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Refusing to sell a watch to a specific buyer

  1. tyrantlizardrex Jun 26, 2016

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    Today, I've been contacted across 3 forums, by one person, about the Mayol that I have for sale.

    In each message he's including an email address and asking me to email him rather than talk through the forum... Which got my spider sense tingling... He was a brand new signup here.

    Just messaging me through WUS... And I've told him that I won't sell to him.

    Hes now losing his marbles.

    Assuming similar behaviour would have others reaching for the "do not sell to this potential scammer" button?
     
    philh likes this.
  2. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jun 26, 2016

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    People often say "buy the seller" on forums, but I also believe you should "buy the buyer" as well if you are a seller. Or in my case, "buy the customer" when it comes to servicing work.

    I can't say I would discount a buyer because they wanted to communicate outside a forum, because quite frankly using PM can be cumbersome. So that alone would not trigger me to say no...but if they have no history on all three forums, that is a red flag for sure.

    Cheers, Al
     
  3. tyrantlizardrex Jun 26, 2016

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    The whole thing just making me feel very uneasy.

    Asking for pictures that are already in the listing... Asking me to ship to Switzerland, although he's in the US...
     
  4. Euxinus Jun 26, 2016

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    Request a payment method that can not be reversed, if he pays with such a payment option first before you send the watch I see no potential for a scam.
     
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  5. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Jun 26, 2016

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    As I said, asking to communicate outside a forum is not in itself a red flag, however both these things are...
     
    SpikiSpikester likes this.
  6. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jun 26, 2016

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    ...but huge potential for headache remains. Someone who cannot observe basic courtesy in the sale of a watch is the same person who will bitch and moan, and very publicly, when they discover some reason for dissatisfaction (which need not be well founded). Avoid. This is a hobby, we do this for fun.
     
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  7. RawArcher Measures thread drift on the Richter Scale Jun 26, 2016

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    What LouS said x 1000. Ill-mannered behavior rarely cures itself.....or even improves.
     
  8. ulackfocus Jun 26, 2016

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    If anything is raising red flags, walk away. Sounds like this guy has a lack of history anywhere and a few strange requests so move on.
     
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  9. Bill Sohne Bill @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 26, 2016

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    Hi Lou

    TOTALLY AGREE........ I worked retail growing up...... One of my early bosses told me " sometimes you have to firer the customer!" I have been on BOTH sides of that equation..... Yup, I sometimes go over the top and lose it.... ( I know hard to believe , right? ) a eBay watch I been "watching for months" asking questions etc , seller finely got tired and blocked me ( I did not know ) then lowered price to a point I thought was fair, went to buy it now. EBay would not work, no message saying your blocked, just error trying to PayPal! Augh, I was luckily a friend in ct was home and had funds!

    But back to the topic . If the buyer is difficult before funds are transferred , only get worse after..

    For me I typically only sell to people I know ...... It limits who I sell to but at lest it cuts down the static.


    Good hunting

    Bill
     
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  10. glownyc Jun 26, 2016

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    I would just be grateful that it wasn't one of those sophisticated scammers that knows how to present themselves as a legit buyer and move along.
     
  11. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Jun 26, 2016

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    Walk away. No room for that behavior here.
     
  12. Hijak Jun 26, 2016

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    It's your watch and your prerogative, in your shoes I wouldn't sell to him either!
     
    tyrantlizardrex likes this.
  13. WatchVaultNYC Jun 27, 2016

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    There was a guy that I didn't want to sell to over WUS, because at the time I did not want to ship overseas. And man he went off on and on until I reported him to the mods.
     
    tyrantlizardrex likes this.
  14. SpikiSpikester @ ΩF Staff Member Jun 27, 2016

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    First red flag and I'm out. There's never any need to invite strangers to crap in my hallway.
     
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  15. aap Jun 27, 2016

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    I have the watches I buy sent to Singapore and not to the Philippines, which is where I live, due to the hell I used to go through with our local customs. My friend who lives in Singapore brings the watches for me every time he goes here (which is at least once a month). So, for me, it's to benefit from the efficiency and honesty of a more advanced country and avoid the bureaucracies of a third world country. That said, I'm not sure what the advantages would be of shipping to Switzerland over the US.
     
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  16. Jonatan Jun 27, 2016

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    Either way, he will need to pay customs fees since Switzerland is not an EU country!
     
  17. tyrantlizardrex Jun 27, 2016

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    A lot of it is the way he's demanding... Rather than asking.

    #merica
     
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  18. RegF Jun 27, 2016

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    Meh, I understand where are coming from, having been selling a few over recent months to fund a house project and the email thing and multiple forum chasing, and a low post count aren't necessarily a deal breaker IMHO.

    After all we've all got to start somewhere.

    Sometimes it can just be cultural differences.

    Add in language differences and a person's intent can seem a whole lot different typed on a screen than the guy might be like in person.

    At the end of the day, you both need to be comfortable.

    If you do want to pursue it, ask them to jump through some hoops yourself.

    I routinely ask folks for their home and work place address and then google maps street view it to see if it looks legit. Ask for their work phone number and organisation, google the company and then ring their main switchboard to see if its really them. Ask for outside-the-watch community references such as cars, pens, linkedIn, and similar things and follow up with those contacts.

    You can use reverse look-up services to check the validity of info if the purchase is high enough to warrant the couple of bucks it costs.

    I've sold to quite a few n00bs on other forums and all of them have happily acquiesced to these requests and turned out to be stand-up individuals.

    A couple of people have not wanted to provide that info and we've parted ways, in I'd like to hope, an amicable way.

    At the end of the day, it is up to you, as its your watch and a private transaction, there's no rules against being discerning in who you deal with.
     
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  19. sydneywatchguy Jun 27, 2016

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    Well within your rights to pick and choose who you sell to especially if theres any suspicions.
     
  20. philh Jun 27, 2016

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    Whilst this is a hobby the transaction to acquire is a business activity

    Research and due diligence is therefore a key component

    On the basis of this information I adopt 3 key measures

    1 If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck ,looks like a duck and smells like a duck Its a duck
    2 Do business with like minded people
    3 Never ever over ride a gut feeling

    Make your decision and if it proves wrong learn from it
     
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