Private sales...member comments.

STANDY · Jul 23, 2019

Rochete
Yeah I might be wrong. Not that a quid pro quo would necessarily be a bad thing anyway, it isn't if it is sincere.

But I find those comments unnecessary. They don't adress an objective quality of the watch but something so very subjective as someone's opinion on whether it's "cheap" or "expensive" enough to buy it. If a watch doesn't sell, then it's out of price for the given market at that time regardless of what one might think.

You will notice most comments by members are when a watch is newly listed so the quid pro quo isn’t a bump to help sell.
Hey if I see a watch that’s nice and in a good price I am for sure going to mention it.
If I could say a price was too stupidly over priced I would also. But hey people can list a $500 watch for $3000 if they want. Notice these watches don’t have any comments just 3 pages of bumps going down $50 every few.

Don’t forget there is certain watch seasons where selling is optimum and when buying is optimum. ( tax time, holiday seasons, bonus cheque’s )

Archer · Jul 23, 2019

Japanred
Surely everyone’s interpretation of this will be different?

Yes, of course it will be. I asked what he considered reasonable as I'm trying to understand his specific point of view.

Dan S · Jul 29, 2019

Quite honestly, I've been tempted to post some favorable comments in the Private Sales Forum recently, because there are some truly great deals on excellent watches that just don't fit my needs at the moment. The summer doldrums are in full force.

Shabbaz · Jul 29, 2019

Dan S
OF is a relatively small community, so there isn't a buyer here for every watch at fair market value. If you watch the Private Sales section carefully, you will see that well-priced Speedmasters, Constellations, etc., sell quickly, but other brands, especially obscure ones, will sometimes linger, even if collectible and priced correctly. I have listed several watches here that did not attract interest, but then sold elsewhere at the same asking price.

I've sold almost all my watches which I posted in the FS section for a higher price somewhere else (also quite quickly)...

KingCrouchy · Jul 29, 2019

I find it problematic when I see Members, buying Watches on local Auctions, to flip them instantly on the OF in the private sales section. I thought this Forum was more about learning about Watches and their past. Having recommend many times the Sales Section of the OF to Noobies, I feel that I'm helping the flippers.😕

BenBagbag · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
I find it problematic when I see Members, buying Watches on local Auctions, to flip them instantly on the OF in the private sales section. I thought this Forum was more about learning about Watches and their past. Having recommend many times the Sales Section of the OF to Noobies, I feel that I'm helping the flippers.😕

Yeah but it's still against the rules to comment on their sales post calling them out.

May he who has not made a profit on a watch in their lifetime throw the first stone...

KingCrouchy · Jul 29, 2019

BenBagbag
Yeah but it's still against the rules to comment on their sales post calling them out.

May he who has not made a profit on a watch in their lifetime throw the first stone...

That's a good point, I forgot about it.🤦 Mea culpa.
I have nothing against making money on a watch. But when I see constantly watches being bought and immediately being flipped, and advertising in the private sales section, I feel it as being not genuine.

If someone buys and enjoys a watch and sells it at one point for a profit, that's fine. On some you lose on some you make some bucks. But it's not the driver behind the purchase decision.

Using the credibility given by this great Forum, to make profits from it and using it as a Flipping Platform, is what rubs me the wrong way. But maybe I'm just misunderstanding the purpose of this Forum.

jhross98 · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
I find it problematic when I see Members, buying Watches on local Auctions, to flip them instantly on the OF in the private sales section. I thought this Forum was more about learning about Watches and their past. Having recommend many times the Sales Section of the OF to Noobies, I feel that I'm helping the flippers.😕

why on EARTH would anyone have a problem with an OF member sourcing a watch either from an owner or from an auction that isn't broadly available . .and then selling it in the private sales section of this forum ?? as a collector that means OF is a great place to find watches i wouldn't see otherwise. you would rather them sell those watches to dealers or through big auction houses like Christies or Phillips where the prices will be 30-50% higher ???

ConElPueblo · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
I find it problematic when I see Members, buying Watches on local Auctions, to flip them instantly on the OF in the private sales section. I thought this Forum was more about learning about Watches and their past. Having recommend many times the Sales Section of the OF to Noobies, I feel that I'm helping the flippers.😕

I haven't sold many watches that I haven't profited from at some level, but the vast majority of those were bought with some (a lot) measure of risk, often with poor quality photos and rubbish descriptions. After receiving said watch, confirming condition, that serial numbers and movement checks out, taking risk on international shipping, customs, etc. and then putting together a decent sales advert (most often a fair few months after getting the watch and wearing it some times), why shouldn't the price reflect that? 😕

There's a bloody big difference between flipping new watches with warranties and then "flipping" vintage watches.

I realise that you wrote "flipping instantly", but the principle is the same, IMO.

Or I am possibly just feeling a bit butt-hurt 😁

ConElPueblo · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
If someone buys and enjoys a watch and sells it at one point for a profit, that's fine. On some you lose on some you make some bucks. But it's not the driver behind the purchase decision.

I am with you here. Probably been guilty of this once or twice, I must say 😬

jhross98 · Jul 29, 2019

ConElPueblo
I haven't sold many watches that I haven't profited from at some level, but the vast majority of those were bought with some (a lot) measure of risk, often with poor quality photos and rubbish descriptions. After receiving said watch, confirming condition, that serial numbers and movement checks out, taking risk on international shipping, customs, etc. and then putting together a decent sales advert (most often a fair few months after getting the watch and wearing it some times), why shouldn't the price reflect that? 😕

There's a bloody big difference between flipping new watches with warranties and then "flipping" vintage watches.

