Seller protection with eBay UK Authenticity Guarantee

workandturn · Mar 14, 2026

Hi all,

I’ve just sold a gold Cartier watch on eBay UK for £4,500. The buyer has 0 feedback, although the account has existed for about 4 years.

The listing is under eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee, so I’ll be sending the watch to the authentication centre rather than directly to the buyer.

Because the buyer hasn’t been very responsive, I phoned eBay UK support to confirm the seller protection. Unfortunately the agent wasn’t very clear and suggested:

• The buyer could potentially do a chargeback through their bank, which I would have to dispute with the bank, not through eBay.

• Even though I don’t accept returns, the buyer could claim “not as described” and return the watch directly to me rather than to the authentication centre.

That seems to contradict what I understood about Authenticity Guarantee protecting the seller once eBay verifies the item and forwards it to the buyer.

So my question is:

If a watch is authenticated by eBay and then sent on to the buyer under the eBay UK Authenticity Guarantee programme, am I protected against chargebacks or “item not as described” claims?

Any insight from sellers who’ve used the UK authentication programme would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

p4ul · Mar 14, 2026

I would not buy or sell anything that I could not afford to write off as a loss on the swamp that is eBay. £4500 is more than l would risk, you??

workandturn · Mar 14, 2026

p4ul
I would not buy or sell anything that I could not afford to write off as a loss on the swamp that is eBay. £4500 is more than l would risk, you??

I actually think eBay’s processes have done a lot to combat the fraudulent issues that used to affect the platform.

I’m just trying to understand exactly what protection they offer sellers, as the information around it feels a little unclear at the moment.

Davidt · Mar 14, 2026

Ive bought and sold several via eBay’s authenticator. As far as I’m aware any returns have to go via the authenticator.

I can’t comment on chargebacks from a bank. I would assume that’s an eBay issue as the buyers bank paid eBay who then paid you after the item was authenticated

Ron_W · Mar 14, 2026

This is where you can have a look ;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/selling-tools/selling-authenticity-guarantee?id=4644

Dan S · Mar 14, 2026

I haven't sold on eBay in many years, but when I did, I never sold to a low feedback buyer unless they contacted me and I got a good feeling from our conversation. I would just cancel bids and not accept offers.

workandturn · Mar 14, 2026

Dan S
I haven't sold on eBay in many years, but when I did, I never sold to a low feedback buyer unless they contacted me and I got a good feeling from our conversation. I would just cancel bids and not accept offers.

Hey Dan, long time no speak but good to hear form you. This is why I’m nervous, this was typically the route I’d take but with the new authentication process I’m struggling to see how I can get scammed but aware where there is a will there’s a way

workandturn · Mar 14, 2026

Davidt
Ive bought and sold several via eBay’s authenticator. As far as I’m aware any returns have to go via the authenticator.

I can’t comment on chargebacks from a bank. I would assume that’s an eBay issue as the buyers bank paid eBay who then paid you after the item was authenticated

That’s my reading of it, which would mean if they tried to swap anything serial numbers would match or there’s a good chance a fake watch would be spotted.

But the call I made to eBay caused all kind of problems. Nothing they told me matched up, terrible customer service and it’s left me very nervous

workandturn · Mar 14, 2026

Ron_W
This is where you can have a look ;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/selling-tools/selling-authenticity-guarantee?id=4644

I’ve extensively been through things. It appears any returns have to go back through thr authentication center and as the watch has a serial number that would have to match.

Great, call eBay to confirm and they didn’t have a clue on their own policy and told me the reverse of everything I read on the website.

Jonathan40 · Mar 14, 2026

workandturn
Hey Dan, long time no speak but good to hear form you. This is why I’m nervous, this was typically the route I’d take but with the new authentication process I’m struggling to see how I can get scammed but aware where there is a will there’s a way

Hi, you won’t get scammed because they have paid the money and once it’s authenticated you can withdraw the money to your account.
I recently sold a watch this way, have done many times. It was £1650 and even though I never gave any reference to time keeping it was a 3 year old COSC certified watch and apparently the buyer put it on a timer and it was -8 seconds. I was no returns but eBay ruled in his favour and it went back to authentication service and then back to me. I was a little bit pissed about this.
Buyers hold all the cards on eBay,

Dan S · Mar 14, 2026

workandturn
Hey Dan, long time no speak but good to hear form you. This is why I’m nervous, this was typically the route I’d take but with the new authentication process I’m struggling to see how I can get scammed but aware where there is a will there’s a way

I would definitely think that authentication should provide you with an extra layer of protection. Most likely everything will go smoothly.

