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Guidance needed for sale listings here on OF

wagudc
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B BrokenSkunk
I'm also a newbie here. So maybe my opinion doesn't count for much.

I'd think that no good seller would be upset about a thread asking for opinions on the authenticity of a watch they are selling.
In your shoes I'd send the seller a quick polite PM, "I'm not sure about xyz, I'm going to open a thread asking for opinions, I hope you don't mind."
Provided no one talks about pricing, I don't see an issue.

If a seller does get upset, you have to ask why.

Certainly give the seller an opportunity to respond before starting a thread. You may save yourself some embarrassment.

I once inquired about the originality of a dial, and the seller provided me with ample proof it was legit. I felt embarrassed even asking via PM. Starting a thread for it would have put my newbie ignorance on display, and would have made me look like an ass for questioning a respected member in such a way.
 
wagudc
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I should add that the seller was polite and forgiving of my ignorance.
 
STANDY
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When you see a reputable member with a nice example at a honest price. 9/10 it was bought by a member within a few hours of listing.

There are several members here that you don’t want to make a coffee prior to reading their FS listing. I have made that mistake once…..
 
MtV
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paddymoran paddymoran
In terms of the number of “likes” - to me this reflects on the desirability of the item but doesn’t necessarily imply that it’s good value.

This. Don’t ignore the number of likes altogether, if a certain sales post has only 4-5 likes after days there will be a reason for that.

However, a) there are regularly offers here at the very high end of the market (or above) that’ll still generate 30+ likes because the watches in question are nice.

And b), don’t wait for the likes to come in, it might be too late then.
 
STANDY
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I know a Seiko with 120+ likes 😗
 
Larry S
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Dan S Dan S
Respectfully, I don't think this is really the question. It's more about how starting such a thread would reflect on the OP. Some things may be allowed, and might not anger the seller, but might still be in poor taste.
If you ask a question and the seller tells you to “f..k Off” , well that’s a thread starter for sure.
 
puntodvista
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I agree with previous comments, but I'm not sure one can trust ALL the sellers here on OP. I've seen some (not many, honestly) misdescribed watches here. The best is of course to be an advised buyer, but to buy from a trusted seller reduces of course the risk.
 
J
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puntodvista ck2503
I agree with previous comments, but I'm not sure one can trust ALL the sellers here on OP. I've seen some (not many, honestly) misdescribed watches here. The best is of course to be an advised buyer, but to buy from a trusted seller reduces of course the risk.

Do you have any other advice to give to new buyers? Or maybe a bad experience from the past you are willing to share?

I’m new to the forum and never made a purchase here before. The thought of wiring an anonymous stranger couple thousand dollars and not getting a proper sales receipt and order confirmation is quite frightening to me. I’m currently keeping my eye on a listing at WatchUseek, but held back due to my lack of experience on these forums.
 
STANDY
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J JohnRuth
Do you have any other advice to give to new buyers? Or maybe a bad experience from the past you are willing to share?

I’m new to the forum and never made a purchase here before. The thought of wiring an anonymous stranger couple thousand dollars and not getting a proper sales receipt and order confirmation is quite frightening to me. I’m currently keeping my eye on a listing at WatchUseek, but held back due to my lack of experience on these forums.

Bought 50-60 watches here and never got a sales receipt. But usually get a tracking number with a copy of the postage receipt.
Take your time and research the seller. Many have sold plenty of watches and have good reviews

Look here
https://omegaforums.net/forums/watch-seller-profiles/
 
J
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STANDY STANDY
Bought 50-60 watches here and never got a sales receipt. But usually get a tracking number with a copy of the postage receipt.