I realise that you wrote "flipping instantly", but the principle is the same, IMO.

Or I am possibly just feeling a bit butt-hurt 😁

totally agree.

flipping new watches has nothing to do with "flipping" vintage pieces.

there really is no such thing as "flipping" vintage and buying vintage comes with risk.. i hope every OF member sells their vintage pieces here and I don't care how they sourced them or if they make a profit (i hope they do)

new watches is a completely different topic. .

KingCrouchy · Jul 29, 2019

I think I'm maybe being misunderstood. @ConElPueblo you are contributing in so many ways to this forum, you helped so many Noobs (I was one of them with my Ref.2374), your main motivation on this forum isn't to flip watches. Of curse you buy, take a risk, and service them (in the Case of the great DS), and sell one from time to time, but it's not what makes you come here.

KingCrouchy · Jul 29, 2019

jhross98
totally agree.

flipping new watches has nothing to do with "flipping" vintage pieces.

there really is no such thing as "flipping" vintage and buying vintage comes with risk.. i hope every OF member sells their vintage pieces here and I don't care how they sourced them or if they make a profit (i hope they do)

new watches is a completely different topic. .

Would you like a OF were everyone was just sourcing Watches and not contributing in any other way to the Forum?

jhross98 · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
Would you like a OF were everyone was just sourcing Watches and not contributing in any other way to the Forum?

of course not. . but selling a vintage on OF *adds* value to the forum, full stop. i cannot see any perspective where it is a negative in any way shape or form.

flipping new watches is to selling a vintage watch as apples are to pears or walnuts

Foo2rama · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
Would you like a OF were everyone was just sourcing Watches and not contributing in any other way to the Forum?

Except that’s not happening.

And often the watches are a great price for someone looking for something like that. It’s not like other members where able to find it....

KingCrouchy · Jul 29, 2019

Foo2rama
Except that’s not happening.

And often the watches are a great price for someone looking for something like that. It’s not like other members where able to find it....

If you look at the member I criticised in the first place it looks very close to my description.

Fair point with the sourcing aspect of it, maybe I'm just not having enough knowledge of that part of the watch collecting hobby. I source most of my watches directly from the first owner, and enjoy the hunt.

Foo2rama · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
If you look at the member I criticised in the first place it looks very close to my description.

Fair point with the sourcing aspect of it, maybe I'm just not having enough knowledge of that part of the watch collecting hobby. I source most of my watches directly from the first owner, and enjoy the hunt.

By not happening... I mean meaningful content is not going away.

sdre · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
Would you like a OF were everyone was just sourcing Watches and not contributing in any other way to the Forum?

I could name a handful of sellers who managed to sell without hitting the 200 posts (pre rules / last year) and they only posted 1-2 posts about their collection and from then on, only uses OF private sales as their one of their main sales outlet, at dealer prices.

Observer · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
I find it problematic when I see Members, buying Watches on local Auctions, to flip them instantly on the OF in the private sales section. I thought this Forum was more about learning about Watches and their past. Having recommend many times the Sales Section of the OF to Noobies, I feel that I'm helping the flippers.😕

What business is it of yours?
I don't get the opposition to people who try to turn a quick profit on a watch. That's pretty much the entire Watches For Sale forum. Do you want to shut that down, too? Rudely calling out a member on a sales thread, in clear violation of published and well discussed rules, is shockingly bad form. I was astonished to see it today, and it's the only time I've considered reporting a post in my brief time on OF. Harassing a member who bought a watch elsewhere and made it available to OF members seems completely irrational.

KingCrouchy · Jul 29, 2019

Observer
What business is it of yours?
I don't get the opposition to people who try to turn a quick profit on a watch. That's pretty much the entire Watches For Sale forum. Do you want to shut that down, too? Rudely calling out a member on a sales thread, in clear violation of published and well discussed rules, is shockingly bad form. I was astonished to see it today, and it's the only time I've considered reporting a post in my brief time on OF. Harassing a member who bought a watch elsewhere and made it available to OF members seems completely irrational.

It's apparently none of my business. I just find it weird, that on the Forum People Flipping Watches are seen in a bad way. Especially on eBay, with some snarky comments of the members here. (Here an example)
https://omegaforums.net/threads/flippin-longines-misc-longines-transactions.47762/page-2

But when it's done by Members on the OF it's okay and helps with the supply. But apparently that's completely irrational.

Dan S · Jul 29, 2019

KingCrouchy
It's apparently none of my business. I just find it weird, that on the Forum People Flipping Watches are seen in a bad way. Especially on eBay, with some snarky comments of the members here. (Here an example)
https://omegaforums.net/threads/flippin-longines-misc-longines-transactions.47762/page-2

But when it's done by Members on the OF it's okay and helps with the supply. But apparently that's completely irrational.

So a few members made snarky comments about someone flipping a watch. I don't think you can make the generalization that the entire forum feels that there's something wrong with buying and selling; this is not a monolithic community.

However, I don't particularly like it when someone comes on the forum trying to exploit the knowledge of members for the sole purpose of making money. I don't mind sharing my knowledge and experience with other collectors, people who are trying to learn about family heirlooms, etc. But it feels exploitative for sellers/dealers to use the accumulated knowledge of forum members to turn a profit.

Private sales...member comments.

STANDY

Archer

Dan S

Shabbaz

KingCrouchy

BenBagbag

KingCrouchy

jhross98

ConElPueblo

ConElPueblo

jhross98

KingCrouchy

KingCrouchy

jhross98

Foo2rama

KingCrouchy

Foo2rama

sdre

Observer

KingCrouchy

Dan S

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