Buying a watch on the web : eBay Guides

Hi,

I'd like to share some of my buying experiences with you and hopefully help you avoid some of the same pitfalls that I fell through.  I didn't always know what I do today about dealing with sellers on the web.

A few things to look out for:

1) BLURRY PICTURES:

Nowadays, a good quality digital camera can be had for a fraction of what they used to cost when the technology was new.  If somebody shows blurry pictures beware of what you're buying.  You might think you're getting a deal because other people won't bid on the auction but you're only half right.  People won't bid BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN BURNED by blurry pictures!  Blurry pictures mean either the seller is A) Hiding something or B) Doesn't care about the product and probably did nothing to ensure that it works properly before trying to sluff it off on some unsuspecting buyer.  Either way AVOID buying watches that show blurry pictures.  A decent digital camera costs less than $150 and they ALL take decent pictures nowadays.  Sure, it's possible that 1 in a 1000 might be a good deal but you'll have wasted a lot of money before you make your money back on that one "score".  I've got several boxes in the basement full of watches that I bought from sellers that showed blurry pictures.  I SANK SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS INTO THIS LESSON before it finally sank in that buying from sellers with blurry pictures was a bad move! 

2) SELLERS CLAIMING THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SELLING:

Whether going to yard sales, so called "Estate" sales or buying on the internet, I've noticed that very few sellers don't know what they have.  I've gone to over 600 yard sales in the last two years and I can tell you, the first thing most people do is look up the item they have to sell on the internet.  They can quickly get a very clear idea of what they have beforehand, so that they won't end up giving up their "treasure" to somebody for a song.  It's a rare seller that doesn't know what he's selling so beware when you see a listing that starts with "I really don't know much about this, but I'll answer your questions as best as I can".  OR "I'm selling for a friend, and I don't know much about watches".  It all sounds honest but more often than not, they're not being honest at all.  You can bet your bottom dollar they've looked it up before selling to see if it would be worthwhile selling. 

Unless you've dealt with a particular seller before and have built a trust with them, take a moment and do your own research before buying.  You might not get all the answers you're looking for but at least you're not relying solely on what the seller is saying.  Try to look up the information you need in a book instead of the internet.  It's been proven that much of what you read on Wiki and other sites is quite wrong.  Publications by reputable, knowledgeable people such as Dean Judy, John Brozek, and Jeff hess have a wealth of knowledge and experience that isn't published anywhere but in an actual book.  The cost of their books will pay you back tenfold in money saved making the same mistakes that inexperienced buyers make.  Dean Judy's book "100 Years of Vintage Watches" contains an absolutely wonderful preface about buying and selling watches.

3) I'M SELLING THIS FOR A FRIEND / IT BELONGED TO MY (INSERT UNCLE, DAD, ANYBODY HERE):

Good luck trying to return the item if you're not happy with it.  This is a perfect escape phrase so that the seller can tell you he really didn't know it would self destruct after you touched it!! 

4) SELLERS WHO USE THE WORD "RARE"

Sellers who use the word RARE are making a false claim.  This might sound harsh but it's the truth.  Take watches for example:  In order to say a watch is RARE, the seller would have to know the following:

The exact number of watches that were produced, and how many were actually sold, how many stayed on the shelves because nobody bought them (also known as New Old Stock N.O.S.) of a given model over the years.  Plus he would have to know the exact number of that given model that survive today. 

How can anybody know all of these variables?  It's virtually IMPOSSIBLE for any seller to know that because they would have to: A) Have the production records for that watch company.  B) Have the sales records for that watch company.  C) Have to call/write/e-mail every person on earth and ask them if they have one of those watches before making a claim that it's 'RARE".

THEREFORE: IF A SELLER CALLS HIS WATCH "RARE", HE'S SHOVELING THE SAME THING THAT COMES OUT OF A COW'S BEHIND.  NOT SURE ABOUT THIS?  RE-READ SECTION 4) ABOVE A COUPLE TIMES.  WHAT I'M SAYING MAKES SENSE!

5) THE FAST BUCKER

There's a type of seller that basically takes an item, snaps a few poor quality pictures, and then tries to sell it speedy quick.  They've done NOTHING to ensure that it actually works or have it repaired.  This type of seller is dangerous because they seldom back up their items with any kind of return policy or product warranty.  They're just in it to make a quick buck and the last thing they worry about is your satisfaction.  There are a number of clues to be able to quickly distinguish a FAST BUCKER from a reputable seller (besides feedback):

a) The description is just one paragraph.

b) POOR QUALITY PICTURES: They tell you very little about the item you're buying

c) RETURN POLICY: Fast buckers don't like returns and often say the sale is final or don't state a return policy at all.  If they don't offer a return policy there's usually a reason = what you're buying isn't worth returning!!!  It's not very inspiring to know that the seller thinks so little of what he's selling.

d) INFLATED FEEDBACK:  This one is very tricky. Some sellers may have a bunch of positive feedback but if you dig deeper you'll see it's from selling a large quantity of low dollar items.  This type of seller usually does this to raise their score and then try and sell a high end item with their newly acquired feedback.  I would avoid this type of seller simply because you have no genuine feedback to check up on.  If the seller has never sold a high end product and received feedback for it how do you know what you're buying is authentic?  Because he says so in the listing?

e) The word "AUTHENTIC".  Fast buckers love this word because it implies that they actually checked if their item is authentic.  A fast bucker will never take the time to check the history of a piece or research the serial number in a book.  How could he possibly claim the item to be authentic???

I've given you some danger words to look out for and some shady practices some sellers use.  Hopefully this helped you spot the dangerous FAST BUCK SELLERS out there.  I could write a lot more about this but I don't want to put you to sleep!

HAPPY DEALINGS!