official websites. The newest addition to that list is IWC Schaffhausen.
Admittedly this isn’t IWC’s first foray into online sales; late last year the watchmaker partnered with Mr. Porter to sell a selection of its watches online. But while Mr. Porter only featured a handful of IWC’s watches, IWC’s new site makes nearly the entire lineup available for online purchase, with only its super high-end offerings remaining exclusive to purchase through its physical locations.
It’s great to see a luxury watch company finally considering the purchasing habits of younger buyers, who generally prefer to do research and order online from the comfort of their own homes — even for luxury products. Currently, online ordering through IWC is only available in the U.S., but the brand is planning an international roll-out, too.
