The pp F&F is another way they can get you as you have no protection so it's worth the 2.5% to do the services and goods option via pp as you have recourse if something goes wrong.
And you can read a bunch of threads where long time private collectors with impeccable sales histories got ripped off by PP chargebacks and swear that they’ll never use goods and services again.
I’m not criticizing the advice being given to the OP, just trying to add a bit more context. If you want to buy a great watch from a collector, it is often more important to find a way to establish trust than to treat it as a commercial transaction where you are protected at the seller’s expense. If the latter is the approach you want to take, then stick with dealers. They are accustomed to the risk of dealing with unknown buyers and accept it as a cost of doing business.
But if a private collector is insisting on FF or wire transfer, you don’t have to agree to it, but it’s not necessarily a sign that they are sketchy. They may just not trust you entirely, and may be happy to wait for another buyer to come along, perhaps someone established and known to them.
And you can read a bunch of threads where long time private collectors with impeccable sales histories got ripped off by PP chargebacks and swear that they’ll never use goods and services again.
I’m not criticizing the advice being given to the OP, just trying to add a bit more context. If you want to buy a great watch from a collector, it is often more important to find a way to establish trust than to treat it as a commercial transaction where you are protected at the seller’s expense. If the latter is the approach you want to take, then stick with dealers. They are accustomed to the risk of dealing with unknown buyers and accept it as a cost of doing business.
But if a private collector is insisting on FF or wire transfer, you don’t have to agree to it, but it’s not necessarily a sign that they are sketchy. They may just not trust you entirely, and may be happy to wait for another buyer to come along, perhaps someone established and known to them.
Great points. It is a two way street and I’ll do my best to provide as much information to the sellers as possible to make them feel safe in the transaction. I agree on chargebacks. I have had previous dealings with an individual that refused PP for that very reason and I was understanding and communicated as such to the individual. He seemed to lighten up and gave me his personal info for future sales.
There are also more subtle issues beyond chargebacks and trust in the transaction itself. Private sellers often don't want to deal with naive high-maintenance buyers who seem like they might make unreasonable complaints after the fact, asking for a partial refund or a return for no good reason. If a collector is letting go of a nice watch they don't want to deal with that.
Someone started a thread a while back called something like "This is not the watch for you", where he talked about potential buyers who ask the type of questions that makes you not want to sell to them. "Is it unpolished?" Is it running within 10s per day?" Etc. For dealers, again it's the cost of doing business. But I'd rather sell a watch for slightly less money to an experienced person who knows what to expect from a vintage watch. There are a lot of threads on the forum from people who seem like potential nightmares as buyers, and I actually keep a spreadsheet to help me remember those names. 😁
I can imagine! Personally I love ADs - smooth sailing for both parties involved, but you know, certain watches you cannot purchase new. I'm mostly after limited eds. I have made purchases through WUS without issue, but those were under 1k, and you do get a good sense of the person based on their previous post history and the way they communicate via PM.
For more expensive pieces, I would much rather work with a broker, is there one? I would tell them what I'm seeking, they find the watch and negotiate with the seller. That's how I purchase my cars. I don't sign the papers until all the hard work has been put in by someone else, and they get their flat rate in compensation. I would gladly pay for these sorts of services.
The only drawback - you don't form some potentially good connections with like-minded collectors, or dealers.