Thanks for the advice. I suppose I will feel a lot more confident after my first purchase. Just have to take my first step. 👍
 
JwRosenthal
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If a watch listed is truly problematic, it will get called out quickly. The members here watch the sales listings (even if just for shits and giggles without any intention of buying) and if there is an issue (fake, redial, misinformation in the listing) they will generally PM the seller to inform them of their oversight/error and if that’s not met with an appropriate response, it will get reported to the mods. The mods don’t vet the listings for accuracy generally- just making sure the listings is within forum rules (they have their hands full) so part of the integrity of the sales section here is that the members are always watching- if you see something, say something- but not in the listing itself unless a genuine question like an oversight (what is the size, you forgot to list a price, is it in Canadian, US or Australian dollars?).

Judging a listing by member engagement can be a good indicator of the sales post- but a lack of likes isn’t generally an indicator of the quality of the watch itself- if the price is unrealistic to some, they may not like it just based on that- not because there is any fault in the watch.

As always, buy the seller- not just the watch and do your research. It’s incumbent on the buyer to know what they are buying- not the seller to educate them about what they are buying beyond the basic facts of what the watch is as known to them. No warranties, guarantees or recourse is ever implied in a private sales listing- if those kinds of guard rails are desired then there are dealers for that.
 
Larry S
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J JohnRuth
Do you have any other advice to give to new buyers? Or maybe a bad experience from the past you are willing to share?

I’m new to the forum and never made a purchase here before. The thought of wiring an anonymous stranger couple thousand dollars and not getting a proper sales receipt and order confirmation is quite frightening to me. I’m currently keeping my eye on a listing at WatchUseek, but held back due to my lack of experience on these forums.
Folks who have been here a while are not going to risk our reputation ripping someone off. I’ve seen a handful of incidents when it has happened and the blowback ain’t pretty. I’d say buying from a long term member here is about as safe as it gets.
 
Davidt
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Read the sellers reviews, look at the likes for the listing (and just as important as how many likes, is ‘who’ liked the listing), read through some of the sellers posts in the wider forum, message them directly to express your interest and concerns and see how they respond.

This all builds a mental picture of the likely scenario when dealing with an individual and should significantly reduce the risk.
 
Larry S
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Davidt Davidt
Read the sellers reviews, look at the likes for the listing (and just as important as how many likes, is ‘who’ liked the listing), read through some of the sellers posts in the wider forum, message them directly to express your interest and concerns and see how they respond.

This all builds a mental picture of the likely scenario when dealing with an individual and should significantly reduce the risk.
Speaking for myself, we are not all big sellers with lots of reviews. Furthermore, my last two sales here have been to outsiders who did not leave reviews. So despite that caveat, good advice.
 
Davidt
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Larry S Larry S
Speaking for myself, we are not all big sellers with lots of reviews. Furthermore, my last two sales here have been to outsiders who did not leave reviews. So despite that caveat, good advice.

That’s a fair point, and a lack of reviews in itself shouldn’t be a red flag.
Doing all the above should allow someone to build a subjective mental picture of who they’re dealing with. When sending money via bank transfer there isn’t a clear “do this, then this, then you’re safe”. One needs to try and gather all the info they can and make a judgement call.

I remember joining OF 10 years ago and working almost €3k to a complete stranger a week later for a Speedmaster. That’s a lot of money but I spent a few hours researching etc and satisfied myself they were legit.
 
Dan S
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J JohnRuth
Do you have any other advice to give to new buyers? Or maybe a bad experience from the past you are willing to share?

I’m new to the forum and never made a purchase here before. The thought of wiring an anonymous stranger couple thousand dollars and not getting a proper sales receipt and order confirmation is quite frightening to me. I’m currently keeping my eye on a listing at WatchUseek, but held back due to my lack of experience on these forums.
If you're not comfortable with a private sale then just buy from an established retail store or website, or use a platform that provides a secure transaction. Nobody is forcing you to buy watches on the forum. This is a community, and the private sales forum is just a convenience for established community members to have transactions. If you engage and participate and get to know the members of the community, then you will probably be comfortable buying and selling. But this isn't a place for fly-by buyers and sellers.
 
jsducote
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My advice, as a junior-buyer/never-seller, is to be patient with your purchases unless you have money you don't mind losing. The old saying goes: Fast, cheap, quality - pick 2.
 
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