Chrono24 pro seller's strange behavior over shipping

[Risto]

Well, I couldn't describe this issue shortly better...

So, I am trying to help my friend.
He bought a nice Omega chronograph from Chrono24.com from a very respected seller. Like top level guy.
I mean everyone in the vintage game knows this seller, incl everyone here on OF. He has his own website and has 60k followers on Instagram and he knows a lot about vintage watches. I don't want to share his name just yet.

Now, the seller contacted my friend (buyer) on C24 and told him that he can't make the shipping label. From US to EU. Ok, this can happen.
So, the buyer arranged UPS pickup himself.
Then the seller told him that C24 had canceled the order. Why... didn't say. But, said that he couldn't make the shipping label. And the buyer should pay him directly now.
And then the seller asked to write to his email. In the email, he asked my friend to use Paypal F&F payment.

That is very strange in my opinion. First of all, he already was paid. And the shipping was arranged.

Is there some kind of shipping feature in Chrono24 for pro sellers? As a private seller, I have not seen it.

So, what do you think... a bit fishy?
It sounds a bit like the seller's account has been hacked. He also didn't reply to my messages on IG. I have talked to him before about some watches. Then again, he's a busy guy.

 

[Braindrain]

This is very strange. Account hacked? Seller in over his head and just trying to f*k over new buyers to pay back old buyers?

I'd start contacting C24 about getting my money back.

 

[Risto]

Well, the real seller would not scam buyers. He is too well known in this business and has been for decades.

 

[Syrte]

Risto

Well, the real seller would not scam buyers. He is too well known in this business and has been for decades.

You never ever know.
While you should certainly give him the benefit of the doubt and do full due diligence, you should never assume a «respected » seller is above taking advantage of someone they think has no knowledge, no recourse, or no connections.

You would not imagine what we’ve seen « respected » people do in the watch world. When I say «what we’ve seen », I mean people literally caught red handed.

 

[Mark020]

His issue appears to be insured shipping into Estonia. How legit is that?

 

[Risto]

I have bought many watches from US (I am also in Estonia). No problems. And you can buy insurance separately anyway using Secursus.com or perhaps some other services. The buyer solved shipping and still got the order canceled on C24.

 

[NGO1]

It sounds like seller trying to avoid C24 fees and finish the transaction on PayPal.

Maybe his margin slipped. C24 fees pushes him in the red. Reading his message, sounded like he doesn’t care to make the sale.

 

[Syrte]

Has your friend been refunded? Then if so certainly this is not a scam.

First thing I would do is reach the seller by phone and figure out if he realiy is the author of the messages, to ensure there’s no hacked account.


Most people in the US use FedEx with Parcel Pro. Hodinkee also provides insurance services. There are many US based people who use Parcel Pro, they should be able to confirm if Parcel Pro has some sort of an exclusion for Estonia.

Secursus is a completely unknown quantity. We have no recorded example of anyone having needed reimbursement who has obtained it.

if this is an Omega chronograph, it must be somexhat pricey and a well known and respected dealer probably prefers to cancel a sale rather than take the chance of a dispute over a lost expensive watch, with an unknown or unreliable insurance service.

 

[watchyouwant]

Whatever you do to close a deal, never use Paypal F&F. If it's a scam, you get nothing back ; can't even claim.

 

[Risto]

Maybe the seller is using Parcel Pro and perhaps Estonia is on the exclusion list or something. No idea, because I can't register as a user there. You have to be a business.

Yes, the watch cost 3k USD. The next step would be waiting for Chrono to return the money. Then call the seller on the phone (that he provided) and see where it takes. If all is good then no problem using a wire transfer. My friend also has a friend in the same area in the US as the seller, so perhaps can do face-to-face transaction.

 

[Archer]

Syrte

Most people in the US use FedEx with Parcel Pro. Hodinkee also provides insurance services. There are many US based people who use Parcel Pro, they should be able to confirm if Parcel Pro has some sort of an exclusion for Estonia.

Estonia is not listed as a country that you can ship to using ParcelPro...screen shot of the drop down menu showing the countries allowed and insurance limit...

 

[Fallout Boy]

My advice: Report this story to C24 and ask, what they (C24) suppose. In any other case: you loose your insurance by C24.

Edited: Sep 7, 2023

 

[Enzo]

Risto

Maybe the seller is using Parcel Pro and perhaps Estonia is on the exclusion list or something. No idea, because I can't register as a user there. You have to be a business.

Yes, the watch cost 3k USD. The next step would be waiting for Chrono to return the money. Then call the seller on the phone (that he provided) and see where it takes. If all is good then no problem using a wire transfer. My friend also has a friend in the same area in the US as the seller, so perhaps can do face-to-face transaction.

I would try to get the (real) sellers number from another source, maybe his website or insta rather than use the number that has been given to you, just in case it has been hacked.

 

[Syrte]

Enzo

I would try to get the (real) sellers number from another source, maybe his website or insta rather than use the number that has been given to you, just in case it has been hacked.

Agreed.

 

[sonicosa]

Risto

Then the seller told him that C24 had canceled the order.

How was this communicated, because in the screenshot your shared, it appears the seller is asking the buyer to cancel the order.

Was there a separate message sent claiming that C24 had cancelled the order? Maybe there is just a misunderstanding or miscommunication happening here?

Either way, for any transaction I've done on C24, the funds have been held in escrow until the buyer receives the watch, so I don't think your friend should have trouble getting his money back from C24 if necessary.

 

[Risto]

I guess Parcel Pro screenshot explains the situation very well. Thanks, @Archer

The cancellation was done later, but I didn’t ask screenshot from my friend.

I do have seller’s email and phone nr. Currently we suggested to have local pickup. My friend has a friend in the same area as the seller. I also will call to the seller tomorrow, just to be sure everything is ok.

 

[Larry S]

Pretty clear to me that the seller is a guy who likes to see his watches make it to their destinations. If Parcel Pro (UPS btw) has a problem with Estonia, there must be a good reason. BTW .. I also am that kind of seller.

 

[Risto]

Larry S

Pretty clear to me that the seller is a guy who likes to see his watches make it to their destinations. If Parcel Pro (UPS btw) has a problem with Estonia, there must be a good reason. BTW .. I also am that kind of seller.

Btw, my friend arranged shipping via UPS without issues, but he had to buy an external insurance service.

 

[Twocats]

CH24 has a warning that recently there has been scam attempts and this is what it sounds like.

I would want to FaceTime with the seller and the watch before moving because my gut it screaming scam here.

 

[Larry S]

Risto

Btw, my friend arranged shipping via UPS without issues, but he had to buy an external insurance service.

Dunno. Perhaps PP has actuarial for Estonia that is unfavorable. Not enough on the table here to make a firm conclusion.