Tu13alcane · Mar 15, 2026

They could pay via credit card to ebay and then do a chargeback over the most ridiculous claims. We used to have an ebay shop ( not watches) and ebay always fell on the buyers side

John7boy · Mar 15, 2026

I sold a watch just before Christmas using the eBay authentication process (£3k transaction). The funds went into my account as soon as the watch passed their checks, and I had the amount transferred to my personal account before the buyer had received the watch. I can only comment on my experience selling one watch, no complaints at all and quicker payment than Chrono24.

zetamajor · Mar 15, 2026

I sold a watch through ebay very recently for around £3000. It went through authentication, he received the watch, but then within a few hours claimed the watch didnt run properly, the pusher was stuck and didnt return to zero.

The story was complete lies and I knew it. He even sent me some pictures to try to convince me it was faulty...the pictures were nothing more than pictures of the watch.

It is worth saying I am 100% certain the watch works without issue.

The buyer was trying to scam me. He started to say how he had been in touch with his watchmaker already and he'd said it would be £1000 to fix the watch.

Worth mentioning there is an authentication tag on the watch applied by the autenticator saying "void if removed".

I held my ground and just said to the seller to return the watch and get a full refund. He started the process and I agreed to a return through ebay.

He went on to say how he had bought extra things like new strap and box for the watch and even sent me pictures what he had bought and wanted compensating for those too! (Cheap replica crap bought off ebay, by the way). I didn't bother to respond to that.

He started demanding £1000 as he "liked the watch and wanted to keep it".

OMFG what a tool. I declined politely.

As the clock ticked on the time he has to return the watch, the demands kept coming every day, clearly a pressure tactic to make me pay up.

"Do the right thing" etc were the typical emails, "make this right", "it's only fair" etc. You get the idea.

Every time I politely declined, just said to return the watch to the authenticator. It's even free postage for him. (he just needs to make sure the void tag is in place of course).

The demanded amount started to drop, £800, £500, £300 ("I am taking a massive hit on this") and so on. I still decline without hesitation, just ask him to return the watch via the authenticator.

After a week or two, time eventually ran out on the window to return the watch and the window to give me feedback. He disappeared never to message me again. No feedback left by him.

I blocked him and reported him as a scammer, but ebay replied saying he had not breached their rules !!

Reason for the story is that there is much better protection now with authentication and I think it has stopped a lot of the lower level scamming going on. It is a lot better than the old days when a buyer could just start a claim and get their money back, and even keep the item.

Subspecies · Mar 15, 2026

I've sold on ebay and tbf only had one issue. Buyer said that the watch had a replacement movement, which it did but at the time I genuinely didnt know. I refunded and relisted with appropriate info. It sold for 20% less. This is a £200 watch. I definitely wouldn't risk ebay for a 3k watch.

workandturn · Mar 15, 2026

So we have to use something but if the rules aren’t clear then it’s a difficult fit all

Jonathan40
Hi, you won’t get scammed because they have paid the money and once it’s authenticated you can withdraw the money to your account.
I recently sold a watch this way, have done many times. It was £1650 and even though I never gave any reference to time keeping it was a 3 year old COSC certified watch and apparently the buyer put it on a timer and it was -8 seconds. I was no returns but eBay ruled in his favour and it went back to authentication service and then back to me. I was a little bit pissed about this.
Buyers hold all the cards on eBay,

They can seemingly do a charge back on their credit card and Ebay will automatically deduct that amount from your bank. I think thats the game the scammers play now.

workandturn · Mar 15, 2026

Subspecies
I've sold on ebay and tbf only had one issue. Buyer said that the watch had a replacement movement, which it did but at the time I genuinely didnt know. I refunded and relisted with appropriate info. It sold for 20% less. This is a £200 watch. I definitely wouldn't risk ebay for a 3k watch.

Ive sold plenty of watches on eBay and love the authentication service (although I know the vintage watch community have mixed feelings about it which I understand).

But a 0 feedback buyer with minimal communication has felt off. I thought I was protected, it seems Im not. Would rather sell for a touch less to someone who has good feedback and communicates well, so I think Im going to pull this one.

Sad thing is by protecting myself Im going to get a black mark against my account, 2 of those and eBay can stop me selling.

workandturn · Mar 15, 2026

zetamajor
I sold a watch through ebay very recently for around £3000. It went through authentication, he received the watch, but then within a few hours claimed the watch didnt run properly, the pusher was stuck and didnt return to zero.

The story was complete lies and I knew it. He even sent me some pictures to try to convince me it was faulty...the pictures were nothing more than pictures of the watch.

It is worth saying I am 100% certain the watch works without issue.

The buyer was trying to scam me. He started to say how he had been in touch with his watchmaker already and he'd said it would be £1000 to fix the watch.

Worth mentioning there is an authentication tag on the watch applied by the autenticator saying "void if removed".

I held my ground and just said to the seller to return the watch and get a full refund. He started the process and I agreed to a return through ebay.

He went on to say how he had bought extra things like new strap and box for the watch and even sent me pictures what he had bought and wanted compensating for those too! (Cheap replica crap bought off ebay, by the way). I didn't bother to respond to that.

He started demanding £1000 as he "liked the watch and wanted to keep it".

OMFG what a tool. I declined politely.

As the clock ticked on the time he has to return the watch, the demands kept coming every day, clearly a pressure tactic to make me pay up.

"Do the right thing" etc were the typical emails, "make this right", "it's only fair" etc. You get the idea.

Every time I politely declined, just said to return the watch to the authenticator. It's even free postage for him. (he just needs to make sure the void tag is in place of course).

The demanded amount started to drop, £800, £500, £300 ("I am taking a massive hit on this") and so on. I still decline without hesitation, just ask him to return the watch via the authenticator.

After a week or two, time eventually ran out on the window to return the watch and the window to give me feedback. He disappeared never to message me again. No feedback left by him.

I blocked him and reported him as a scammer, but ebay replied saying he had not breached their rules !!

Reason for the story is that there is much better protection now with authentication and I think it has stopped a lot of the lower level scamming going on. It is a lot better than the old days when a buyer could just start a claim and get their money back, and even keep the item.

Thanks @zetamajor - that seems to be a standard story, which worries me but less than the charge back scam. That seems to be the one that can really hit you hard.

After a day thinking about it I think Im going to stop the sale, I don't feel comfortable, my spidy senses are running riot and whilst eBay seems to have improved a lot there's still a chance I could lose which I simply couldn't afford

SOG53 · Mar 15, 2026

I’m a bit confused. Has the buyer paid? But you haven’t sent watch yet to Authenticator? What has buyer done wrong? Not communicating?

workandturn · Mar 15, 2026

Fair question. The answer is that technically there’s nothing wrong.

Historically the rule of thumb on eBay was to be cautious with accounts that have zero feedback, as dormant accounts have sometimes been taken over and used for fraudulent purchases.

In this case I have no way of knowing. An account that is four years old with no activity is not, by itself, proof of a scam, but it does raise a red flag. The minimal communication raised another. Buying a gold Cartier watch with no questions at all is possible, but it isn’t entirely typical.

Because of that, I wanted to understand what protection I actually have if something were to go wrong. The most common issues seem to be claims that the item was not as described, or credit card chargebacks, either from a stolen card or a buyer disputing the transaction.

Unfortunately eBay weren’t very helpful when I contacted them. They said that if a dispute occurs I would have the opportunity to argue my case, and that if a chargeback is raised through the buyer’s bank I would need to contest that with the bank myself.

I posted here to see what other sellers’ experiences have been and whether my concerns were reasonable.

The conclusion seems to be that the buyer could be legitimate, but the risks do exist and the red flags I noticed are valid. Buyers with established feedback and clear communication are generally safer.

So after reading the responses here, doing some research and thinking it through, I’ve decided I’d feel more comfortable relisting the watch.

SOG53
I’m a bit confused. Has the buyer paid? But you haven’t sent watch yet to Authenticator? What has buyer done wrong? Not communicating?

Seller protection with eBay UK Authenticity Guarantee

workandturn

p4ul

workandturn

Davidt

Ron_W

Dan S

workandturn

workandturn

workandturn

Jonathan40

Dan S

Tu13alcane

John7boy

zetamajor

Subspecies

workandturn

workandturn

workandturn

SOG53

workandturn

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